The Cats rose to #2o in the polls and the Dirty Birds rose to #11 due to some stellar wins over stiff competition this weekend.
Here is a SHORT synopsis of the victories:
UK over the Gators- This Gator Hater (me) saw some great play from three guys on the Wildcats. Darius Miller eclipsed his previous career high with 24 points; Brandon Knight did not turn the ball over; and Jorts was everywhere under the basket, grabbing rebounds left and right.
If they can get Miller to put up those numbers every game, the Cats are Trouble with a capital "T" in March. Miller can be un-guardable at the 3 spot because of his size and at the 4 spot because of his speed and outside threat. He is turning into the great player we all knew he could be.
Dirty Boids over Pitt- Because of their defense Louisville games are hard to watch. Both teams looked awful in the first half, especially Pitt. Neither team shot well, both teams fouled a bunch and both teams seemed to not want to hold on to the ball. Again, I give Louisville tons of credit. Their D was great. They have overachieved more than any team in the country but I still don't think they are going to be a tournament threat.
And by the way: Next time Kyle Kuric and the Louisville cheerleader squad want to act like complete A-Holes I hope it costs Louisville the game. Kuric's dunk was uncalled for and unnecessary. And to the cheerleader: You are a man cheerleader. Pitino even called you out and made fun of you and that guy doesn't have room to make fun of anyone. (Cough) Dribble down my leg (Cough, Cough) 15 seconds (Cough, Cough) Mike Marra is the best three point shooter I have ever seen (Cough)
A bigger week is ahead with the Cats hosting Vandy and going to Knoxville to stamp out the Vols to close the season. Tomorrow is Jorts day in the Bluegrass. Be sure to wear some denim to work to support our senior.
For Louisville fans Wednesday is Bring Your Hairbrush and Handcuffs in Support of Preston Knowles Day. The Louisville senior will be sure to be confused and enraged as he sees all of the hairbrushes in the YUUUUMMMMM!!!! Center.
More to come tomorrow as I dissect the Cats vs. the Commodores.
Really? Kuric a punk? For a dunk at the end of a HUGE game? What about whichever Cat it was at the end of the New Year's game? Jones I think? the one everyone was up in arms about Jennings for "allegedly" trying to knock him down? "Come on man!"
ReplyDeleteThat was Liggins and the shot clock was running down, there was still ample time left on the game clock, he had to take the shot in order to avoid a shot clock violation. It was not a dribble around and end the game scenario. And Jennings tripped him on purpose. I'll post the video again if you like.
ReplyDeleteKuric, on the other hand, decided to be a giant prick and almost cost Louisville the game for it. If he would have dribbled out with 1.5 seconds left, something that 99% of the college basketball population would have done, instead of being a punk, then Louisville's Fat Cheerleader would have never had the chance to almost blow the game for the Dirty Birds.
But this is the obnoxious, classless attitude that the Louisville culture propagates. Kuric was an A-Hole for dunking that ball and karma almost got him for doing it. Nobody slams the ball down with 1.5 seconds left while they are all alone on the court. You dribble the ball and run out the clock. It's one of those unwritten rules of college basketball.
His dunk made it a two possession game. In case you weren't watching, Pitt's halfcourt shot which wasn't very far off the mark would have sent us into double overtime. Running the clock out when the other team can't come back is fine, but saying that someone shouldn't put points on the board when the other team is down one possession is just stupid.
ReplyDeleteAll he had to do was dribble. There was 1.5 seconds left on the clock and he was by himself except for one guy about 20 feet from him. You are telling me he couldnt dribble around or just hold the ball?
ReplyDeleteThe dunk was unnecessary and was basically a jerk move. He had no reason to do it other than show off. Him leaving time on the clock was more costly that dribbling the clock out. It was selfish and it almost lost them the game.
First off, nothing almost lost us the game. It is funny that you will disect everything that happens during a UofL game but when a UK player puts up a shot with a 15 point lead at the end of the game it is because "the shot clock was running out". Or say when a UK player elbows someone on the other team in the face while they are on the floor it is because "there was a scrum for the ball and things like that happen." I hope you see the absurdness of some of your arguments. You can argue that dribbling the ball out was the smarter play but you can't blame someone for putting points on the board in a one possession scenario. Maybe you and Bob Knight should hang out because he thinks that Kuric is a punk too for looking at someone the wrong way.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Bob Knight 99% of the time. The Kuric argument is the other 1%.
ReplyDeleteAnd how can you say "Nothing almost lost us the game?" Pitt had a legit shot at sending the game into overtime after the Kuric/Idiot cheerleader fiasco.
A). Louisville was up 3 points when Kuric got the ball. B). Kuric got the ball with 1.5 seconds left on the clock and dunked it instead of running the clock out totally. C). Kuric's dunk left .5 seconds on the clock D). Fat cheerleader gets the ball, throws it in the air with time left, gets a techincal. E). Pitt converts the technical and is only down one and is able to get the ball with a Hail Mary chance to tie. F). Pitt misses the shot, Louisville wins.
B-F could have been totally avoided if Kuric would have just done what anybody else in his situation would have. Louisville had a chance to lose because of Kuric's play and the cheerleader. The cheerleader thing would never have happened if Kuric would have just held onto the ball.
The End
That down 1 is supposed to be down 3 FYI
ReplyDeleteThe technical could have sent us into double overtime. The only way you could justify saying that the cheerleader almost lost us the game would have been if we were up by less than three points when Pitt took the halfcourt shot. And you cannot blame the technical on what Kuric did. The cheerleader could have run onto the court prematurely even if Kuric didn't dunk the ball. And I think you would be hard pressed to find any coach who would tell a player not to put easy points on the board during a one possession game, regardless of how much time is remaining. Things happen, teams come back, teams hit half court shots with 1.5 seconds left, just not in this case. I'm all for good sportsmanship, but don't tell me that in a one possession game a player isn't going to put up an easy bucket to ensure a win.
ReplyDeleteI can tell this is a touchy subject for you and that you have great affection for Kyle Kuric.
ReplyDeleteYou ensure the win by running out the clock - thus no time left, no technicals can happen, no chances. Many people actually thought Kuric hung on the rim and might have picked up a T for that, which with .5 seconds left allow Pitt another chance.
ReplyDelete