A close game against a very good team at home ends up being a big time victory. The Cats overcome giving up a 15 point lead to beat Vanderbilt by 2 to extend their home winning streak to 33 games. Calipari just tied Rick Pitino for his record streak at Rupp in just his second season as coach. I think it's safe to say he breaks it next season.
This was the first game of the season for the Cats decided by 5 points or less that was a win. And it could not have come at a better time. The toughness of Vandy was a true test. UK passed it on their way to the tournaments. UK now has a chance to be the #2 seed in the SEC tournament with a win in Knoxville and a Georgia loss versus LSU or at Alabama.
Big ups to Brandon Knight for scoring 17 but this night was about one guy... Josh Harrellson.
Our Man Jorts was two points shy of a double-double with 8 points and 10 rebounds. But he may have made the play of the game when he defended Festus Ezeli with time running out. The defense led to two made Terrence Jones free throws and an eventual victory.
UK ends the second season in a row undefeated at home. Next on to Tennessee on Sunday.
Happy Jorts Day indeed.
Since we have been on the subject of end of game strategy explain to me why a team up by three points would foul with 10 seconds left?
ReplyDeleteI've never been a fan of fouling that early at the end of the game. I think you trust your defense and see what happens. The Cats came out with the victory but I would have rather seen the defense get it done.
ReplyDeleteAs far as strategy is concerned, Calipari has done a good job of out-strategizing Pitino these last 2 games. Who double teams a guy and leaves another guy wide open the entire game?
I forgot that the past two years have had nothing to do with talent. It is funny how my comment turns into who won a game in December, not to mention that since that game the losing team has been much more successful than the winning team.
ReplyDeleteThen if you go by the success argument and if you say Louisville is more successful than UK, has defeadted superior opponents, then "talent" would have nothing to do with the losses.
ReplyDeleteBy your argument, if Kentucky is so much more talented than Louisville, then Louisville must be playing some really piss poor teams with terrible talent with all that winning they are doing. UK could have gone undefeated in the Big East with that logic.