Connect with us

Men's Basketball

Saturday Morning Wakeup: Kentucky vs. Texas Tech

Published

on

Good morning, big blue nation. Our University of Kentucky Wildcats take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders this evening for the first time since the 1994-95 season in a game that would be a huge win for both teams. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. EST on ESPN.

This Texas Tech team is not a good as last years Final Four team. The Red Raiders come into this game at 12-6 and 3-3 in Big 12 play. They are playing Kentucky, their Super Bowl, but are coming off a road loss to TCU, if they need any extra motivation.

Let’s take a look at this Red Raiders team.

Advertisement

Offense

The Red Raider offense doesn’t necessarily blow you away. In their last four games, they have only scored over 70 twice. In their two games against No. 14 West Virginia and No. 1 Baylor, both losses, they scored 52 and 54 points.

They’re currently shooting 33% from behind-the-arc which ranks sixth in the Big 12, making 7 three’s per game. They’re also shooting 44% from the field, ranking third in the Big 12.

Best Players

Texas Tech has three players averaging over 30 minutes per game. Jahmi’us Ramsey, Davide Moreti, and Kyler Edwards. All three are averaging 12+ PPG.

Their best player is Jahmi’us Ramsey. In only 14 games, Ramsey is averaging 15.5 PPG, 5 RPG, and shooting 40% from behind-the-arc. But I’d also lookout for Kyler Edwards. His stats won’t blow you away, but he has scored over 20 in two of their last three games.

Advertisement

The Game

  • Television: You can watch the game on ESPN, tip-off at 6 pm
  • Radio: You can listen to the game on 630 WLAP, with Tom Leach and Mike Pratt on the call
  • Spread: The Cats are currently a road underdog as the Red Raiders are favored by four
  • Streaming: You can stream the game on the WatchESPN app

This game would be a big win for both teams. Texas Tech is in danger of not making the tournament as they already have six losses. Their signature win this year is against the Louisville Cardinals who were ranked No. 1 when Tech took them down in Madison Square Garden.

For Kentucky, this win would be a resume’ booster. Not only would it be a win against a (for now) ranked team, but it being in Lubbock would add some bonus points. Kentucky has four bad losses that will hurt their seeding come tournament time, so adding this game to the win column will definitely give the Cats a boost

But, at the end of the day, this game is definitely Texas Tech’s Super Bowl. Red Raider fans have been camped out since Thursday.

Go Cats.

Advertisement

Men's Basketball

Kentucky Basketball Players Say They Think About Winning National Championship “Every Second”

Published

on

Kentucky basketball players celebrate after their big over Duke.
IMAGN

The expectations at Kentucky are the highest of any school in the country, and there is good reason why. The winningest college program ever. Eight national titles, under five different coaches. Seventeen Final Four appearances. You get it, a lot of success.

Fans want the players to have those same expectations. Despite not having the elite talent or preseason hype of great Kentucky teams past, this year’s team still has their eyes set on doing something “people will remember forever”, winning a national championship.

Asked on social media, if hanging banner #9 was all the players thought about “every second”, Ansley Almonor had a response.

Advertisement

“We do.”

It takes a lot to win a national championship, including some luck, but this team is certainly going to be loved for their desire to live out their dream of playing at Kentucky and their unselfishness. Those two things can take them a long way this season .

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Men's Basketball

Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart Seemingly Takes Shot at John Calipari, “Anybody Can Recruit”

Published

on

Mitch Barnhart sitting next to basketball coach John Calipari.
IMAGN

John Calipari and Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart had their differences over fifteen years, but success can hide a lot of things. Not that they hated each other, but they each had vastly different personalities. As that success weaned towards the end of Calipari’s tenure, those issues started to be noticed publically.

If you need evidence of that, despite their efforts to dispute it, there is the infamous press conference where Barnhart talked about “entitled” coaches, shortly after Calipari publicly called for a new practice facility. Then, there were multiple times when Calipari expressed that the administration was not on the same page and that he was facing “headwinds”.

That said, Calipari is now at Arkansas, but those differences and some disdain remain. During an interview on the Kentucky Football pregame show, Barnhart seemingly took a shot at Calipari when asked about Mark Pope’s recruiting philosophy and prioritizing fit.

Advertisement

“I tell people all the time, ‘Anybody can recruit, not everybody can evaluate,’” Barnhart said. “You can recruit. You can be phenomenal at bringing people to your program. But if it does not fit you, it’s really not helpful.”

Of course, Calipari is one of the best, if not the best, recruiters in college basketball history. At times, he prioritized talent and athleticism over fit.

Quite the coincidence.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Men's Basketball

ESPN’s Jay Williams Gives Message to Kentucky Fans, “You’re Not Going to Like It…”

Published

on

ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Williams gives a message to Kentucky fans after the Wildcats win over Duke. "You won't like it."
ESPN

Back in April, opposing fanbases like Duke, told Kentucky fans to “cope with Pope” following the hire of Mark Pope and the corresponding initial shock. On Tuesday, those same fanbases had to watch as Mark Pope outcoached Jon Scheyer and Duke in the final minutes of the Champion’s Classic to get his first marque win in just his third game at Kentucky.

Of course, shortly after the game, Duke fans began to rationalize the loss by highlighting their team’s youth. While true, it sounded like an echo chamber of what Kentucky fans said for years under John Calipari. One notable example was former Blue Devil Jay Williams.

At halftime, while Duke was leading 46-37, Williams called this year’s Duke team the most talented since the 2001 team that he was a part of at halftime. To his credit, he complimented Kentucky on the comeback victory, specifically on their offense and maturity, but then 36 hours later he posted a message to Kentucky fans on social media.

Advertisement

“Let me put you on to something,” Williams started. “Whether you like it or not, networks are going to sell Cooper Flagg. He’s going to be the number one pick in the draft. You’re going to talk about whether he won the or whether he lost the game, regardless of the outcome.”

“You’re not going to like it. There should be more kudos to Mark Pope and Kentucky,” Williams continued. “Regardless of whether you won the game or not, they’re still going to sell Cooper Flagg because he is selling the sport. Sorry.”

William’s statement is true. That said, it comes off as ‘sour grapes’ about losing. Cooper Flagg is a great talent and will likely be the first pick in the NBA Draft, but most Kentucky fans would say they would much rather have the win than the marketing.

Futhermore, Kentucky and its ‘brand’ has raised the level of multiple players and coaches, and will continue to do so. A deeper impact than Cooper Flagg will have on Duke in just one season.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Trending