Men's Basketball

The Morning Morning After: Tennessee vs. Kentucky Round 2

Published

5 years ago

March 4, 2019

Welp, that didn’t go the way anyone expected.

In their first matchup, Kentucky handed Tennessee handed a 17-point whoopin’. On Saturday night, Tennessee was able to avenge that loss with a 71-52 win over a Reid Travisless Kentucky team in Knoxville.

Starting the game, Kentucky went up 6-0 as the Vols couldn’t have started any worse and was a competitive game up until the 8:23 mark in the first half (when PJ went out with his 2nd foul). However, that quickly changed as a 20-18 lead ballooned to a 37-24 lead going into halftime and Kentucky was never able to cut the lead back to single digits.

Let’s take a look at what all went wrong.

THE Worst Offensive Game of the Season

This is no exaggeration as the Cats recorded a season-low in field goals made (14), field goal percentage (31.8%, 14-44 FG), and points (52). All of these marks are significantly lower than Kentucky’s next worst marks of the season and includes Kentucky’s lowest scoring mark since the 2013 NIT team.

Tennessee forced Kentucky out of their comfort zone as the Cats had more turnovers (17) than field goals (14). The Cats were also only able to get 10 points in the paint, a much lesser mark than the 36 points in the paint that Kentucky was able to score at Rupp.

Tennessee played great defense, but Kentucky also had a combination of poor shot selection and open shots just not falling. As versatile as this team is on offense, I don’t see this poor of a performance being replicated again.

The Atrocious Trio

Ashton Hagans, Tyler Herro, and Keldon Johnson may have each played their worst individual game of the season on Saturday.

Ashton Hagans: 5 points (2-6 FG), 2 TO

Tyler Herro: 6 points (2-11 FG), 5 TO

Keldon Johnson: 7 points (2-9 FG), 3 TO

When three of your starters combine for more turnovers (10) than field goals (6), odds are the game didn’t go that great and that was definitely the case on Saturday.

The defensive end wasn’t great for these three either. The Tennessee guards were able to get wide open looks and drive to the rim with ease. These three have had trouble at times this season with staying between their man and the basket and denying straight line drives.

Hagans and Herro have provided great offensive performances in recent games, whereas Keldon Johnson has been in a four-game slump averaging 8.3 points on 29.7% FG and 10% 3P. It’s clear that Keldon needs to turn it on, find his flow, and get his confidence back before the NCAA tournament.

This game couldn’t have gone worse on either end and I don’t see all three playing this poorly in the same game again.

Where Has Ashton Hagans’ Defense Gone?

From late December to late January Ashton Hagans was raved about Nationally with his perimeter defense and disruptive hands. While his offensive production has improved, his defense has regressed. After getting 3 or more steals eight times in a nine-game stretch that included games against North Carolina, Louisville, Auburn, and Kansas, Hagans has only recorded 3 steals once since.

In the matchup at Rupp, and despite a 17-point Kentucky win, Jordan Bone took it to Hagans with 19 points (8-13 FG) and 6 assists. On Saturday that didn’t change much as Bone finished 27 points (11-15 FG) and 3 assists.

Bone is an elite college level point guard, but if the Cats want to go deep in the tournament Hagans will have to play guards just as talented and will have to show he can consistently hold his own defensively.

We Need Reid Travis

This game should be designated as the Reid Travis Appreciation Game. Without Reid Travis, Kentucky did not have a lot of interior defense due to foul trouble. On the offensive side, Nick Richards and EJ Montgomery weren’t able to provide anything allowing the Vols to double and pressure PJ.

What’s been missing most is his leadership and intangibles. Travis has shown the ability to match anyone’s physicality in the post this season and is the only player on the UK roster that could say that. This team has really missed Travis’ ability to draw attention away from PJ and his ability to open up driving lanes using his body.

This Kentucky team needs everything that Reid Travis brings to the table from his steady offense to his grit and toughness. This team needs Travis to go deep in March.

Saturday’s loss in Knoxville pretty much eliminates any chance for an SEC regular season title. The Cats fall to 13-3 in the conference with two games remaining (Ole Miss and Florida), leaving LSU and Tennessee atop the SEC standings with 14-2 records.

As bad as Kentucky played, this team will be fine. Kentucky had no Reid Travis, plagued with early foul trouble, and their worst offensive game of the season. The Cats will look to bounce back on the road against a good Ole Miss team in need of a win.

BB Recruiting

Kentucky to Host Multiple Top Transfers This Weekend

Published

1 hour ago

April 25, 2024

Tristan Pharis

Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats are hosting multiple top transfers this weekend for visits, looking to add to their roster.

With the deadline for players to enter the portal coming up on May 1st, Kentucky nearly has all their options on the table. Now two weeks since taking the job, Mark Pope has expressed interest in nearly two dozen names and has been keying in on some top names in the portal.

As of writing this article, top 25 transfer Otega Oweh (Oklahoma), is currently on a visit to Lexington, with three more players set to visit this weekend. There’s a good chance that some of those visits turn into commitments.

Let’s take a look at those names.

Deivon Smith – Guard, Utah

Physicals: 6’0, 173 lbs
Stats: 13.3 PPG, 7.1 APG, 6.3 RPG, 46.% FG, 40.8% 3P
Ranking: 10th (Evan Miya), 38rd (247Sports)

Kentucky has had just three players record a triple-double in program history. Deivon Smith recorded five triple-doubles this past season alone, the second-most all-time for a single season in NCAA history.

While undersized, he is one of the best all-around guards in the country, as his numbers show. It’s still early, but Kentucky getting the first visit is significant. St. John’s and Texas Tech have also been mentioned here.

Andrej Stojaković – Guard, Stanford

Physicals: 6’7, 190 lbs
Stats: 7.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 40.9% FG, 32.7% 3P
Ranking: 183rd (Evan Miya), 51st (247Sports)

Stojakovic is the son of former NBA All-Star, Peja Stojakovic. A familiar name for Kentucky fans from his high school recruitment. Stojakovic is a terrific shooter, and a top-25 recruit in the 2023 class.

On Thursday, Stojakovic cut his list to just three schools: California, UNC, and Kentucky. As a West Coast product, California was a school that showed interest when he was in high school, and so did Mark Pope when he was at BYU. Pope has made Stojakovic a priority, he could seal the deal this weekend.

Aidan Mahaney – Guard, Saint Mary’s

Physicals: 6-3, 180 lbs
Stats: 13.9 PPG, 2.6 APG, 38.6% FG, 35.5% 3P
Ranking: 96th (Evan Miya), 14th (247Sports)

One of the best guards in the portal. As a lead guard for Saint Mary’s, he displayed a good sense of playing under control, setting himself up and others. That said, his numbers were rather inefficient as the primary scoring option for the Gaels and shooting more than half of his shots from three. There are concerns about his playing against bigger guards.

Mahaney visited UConn Thursday and it looks to be a race between Creighton, Virginia, UConn, and Kentucky.

Andrew Carr – Forward, Wake Forest

Physicals: 6-11, 230 lbs
Stats: 13.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 52.6% FG, 37.1% 3P
Ranking: 33rd (Evan Miya), Not Listed (247Sports)

A near 7-footer who is efficient and can stretch the floor, shooting over 37 percent from three, is a player that Mark Pope would love to add to his roster. That describes Andrew Carr who has played two years at each Delaware and Wake Forest and is looking to go elsewhere for his last season of eligibility.

Carr is coming off a visit to Texas Tech and will visit Villanova after he visits Lexington this weekend.

Men's Basketball

Kentucky Basketball Hiring Top Assistant Coach Alvin Brooks III from Baylor

Published

1 day ago

April 24, 2024

Tristan Pharis

Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky may not have been able to pull Scott Drew away from Baylor, but they were able to pull Alvin Brooks III, one of the best assistant coaches in the country. First reported by CBS Sports on Wednesday morning, Brooks has accepted an associate head coach position at Kentucky, the same role in which he had at Baylor.

NEWS: Top Baylor assistant Alvin Brooks III is leaving the Bears to join Mark Pope's staff at Kentucky, sources tell @CBSSports. He spent the past eight years under Scott Drew and will be associate HC @ UK. Brooks is highly respected in the profession. It's a major coup for Pope.— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) April 24, 2024

Brooks comes to Kentucky with a great reputation as a recruiter, helping Baylor bring in some elite talent over the last couple of seasons, most notably, McDonald’s All-Americans VJ Edgecombe (2024), Ja’Kobe Walter (2023), and Keyonte George (2022).

Just 44 years old, Brooks has two decades of coaching experience. Before his time at Baylor he also had stops at Kansas State (2012-16), Sam Houston State (2010-12), Bradley (2007-10), Midland (2006-07), and Arkansas-Fort Smith (2004-06).

Brooks spoke with Kentucky Insider earlier this month about Kentucky’s hire of Mark Pope, as someone who competed against him at BYU. He spoke highly of the hire, specifically of his Xs and Os, and saw “no negatives”.

Interestingly, he will not be the first Alvin Brooks to be a part of the Kentucky Basketball program as his father was the Director of Operations from 2007-09 under Billy Gillispie. Brooks joins an assembled staff of Cody Fueger, Jason Hart, and Mark Fox, leaving just one assistant spot remaining which likely won’t come soon.

That said, the concern with Pope was his recruiting ability. With Hart and now Brooks, he has addressed that concern and has added two of the best recruiters in the country.

BB Recruiting

Transfer Amari Williams Commits to Kentucky

Published

4 days ago

April 21, 2024

Tristan Pharis

Drexel transfer Amari Williams has committed to play for the Kentucky Wildcats. Becomes first transfer commitment under Mark Pope.

Graphic via ClutchPoints

Amari Williams has made his decision. He has committed to the Wildcats, first reported by Joe Tipton of On3.

Williams’ decision comes after visiting Lexington this past weekend. On all accounts and given his commitment, all things went well, even taking a visit to Keeneland with new head coach Mark Pope.

Originally from Nottingham, England, Williams has played the last four years at Drexel. He has career averages of 10.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks.

From his sophomore season forward, Williams has been named to the All-Coastal Athletic Association Team three times and has won three straight CAA Defensive Player of the Year Awards.

The 6-foot-10, 265-pound forward is a physical big. On the offensive end, he scores most of his points at the rim, many of which come in transition or off offensive rebounds, but he is also comfortable extending to the elbow. He is a better passer than one would expect as well, with an 18% assist rate.

As his Defensive Player of the Year awards suggest, Williams makes his biggest impact on the defensive side of the ball. With a 7-foot-5 wingspan, he blocks plenty of shots (8.5% block rate) and alters many more. His physical size and length help him rebound the ball well.

Both were areas Kentucky lacked in last season.

If you’re an analytical guy, Williams has been a top-20 player in player efficiency ratings the previous two seasons, with a 28.5 PER each season.

For reference, Kentucky’s most efficient players last season, Reed Sheppard and Antonio Reeves, both had a PER of 23.6.

Evan Miya, one of the best analytics gurus in college hoops, has Williams ranked 14th overall in DBPR for next season, which measures the defensive value a player brings to his team when he is on the court. So Kentucky just landed one of the best defensive transfers in America.

With his commitment, Williams becomes Kentucky’s first transfer under Mark Pope and just the second commitment overall, joining Collin Chandler, a 4-star recruit of the 2022 class returning from a mission trip this summer.

It’s worth noting that he played alongside fellow Kentucky target and Utah State transfer Great Osobor in England. Could the two join forces in Lexington as Kentucky’s frontcourt?

Check out some highlights of the newest Cat in action!