Last Saturday, this looked to be the worst Kentucky basketball team since perhaps 1989-90. Now, especially with the prospect of Randolph Morris hopping on board next month, Kentucky looks like a national championship contender.
The key, of course, is Rajon Rondo. His 25 points and seven assists today were no fluke. Rondo attacked the basket from the opening tip. His penetration not only produced his own points but set up plays for others. It got teammates into the flow. And those teammates — Lukasz Obrzut’s nine rebounds; Joe Crawford’s seven boards — took some pressure off the Kentucky point guard.
The one sticking point is Louisville’s schedule. The Cards were obviously unprepared for the hostile environment and the ramp-up in competition. Though Kentucky’s improved play was the product of better execution, you have to figure in Louisville’s youth. It would also have been interesting to see what might have happened had not David Padgett, U of L’s sophomore center, not picked up two fouls in the game’s first 1:40.
If the Cats can continue today’s play, Morris will be a welcome addition, not a savior.
Notes from UK’s 73-61 win over Louisville:
- Gregg Doyel of cbs.sportsline gives a humorous anecdote.
- Louisville’s 26.5 percent shooting the first half was the worst by a UK opponent in any half this year.
- Of David Padgett’s two early fouls, Rick Pitino said, "That was an excuse."
- Of his technical foul, Pitino said, "I deserved it. It wasn’t the refs. It was us."
- Lukasz Obrzut’s nine rebounds is a career high.
- Sheray Thomas hit his career high for scoring in the first half with nine points.
- Joe Crawford played a career-high 31 minutes.
- More to come.
I don’t usually care what TV commentators have to say, but when Sparks got fouled on a three point attempt today Packer brought up the play from last year’s game. Totally fitting for the moment, but Packer just had to say that Sparks traveled before he shot last year. I try to avoid the whole Packer/Digger/Seth Davis/Jay Bilas hates us line of thought, but Packer’s dig today really set me off. He gained absolutely nothing by saying that except raising the ire of every cat fan watching. Just let it die.
Actually, it was Packer’s partner, Verne Lundquist, who made the point. He even proclaimed “I’ll say it this time”, trying to help persuade the obstinate group of UK fans who, apart from being selectively blind, also think Packer was the only one that saw the traveling violation. Many of the UK fans that are saying “let it go” still think Christian Laettner is the the anti-Christ.