From the Smith Center:
- Final: North Carolina 77, Kentucky 58. More to come after press conferences.
- The wireless signal went out on press row right after halftime. it has returned but is very low. May not be ablet o post much more until get back to press room, where signal is stronger.
- Wireless signal is finally back as North Carolina leads 64-51 with 5:31 remaining.
- Halftime: North Carolina 41, Kentucky 25
- Think we can forget about Darius Miller playing the point.
- OK, it’s 38-21 Tar Heels with 3:23 left in the half. I feel compelled to remind blog viewers that neither Tyler Hansbrough nor Marcus Ginyard are playing for North Carolina. Kentucky is finally getting the ball a bit more to Patrick Patterson, but it may be more by luck than design. Michael Porter just got called for an off-the-ball foul. He was trying to set a screen. Kevin Galloway must really be way, way, way behind.
- The comment about Derrick Jasper is right on.
- Cats actually outscore Tar Heels 11-6 in that segement to cut lead to 31-17 with 7:35. Almost semi-respectable. Josh Harrellson is now in the game for Cats. Don’t think UNC could keep up intensity it showed in first few minutes. Nice save of the ball by freshman Davis as he was going out of bounds led to a Larry Drew three-pointer.
- A.J. Stewart checked in at 9:33. First appearance of season.
- Gone from bad to worse. Ellington slams home an open-floor dunk and Carolina lead is 25-6 with 11:30. Kentucky takes another time out. At this point, anyway, Cats are completely — and I do mean completely — outclassed.
- UNC students were chanting VMI, VMI, and Roy Williams came over and todl them to stop.
- Liggins and Miller in at 14:38.
- First TV time and its 15-2 Carolina with 14:38 left in half. I’ve got UK with five turnovers. I would say this could get ugly, but it’s already pretty ugly.
- Not the start Kentucky wanted. North Carolina up 11-2 with 16:10 left in half as Gillispie does call a time out. Same problems. Turnovers. Timid handling of the ball. Deon Thompson scored six of UNC’s first eight points.
- Students are right behind us, and they’re jumping to the music “Jump,” and shaking press row(s)>
- UK’s starters: Patrick Patterson, Ramon Harris, Perry Stevenson, Jodie Meeks and Michael Porter.
- UNC’s starters: Danny Green, Deon Thompson, Tyler Zeller, Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson.
Where, oh, where did Patrick Patterson go?
Can we hire a someone you cant recruit but can coach. Oh, I forgot, we ran him out of town.
So this is improvement?
Is Meeks aware that there are four other players out there with him, and that ANY of them can shoot just like him?
And why did it take EIGHT MINUTES for Patterson to get a pass in the paint?
when does baseball season start?
UNC is overplaying the passing lanes and noone is trying to go backdoor. Porter is embarassingly lost and doesn’t even look like Division II material right now. One of the worst Kentucky teams and efforts I can remember in the last 30 years.
Look, the reality is that Tubby Smith destroyed this program. He destroyed it. Rick Pitino came in, after Eddie Sutton nearly destroyed it, and had about the same level of talent Gillispie came in with. I would say that if Gillispie is a really good coach (not recruiter, but coach), this could be a good program again by 2010. But if he’s an envelope-pushing recruiter who can only kinda-of coach, then the Tubby Smith legacy will be complete; a ruined program that in five years will be in worse shape than Eddie Sutton left it. Let’s hope Gillispie can coach as well as he can push the recruiting envelope.
I am actually embarassed for Gillispie and the boys. They will finish last in the SEC this year.
will NC pass us in most wins this season?
Can the players wear uniforms that don’t say kentucky? This is going to be an embarrassing season.
wow…how much do we miss Jasper?!! He would control the tempo and get Patterson the ball.
Gillispie is a defense oriented coach? Wouldn’t know it by looking at this game
If Gillispie doesn’t tell patterson to shoot the ball or drive the lane in the next half then everyone who lives on East Maxwell Street should be allowed to kick him in the —–
Can we at least get Liggins in there to get some experience? I mean come on, am I the only person who sees just how worthless Porter is?
Re: “UNC students were chanting VMI, VMI, and Roy Williams came over and todl them to stop.” So this is what it has come to? Coaches feel compelled to stop students from taunting Kentucky with more than 14 minutes left in the FIRST half?
Defense oriented coach? God, I wish. Have they stopped them even 25% time across the floor?
Folks…it is still NOVEMBER for crying out loud!!! But why do get the feeling we’ll all be sitting around on Selection Sunday wondering if we got in?
OMG. Do they think they’re the Harlem Globetrotters throwing the ball behind the back. Check the scoreboard guys. Let’s get a solid post-up or something
I understand Bill B but remember when and if they place UK in the tourney, they will remember a disastrous loss to VMI AT HOME, and a slap-down by an out of conference team(#1 or not) and they will place us at an 11 seed again. Is that better than last year?
Billy must go. Coaching sucks.
We are KENTUCKY! We do not make excuses for being bad! I don’t care if it’s November! This is not Wildcat basketball. Billy G has got to reel in Meeks, get Patterson more involved and force these guys to start passing the ball better.
CONTRACT??? WHY???
Man,why are you guys giving up on the season at halftime of game #2. Are you shocked that our young team is struggling with the #1 team in the nation. Boy, they are playing their hearts out. I’m not jumping off a bridge yet. These cats are going to be good. Just you wait and see. We may not win this game, but we won’t go down without a fight. And let’s see what the comments are like when we start improving as the season goes along. I think we are doing great for playing the highest scoring team in Division I in the first game, and the best team in the nation in game #2. Guys, chill out!!!
wow
(that sums it up)
I wish someone would run over to the UK locker and tell Billy G that the ESPN crew are laughing the butts off at UK’s play, as well they should be.
I don’t think that the best team in the country beating us at home is that big of a deal, but the fact that they don’t play as a team on offense, they have no patience on offense, they don’t rotate over or get rid of the ball before three guys trap them really bothers me.
UK sucks!!!!!! love you billy G. keep your head up, don’t let these pussycat fans stress you they’re never satisfied.
el cid i think you cats let the best coach go. 1998 was the last time you cats will have another NCAA championship.
wow, that sucked….
worse than i ever imagined… we have zero business play UNC this early…. if at all.. ;-(
Not be in the wrist slashing group just yet, but these guys are disorganized and I DO get tired of seeing Billy G standing over there the entire game with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face….. For $3 mil a year I would think we could do better than that in a place like UK. I have to admit it is very embarassing to lose at home by the G-Ws and VMIs of the world……..
THis is like a horse race it is not how you start, it is how we finish. last year Billy did a good job, could be worst you could have invested in the stock market today.
Loved that first set play of the half with both our big men near the top of the key.
why is tubby name even bought up??? he has nothing to do with this sorry ass team. UK suppose to have so much damn money why can’t they buy the best coach??? ohh i forgot he turned yawl down (BILLY D. florida) haha GO TAR HEELS
Do these guys not know how to throw a simple pass? We need a course in remedial basketball!!!
I’ve looked up “stress reaction” 4 different places inclucing Wiki, Web MD, etc and all say it’s a mental problem, so Hansbrough really is psycho.
The contrast btw Davidson on ESPN 2 and UK is stark. Outside of Curry, the talent at Davidson pales in comparison to UK but Davidson appears to be a basketball team. UK’s hoops IQ woefully inadequate.
I guess you pussycat fans are going to blame this lost on tubby. blame it on the ball hog Meeks Im going to bed its not looking good for UK
UK’s basketball team is a joke
what happened to the live blog? did john clay fall asleep from the boredom, or did he leave bc of the embarassment
John can you ask Billy G why Galloway doesn’t play? Has to be better than Porter. Not only ask him, grill him about it everyday until he plays him, write about it, talk about it, for the good of Kentucky.
how nice of a present would jai lucas be right now?
Our guys need to learn to pass. Meeks cannot have an off night. Patterson needs to touch the ball alot more, and Porter needs to stay on the bench. Do those things, and there might be hope for this team.
Folks, this UNC team can beat at least half of the NBA. They are really good and have been playing at this level for awhile. UK will be fine and Coach will have em ready for conference play. Are we going to the final four? No. But we will be at the dance and this team will have some great moments. The future is brighter than you think!
Meeks forcing everything, except the ball into the post. But, the dude works his butt off on defense. Porter, great kid but couldn’t keep up with Lawson with a jet pack strapped to his #@$. All things being equal between our point guards, at least keep the guy on the floor that can keep up with the opposing point guard. Too many guys playing while looking over their shoulders the whole time, I don’t see confidence in these guys, I see a lot of fear of making a mistake and getting jerked…..many have reason to worry. Catch, dribble, pass, shoot,,,,,these Seem to be foreign concepts, hit a wiki, pick two, master them, baby steps. WAY too many layups/dunks for UNC. Where’s Perry? Patterson,,,,sorry bud, wish like anything your teammates had your floor vision. I quit for the night….to annoyed, too late, gotta go get some sleep before my 9 hour shift of ridicule at work tomorrow.
Cat fan in Iowa.
Random thoughts on tonight…
Defense seems to not exist other than Perry Stevenson. Right now he is probably the MVP of the season, but then the list is short isn’t it? Meeks needs to reel in his forced shots, Porter either needs to find his point guard skills or the bench, Patterson needs to touch the ball more, and the entire team seems to have a need for remedial education in how to pass the ball and how to receive the ball. Additionally it seems some of the guys need to be motivated to stay on their man more on defense and to hustle more as a whole. Also, I can’t figure out why so many people are saying it’s all Tubby’s fault and he has ruined the program. That is so much BS IMO, because if you look two of the three best players this year are Tubby’s recruits, so thus far I don’t see where Biily’s troops are doing much better. Tubby had several things go wrong during his time here in the recruiting area, and that one TERRIBLE class he brought in that one year (Carruth and the other renegades) that he subsequently dismissed from the team. Some of the things that went on wer NOT Tubby’s fault, like Bogan’s ankle getting hurt before the Marquette game (and yes I agree he should have played someone else that night), the big center from Indiana dying in the high school tournament that Tubby should have have for at least 3 years to build around, Azubuike leaving a year earlier than he was ready for the NBA among other things and Randolph Morris being such a putz when he was here and then leaving for the NBA and coming back and then leaving again in the middle of the year…. Another thing a lot of people don’t realize is that the UK administration tried to tell Tubby what he could and could not do in the area of assistants and the like, and from time to time would “add” their imput on potential recruits. I think it says a lot that Tubby refused to change his staff when given ultimatiums from the higher ups on principle to do so. It was his program to run and he wanted to run it his way. I am afraid if I had been in his situation I would have probably been the same way, because once you start allowing interference from higher ups it is extremely difficult to get them out of your business. I think it says a lot about how Tubby felt when he did not take any of his assistants to Minnesota with him when he could. One other point and I’m closing this out. I was not a fan of Tubby’s style of basketball as I have followed UK since the early 60s. I prefer the more open style of play and the excitement of running the ball up and down the floor. BUT, anyone who follows college basketball will have to agree that defense wins more games in the NCAAs than any other style and Tubby’s teams DID play defense night in and night out. What I have seen this year that is supposed to be defense could best be described as a spectator sport instead, as our team has had the best seats in the house while watching the other team light it up…… Do I think Billy G’s staff are better recruiters than Tubby’s bunch? Yes I do, but having said so I will also have to admit I think Tubby is the better game coach, because I haven’t seen Billy do much of anything during any game the entire time he has been here. Yes this year’s team should get better than they are now (I mean seriously how can they get much worse?), but the more they play together the better they should get. But then so will a lot of other teams would have a lot of new personnel. But Billy, I have to add that if you expect UK fans to settle for a 65% winning percentage you had BETTTER win a title or two every 10 years, because we are NOT used to seeing mediocre and mundane basketball game in and game out…….. I wish you the best of luck but I don’t think you are the guy for the job here. I do hope you can prove me wrong…….but I don’t expect it…
“THis is like a horse race it is not how you start, it is how we finish.”
Sir, you know nothing about horse racing…its ALL about the start.