John Clay's Sidelines

Photo by Pablo Alcala.

In his post-game press conference, Billy Gillispie put the blame on himself for UK’s 73-70 loss to LSU saying that when Ramon Harris was hurt, he subbed “the wrong” guy. He also mentioned UK’s 10-point lead. Here’s the quote:

“I made a critical, critical, critical substitution in that time when we had a 10-point lead and played the wrong guy. Ramon was hurt. I thought he knocked his shoulder out of place, or closed his shoulder out of place, or something, so I subbed. That was what had gotten us in the position we were in in the first place and that’s what got us in the end. Bad mistake by me.”

To be honest, in the press conference and in the media room afterward, we were not sure what the coach was talking about. Did he mean when UK was up 54-44 and Ramon Harris was clutching his chest? That’s when UK was up 10 points. But that didn’t really have anything to do with “in the end.”

But I’m home now, and after watching the tape, I think the substituation Gillispie was talking about happened with 34.5 seconds left in the game.

In fact, when Harris was hurt, with 11:05 left, the UK lineup on the floor was Darius Miller, A.J. Stewart, Perry Stevenson and Kevin Galloway. UK scores to go up 54-44. There is a timeout with 11:05 left and on the TV feed Harris can be seen clutching his chest. In fact, on the Liveblog, I received several comments from readers about Harris, many of them asking me if Ramon was ok. But my seat is on the opposite end of the floor, by the LSU bench, I couldn’t see Ramon. When they come back from the timeout, Patterson and Meeks are back in the game replacing Harris and Stewart. I doubt seriously that either Meeks or Patterson is “the wrong guy” that Gillispie is talking about.

In fact, Harris returns to the game and plays for quite awhile. But with 34.5 ticks left, and Kevin Galloway at the free throw line, Gillispie turns to the bench and motions for Stewart to go in. You can see Harris looking over to the bench while Galloway is shooting the free throws. Sure enough, Stewart comes in for Harris.

Continue reading ‘Who was “the wrong guy”?’

From the post-game press conference after LSU’s 73-70 win over Kentucky:

• UK coach Billy Gillispie pins the loss on himself for a bad substitution.

• Kevin Galloway talks about the loss.

• LSU coach Trent Johnson talks about his team clinching the SEC overall crown.

Updates from UK-LSU today at Rupp Arena can be found on this post.

• Final: LSU wins 73-70. Meeks misses falling three-pointer at end. Mitchell hits winning shot and finishes with 21. Thornton scores 23. Patterson leads UK with 28. Meeks scores 24.

• Mitchell with 3 at 9.8 for 73-70 LSU lead.

• Miller three ties it at 70-70 with 27.1 left.

• Thornton rebound and three-point play for 66-64 LSU lead at 1:48. UK calls time at 1:46.

• Kentucky clinging to a 62-61 lead with 3:18 left. Patterson up to 26 points and eight rebounds for Cats. Meeks has 22. This one is going to go down to the wire. Thornton has 19 for LSU, Mitchell 18. Cats have 14 turnovers to 11 for Tigers.

• LSU has come back to cut the Kentucky lead to 58-56 with 6:35 remaining. Thornton has caught fire and is now up to 16 points for Tigers. UK shooting 54.5 for game. LSU shooting 44 percent.

• Kentucky has surged to a 54-44 lead with 10:56 remaining. Cats have made 11-of-14 shots this half. Patterson has 22 points and eight rebounds for game. Meeks has nine points already this half.

• Kentucky has cut LSU lead to 40-38 with 15:43 left. Cats are four-of-six from the floor this half. Patterson has 20 points and eight boards. Galloway and Miller started second half for Kentucky. And yes, A.J. Stewart did check into the game. LSU is 2-of-7 this half.

• LSU made 5-of-11 threes in first half. UK was 1-of-6.

• LSU up 36-28 at halftime behind Tasmin Mitchell’s 14 points. Bo Spencer next with nine. UK has turned it over 10 times. Patterson 14 & 7.

• LSU rolling along at 32-21 with 3:05 left before half. Tasmin Mitchell leads way with 10. Bo Spencer has 9. Kentucky is shooting 42.9 percent and has committed eight turnovers. Patterson has 10 points and seven boards.

• LSU up 24-16 at the 7:11 TV time. Tigers led by 12 before Cats scored four straight to get it back to single-digits. UK with 7 turnovers.

• LSU leads 14-10 with 11:52 remaining in the first half. Tasmin Mitchell has eight points for Tigers. He’s 3-of-3 from floor. Kentucky has made five of 12 shots for 41.7 percent. But Cats started out 4-of-5 from the field. UK is rebounding a bit better. Tied at 6-6. Patterson has four boards.

• LSU on an 8-0 spurt takes an 11-8 lead into the 14:56 TV time. UK hit four of its first five shots, but has missed last four. Tigers have made four of five shots, and lead 4-2 on the boards. Tasmin Mitchell has six points for the visitors.

• Kevin Galloway is here and suited up for Kentucky after missing Wednesday night because of a death in the family.

• LSU’s starters are Mitchell, Thornton, Spencer, Temple and Johnson.

• UK starters are Porter, Meeks, Harris, Stevenson and Patterson.

• This is the fourth UK game overall and third SEC game this year that Nance has worked. He was on the crew Wednesday night in Columbia. This is also the fourth UK game that Stuart has worked this year. This is the first time that the Cats have seen Barnasky.

• Officials today are Mike Stuart, Mike Nance and Brent Barnasky.

Big Blue Links for the UK-LSU showdown (4 p.m., CBS):

• In the Herald-Leader, Jerry Tipton writes that this is a nighmare matchup for the Cats.
• Here’s my column saying today’s game poses the biggest test of the young Billy Gillispie Era.
• Tipton’s notes packages leads with the off-and-on status of A.J. Stewart.
• All your UK audio needs are on this link.
• Gary Laney of the Baton Rouge Advocate writes that Rupp Arena awaits the Tigers.
• Laney also writes that LSU is counting on Garrett Temple to contain Jodie Meeks.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes that Meeks impresses Temple.
• Vaught also writes that LSU awaits a “talented” UK.
• Hoops Report gives some love to LSU’s Marcus Thornton.
• Kevin Lyttle of the Austin American-Statesman writes that LSU’s turnaround season has been striking.
• David Helman of the Daily Reville writes that LSU is shooting for the SEC crown today.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal writes that Patrick Patterson is the Cats’ insider.

Continue reading ‘BBL: UK-LSU preview links’

College basketball on the tube for Saturday, Feb. 28:

Here is an updated look at the SEC East divisional chart heading into this weekend’s play:

A breakdown of divisional play:

A few from the in-box:

Tyler writes:

I was reading your article concerning the embarrassement of last
night’s loss and I was wondering what your feelings were about Downey
asking referee Kitts to not call a technical on Patterson and Kitts
not making the call? Shouldn’t the referee make the call based on
what he saw unfit during a play, not based on what the player on the
other team desired him to do?

Reply: A technical foul is a judgement call. Kitts just looked like he was about to call the T, when Downey went to him. I’m sure if Kitts thought it was flagrant enough, he would have rejected Downey’s request.

Bill from Somerset writes:

When’s Billy G gonna’  start takin’ the blame?

This basketball team is in shambles.  This late in the season and they’re playin’ worse now than they did
against App. State and VMI.   What happened to Billy G’s coaching prowess?   This team has shown lack
of preparation when the game’s on the line.  Billy G seems to be desperate by blaming the players more
than himself.

There is no reason for this collapse except coaching and motivation and evidently Bily G and his staff don”t have a clue as to how to rectify the situation.  How could the Cats play this badly given the talents of two of the best players in the SEC that other coaches would kill to have on their roster?  How could Billy G waste Meeks’ talent by banishing him to the bench in the second half over a pout.  This was no time to take your best and most consistent player out of the game when there was still a light glimmering at the end of the tunnel.

Why do basketball teams in the SEC and other nondescript conferences continue to take the measure
vaunted Kentucky basketball with seemingly less coaching and player talent?  Is Gillispie overmatched
in the SEC and is his coacthing style a bad fit for Kentucky?

Could there be a Horn in Kentucky’s future?

Trent writes:

I enjoy reading your articles. I`m a UK grad from the early nineties living in cinci. I wanted to express my complete frustration with the way Gillispie is running this program. Their complete lack of effort and intensity on a consistent basis is disrespectful to this university and unfair to the fans. This coach will not make any adjustments to better the team, or give players fair opportunities at playing time (ie Harrelson) I truly believe guys do not want to play for him and it`s really starting to show. I can see a mass exodus at years end through transfers and early exits. What`s your OBJECTIVE opinion? Also, these halftime interviews with Jeannine Edwards

Are embarrassing to the program. Will he ever get a clue. I hope things can get turned around, but I believe this coach is his own worst enemy.

Continue reading ‘E-mailbag: More venting about the Cats’

A.J. Stewart

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• After initially reporting that Stewart had been kicked off the team, Kentucky Sports Radio says it may not be permanent.
• WKYT cites sources saying Stewart did quit the team.
• Is A.J. Stewart on the team? Mother tells C-J “as far as I know.”
• In the Herald-Leader, Jerry Tipton writes that Patrick Patterson is ignoring the pundits.
• Audio of Billy Gillispie from Thursday’s SEC teleconference.
• LSU coach Tent Johnson talks about Kentucky on the SEC teleconference.
• Jennifer Smith of the Herald-Leader reports on the UK hoops loss to visiting Georgia.
• In The Advocate, Gary Laney writes that LSU’s Marcus Thornton compares favorably to Jodie Meeks.
• ESPN’s Chris Low reports on a snag in the UK-Miami of Ohio football talks.
• Eric Crawford of the Courier-Journal writes that something seems amiss with these Cats.
• Also in the C-J, Brett Dawson reports that UK’s spirits are high even after loss.
• A Sea of Blue has the post-mortem on the South Carolina loss.
• In the Kentucky Kernel, B.W. Jones writes that the UK women’s comeback came up short.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes that UK just phoned it in.
• Cat Scratches has its practice report, with no A.J. mention.

SEC links for Friday:

• In the AJC, Mark Bradley ranks the SEC’s most irritating football coaches, 1-12.
• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun writes that Florida’s Nick Calathes has been vital down the stretch.
• In the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Mike Griffith writes that Tennessee’s Scotty Hopson is pushing for a bigger role.
• Scott Hotard of The Advocate reports on the LSU women team’s win over visiting Tennessee.
• In the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Wally Hall writes that current Hogs could learn from 1994 Razorbacks.
• Brad Locke of the NW Mississippi Daily Journal writes that State’s youngsters are dealing with tough stretches.
• Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News writes that John Calipari is not thinking about Alabama.
• In the Clarion-Ledger, David Brandt writes that Ole Miss suffered a second-half breakdown at Auburn.
• Evan Woodbery of the Huntsville Times reports that the numbers are not good for Auburn’s offensive line.
• In the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Dave Hooker reports that Joe Montana’s son says he won’t wait on UT.