Welcome to the second edition of Bluegrass Roundtable. This week, returning guest Nathan Towles joins Bleacher Report newcomers Jimmy Smith and Kevin Welch to discuss basketball in the state of Kentucky.
Kentucky looked great in their debut against Missouri-St. Louis, but their match-up with Ouachita Baptist was a somewhat closer contest. Tell your thoughts on Kentucky on so far, but save a prediction.
Nathan: I think that Kentucky got a big head and thought that they could just blow away any team at any given time. They played too sloppy and turned the ball over way too many times.
Jimmy: I don't think you read too much into exhibition games really. The past three seasons Louisville has played Georgetown College or Bellarmine University close, but have gone on to finish in the top 25.
Nathan: You have to read into the exhibition games. That is how you finalize your roster, players, and plays. If you can't get that done in those games, then it will be hard to do it in the season.
Jimmy: I think both Gillispie and Pitino are using the exhibitions to work line-ups. Look at Kentucky's exhibition games. In game one, Harrellson is one of the top producers and AJ Stewart doesn't play. In game two, Harrellson plays four minutes, and AJ Stewart plays half the game.
Nathan: Stewart was being punished and didn't get to play in the first.
Jimmy: Well, obviously you read the games to get a look at your team, but final scores and the closeness of the game really is not important to me.
Jonathan: I think Kentucky came out with the goal to beat Missouri-St. Louis as bad as they could, but then Billy Gillespie decided to experiment and change things up against Ouachita.
Nathan: He did and it back fired on him. You can't get put in Joe Blow and expect to score. He needs to stick with the starting five and then about three or four to rotate in and out.
Jimmy: Exhibition games, in my opinion, are used to get a flow and get some experience for players.
Nathan: That is true. That is why they are important.
Jonathan: At the same time, you have to get the most experience out of players that wouldn't normally get to play in a real game. You never know when you'll need one down the road.
Jimmy: Gillespie played Landon Slone, Mark Krebs, Jared Carter, Perry Stevenson, and Mike Porter as a rotation at one point in the first half.
Jonathan: That's random, and won't happen down the road, but it will benefit Kentucky in practices and games where the team needs depth.
Nathan: Lets all face it; Jared Carter is a bust. Stevenson will help Kentucky and already has. It is too early to tell how porter will help the Wildcats and same with the others.
Kevin: Agreed.
Jimmy: Carter a bust? I didn't know he came into Kentucky hyped up. He was a three star player, and after Shagari and Woo, I never expected him to be a star.
Jonathan: I think all the Kentucky fans expected Carter to be good because he's a hometown kid. As much passion as he might have for Kentucky basketball, that doesn't always work out. He was over-hyped, but not a bust.
Jimmy: I think he had all the potential in the world because of the height but never panned out.
Kevin: He’s a bust when he has only scored 30 points in 30 games.
Nathan: Most people in the state did and still do consider him a bust.
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about 1 month ago
In the first game Gillespie did play starters more often and didnt rotate as much. Patrick patterson only played less minuts than most bench players in the second exhibition. But lets not forget the 3 fouls he had in the 1st half. And nathan your right, you should play your starters more and have 3 or 4 bench payers you can count on. That is called your player rotation. But when it comes down to it, during crunch time you need a deep bench. Which may mean more that 3 or 4 people to come off the bench. This means you need to work with your bench on a team other than your own. Why not do that when its an exhibition game and it doesnt count on to your record. Coach Gillespie wants all his players to play through adversity. If not he wouldnt have recruited in the first place.
from about 1 month ago
Exhibitions are all about getting everyone in, limiting your starters, and trying to find a rythm with every lineup. So far, Louisville has taken advantage of this in both of their games. Kentucky, only in their second.
about 1 month ago
That is true. You can't just put them in the game from the beginning or a little after the game starts. Play them more in the second half when you have gave your main players time to get comfortable again for this season.
from about 1 month ago
I honestly think December is for the starters to get acclimated. In November, if you help the reserves, it will make the team as a whole better in the long run.
from about 1 month ago
If you get your starters in early and get them going, then the play will be better the start of the season, not just the end.
about 1 month ago
i think for both teams if there newcomers dont preform it could cause them troubles!
from about 1 month ago
I agree completely. Louisville needs Samuels and Jennings down low more than any other team needs a freshman going into this season.
about 1 month ago
You're completly right, kentucky did not utulize their bench in the first exhibition. Billy Gillespie may have relized that going into the second. Patino is really doing well though with the cards. The way they look right now at least.
about 1 month ago
You're completly right, kentucky did not utulize their bench in the first exhibition. Billy Gillespie may have relized that going into the second. Patino is really doing well though with the cards. The way they look right now at least.
from about 1 month ago
Louisville did struggle, but everyone knew it was Pitinio's intention from the start for the games to be close. He's done it in the past, and it's just his method of making his team learn. Pitino has full support of the fans, so he's really a puppet master of Louisville basketball. Whatever he says, goes.
about 1 month ago
yeah i think louisville will need it more than Uk to stay where there ranking has them right now
from about 1 month ago
Louisville is in a really high pressure situation. They haven't had a team preseason ranked this high in forever (maybe never, I honestly don't know) and are stacked with talent. Kentucky, on the other hand, comes off what most people would call a dismal season for a team that is expected to win the SEC every year. Gillespie won't have much trouble improving on what he started last year.
about 1 month ago
agreed :)
from about 1 month ago
On which statement? ;)
about 1 month ago
the one above my first one
about 1 month ago
When i got a chance to look at the rankings for the first time i knew UNC deserved to be where they were, it wasnt a suprise. I saw Connecticut and thought "oh thats nothin knew". Then i looked at number three. And im not saying louisville doesnt deserve the rank of 3rd best in the nation starting out, but i was suprised. Then i thought about it some more. This is because in the past they were able to produce a couple good players on the court at one time. But not a strong dominant team to contened nationally. Until last year. And with the returning starters and Samardo Samuels and Terence Jennings not only will they dominate in the Paint, they will contend nationally this year. And for all the people that say Louisville will be out of the three spot in at least the first three weeks. I say your wrong. Watchout for those cards.
from about 1 month ago
I think they're capable of playing to that ranking, and even better, but the way Pitino coaches his Louisville teams in the Big East is a bit different than how he approached it in C-USA. Now the Cards have to peak later, and if they set it up like last year, they'll be sitting in the Final Four.
That tourney run last year was amazing. They absolutely dominated Tennessee and Oklahoma, then played along with UNC for a full 40. Sure, they're depending a lot on Samuels, but from everything I've seen, he has a great work ethic and should jump right into big numbers and playing time.
about 1 month ago
I concure.
about 1 month ago
Good conversation by the way, i like the mix or uk and UofL
from about 1 month ago
We're planning on doing it ever week. It's always interesting to talk about them both, especially once the season gets going and each side is clawing for more recognition and the one-up on the other. Essentially, the battle should end Jan. 4, but we all know nobody will give in until the NCAAs are over with.
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