Kentucky

[filbert]

Article from the Ken Pomeroy blog:

http://kenpom.com/blog/index.php/web...tic_breakdown/

The situation in the backcourt doesn’t change from last season, with Rondo and Patrick Sparks getting spelled by Ravi Moss and Ramel Bradley. The one thing that does change is that this group will be counted on more to provide offense. Rondo was in a great place last season, able to be a distributor for the most part. He will be forced into a bigger role on the offensive end in 2006. Can he become Chris Paul? Maybe not, but his ability to get to the hoop and to the line bode well for him to carry more of the offensive load. Sparks is dangerously close to entering Gerry McNamara-land in terms of praise-to-production ratio. He’s a good, but not great, three-point shooter. Big performances against the in-state rival and in the regional finals pushed his reputation ahead of his ability.

To summarize, Kentucky’s defense will be great. With Rondo, they’ll still force a ton of turnovers, and increased playing time of the shot-blocker Alleyne may lower the opponents’ shooting percentage further. The only way that the offense will improve is if Rondo and Alleyne eat up a much larger chunk of possessions while remaining efficient. I wouldn’t be surprised if Rondo did that, but Alleyne is another matter. As a team, Kentucky may maintain a decent shooting percentage, but rebounding and turnovers will suffer with the new players in the lineup. Even when Morris comes back, look forward to a lot of games in the 60s, and a few more in the 50s than you are used to seeing from the Wildcats.

This is the team our Jackrabbits will be opening against. If we had a senior point guard coming back, I'd be a lot more hopeful of sneaking in and stealing one. Even so, we'll be on the same court with them. Let's throw the ball up and see what happens!

[filbert]

Re: Kentucky

Kentucky's Madness event draws 23,000

Just keeping track of our Guardians Classic opener opponent . . .

[OK_Jackrabbit]

Re: Kentucky

Kentucky's Madness event draws 23,000

Just keeping track of our Guardians Classic opener opponent . . .

They do love their basketball there. Did you see the video of Tubby Smith dancing in the huddle? Pretty funny... lame dancing, but funny.

[89rabbit]

Re: Kentucky

Highlights from the Aberdeen American News:

http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aber...s/13059832.htm

Posted on Wed, Nov. 02, 2005

Kentucky Wildcats await Dakotans

Ever wonder when the last time the men's basketball team from Kentucky opened the season against two South Dakota teams?

Ha.

Well, it will happen this year. Kentucky will open its exhibition season against NSU at 6 tonight at Rupp Arena in Lexington. . . .

On Nov. 13, Kentucky will open its regular season against South Dakota State at 7 p.m. at Rupp Arena on ESPN University, a premium ESPN channel focusing on college athletics. . . .

Kentucky: The Kentucky men's basketball team is again ranked among the nation's elite programs, coming in at No. 10 in the season's first coaches' poll.

The Wildcats went 28-6 in 2004-05 and lost a heartbreaking double-overtime game to Michigan State in the Elite Eight. They return the nation's top backcourt in guards Patrick Sparks and Rajon Rondo.

Sparks is the Wildcats' returning leading scorer, averaging 11.0 points in his junior season. Rondo, who set the school steals record (87) as a freshman, was named a preseason All-Southeastern Conference first-team selection.

In addition to Sparks and Rondo, UK returns an arsenal of guards with experience. Seniors Ravi Moss, Brandon Stockton and Preston LeMaster join sophomores Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley and freshman Adam Williams looks to get in the mix this season as well.

Kentucky's frontcourt boasts three seven-footers in juniors Shagari Alleyne (7-foot-3, 271 pounds) and Lukasz Obrzut (7-0, 270) and newcomer Jared Carter (7-2, 240). Joining the big men on the front line are junior forwards Sheray Thomas and Bobby Perry and junior college transfer Rekalin Sims, who could make an immediate impact for the Wildcats.

The status of last year's starting center Randolph Morris (6-10, 266) is still up in the air as Kentucky waits for a ruling on his eligibility from the NCAA. Morris declared for June's NBA Draft and failed to take his name out. He went undrafted and returned to UK in August. Morris has been participating in practice with the team since school began.

Northern State coach Don Meyer said this about Kentucky. "You're playing basically guys that are going to be pros. They've got players." . . .


Good luck Wolves.

Go State! ;D

[gojacksgo]

Re: Kentucky

midcontinet communications has this game on their midcon channel right now - the Northern one that is. Anyone watching it?

[Jacks02]

Re: Kentucky

I'm watching it now, thanks. Its on channel 23 in Sioux Falls on Midcontinent.

[nsufan]

Re: Kentucky

Hey Rabbit Fans,

I have to admit this morning that I am jealous of all of you. Last night when my beloved Wolves played the Kentucky Wildcats on tv at Rupp Arena in front of 13000 fans I had a feeling inside I can't describe http://www.diaafootball.com/public_h...mages/grin.gif
Grin. That same feeling that I experienced will be something you are going to feel for years to come! Good Luck Rabbits!

[89rabbit]

Re: Kentucky

Thanks for the post nsufan. Here are a couple of links about last nights game.

From Kentucky:

http://www.ukathletics.com/index.php...ange_well_id=2


From Nothern State:

http://www.northern.edu/athletics/De...EXKentucky.htm


Go State! ;D

[RonRabbit]

Re: Kentucky

Good story about the Northern State game in the Lexington newspaper. Coach Meyer is quite a character (gave Tubby Smith a clock and brought 50 pheasants with them).

Here's the link....when on the page, there are links to other stories.

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky...s/13067614.htm

[RonRabbit]

Re: Kentucky

Another good story about Coach Meyer...reports he and Tubby Smith have been friends since early 90s.

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky...y/13067618.htm

[89rabbit]

Re: Kentucky

Kentucky won their second exibition game.

Final Score

Kentucky 85 - Georgetown College (NAIA) 63.

Here is a link to a Louisville Courier-Journal story on the game:

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/...RTS03/51109017


Go State! ;D

[89rabbit]

Re: Kentucky

I was looking at the Kentucky Basketball web site and one thing hit me . . . man these guys are big.

http://www.ukathletics.com/index.php...ange_well_id=1



#21, Shagari Alleyne, is 7'3" and 271 pounds. The Jackrabbits will need to eat their Wheaties before this game.

Go State! ;D

[JBNJBQ]

Re: Kentucky

I was looking at the Kentucky Basketball web site and one thing hit me .  .  .  man these guys are big.  

http://www.ukathletics.com/index.php...ange_well_id=1



#21, Shagari Alleyne, is 7'3" and 271 pounds. The Jackrabbits will need to eat their Wheaties before this game.  

Go State!  ;D

Tall trees usually don't move very fast! All I can say is:


TIMBER!!!!


Our Jacks will turn out to be "LUMBER" Jacks that night.



Go Jacks!

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D


JBNJBQ

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: Kentucky

When I purchased my tickets, I was informed SDSU has sold approx 300 tickets to the Kentucky game. I'm hoping that most of us are together in a seating area so what little fan support we have there will be concentrated into something that stands at least some chance at being heard over the 23,000 Kentucky faithful. For the record, I'll be the tall guy wearing the SDSU pullover. I'll most likely be yelling for SDSU while my wife and her family cower in embarrassment as Kentucky fans hurl insults my way. Look for me.

[bub94]

Re: Kentucky

Even with all that size, Northern was outrebounding them for a while. Must not have a lot of speed to go with the size.