03-24-2012, 02:34 AM
2:20 PM
Who wins and why?
Who wins and why?
![[-]](https://bluegrassrivals.com/forum/images/lifestyle/collapse.png)
03-24-2012, 02:57 AM
Cats by 8
03-24-2012, 06:27 AM
Baylor is athletic, but they just cannot shoot well enough to keep up with the Cats
03-24-2012, 07:01 AM
Cats by 8 and we look better on the floor, too.
Baylor's uniforms suck! They make me dizzy.
Baylor's uniforms suck! They make me dizzy.
03-24-2012, 09:00 AM
If somebody didn't know any better, You'd think UK was playing a exhibition game against the KY. State Road Dept. workers.
UK has to shoot the ball like we did against IU from all three areas (the field, 3 point land and the foul line.) Baylor is an athletic "perfect storm" type of team.
UK has to shoot the ball like we did against IU from all three areas (the field, 3 point land and the foul line.) Baylor is an athletic "perfect storm" type of team.
03-24-2012, 10:04 AM
I can see Baylor winning being the Cats shot their wad as far as offense goes to beat as said by many Kentucky fans a not so good, very lucky Indiana team.
Baylor has way better athletes then a not so good Hooisers team, although they do not shoot as well as that not so good team.
Sadly however I think the Cats will pull it out and I will predict the refs will have a off night allowing the Cats to get some calls to go in their favor.
Baylor has way better athletes then a not so good Hooisers team, although they do not shoot as well as that not so good team.
Sadly however I think the Cats will pull it out and I will predict the refs will have a off night allowing the Cats to get some calls to go in their favor.
03-24-2012, 10:48 AM
UK was just as good offensively in a physical game with Iowa State. Wad shooting aside, Baylor is athletic but they are not as offensively skilled as Indiana or Iowa State. Kentucky has proven they can play and win any style you want to play. I dont think the same can be said for the fighting highlighters.
03-24-2012, 10:50 AM
FBALL Wrote:UK was just as good offensively in a physical game with Iowa State. Wad shooting aside, Baylor is athletic but they are not as offensively skilled as Indiana or Iowa State. Kentucky has proven they can play and win any style you want to play. I dont think the same can be said for the fighting highlighters.
lol
03-24-2012, 12:27 PM
"Thats the tallest crew of roadworkers I have ever seen."
My girlfriend in reference to Baylor.
My girlfriend in reference to Baylor.
03-24-2012, 12:35 PM
U.K. by 12. Way too much talent for anyone in tournament. Unless they implode, the tournament is theirs.
03-24-2012, 01:02 PM
FBALL Wrote:UK was just as good offensively in a physical game with Iowa State. Wad shooting aside, Baylor is athletic but they are not as offensively skilled as Indiana or Iowa State. Kentucky has proven they can play and win any style you want to play. I dont think the same can be said for the fighting highlighters.
:lmao:
03-24-2012, 08:55 PM
Baylor can play above the rim, but like some has said, cant shoot from outside as well as the Hoosiers could, i like there chances. UK by 15
03-24-2012, 10:16 PM
GetChili Wrote:Saw a tweet from KSR saying that Baylor is going to wear black uniforms tomorrow, so no need for the shades.
It's the black and camo ones they wore already
03-24-2012, 11:22 PM
Oohhhh c-a-t-s cats cats cats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
03-25-2012, 12:24 AM
One things for sure, we better come ready to play.
I honestly believe Baylor can beat UK. But if uk plays well, they win by 10+.
I just want to beat lvilles ass again, there not as good as Baylor IMO.
I honestly believe Baylor can beat UK. But if uk plays well, they win by 10+.
I just want to beat lvilles ass again, there not as good as Baylor IMO.
03-25-2012, 12:34 AM
NEWARKCATHOLICFAN Wrote:I can see Baylor winning being the Cats shot their wad as far as offense goes to beat as said by many Kentucky fans a not so good, very lucky Indiana team.
Baylor has way better athletes then a not so good Hooisers team, although they do not shoot as well as that not so good team.
Sadly however I think the Cats will pull it out and I will predict the refs will have a off night allowing the Cats to get some calls to go in their favor.
Your team would know about betting the calls.
03-25-2012, 01:00 PM
Point guard
Thought to be Kentucky's potential weak link as tournament play began, freshman Marquis Teague has been an exclamation point so far. In tough NCAA tourney matchups with Iowa State and Indiana, Teague has combined for 38 points, 14 assists and only four turnovers.
Baylor's Pierre Jackson (team-best 13.5 ppg; 5.8 assists) is a tough-minded, junior-college transfer with a lot of game. He hit a trey that forced OT in a Baylor win over West Virginia on Dec. 23. At 5-foot-10, Jackson saved a victory at BYU on Dec. 17 when he blocked a three-point try by 6-9 Brandon Davies.
Advantage: Baylor
Shooting guard
Silently, Doron Lamb is leading Kentucky in scoring (17.7 ppg) in the NCAA Tournament. The 6-4 sophomore is ripping the cords (18 of 30 field goals, 8 of 12 treys and 9 of 10 foul shots) in the Dance. He drove the ball hard to the basket against Indiana.
Brady Heslip is the hottest three-point shooter in the tournament, having made 15 of 25 treys. The 6-2 transfer from Boston College scorched Colorado with nine threes and 27 points. He is also a 94.4 percent foul shooter. Look for UK to attack Heslip defensively, however, if it can.
Advantage: Kentucky
Small forward
After scoring in double figures only four times in 11 games, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist produced a monster game against Indiana with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Against a Baylor roster whose athleticism and length essentially matches Kentucky's, the Cats will need MKG's always fully revved motor and toughness.
Quincy Miller, a 6-10, 210-pound freshman, can be lethal as he showed in a 29-point game against Missouri on Jan. 21. His talent is such, he was on Kentucky's recruiting radar. The Big 12 co-Freshman of the Year has made only 10 of 25 field goals in the NCAA tourney, however.
Advantage: Kentucky
Power forward
Terrence Jones had five rebounds against Indiana, the first time in UK's six post-season games so far he grabbed fewer than nine in a game. Baylor's elongated front line will test Jones' ability to get his shot off.
In Baylor's round of 16 victory over Xavier, Quincy Acy punished X with 20 points — including some ferocious dunks — and 15 rebounds. The 6-7, 235-pound senior (11.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg for season) had been in a scoring slump before the Xavier breakout, however, with 18 points combined in the Bears' prior three games.
Advantage: Even
Center
Rare foul trouble limited Anthony Davis to only 25 minutes in UK's win over IU, but he still put up nine points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots. Teams have gotten more physical with Davis in the post-season, and his shooting accuracy (25-of-52 field goals) has gone down.
Perry Jones III is the one player in the country whose talent ceiling may be close to Davis's. Yet the 6-11, 235-pound sophomore is not nearly as consistent as the Kentucky star. Before scoring 14 points against Xavier, Jones III had made 4 of 14 shots and scored only nine points total in Baylor's NCAA wins over South Dakota State and Colorado.
Advantage: Kentucky
Bench
In his final NCAA tourney, UK senior Darius Miller has made 13 of 19 shots combined in the wins over Iowa State and IU and scored 19 points in each game. Miller scored eight straight early in the second half against Indiana at a time when the game was tense. Kyle Wiltjer has played only 17 minutes in the NCAA tourney so far but has hit a trey in UK's past two wins.
At 6-10, Anthony Jones (5.3 ppg; 2.8rpg) gives Baylor even more size off the bench. He's averaging 8 points in the NCAA tourney. Guard A.J. Walton started 30 games last season and 18 this season and had five assists against Xavier. Freshman guard Deuce Bello has scored nine points total in the NCAAs.
Advantage: Kentucky
Intangibles
Baylor played eventual national champion Duke very tough in the 2010 round of eight and will not be intimidated by the moment Sunday. As the team expected to win, the pressure will be on Kentucky if the game gets close. The Cats seemed loose in the their interview sessions Saturday, though. The Cat-lanta factor — the thousands of UK fans that fill the Georgia Dome when Kentucky plays here — is a clear edge for the Wildcats.
Advantage: Kentucky
Average points
Kentucky: 77.8
Baylor: 74.8
Opponents' average points
Kentucky: 60.4
Baylor: 64.9
Field-goal percentage
Kentucky: 48.7
Baylor 47.0
Opponents' field-goal percentage
Kentucky: 37.5
Baylor: 41.5
Free-throw percentage
Kentucky: 72.9
Baylor: 75.1
Rebound margin
Kentucky: 7.3
Baylor: 5.5
Three-point field-goal percentage
Kentucky: 37.7
Baylor: 38.5
Opponents' three-point field-goal percentage
Kentucky: 31.5
Baylor: 33.3
Three-point field goals per game
Kentucky: 5.8
Baylor: 6.9
Opponents' three-point field goals per game
Kentucky: 5.6
Baylor: 6.2
Average steals per game
Kentucky: 6.0
Baylor: 7.6
Average blocks per game
Kentucky: 8.6
Baylor 4.7
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21246...rylink=cpy
Thought to be Kentucky's potential weak link as tournament play began, freshman Marquis Teague has been an exclamation point so far. In tough NCAA tourney matchups with Iowa State and Indiana, Teague has combined for 38 points, 14 assists and only four turnovers.
Baylor's Pierre Jackson (team-best 13.5 ppg; 5.8 assists) is a tough-minded, junior-college transfer with a lot of game. He hit a trey that forced OT in a Baylor win over West Virginia on Dec. 23. At 5-foot-10, Jackson saved a victory at BYU on Dec. 17 when he blocked a three-point try by 6-9 Brandon Davies.
Advantage: Baylor
Shooting guard
Silently, Doron Lamb is leading Kentucky in scoring (17.7 ppg) in the NCAA Tournament. The 6-4 sophomore is ripping the cords (18 of 30 field goals, 8 of 12 treys and 9 of 10 foul shots) in the Dance. He drove the ball hard to the basket against Indiana.
Brady Heslip is the hottest three-point shooter in the tournament, having made 15 of 25 treys. The 6-2 transfer from Boston College scorched Colorado with nine threes and 27 points. He is also a 94.4 percent foul shooter. Look for UK to attack Heslip defensively, however, if it can.
Advantage: Kentucky
Small forward
After scoring in double figures only four times in 11 games, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist produced a monster game against Indiana with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Against a Baylor roster whose athleticism and length essentially matches Kentucky's, the Cats will need MKG's always fully revved motor and toughness.
Quincy Miller, a 6-10, 210-pound freshman, can be lethal as he showed in a 29-point game against Missouri on Jan. 21. His talent is such, he was on Kentucky's recruiting radar. The Big 12 co-Freshman of the Year has made only 10 of 25 field goals in the NCAA tourney, however.
Advantage: Kentucky
Power forward
Terrence Jones had five rebounds against Indiana, the first time in UK's six post-season games so far he grabbed fewer than nine in a game. Baylor's elongated front line will test Jones' ability to get his shot off.
In Baylor's round of 16 victory over Xavier, Quincy Acy punished X with 20 points — including some ferocious dunks — and 15 rebounds. The 6-7, 235-pound senior (11.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg for season) had been in a scoring slump before the Xavier breakout, however, with 18 points combined in the Bears' prior three games.
Advantage: Even
Center
Rare foul trouble limited Anthony Davis to only 25 minutes in UK's win over IU, but he still put up nine points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots. Teams have gotten more physical with Davis in the post-season, and his shooting accuracy (25-of-52 field goals) has gone down.
Perry Jones III is the one player in the country whose talent ceiling may be close to Davis's. Yet the 6-11, 235-pound sophomore is not nearly as consistent as the Kentucky star. Before scoring 14 points against Xavier, Jones III had made 4 of 14 shots and scored only nine points total in Baylor's NCAA wins over South Dakota State and Colorado.
Advantage: Kentucky
Bench
In his final NCAA tourney, UK senior Darius Miller has made 13 of 19 shots combined in the wins over Iowa State and IU and scored 19 points in each game. Miller scored eight straight early in the second half against Indiana at a time when the game was tense. Kyle Wiltjer has played only 17 minutes in the NCAA tourney so far but has hit a trey in UK's past two wins.
At 6-10, Anthony Jones (5.3 ppg; 2.8rpg) gives Baylor even more size off the bench. He's averaging 8 points in the NCAA tourney. Guard A.J. Walton started 30 games last season and 18 this season and had five assists against Xavier. Freshman guard Deuce Bello has scored nine points total in the NCAAs.
Advantage: Kentucky
Intangibles
Baylor played eventual national champion Duke very tough in the 2010 round of eight and will not be intimidated by the moment Sunday. As the team expected to win, the pressure will be on Kentucky if the game gets close. The Cats seemed loose in the their interview sessions Saturday, though. The Cat-lanta factor — the thousands of UK fans that fill the Georgia Dome when Kentucky plays here — is a clear edge for the Wildcats.
Advantage: Kentucky
Average points
Kentucky: 77.8
Baylor: 74.8
Opponents' average points
Kentucky: 60.4
Baylor: 64.9
Field-goal percentage
Kentucky: 48.7
Baylor 47.0
Opponents' field-goal percentage
Kentucky: 37.5
Baylor: 41.5
Free-throw percentage
Kentucky: 72.9
Baylor: 75.1
Rebound margin
Kentucky: 7.3
Baylor: 5.5
Three-point field-goal percentage
Kentucky: 37.7
Baylor: 38.5
Opponents' three-point field-goal percentage
Kentucky: 31.5
Baylor: 33.3
Three-point field goals per game
Kentucky: 5.8
Baylor: 6.9
Opponents' three-point field goals per game
Kentucky: 5.6
Baylor: 6.2
Average steals per game
Kentucky: 6.0
Baylor: 7.6
Average blocks per game
Kentucky: 8.6
Baylor 4.7
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21246...rylink=cpy
03-25-2012, 01:01 PM
Average points
Kentucky: 77.8
Baylor: 74.8
Opponents' average points
Kentucky: 60.4
Baylor: 64.9
Field-goal percentage
Kentucky: 48.7
Baylor 47.0
Opponents' field-goal percentage
Kentucky: 37.5
Baylor: 41.5
Free-throw percentage
Kentucky: 72.9
Baylor: 75.1
Rebound margin
Kentucky: 7.3
Baylor: 5.5
Three-point field-goal percentage
Kentucky: 37.7
Baylor: 38.5
Opponents' three-point field-goal percentage
Kentucky: 31.5
Baylor: 33.3
Three-point field goals per game
Kentucky: 5.8
Baylor: 6.9
Opponents' three-point field goals per game
Kentucky: 5.6
Baylor: 6.2
Average steals per game
Kentucky: 6.0
Baylor: 7.6
Average blocks per game
Kentucky: 8.6
Baylor 4.7
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21246...rylink=cpy
Kentucky: 77.8
Baylor: 74.8
Opponents' average points
Kentucky: 60.4
Baylor: 64.9
Field-goal percentage
Kentucky: 48.7
Baylor 47.0
Opponents' field-goal percentage
Kentucky: 37.5
Baylor: 41.5
Free-throw percentage
Kentucky: 72.9
Baylor: 75.1
Rebound margin
Kentucky: 7.3
Baylor: 5.5
Three-point field-goal percentage
Kentucky: 37.7
Baylor: 38.5
Opponents' three-point field-goal percentage
Kentucky: 31.5
Baylor: 33.3
Three-point field goals per game
Kentucky: 5.8
Baylor: 6.9
Opponents' three-point field goals per game
Kentucky: 5.6
Baylor: 6.2
Average steals per game
Kentucky: 6.0
Baylor: 7.6
Average blocks per game
Kentucky: 8.6
Baylor 4.7
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21246...rylink=cpy
03-25-2012, 01:02 PM
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Established: 1845
Enrollment: 15,029
University budget: $428.6 million
2012 U.S. News and World Report national ranking: 75th best overall university
What current university president is best known for: Kenneth W. Starr, the 14th president of Baylor, is remembered as the special prosecutor whose investigation uncovered the Monica Lewinsky scandal and led to the U.S. House of Representatives voting in 1998 to impeach President Bill Clinton.
Athletics budget: $59.85 million-x
All-time team national championships: Two (2004 men's tennis; 2005 women's basketball)
Alumnus who helped make the Detroit Pistons NBA champions: Vinnie Johnson, "The Microwave," provided instant offense off the bench for the 1989 and '90 NBA champs.
Alumna you would recognize from TV: Crystal Bernard played Helen Chappel Hackett on the TV sitcom Wings.
Alumnus who talks sports for a living: ESPN's Trey Wingo earned a communications degree in 1985.
From Baylor to the commonwealth: Current U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., attended Baylor from 1981 to 1984.
Best Heisman Trophy finish for a Bear: Quarterback Robert Griffin III won the 2011 Heisman.
All-time men's basketball Final Fours: Two (1948 and '50)
How Baylor hurt UK in sports: In the 1977 football season, Baylor applied the only defeat (21-6 in Waco) on a Kentucky team that finished 10-1.
School's religious affiliation: Southern Baptist
x-figure is from gender equity disclosure form for 2010 supplied to the U.S. Department of Education.
UNIVERSITY of KENTUCKY
Established: 1865
Enrollment: 28,037
University budget: $2.7 billion
2012 U.S. News and World Report national ranking: 124th best overall university
What current university president is best known for: Eli Capilouto, the 12th president of UK, has unveiled a proposal to privatize the dormitories on the UK campus.
Athletics budget: $82 million
All-time team national championships: 10 (seven, men's basketball; one each in football-x, women's cross country and coed rifle)
Alumnus who helped make the Detroit Pistons NBA champions: Tayshaun Prince was a "glue guy" at small forward for the 2004 NBA champs.
Alumna you would recognize from TV: Ashley Judd plays Becca Winstone on the new ABC drama Missing.
Alumnus who talks sports for a living: NBC's Tom Hammond earned a UK degree in 1967 in Animal Science.
From the commonwealth to Baylor: John Morris, the radio play-by-play voice of Baylor sports, grew up in Danville rooting for the Kentucky Wildcats.
Best Heisman Trophy finish for a Cat: Quarterback Babe Parilli finished third in the 1951 Heisman voting.
All-time men's basketball Final Fours: 14 (1942, '48, '49, '51, '58, '66, '75, '78, '84, '93, '96, '97, '98, 2011)
How UK hurt Baylor in sports: The Cats beat the Bears 58-42 in the 1948 NCAA basketball championship game.
School's religious affiliation: Basketball
x-UK claims a 1950 college football national championship based on ex post facto Sagarin Ratings of that season
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21244...rylink=cpy
Established: 1845
Enrollment: 15,029
University budget: $428.6 million
2012 U.S. News and World Report national ranking: 75th best overall university
What current university president is best known for: Kenneth W. Starr, the 14th president of Baylor, is remembered as the special prosecutor whose investigation uncovered the Monica Lewinsky scandal and led to the U.S. House of Representatives voting in 1998 to impeach President Bill Clinton.
Athletics budget: $59.85 million-x
All-time team national championships: Two (2004 men's tennis; 2005 women's basketball)
Alumnus who helped make the Detroit Pistons NBA champions: Vinnie Johnson, "The Microwave," provided instant offense off the bench for the 1989 and '90 NBA champs.
Alumna you would recognize from TV: Crystal Bernard played Helen Chappel Hackett on the TV sitcom Wings.
Alumnus who talks sports for a living: ESPN's Trey Wingo earned a communications degree in 1985.
From Baylor to the commonwealth: Current U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., attended Baylor from 1981 to 1984.
Best Heisman Trophy finish for a Bear: Quarterback Robert Griffin III won the 2011 Heisman.
All-time men's basketball Final Fours: Two (1948 and '50)
How Baylor hurt UK in sports: In the 1977 football season, Baylor applied the only defeat (21-6 in Waco) on a Kentucky team that finished 10-1.
School's religious affiliation: Southern Baptist
x-figure is from gender equity disclosure form for 2010 supplied to the U.S. Department of Education.
UNIVERSITY of KENTUCKY
Established: 1865
Enrollment: 28,037
University budget: $2.7 billion
2012 U.S. News and World Report national ranking: 124th best overall university
What current university president is best known for: Eli Capilouto, the 12th president of UK, has unveiled a proposal to privatize the dormitories on the UK campus.
Athletics budget: $82 million
All-time team national championships: 10 (seven, men's basketball; one each in football-x, women's cross country and coed rifle)
Alumnus who helped make the Detroit Pistons NBA champions: Tayshaun Prince was a "glue guy" at small forward for the 2004 NBA champs.
Alumna you would recognize from TV: Ashley Judd plays Becca Winstone on the new ABC drama Missing.
Alumnus who talks sports for a living: NBC's Tom Hammond earned a UK degree in 1967 in Animal Science.
From the commonwealth to Baylor: John Morris, the radio play-by-play voice of Baylor sports, grew up in Danville rooting for the Kentucky Wildcats.
Best Heisman Trophy finish for a Cat: Quarterback Babe Parilli finished third in the 1951 Heisman voting.
All-time men's basketball Final Fours: 14 (1942, '48, '49, '51, '58, '66, '75, '78, '84, '93, '96, '97, '98, 2011)
How UK hurt Baylor in sports: The Cats beat the Bears 58-42 in the 1948 NCAA basketball championship game.
School's religious affiliation: Basketball
x-UK claims a 1950 college football national championship based on ex post facto Sagarin Ratings of that season
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21244...rylink=cpy
03-25-2012, 01:04 PM
03-25-2012, 01:05 PM
Kentucky vs. Baylor: Five things to watch
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21247...rylink=cpy
Long and strong
Kentucky and Baylor are two of the longest teams in college basketball. We all know about Anthony Davis' wingspan, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Terrence Jones both possess impressive reaches. But Baylor also has admirable length, with 6-foot-11 Perry Jones III, 6-7 Quincy Acy, 6-9 Quincy Miller, 6-10 Anthony Jones and 6-9 Cory Jefferson. That's why UK Coach John Calipari said Sunday he would not be surprised to see the Bears play zone on Sunday, to take advantage of that length.
Perry Jones III
Baylor's sophomore star possesses so much raw ability he is considered a surefire NBA lottery pick. But the forward out of Duncanville, Texas, has been accused of not always giving his best effort. He scored 65 points in three games in the Big 12 Tournament, including 31 in a win over Kansas State, then scored just nine points in the first two games of the NCAA Tournament. When Jones is on, he's tough to stop. Will he be on his game Sunday?
The two seniors
Quincy Acy and Darius Miller are graybeards surrounded by young talent. Acy, a senior from Mesquite, Texas, is considered the heart and soul of the Bears. He averaged 11.5 points and seven rebounds and was named to the All-Big 12 defensive team. He had 20 points and 15 rebounds in Baylor's win over Xavier on Friday night. Miller, a 6-7 senior from Maysville, has scored 19 points in each of UK's last two NCAA Tournament games. He also loves the venue. He earned MVP honors at last year's SEC Tournament played in the Georgia Dome.
The point guard matchup
Baylor's Pierre Jackson and UK's Marquis Teague took dissimilar paths to their current destinations. Teague was a highly regarded point guard out of Indianapolis considered the nation's No. 1 prep guard a year ago. Jackson was a junior-college transfer from the College of Southern Idaho. But the two met back in August at the Adidas Nation Summit, where Jackson admitted he was in awe of the top talent. Despite his regal bloodline — brother, Jeff, is an NBA point guard — Teague is considered a "pit bull" by Calipari. Despite his backwoods background and 5-10 size, Jackson has a killer crossover move and the quickness to get to the rim.
Can Baylor play with elite?
The Bears lost one game all season to a team it should have beaten, that being a one-point loss at home to Kansas State on Feb. 18. They did lose to Iowa State, but that was in Ames, and the Cyclones did beat UConn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, remember. But Scott Drew's team lost two of three meetings with Kansas. It lost three times to Missouri, the final time by 15 in the Big 12 Tournament championship game. Ken Pomeroy has the Bears at No. 17, the lowest-ranked team in the Elite Eight. Can Baylor raise its game and hang with the tournament's No. 1 overall seed?
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21247...rylink=cpy
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21247...rylink=cpy
Long and strong
Kentucky and Baylor are two of the longest teams in college basketball. We all know about Anthony Davis' wingspan, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Terrence Jones both possess impressive reaches. But Baylor also has admirable length, with 6-foot-11 Perry Jones III, 6-7 Quincy Acy, 6-9 Quincy Miller, 6-10 Anthony Jones and 6-9 Cory Jefferson. That's why UK Coach John Calipari said Sunday he would not be surprised to see the Bears play zone on Sunday, to take advantage of that length.
Perry Jones III
Baylor's sophomore star possesses so much raw ability he is considered a surefire NBA lottery pick. But the forward out of Duncanville, Texas, has been accused of not always giving his best effort. He scored 65 points in three games in the Big 12 Tournament, including 31 in a win over Kansas State, then scored just nine points in the first two games of the NCAA Tournament. When Jones is on, he's tough to stop. Will he be on his game Sunday?
The two seniors
Quincy Acy and Darius Miller are graybeards surrounded by young talent. Acy, a senior from Mesquite, Texas, is considered the heart and soul of the Bears. He averaged 11.5 points and seven rebounds and was named to the All-Big 12 defensive team. He had 20 points and 15 rebounds in Baylor's win over Xavier on Friday night. Miller, a 6-7 senior from Maysville, has scored 19 points in each of UK's last two NCAA Tournament games. He also loves the venue. He earned MVP honors at last year's SEC Tournament played in the Georgia Dome.
The point guard matchup
Baylor's Pierre Jackson and UK's Marquis Teague took dissimilar paths to their current destinations. Teague was a highly regarded point guard out of Indianapolis considered the nation's No. 1 prep guard a year ago. Jackson was a junior-college transfer from the College of Southern Idaho. But the two met back in August at the Adidas Nation Summit, where Jackson admitted he was in awe of the top talent. Despite his regal bloodline — brother, Jeff, is an NBA point guard — Teague is considered a "pit bull" by Calipari. Despite his backwoods background and 5-10 size, Jackson has a killer crossover move and the quickness to get to the rim.
Can Baylor play with elite?
The Bears lost one game all season to a team it should have beaten, that being a one-point loss at home to Kansas State on Feb. 18. They did lose to Iowa State, but that was in Ames, and the Cyclones did beat UConn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, remember. But Scott Drew's team lost two of three meetings with Kansas. It lost three times to Missouri, the final time by 15 in the Big 12 Tournament championship game. Ken Pomeroy has the Bears at No. 17, the lowest-ranked team in the Elite Eight. Can Baylor raise its game and hang with the tournament's No. 1 overall seed?
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21247...rylink=cpy
03-25-2012, 01:13 PM
UK-Baylor has look of all-star game
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21246...rylink=cpy
ATLANTA — One game away.
One game away from a Kentucky-Louisville showdown in the national semifinals.
One game away from a second straight Final Four.
The NCAA Tournament's No. 1 overall seed is one game away from being one step closer to an eighth national championship.
To reach college basketball's mecca in New Orleans, however, Kentucky's Wildcats must take a step back in time and win what could well be an AAU all-star game.
As Kentucky proved again Friday night in its frenetic 102-90 win over Indiana, the Cats have nearly breathtaking talent.
John Calipari has signed the sport's No. 1 recruiting class three years in a row. Anthony Davis was the consensus No. 1 prospect coming out of high school last season. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist held that distinction for much of the prep campaign. Some services ranked Marquis Teague as the nation's No. 1 point guard prospect.
But Baylor, the region's No. 3 seed, isn't exactly playing with a group of no-talents, either.
In fact, much like Calipari, Bears Coach Scott Drew has ruffled some feathers with not just his aggressive recruiting, but his ability to woo players at the highest level to the tiny outpost of Waco.
Perry Jones III was Rivals' No. 9-rated prospect in the Class of 2010 and projected as a top-five NBA Draft prospect. Quincy Miller was rated as the seventh-best prospect in the Class of 2011, and starred along with his AAU teammate Deuce Bello, himself a Baylor Bear.
"We're pretty athletic, too," said Drew when asked about Kentucky's talent.
Is this the South Regional finals, or the Jordan Brand Classic?
"There's going to be some crazy plays out there," said UK sophomore Doron Lamb in the pre-game interviews on Saturday, shaking his head.
On one hand, such a glamor game references the debate on the pros and cons of AAU basketball, a slice of the college game some coaches abhor but both Calipari and Drew have managed to mine to their benefit.
"There's different reasons people criticize it," said Drew on Saturday. "Missing school, the freedom, the multiple games, people don't learn fundamentals, if you care about losing enough. At the same time, there's a lot positive. Guys get to play against a lot of other great players they wouldn't normally play against."
"I'd rather call it summer basketball," Calipari said. "The one thing it's done, it's brought all these kids together, and so now you have a player that's played against all these other freshmen. If he's really good, then he's played against all these guys. He's not surprised."
In other words, no fear factor today. No shock and awe.
"Nowadays, top players play against top players, and they're motivated because somebody is ranked higher than they are or whatnot," Drew said. "Maybe they don't think they're that good."
Terrence Jones, ranked 13th by Rivals in that Class of 2010, and Perry Jones (ninth) know each other, and text each other, from their time playing on the AAU and all-star circuits.
It's the same thing for UK's Teague (fifth in 2011) and Baylor's Miller (seventh), two players who crossed paths as top-shelf recruits and summer-league standouts.
"We all know each other," said Teague.
And, now, they all want the same thing.
Perry Jones was considered a cinch lottery pick last year but, his season ended by an NCAA eligibility suspension in March 2011, he decided to return for another try at a Final Four.
"This is exactly the reason why I came back," he said Saturday. "Last year was terrible, that's a feeling that I don't want to have going into the next year. That's the reason I came back to try and lead my team to the Final Four and a national championship."
And now that it's here?
"It feels amazing, to be honest," said Perry Jones. "I'm more excited than anything right now."
Same thing on the UK side, where Lamb said, "I just want to go out there (Sunday) and have fun. Try to go to the Final Four my second time, my second year in college."
One (all-star) game away.
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21246...rylink=cpy
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21246...rylink=cpy
ATLANTA — One game away.
One game away from a Kentucky-Louisville showdown in the national semifinals.
One game away from a second straight Final Four.
The NCAA Tournament's No. 1 overall seed is one game away from being one step closer to an eighth national championship.
To reach college basketball's mecca in New Orleans, however, Kentucky's Wildcats must take a step back in time and win what could well be an AAU all-star game.
As Kentucky proved again Friday night in its frenetic 102-90 win over Indiana, the Cats have nearly breathtaking talent.
John Calipari has signed the sport's No. 1 recruiting class three years in a row. Anthony Davis was the consensus No. 1 prospect coming out of high school last season. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist held that distinction for much of the prep campaign. Some services ranked Marquis Teague as the nation's No. 1 point guard prospect.
But Baylor, the region's No. 3 seed, isn't exactly playing with a group of no-talents, either.
In fact, much like Calipari, Bears Coach Scott Drew has ruffled some feathers with not just his aggressive recruiting, but his ability to woo players at the highest level to the tiny outpost of Waco.
Perry Jones III was Rivals' No. 9-rated prospect in the Class of 2010 and projected as a top-five NBA Draft prospect. Quincy Miller was rated as the seventh-best prospect in the Class of 2011, and starred along with his AAU teammate Deuce Bello, himself a Baylor Bear.
"We're pretty athletic, too," said Drew when asked about Kentucky's talent.
Is this the South Regional finals, or the Jordan Brand Classic?
"There's going to be some crazy plays out there," said UK sophomore Doron Lamb in the pre-game interviews on Saturday, shaking his head.
On one hand, such a glamor game references the debate on the pros and cons of AAU basketball, a slice of the college game some coaches abhor but both Calipari and Drew have managed to mine to their benefit.
"There's different reasons people criticize it," said Drew on Saturday. "Missing school, the freedom, the multiple games, people don't learn fundamentals, if you care about losing enough. At the same time, there's a lot positive. Guys get to play against a lot of other great players they wouldn't normally play against."
"I'd rather call it summer basketball," Calipari said. "The one thing it's done, it's brought all these kids together, and so now you have a player that's played against all these other freshmen. If he's really good, then he's played against all these guys. He's not surprised."
In other words, no fear factor today. No shock and awe.
"Nowadays, top players play against top players, and they're motivated because somebody is ranked higher than they are or whatnot," Drew said. "Maybe they don't think they're that good."
Terrence Jones, ranked 13th by Rivals in that Class of 2010, and Perry Jones (ninth) know each other, and text each other, from their time playing on the AAU and all-star circuits.
It's the same thing for UK's Teague (fifth in 2011) and Baylor's Miller (seventh), two players who crossed paths as top-shelf recruits and summer-league standouts.
"We all know each other," said Teague.
And, now, they all want the same thing.
Perry Jones was considered a cinch lottery pick last year but, his season ended by an NCAA eligibility suspension in March 2011, he decided to return for another try at a Final Four.
"This is exactly the reason why I came back," he said Saturday. "Last year was terrible, that's a feeling that I don't want to have going into the next year. That's the reason I came back to try and lead my team to the Final Four and a national championship."
And now that it's here?
"It feels amazing, to be honest," said Perry Jones. "I'm more excited than anything right now."
Same thing on the UK side, where Lamb said, "I just want to go out there (Sunday) and have fun. Try to go to the Final Four my second time, my second year in college."
One (all-star) game away.
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21246...rylink=cpy
03-25-2012, 01:14 PM
Fatigue, Baylor's zone biggest challenges facing Kentucky
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21246...rylink=cpy
ATLANTA — After one of Kentucky's highest-scoring NCAA Tournament games ever, Marquis Teague got little sleep. "A bit more than three hours," he said Saturday.
UK teammate Terrence Jones was more precise about how much he slept. "From 4:30," he said, "to about 10."
Kentucky's 102-90 victory over Indiana late Friday pumped enough adrenaline through Darius Miller's body to keep him up — what? All night?
"I wasn't looking at the clock anymore," Miller told reporters. "I can't wait to go back to the hotel and lay down."
Might the Cats become dog-tired on Sunday when Kentucky plays high-octane Baylor in the South Regional finals?
UK Coach John Calipari, who said he slept about three hours, made no promises.
"It will be hard," he said. "It's going to be hard. But Baylor has four or five hours of sleep on us. That's what it is."
After his version of a Cat nap, Calipari watched two tapes of Baylor games, then went for coffee with his former high school coach, Bill Sacco, and former boss at UMass, Bob Marcum.
"I get cream and two Splenda," the UK coach said, helpfully.
Baylor Coach Scott Drew dismissed fatigue as a factor.
"We were hoping for a triple-overtime (UK-IU) game, but that didn't happen," he joked. "I think these guys are 18, 19, 20 years old. They were used to playing three games in a day."
UK players dismissed a suggestion that a second game within 48 hours would be too much. A touch of irony hung in the Georgia Dome interview areas considering Kentucky played a quarter of its Southeastern Conference schedule against opponents having to do just that.
"This is not the time to complain about being tired," Teague said.
Brady Heslip, Baylor's top perimeter shooter, suggested it might be the right time to complain, at least privately.
"It's definitely tough," he said, "especially at this time of the season when teams have played 37 games or however many they've played.
"But, you know, all these schools have such great strength coaches. They know exactly what's going on. They know what to tell you, what to eat, when to rest. It's tough for them, but I also think they'll be ready to go."
In Baylor, Kentucky faces something akin to its mirror image. Long. Athletic. Talented. Adept at running in transition.
"We're evenly similar and alike," Jones said.
If a blistering pace concerns Kentucky, the Cats might take comfort in Baylor's willingness to play zone defense. Except, gulp, it could be a 1-3-1 zone, the type West Virginia used to eliminate UK from the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
When asked if the 1-3-1 zone had been Baylor's primary defense, Heslip said, "For most of the year, it has been. We definitely practice it. We learned our rotations early in the year.
"You've got to keep the ball in front of you and you've got to force them to take shots over our length. That's the whole idea."
Every player in Baylor's five-man rotation on the front line has a wingspan of 7 feet or longer. That plays out to a combined 35 feet, 11 inches.
"The zone can bother them a little bit," point guard Pierre Jackson said.
Miller conceded that Baylor's length was unusual. "One we haven't seen nearly all year," he said.
Many UK opponents — perhaps, most memorably, Vanderbilt — played zone.
"One of the reasons they'll play zone is that they're looking at, OK, you're not going to get to the rim," Calipari said. "If you do get to the rim, there's going to be length there."
Noting how Baylor can put 6-9 or taller players on the wing, Calipari said, "That is a huge zone. So it's created havoc for a lot of teams."
Drew cautioned reporters from assuming a zone defense made for a wooden stake to drive into Kentucky's heart. Baylor will play man-to-man or zone or whatever proves effective.
"At the end of the day, length doesn't matter if you can't keep the ball in front of you," the Baylor coach said. "I think we've gotten better defensively at doing that.
"It is much harder to shoot over a 6-10 (or) 6-11 guy than it is a 6-foot guy. But at the same time, first and foremost, I think if we're not back on defense, it doesn't matter if we're tall or small."
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21246...rylink=cpy
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21246...rylink=cpy
ATLANTA — After one of Kentucky's highest-scoring NCAA Tournament games ever, Marquis Teague got little sleep. "A bit more than three hours," he said Saturday.
UK teammate Terrence Jones was more precise about how much he slept. "From 4:30," he said, "to about 10."
Kentucky's 102-90 victory over Indiana late Friday pumped enough adrenaline through Darius Miller's body to keep him up — what? All night?
"I wasn't looking at the clock anymore," Miller told reporters. "I can't wait to go back to the hotel and lay down."
Might the Cats become dog-tired on Sunday when Kentucky plays high-octane Baylor in the South Regional finals?
UK Coach John Calipari, who said he slept about three hours, made no promises.
"It will be hard," he said. "It's going to be hard. But Baylor has four or five hours of sleep on us. That's what it is."
After his version of a Cat nap, Calipari watched two tapes of Baylor games, then went for coffee with his former high school coach, Bill Sacco, and former boss at UMass, Bob Marcum.
"I get cream and two Splenda," the UK coach said, helpfully.
Baylor Coach Scott Drew dismissed fatigue as a factor.
"We were hoping for a triple-overtime (UK-IU) game, but that didn't happen," he joked. "I think these guys are 18, 19, 20 years old. They were used to playing three games in a day."
UK players dismissed a suggestion that a second game within 48 hours would be too much. A touch of irony hung in the Georgia Dome interview areas considering Kentucky played a quarter of its Southeastern Conference schedule against opponents having to do just that.
"This is not the time to complain about being tired," Teague said.
Brady Heslip, Baylor's top perimeter shooter, suggested it might be the right time to complain, at least privately.
"It's definitely tough," he said, "especially at this time of the season when teams have played 37 games or however many they've played.
"But, you know, all these schools have such great strength coaches. They know exactly what's going on. They know what to tell you, what to eat, when to rest. It's tough for them, but I also think they'll be ready to go."
In Baylor, Kentucky faces something akin to its mirror image. Long. Athletic. Talented. Adept at running in transition.
"We're evenly similar and alike," Jones said.
If a blistering pace concerns Kentucky, the Cats might take comfort in Baylor's willingness to play zone defense. Except, gulp, it could be a 1-3-1 zone, the type West Virginia used to eliminate UK from the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
When asked if the 1-3-1 zone had been Baylor's primary defense, Heslip said, "For most of the year, it has been. We definitely practice it. We learned our rotations early in the year.
"You've got to keep the ball in front of you and you've got to force them to take shots over our length. That's the whole idea."
Every player in Baylor's five-man rotation on the front line has a wingspan of 7 feet or longer. That plays out to a combined 35 feet, 11 inches.
"The zone can bother them a little bit," point guard Pierre Jackson said.
Miller conceded that Baylor's length was unusual. "One we haven't seen nearly all year," he said.
Many UK opponents — perhaps, most memorably, Vanderbilt — played zone.
"One of the reasons they'll play zone is that they're looking at, OK, you're not going to get to the rim," Calipari said. "If you do get to the rim, there's going to be length there."
Noting how Baylor can put 6-9 or taller players on the wing, Calipari said, "That is a huge zone. So it's created havoc for a lot of teams."
Drew cautioned reporters from assuming a zone defense made for a wooden stake to drive into Kentucky's heart. Baylor will play man-to-man or zone or whatever proves effective.
"At the end of the day, length doesn't matter if you can't keep the ball in front of you," the Baylor coach said. "I think we've gotten better defensively at doing that.
"It is much harder to shoot over a 6-10 (or) 6-11 guy than it is a 6-foot guy. But at the same time, first and foremost, I think if we're not back on defense, it doesn't matter if we're tall or small."
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21246...rylink=cpy
03-25-2012, 01:15 PM
Baylor to shed neon uniforms, go all black vs. Kentucky
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21247...rylink=cpy
ATLANTA — After wearing fluorescent green uniforms Friday night against Xavier, Baylor will wear specially made black uniforms called "Blackout" against Kentucky on Sunday.
Both the "Electricity" and "Blackout" uniforms are part of an Adidas promotion called "Adizero," Baylor spokesman Chris Yandle said.
Louisville and Cincinnati are also participating in the promotion. Adidas bills the uniforms as 30 percent lighter, plus more absorbent than regular uniforms, Yandle said.
"Our fans were not fans of them," Yandle said of the initial reaction to the "Electricity" uniforms. "Now we're 4-0 in them, people all of a sudden want the merchandise."
To complete the all-black effect, Baylor will wear black shoes and socks, Yandle said. Baylor is 1-1 this season when wearing the "Blackout."
Baylor cannot wear the "Electricity" uniforms Sunday because as the higher seed Kentucky will be wearing white, and both are considered light-colored uniforms.
"The first time we wore them, people were laughing," Baylor's Perry Jones III said of the bright green uniforms. "Just to be honest. Laughing. Heckling."
Then Jones quipped, "It gives us a chance to make no-look passes to each other
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21247...rylink=cpy
[Image: http://media.kentucky.com/smedia/2012/03...uSt.79.jpg]
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21247...rylink=cpy
ATLANTA — After wearing fluorescent green uniforms Friday night against Xavier, Baylor will wear specially made black uniforms called "Blackout" against Kentucky on Sunday.
Both the "Electricity" and "Blackout" uniforms are part of an Adidas promotion called "Adizero," Baylor spokesman Chris Yandle said.
Louisville and Cincinnati are also participating in the promotion. Adidas bills the uniforms as 30 percent lighter, plus more absorbent than regular uniforms, Yandle said.
"Our fans were not fans of them," Yandle said of the initial reaction to the "Electricity" uniforms. "Now we're 4-0 in them, people all of a sudden want the merchandise."
To complete the all-black effect, Baylor will wear black shoes and socks, Yandle said. Baylor is 1-1 this season when wearing the "Blackout."
Baylor cannot wear the "Electricity" uniforms Sunday because as the higher seed Kentucky will be wearing white, and both are considered light-colored uniforms.
"The first time we wore them, people were laughing," Baylor's Perry Jones III said of the bright green uniforms. "Just to be honest. Laughing. Heckling."
Then Jones quipped, "It gives us a chance to make no-look passes to each other
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/24/21247...rylink=cpy
[Image: http://media.kentucky.com/smedia/2012/03...uSt.79.jpg]
03-25-2012, 02:02 PM
UK by 12
Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)
