[Cactus Jack]

Not excited about this one. Expect Mississippi State to be favored, and if they aren't, I'll be surprised if it's anything other than Kentucky by a narrow margin.

Like the Georgia game, I wasn't excited about this one and nothing that's happened since has really changed my mind. The difference is that I thought Georgia would play us close and Mississippi State would beat us.

The good news is that I think Kentucky actually matches up much better with Texas A&M than either UGA or MSU, so even if it's a long night in Starkville, I think we get back on track quickly with the Aggies and Vanderbilt in two of the next three. Really don't have anything to lose in the game with Alabama (who we also match up well with). Should be fine short of a complete blowout at Tennessee as well.

As the year wears on, seeding and who we match up with in the tournament will probably be a really big deal for this team, and those are the next five that carry us into a home game against Arkansas.


Maybe we get dealt the league royalty card and this one is called extremely tight, but I think it's more likely that we see that dealt much later in the year (at home against Tennessee or Auburn would be nice).

[Old School Hound]

The Fighting Jans' are better and more physical than Georgia. Not a recipe for success for our cream puff kitties. Tough day at the office on Saturday.

[King Kong]

I'd like to reply,  just can't yet,  gotta keep checking the monitors every 2-3 minutes! Hard to get a rhythm/flow going! Lol

[-STAT-]

One thing we've grown accustomed to seeing, is slow starts from Kentucky. They were pretty hot out the gates against Florida, got down by 11 at one point but put together a great run and never looked back. Started off slow against UGA and it cost them not including the refs. They can't afford to start slow against Mississippi St, seems like this team has always been a tough out for Kentucky through the years, and this is one of the best teams they've had in years, Chris Jans is a very underrated coach, was given ample time to develop a great culture and build his teams the way he envisioned, and it's sure paying off for them right now. Josh Hubbard has been a real problem for opposing teams defensive gameplans the last few seasons, and this one isn't any different, one of the best players in the conference, a lot like Walter Clayton for Florida, can score at any level, but has plenty of strength to get to the basket.

Like I said, Kentucky needs to establish the tempo and pace of the game early, if it's going to be a slow it down, grind it out type game, then it will definitely favor Miss. St.

[King Kong]

   

Called in a motivational speaker to try and help get the Cat's back on the right track 

[Old School Hound]

Called in a motivational speaker to try and help get the Cat's back on the right track 

Matt Foley was one of the best characters in the history of SNL. The boys played about like Matt Foley in Stegman on Tuesday.

[King Kong]

Called in a motivational speaker to try and help get the Cat's back on the right track 

Matt Foley was one of the best characters in the history of SNL. The boys played about like Matt Foley in Stegman on Tuesday.

 Agreed

[plantmanky]

this game will set the tone for the rest of the season, how UK responds.

[Old School Hound]

this game will set the tone for the rest of the season, how UK responds.

With the loss to UGA, it does make this one pretty important. With the gauntlet of SEC foes ahead, you simply can't afford back-to-back losses to Georgia and Miss. State.

[Bluecat]

Physicality and poor shooting has gotten us in all three of the losses. Bad thing with this team is it seems once the shots go cold they go away from the offense completely. And it kills me how our bigs try to handle the ball so much. So many times they make bad turnovers or bad shots because they are trying to be the primary ball handler.

Now with that being said I am still a believer in this team but like said above this game worries me as well. Who am I kidding, all SEC games do but this one is that type of game that if we come out slow it will be another Clemson, OSU, and. UGA game. Style is what gets us. I think that is why we were able to beat Gonzaga, Duke, and Florida. Those teams play similar styles as UK and we can get in a rhythm even after slow starts. This one being another true road game also worries me as it seems we get rattled early because of it.

Didn't think we would as much, but seems we really miss Kriisa. He is that hard nosed type guy we miss on both ends of the floor. He is the ignition starter at times and we need someone with that killer mentality.

[jetpilot]

No way to pick Kentucky until they beat someone on their home court. And if this game is officiated like the UGA game I'm turning it off. I'm not screaming at my TV for 3+ hours one more time this season.

[Cactus Jack]

No way to pick Kentucky until they beat someone on their home court. And if this game is officiated like the UGA game I'm turning it off. I'm not screaming at my TV for 3+ hours one more time this season.

That should come soon enough but I do agree. Only 10 true road games on the schedule (even though Gonzaga was in Seattle and Duke in Atlanta). We've already lost Clemson and Georgia, so 8 remaining. Very well could be taking an L here and being 0-3 on the year with 7 games left.

Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Missouri would remain. If we then lose to a Vanderbilt or Texas, our road record could be pretty atrocious and something that kills seeding. I could see it turning into something that drops us by as many as two seed lines.

[jetpilot]

Dang! UK getting 6 points! A line like this tells me they are begging me to bet on UK, which really means they think MSU wins big. HUUUUUGE game

[Bluecat]

Going into today, SEC teams have only lost 8 home games. LSU, Vandy, Arkansas, and Oklahoma have lost once and Texas and South Carolina have 2 home losses. This isn't just conference games but I think this shows how tough SEC on the road is truly going to be.

[Cactus Jack]

Going into today, SEC teams have only lost 8 home games. LSU, Vandy, Arkansas, and Oklahoma have lost once and Texas and South Carolina have 2 home losses. This isn't just conference games but I think this shows how tough SEC on the road is truly going to be.

That's a pretty worrisome statistic. Wonder how much the conference schedule-makers influenced that stat too though.

Not a good sign for Kentucky if the trend continues because Rupp is already such a huge home court advantage.

[Bluecat]

Going into today, SEC teams have only lost 8 home games. LSU, Vandy, Arkansas, and Oklahoma have lost once and Texas and South Carolina have 2 home losses. This isn't just conference games but I think this shows how tough SEC on the road is truly going to be.

That's a pretty worrisome statistic. Wonder how much the conference schedule-makers influenced that stat too though.

Not a good sign for Kentucky if the trend continues because Rupp is already such a huge home court advantage.

Auburn/South Carolina is back and forth right now also and it is at SC. Carolina has had lead most of the game but now it is back and forth with 5:00 to go.

[Granny Bear]

SC lost this game by 3, and they blew a couple good looks at the win.
I'm worried that Broom may be out for the season. That was a bad bad ankle injury!!!!

[Bluecat]

SC lost this game by 3, and they blew a couple good looks at the win.
I'm worried that Broom may be out for the season.  That was a bad bad ankle injury!!!!

It looked bad yes. Florida also beat Arkansas at Arkansas. So that is a couple road wins so maybe we can pick us up one tonight.

[Bluecat]

There is a true road win now! We were able to get MSU in our style. We get the game in the 80s or above we winning. Robinson finally with a big game. Still missing Kerr. Not gonna change the fact that we get pushed around and make some uh oh passes and turnovers but if we can get the opposing teams playing our style. The atmosphere was tough as any and the Cats were able to pull it out.

[King Kong]

This was like a pin ball/arcade game! Kentucky and Mississippi State were like a ping pong ball bouncing from one end of the court to the other! Constant back and forth!

Heck of a game by both teams.  Had the feel of a NCAA tournament game.  Who knows it could very well be come March or April.  We went against the grain and got a win on the road vs one heck of an opponent. 

Plus there wasn't much checking the monitors this game 

[rookie57]

FINALLY Robinson shows up. Big win but our D sucks

[Old School Hound]

This was like a pin ball/arcade game! Kentucky and Mississippi State were like a ping pong ball bouncing from one end of the court to the other! Constant back and forth!

Heck of a game by both teams.  Had the feel of a NCAA tournament game.  Who knows it could very well be come March or April.  We went against the grain and got a win on the road vs one heck of an opponent. 

Plus there wasn't much checking the monitors this game 

Amazing how much better a game is to watch when you don't have bozos with anxious whistles and busy monitors.

[Old School Hound]

FINALLY Robinson shows up. Big win but our D sucks

You know, on certain individual possessions they play some really nice D, but they just don't sustain it for lengthy periods of time.

[Old School Hound]

Remember George W. Bush ? The last time MSU beat Kentucky... "W" was president.

[Wildcat_blue]

Man, if you want to come to hate on Kentucky and cast doubt with nothing but negativity pre game, just come here lol. Dang people, reasons Kentucky is a no win situation for any coach! Give credit where it is due and understand what pope has done in a short amount of time and be excited for the future. I will ride or die with this team and Mark Pope! Let’s be positive and enjoy this season, freaking brutal of a league and for once we aren’t sitting on the fence about making the tournament. Debbie downers all day!!! #truewildcatfanswhereareyou

[Old School Hound]

Man, if you want to come to hate on Kentucky and cast doubt with nothing but negativity pre game, just come here lol.  Dang people, reasons Kentucky is a no win situation for any coach!  Give credit where it is due and understand what pope has done in a short amount of time and be excited for the future.  I will ride or die with this team and Mark Pope!  Let’s be positive and enjoy this season, freaking brutal of a league and for once we aren’t sitting on the fence about making the tournament.  Debbie downers all day!!! #truewildcatfanswhereareyou

I think pretty much everyone here has been complimentary of this team and Coach Pope.

[Wildcat_blue]

Man, if you want to come to hate on Kentucky and cast doubt with nothing but negativity pre game, just come here lol.  Dang people, reasons Kentucky is a no win situation for any coach!  Give credit where it is due and understand what pope has done in a short amount of time and be excited for the future.  I will ride or die with this team and Mark Pope!  Let’s be positive and enjoy this season, freaking brutal of a league and for once we aren’t sitting on the fence about making the tournament.  Debbie downers all day!!! #truewildcatfanswhereareyou

I think pretty much everyone here has been complimentary of this team and Coach Pope.

Then is a pope to soft thread starts!!!, got ya.  Check

[Old School Hound]

Man, if you want to come to hate on Kentucky and cast doubt with nothing but negativity pre game, just come here lol.  Dang people, reasons Kentucky is a no win situation for any coach!  Give credit where it is due and understand what pope has done in a short amount of time and be excited for the future.  I will ride or die with this team and Mark Pope!  Let’s be positive and enjoy this season, freaking brutal of a league and for once we aren’t sitting on the fence about making the tournament.  Debbie downers all day!!! #truewildcatfanswhereareyou

I think pretty much everyone here has been complimentary of this team and Coach Pope.

Then is a pope to soft thread starts!!!, got ya.  Check

I think he does need to get a little more hard boiled , at times.

[-STAT-]

This was a huge get right win for this team. Mississippi St has never been an easy place to get a win, little off topic on this game but I'll never forget the game at the hump in 2003-04, that Miss St team had Lawrence Roberts, All-American player and a great surrounding cast. Went down to the last second, UK either had the ball inbounding on the sideline or baseline, ball was tipped a few times and Erik Daniels corralled it, made a layup right at the buzzer to win it, what a game that was.

Now back to current day, this MSU team is very stout defensively, a lot of size & physicality that I thought Kentucky would have a tough time handling if the game got to a slow down pace. Luckily Kentucky got MSU playing up to their tempo pretty early on. Was a very back and forth first half, went from having a 6 point lead right before half, giving up the cardinal sin 4 point play to cut the lead to 2, then Butler hitting a 3 at the buzzer going into half up 5. If that 3 didn't go in or they didn't even get a shot off, MSU goes into the locker room with all the momentum and maybe the trajectory of the game changes, that was a huge way to end the half. Started out hot in the 2nd half as well, got up to a 14 point lead, was hoping they would be able to maintain it but didn't. MSU just got hot and their defense disrupted the flow of the offense for Kentucky.

Last couple of games I had noticed Robinson just didn't have good body language, especially against Georgia, it was like his mind was 1000 miles away from Athens, it sure was good to see him step up and hit some big shots, he was on a heater there at the start of the 2nd half, if it wasn't for those shots and extending the lead, it again could've went a different way if he hadn't have gotten hot. A lot of unsung heroes in this game, how about Almonor? Hitting 3 clutch 3's down the stretch, played some great defense and provided some great minutes when we needed them. Perry has continued his solidifying his role to relieve Butler, getting an offensive rebound and hitting a 3 in the first half. He may not be at the level Kerr is, but have to give him all the credit in the world for being the next man up and getting some valuable minutes.

This was a much much needed win for this ball club, not only did they up the pace of this game, but played with a lot more toughness when they needed to, they sure brought it this game. I know they aren't worried about the outside noise us fans and couch tater coaches bring, but it was great to see them show some spirit and fight against a tough team. Slate sure doesn't get any easier, but got a hell of a road win in a tough conference, can't ask for nothing more than that.

[Wildcat_blue]

Man, if you want to come to hate on Kentucky and cast doubt with nothing but negativity pre game, just come here lol.  Dang people, reasons Kentucky is a no win situation for any coach!  Give credit where it is due and understand what pope has done in a short amount of time and be excited for the future.  I will ride or die with this team and Mark Pope!  Let’s be positive and enjoy this season, freaking brutal of a league and for once we aren’t sitting on the fence about making the tournament.  Debbie downers all day!!! #truewildcatfanswhereareyou

I think pretty much everyone here has been complimentary of this team and Coach Pope.

Then is a pope to soft thread starts!!!, got ya.  Check

I think he does need to get a little more hard boiled , at times.

I agree, I am for one all about getting up in someone when they deserve it.  I just think his approach is smooth and just like in life you can achieve the same goals weather by being an ass or by being a very nice person (you always gotta have a little back bone and yellow but it’s a chess game, check mate when you see things others don’t and you can approach that many ways) may be different next year and for all we know this is maybe what the teams needs with this group.  I see him doing all and everything it takes to get his team together and playing well.  Honestly, I really don’t see a reason for him to be any other way just yet.  Of course, we are going to take an L every now and again but with 3-4 top wins against the top 10 in the country; no reason to complain lol.  If we can make an attempt to even sniff a run this year then I think that is a win (sweet 16 would be nice).  All I know is this, these people make the money they do for a reason and I want to believe that they know more than me haha.  Positivity with a chess mindset (silent cutthroat) and willing to win I’ll take lol.  I am never going to hate Cal, he did great things but I am in agreement ? it was time for a change and fortunately this time it worked in our favor.  We got a great coach!!! As of today