[Cactus Jack]

Otega Oweh played great. Amari Williams played well but you'd like to see Clemson's big have less than 20 rebounds. Butler and Carr were in foul trouble for much of the game and had their moments, but were a wash overall. Robinson played well enough given what we had to ask of him, but could have been more selective. Not the best showing for Kriisa, Almonor, and Garrison.

Physical road game against an experienced team who was up for us (see the court storming). Littlejohn wasn't the most intimidating arena-- was basically an AAC sized venue.

Clemson was better than I thought. They rotate well and play within their structure and rules. Very physical on the glass and made Kentucky commit instead of looking to leak out over them. Most of all thought, I think they did a really good job dictating the pace. Wouldn't say that they looked to run by any means, but thought they did a really good job of "running" and pushing out breaks when it made sense for them to do so. Worry that they'll be handfuls of SEC games where we aren't shooting the best and just have to eat some losses.

Whether it was trying to push out the point and/or get out over our initial screen, blowing up dribble hand-offs, taking their chances with us finishing at the rim when they were able to run us off the line (which happened more than we'd have liked), Clemson's game plan was to take away at least one thing we did well to make us more one dimensional and living with the results of how they could defend everything else from there. Didn't mention Brea above, but you could tell that they were trying to take him out of the game and live with whatever came with it (Butler hit a big three where he was basically freed by all the attention on Brea, but that isn't exactly the kind of looks that were ideal for us).

At the end of the day, Kentucky is a top-20 level team but they were too high at #4 and I'd rather watch what we just saw (12 turnovers, not being lost on simple expectations and execution late) versus what we'd been getting from Cal. Have been in a bit of a lull the past few games, so hopefully we are up for and hot against Gonzaga.

[Granny Bear]

Our first loss!!! I'm not mad at this; it gives us an opportunity to discover some of our weaknesses and work on them. Besides a 4 point loss against a seasoned team is still respectable in my opinion. I didn't see any of the game either! I didn't even make it to finish the UT game before falling asleep.

Our ranking was way too high! I rarely look at rankings because I don't think they mean very much. At least, they don't to me. I saw where ESPN was talking about the SEC teams, and that's where I saw where UK was ranked.

So, today is the day we start back to work!!

[Hoot Gibson]

I only got to watch part of the game but I love the way the Cats are playing. It is a huge treat to see Kentucky basketball in the hands of an elite coach. The team plays hard and they play with confidence. They really seem to enjoy the game. I never had the same feeling about Calipari's teams.

[i82much]

First of all, we're not the 4th best team in America. We lost our identity with that premature ranking. We should be the team with something to prove. Clemson was 7-1 coming in, unranked, disrespected, with a chip on their shoulder and a ravenous crowd in a relatively small arena with a student section behind the benches. Our young men were not prepared for that level of intensity...welcome to Kentucky. We beat Duke and all of the sudden we went from David to Goliath. Our expectations went from we'll be good in a few years to we have arrived. That took away our edge, we simply got outworked and outmuscled by a team that assumed the identity that we needed to embrace. This got in our heads and when that happens the shots stop falling and the crowd gets louder and the opposing team gains confidence. This is a "teachable moment" and we have a coach that will take full advantage of it. We'll be alright...

[Old School Hound]

The message boards are lighting up with words like TEN LOSS POPE and THE HONEYMOON IS OFFICIALLY OVER. The most vile fanbase in all of sport, hands down... The team didn't respond well last night to it's first hostile environment. Get used to it. There's plenty more to come in this conference. The craziest 20% will lose heir minds and be calling for Cal's return before season's end. They are savagely unhappy people. Basketball games shouldn't mean that much to anyone.

[Granny Bear]

^But football games should?

[Bluecat]

Not concerned with the loss as we knew we weren't going 40-0. I am more interested in seeing how we respond. Especially since we face Gonzaga. This is a good stretch of basketball for the Cats because it will truly show us weaknesses we need to focus on fixing before we enter SEC play. And yes, we were ranked way too high but that is because it seems everyone lost last week.

[-STAT-]

Learning experience, they got outplayed and out hustled in every facet of the game last night. Kentucky is a finesse team, no toughness or physicality whatsoever. Clemson was just the tougher team and wanted it more. Don't get me wrong they're a great team, returned quite a bit from the elite 8 team from last year, they showed up ready to play in a hostile environment. That's something Kentucky is going to have to get used to, those hostile, small intimate environments, places like Auburn for example.

I'm not trying to play keyboard coach or couch potato coach here, just calling it how I see it, and I'm not even close to pushing the panic button, didn't expect Kentucky to win every game, shoot 50% from 3, play perfect games, pretty much knew there would be losses and ugly games, and there are going to be more as the season/conference schedule starts. We've got a great coach, even tho he got outcoached last night, he also has a great staff around him and that is what matters the most. Rebounding, free throws, defense should be the main focal points for practice this week.

Slate doesn't get any easier, Kentucky better be ready to bring the toughness & physicality to Seattle come Saturday. Gonzaga will be yet another tough test.

[Old School Hound]

^But football games should?

Absolutely not. And Old School is over a game a game soon after the horn has sounded. A game doesn't bring my momma back, a game doesn't add to my retirement account, a game doesn't lessen my need for psychotropic meds. I have a date with my psychiatrist next week but it has absolutely nothing to do with a football game. I'm over a dumb game but I'll never get over trolling the masses. I am waiting for the day the PT Blue Sky rolls into Campbell Field, though. That will be a great day,, like the day i went to see Elton John for the first time, or the day I divorced my ex.

[-STAT-]

I'll sulk in a loss right after it's over, but life goes on and I get over it pretty quickly. Yeah it sucks to lose, you want them to win every game they play, but that's why they play the game.

Losses are going to happen, but like previously mentioned some fans take it literally to heart, one single loss and now in some peoples minds Pope is on the hot seat after 8 games lol. We're off to a great start, sure didn't expect them to get up to #4 in the rankings, which clearly don't mean anything in the grand scheme of things compared to College Football, there are going to be bumps in the road as will there be for every other team, they have great leadership, great coaching, one thing you can't coach is toughness, players are going to have to dig down deep and figure out what it's going to take to play with toughness & tenacity, especially in SEC play.

[King Kong]

Hat's off to Clemson on the win.  That gym was absolutely rocking last night! Thought for our first true road test,  we handled it pretty well. 

This game had several lead changes.  It seemed like twice,  Clemson might run away with thing's.  They got up around like 8 or something like that.  Our guys keep fighting and battling,  and was able to stay in this thing.  Battled until the end. Almost gave ourselves a chance to tie or win the thing at the end. 

So this game reminded me of the Duke game.  We kept fighting and battling till the end,  in both.  We won one and got the loss last night.  Kinda like a legendary coach once told me,  sometimes the breaks go your way, sometimes they don't. 

The hostile environment was a good learning experience for us last night.  We will definitely face that a lot when we get into conference play,  on the road. 

Clemson stormed the court somewhat after the game. That was a huge lesson for our guys right there.  New coach,  staff,  players,  first year,  it doesn't matter,  we're still UK.  This is many teams Super Bowl.  Even a team like Clemson,  who made the elite 8 last season.  A really good team like that storm's the floor when they beat us,  the fans do.  That right there tells how big of a deal it is when other teams play us. Tells how big of a target we have on our backs.

Some really great teaching moments last night.  We took a mark in the loss column, but I believe this game will help us more than it hurts.  

On to the next one 

[King Kong]

In the world of basketball we kinda hit a bump in the road last night.  When driving around here,  there seems to be no shortage of bumps in the roads    Just like riding a 4 wheeler or dirt back,  most atv trails are bumpy. While riding a horse, your often on bumpy and uneven terrain.  The thing about it is,  all roads have their smooth spots.  Things eventually level out.  Yes,  there will be more bumps up ahead.  You just keep riding till things smooth out again,  and you reach your destination. 

We hit a snag last night.  In fishing,  this unfortunately happens,  more often than not.  What do you do when you get your favorite lure hung under the water? You keep tugging and finessing,  trying to get it free.  You don't get mad and throw your fishing rod in the water,  or take part in some other form of rage!  If needed you break off or cut the line and tie on again.  Your better fishing lies ahead 

The Cat's just gotta learn from last night and keep trucking,  like a new Peterbilt or Mack truck with around a million miles on it.  Those are hard to beat 

[plantmanky]

Bad loss, but there will be more of these, a lot of them before season is over.

If this teams heads into SEC tournament with a .500 record its a good year considering.

[Old School Hound]

Bad loss, but there will be more of these, a lot of them before season is over. 

If this teams heads into SEC tournament with a .500 record its a good year considering.

You are still underrating the team, You said over the summer they be lucky to get 10 wins, now you're saying .500. I say they will have a much better record than that. But, you're right, there will be more losses, probably quite a few more. I don't  think we'll lose ten games, though. But they will likely hit a very rough stretch.