[Aslan]

UK played in one of the most enjoyable collegiate basketball games in the past decade against UNC on December 3rd . The North Carolina tar heels absolutely played out of their minds as they hit 11 threes as they shot an astonishing 61% from behind the arc and had 17 assists on 25 made field goals. As good as UNC played UK was still better as they out rebounded the Heels, had less turnovers and shot an overall higher percentage from the field. If the Cats can win that game, they could win every game the rest of the way….right?


Next Saturday the Cats play a Hoosier team that has been rebuilding for the past 24 years. Tom Crean fooled the Indiana administration into to letting him continue to coach at IU just long enough to get Cody Zeller on campus. Now that Crean has Zeller and a fairly experienced team, maybe UK should start seriously considering their upcoming match up with the Hoosiers to be a difficult one.


Ever since Kelvin Sampson did his best impression of a 14 year old girl that couldn’t stay off the dang cell phone, Indiana has been the laughing stock of college basketball. In the past 3 seasons Indiana is 8-46 in Big 10 play and 35-66 overall. When teams see Indiana on the schedule they mark a W and look to the next opponent. Perhaps this year is different.
Fact is, this isn’t your slightly older brother’s Indiana team. This particular team looks primed to have a winning season and hell, who knows, they might even make the tourney?
Indiana currently is 4th in the nation in overall field goal percentage and 8th in points per game. By comparison UK is 23rd in fg% and 16th in ppg. I hear what you’re saying, UK has played a tougher schedule and it’s true. Realtime RPI has Indiana having the 203rd toughest schedule in the country. That’s certainly not impressive, but it should be noted that Indiana handled their business every game so far by winning by an average of 22 points. Almost every team is playing cupcakes to build up some momentum to get ready for conference play, Indiana is no different. The only difference is Indiana is now blowing out teams they would have lost to in the past 3 years.


The other factor that should cause UK to be cautious about this Indiana game is the fact this will be UK’s first true road game of the season. This Indiana team (and fan base) knows exactly what’s at stake. If they beat Kentucky, the #1 team in the nation, they will be launched into a national ranking and the buzz surrounding the program will extend beyond the state borders. UK has a young team, starting 3 freshmen and 2 sophomores. Will they be able to withstand the crowd going insane as they anticipate the biggest win of the program in the past 3 years?


UK has a full week to prepare for everything that Indiana will throw at them. UK would be wise to take Indiana very seriously, because Indiana isn’t joking around right now.

http://www.nationofblue.com/indiana-coul...oss-10069/