[Old School Hound]

Mitchel coming back I swear thinks it messes up our rotations. Cal tries too much stuff when everyone is a available

Have to admit, Spud, I've worried about that, too. I like Mitchell but, let's be honest, he's hindered more than helped in the latter half of the season. I hope he gets healthy and can help us down the stretch but I hope it doesn't come at the expense of momentum and chemistry.

A few takeaways from last night:

1.  WE'LL DANCE 

This one will pretty much put to rest the notion that we might not make the tourney. With, now, 18 wins at home over Vandy and Auburn still on the schedule, plus wins over UNC and Auburn in the bag, being left out of the tourney can be put to rest. The Cats also likely went up a seed line with yesterday's win put themselves in position to finish in the top four of the SEC, which would allow them to not have to play a Thursday opening round game. Big advantage.

2. FAST START FELINES

It's so important to jump on a team early, especially in a hostile road environment like Auburn. The Cats kinda took the crowd out of the game in those first few minutes and the Auburn faithful fought all game to get that energy and momentum from pre-game back and could just never blow the roof off the joint. Every time you thought it was gonna happen, UK pushed back and kept the crowd ay bay. I'd like to see these fast starts become a pattern from here on out.

3.  UGO & ADOU

The duo of Ugo and Adou(say that five times really fast) were difference makers.  The Nigerian Nightmare played more minutes than anyone(36) and had 11 boards, 2 blocks, and 7 points. He was a perfect 3 for 3 from the field. He was a true rim protector and, maybe most importantly, forced Auburn to shoot from the outside, where they connected on just 4 of 22 three-pointers. Also, he didn't allow himself to be bodied into oblivion in this one. He hung in there and fought. How many thought Ugo would ever log 36 minutes in a game?

Adou is one tough son of a buck. He's physical, plays great defense, and was a human highlight reel. The crowd went quite(in astonishment) at that one dunk. Thiero played 32 big minutes and scored 14 big points.


4.  ROAD WARRIOR REEVES (say that five times really fast)

Simply put, the guy has made himself into an All-American.  Early on at UK , he was a catch and shoot sniper. Now there's much more to his game. That little floater in the lane is as pretty as a peach and as sweet as Taylor Swift's cookies. Also, he can get to the rim and finish, with some physicality. He can also grab rebounds(had 5 against Auburn) and has become a pretty good defender.  On the road, the guy is clutch. In seven true road games this season, Reeves has scored 15, 19, 21, 22, 22, 24, and 30. He has nine 20+ games on the road the past two seasons. Only two other UK players since 2000  scored 20+ nine times on the road ---  Keith Bogans and Jody Meeks. Reeves is a road warrior.


5. OLD SCHOOL CAL

This is how my guy likes to win ballgames. This is how Cal won the majority of his 400+ wins at UK. He had the Old School blueprint implemented for this one and his players bought into the plan and executed.  We just made four 3 -pointers . If I had told you before the game that we would make just four 3-pointers, you'd say we'd lose by 20.  But we won this game the Old School Cal way, with defense, determination, effort, TOUGHNESS, rebounding, controlling the pace, getting to the rim and drawing fouls. It was an Old School Cal gameplan, and it worked!!! The Cats learned they could go toe to toe with a top 15 team on the road and win a tough low-scoring defensive-minded basketball game. I think they got an lesson in Old School Cal last night and they passed the test. Lesson learned. Cal stuck to his plan and believed in his guys to carry it out. Pearl, on the other hand, seemed put of sorts all night, after Kentucky jumped on his team from the get go.  Slimy Bruce spent more time arguing with the refs than he did coaching his team. Old School Cal definitely came out on top in this one.


6. BY THE TIME WE GET TO PHOENIX

Okay, okay, I'm an Old School , old fart. There's probably very few Glen Campbell fans here besides me . 

"By the time I get to Phoenix

She'll be rising
She'll find the note I left hanging on her door..."

The Cats left a note on the door of every college basketball fan last night. Fans arose this morning to a new dawn, knowing that Kentucky is no mid tier basketball program. They are STILL Kentucky and they are still your daddy!!!  The note says that we are on our way to Phoenix , and you can like it or not.  The blueprint on how to get there is Exhibit A--- Auburn.   The path is clear.  Avoid a slip up at Baton Rouge on Wednesday. Take care of business at your home lair next Saturday against Bama. Do to Mississippi State what you did to Auburn and crush Vandy and Arkansas at home. Even if they take a loss in Knoxville. they finish the regular season at 23-8 with a lot of momentum heading into the SEC and NCAA tournaments. A couple of SEC Tournament wins gives them at least 25 victories heading into Selection Sunday and firmly in contention for a Top 4 seed.

And by the time my Cats get to Phoenix,  to the skeptical faction of the Kentucky fanbase, I'll say:

"Though time and time I've tried to tell her so
She just didn't know,
[color=#000000][size=medium][font=Verdana, Arial]I (We) would really go."