[16BBall Fan]

Cats should do fine in this one if they just play a little defense. lol Go Cats!!

[Van Hagar]

We’ve shown we can lose to inferior teams, both in the regular season and the postseason. But I feel like we will get this postseason started with a double digit first-round win.

[16BBall Fan]

CBS has now released the game times for the Thursday and Friday games for the tournament. Kentucky's game will be on Thursday, March 21st tip time is 7:10pm on CBS.

[Old School Hound]

I'll give the Raiders a puncher's chance in this one. As for our Cats, I feel compelled to say, "JUST WIN, BABY!!!"

---

Cats should do fine in this one if they just play a little defense. lol Go Cats!!

Wash your mouth out with soap, young man!  "Defense" is a dirty word for our boys.

[jetpilot]

Someone reported 12 1/2 point spread. I drained my account at -13. Should be a gift. If this loses I am done for the year in basketball lol with still a good season.

[Old School Hound]

Someone reported 12 1/2 point spread. I drained my account at -13. Should be a gift. If this loses I am done for the year in basketball lol with still a good season.

I don't blame you, my friend. SHOULD be easy money. Message me and let me know how to get a betting account and I might my blow my wad on this one.

I will say this. If the Cats lose this one, you will hear Old School say for the first time that it might be time for Coach Plato to move on to his next challenge in life. If he can't motivate the guys enough to get by the Oakland Damn Raiders, then he has lost his once great ability to motivate talented young basketball five-stars..

[Old School Hound]

As much as I think Cal is a good coach(and I do), he won't be outcoached by the Oakland "Raiders' " , Greg Kampe. At 40 seasons and counting, Kampe is, by far, the longest-tenured coach in college basketball and has garnered almost 700 wins in his coaching career at Oakland. He'll have his team prepared.

[plantmanky]

As much as I think Cal is a good coach(and I do), he won't be outcoached by the Oakland "Raiders' " , Greg Kampe. At 40 seasons and counting, Kampe is, by far, the longest-tenured coach in college basketball and has garnered almost 700 wins in his coaching career at Oakland. He'll have his team prepared.

Has nothing to do with coaching, players play the game, Oakland can outplay UK for sure.  Will they, we will see.

[Spud6]

They have the #1 3 point shooter in D1. Not good for our Cats who can’t guard a fart in a phone booth

[Old School Hound]

As much as I think Cal is a good coach(and I do), he won't be outcoached by the Oakland "Raiders' " , Greg Kampe. At 40 seasons and counting, Kampe is, by far, the longest-tenured coach in college basketball and has garnered almost 700 wins in his coaching career at Oakland. He'll have his team prepared.

Has nothing to do with coaching, players play the game, Oakland can outplay UK for sure.  Will they, we will see.

Says the guy who will have the words "Fire Cal" on his tombstone.  True enough, though, players will determine this game, not coaches. As miuch fun as I've had following this group of guys, I don't trust them. They absolutely could lay an egg.

---

They have the #1 3 point shooter in D1. Not good for our Cats who can’t guard a fart in a phone booth

  Truer words never spoken!!!

[jetpilot]

If coaches don't determine games why do we pay them $10MM+++? It's rhetorical, 99% of the people get it and the state of UK basketball.

Go Cats

[Old School Hound]

If coaches don't determine games why do we pay them $10MM+++? It's rhetorical, 99% of the people get it and the state of UK basketball.

Go Cats

I agree with you that coaches salaries are insane. But then, again, they do help make their universities lots of money. Ask college professors like me how they feel about coaches making 100 times what they make teaching these kids in the classroom. Having said that, I certainly don't begrudge coaches for taking the money that's thrown at them. Money talks and bull$hit walks.

[jetpilot]

They are paid to win. Everybody knows. And it's great that people who want success run most stuff. People who don't demand accountability like you cause mediocrity every. single. time. Read back through the fire Cal thread, it's comedy gold. Your excuses have gone on for years lol and you keep going. Just an awful look, I can't imagine. Go Cats.

[Old School Hound]

They are paid to win. Everybody knows. And it's great that people who want success run most stuff. People who don't demand accountability like you cause mediocrity every. single. time. Read back through the fire Cal thread, it's comedy gold. Your excuses have gone on for years lol and you keep going. Just an awful look, I can't imagine. Go Cats.

I'm a professor but I'm also... a comedien. I'm glad you enjoy my work.   By the way, I hold my students accountable.  I do so with a thing called a grade.(Damn, who am I sounding like?) They don't perform; they get "Frogged."

[RunItUpTheGut]

Kentucky should win as long as they’re shooting hot.

Portland plays zone and UK will run them to death.

[plantmanky]

If coaches don't determine games why do we pay them $10MM+++? It's rhetorical, 99% of the people get it and the state of UK basketball.

Go Cats

I agree with you that coaches salaries are insane. But then, again, they do help make their universities lots of money. Ask college professors like me how they feel about coaches making 100 times what they make teaching these kids in the classroom. Having said that, I certainly don't begrudge coaches for taking the money that's thrown at them. Money talks and bull$hit walks.

Get an original take.

[Old School Hound]

If coaches don't determine games why do we pay them $10MM+++? It's rhetorical, 99% of the people get it and the state of UK basketball.

Go Cats

I agree with you that coaches salaries are insane. But then, again, they do help make their universities lots of money. Ask college professors like me how they feel about coaches making 100 times what they make teaching these kids in the classroom. Having said that, I certainly don't begrudge coaches for taking the money that's thrown at them. Money talks and bull$hit walks.

Get an original take.

You first.

[jetpilot]

If this team doesn't get to the Elite 8 at least

And Cal isn't 1% as cool as Beck

[Axel Foley]

Wildcats will take care of business 91-70.

[Old School Hound]

Wildcats will take care of business 91-70.

That  SHOULD be about right.   BUT...

[jetpilot]

Oakland @ Kentucky Preview
PPG Paints Arena

Oakland
at

Kentucky
PITTSBURGH -- While Kentucky fans anxiously await another deep run in the NCAA Tournament, John Calipari is asking, "What's the worst that could happen?"

One of the country's proudest bluebloods, Kentucky (23-9) hasn't seen a Sweet 16 since 2019, nor a Final Four since 2015. Calipari, the Wildcats' coach of 15 years, has borne the brunt of their high expectations since their last national title came in 2012.

Calipari is shrugging off questions about pressure as Kentucky, the third seed in the South Region, begins its latest postseason quest Thursday against 14th-seeded Oakland.

"I don't feel that, come on now," Calipari told reporters. "Come on. I've done this how long? And what's the worst that could happen? It's already happened to me. ...

"This isn't about me, this is about these kids," he continued. "So that's the reason I try to take all the pressure off them."

Most of Kentucky's freshman-laden roster was not around for the stunning first-round loss to No. 15 seed Saint Peter's in 2022 or the second-round exit at the hands of Kansas State last year.

While fifth-year senior Antonio Reeves has racked up 20.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard -- arguably Kentucky's two best all-around players -- are freshmen who come off the bench.

Sheppard was named the National Freshman of the Year by the USBWA Monday. The son of Kentucky legend Jeff Sheppard -- the 1998 Final Four Most Outstanding Player -- is shooting a white-hot 52.5 percent from 3-point range this season and averaging 12.8 points, 4.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game.

Dillingham averages 15.4 points and 3.9 assists. He, Sheppard and freshman classmates D.J. Wagner, Justin Edwards and Aaron Bradshaw will look to Reeves for veteran leadership.

"Teams are desperate, definitely," Reeves said. "They're going to give all they got, 100 percent effort the whole 40 minutes. You just can't let up. Everybody got to be dialed in to what they have to do out there. That's what I tell our young guys, just make sure you stay focused all 40 minutes."

Oakland (23-11) won both the regular-season title and the conference tournament in the Horizon League. The Golden Grizzlies enter having won eight of their past nine and 17 of their past 20 games.

Calipari is friends with Oakland coach Greg Kampe, the longest-tenured active coach in Division I at 40 years.

"I'd been texting with Cal," Kampe told WXYZ in Detroit, "and I said, 'We'll probably end up playing,' as a joke. He goes, 'We better not,' you know, and it happens. It's sad because every time I get in this thing, I play a close friend."

It's the first trip back for Kampe's crew since back-to-back bids in 2010 and 2011.

In Oakland's 83-76 win over Milwaukee in the Horizon League championship game, do-it-all senior Trey Townsend dropped a career-high 38 points on 12-of-22 shooting from the floor. Townsend leads the Golden Grizzlies in scoring (16.9), rebounds (7.8), assists (3.1) and steals (1.3).

Townsend's father played for Kampe, and Oakland was the forward's dream school.

"To think 10, 12 years ago, I was sitting up in these stands just dreaming that I could be part of this team, not even thinking that it would amount to what it has so far, it's such a special thing," Townsend said.

--Adam Zielonka, Field Level Media

[jetpilot]

^^^Cal doesn't feel any pressure to perform lol, and will scoff at you for asking. Clueless AF.

[jetpilot]

In other news Oakland started 6-8 then went 17-3 to finish 23-11. So not a gimmee but still feel like 17-21 point win is about right.

[Old School Hound]

Cal must read Old School on BGR. I've said it all year. It's not life or death ; it's a ballgame. Cal gets it ! Some of you don't. Hug your kids, tell your wife you love her , go visit mom and dad and thank them for all they've done for you. Then watch the Cats and, win or lose, do like me and go to bed and sleep like a baby. It's a game, folks. What's the worse that can happen? The team you root for loses. The Big Guy has your 401K kicking ass , you have a roof over your head and plenty to eat, and Old School is here to entertain you day in and day out. What more do you need?

Most of the kids on this team have just a few games left in a UK uniform. Like Cal said, enjoy them because they will soon be gone. There's twelve halves , at most, and probably less , to enjoy and appreciate young Reed. It's been a fun season watching some fun kids play ball. Only one team will win it all. The odds are way in our disfavor that it will be the Cats. The journey and the memories of a fun season are what's important. Six, five, four, three, two... wins in the final tournament are just icing on the proverbial cake. We'll all be disappointed when that next , and final , loss happens but only those who need perspective will be given oven by angry emotions. GO CATS!!!!

[jetpilot]

^^^I hate this stupid sh!t.

[Old School Hound]

I hate

Fixed it ... 

[jetpilot]

I hate losing

Fixed it ... 

[Cactus Jack]

If current trends continue, there'll be at least one or two #1, #2, or #3 seeds that go down.

Twenty years ago, could you have ever envisioned a #16 beating a #1? Now even that seal is broken. I think we'll soon be to the point that it's a routine occurrence every five or six years.

I just hope that Kentucky isn't one of the teams who goes down this year, especially after the St. Peter's game a few years ago.

[Old School Hound]

ChatGPT predicted:

UK 86 Oakland 65
UK 77 Texas Tech 71
UK 79 Marquette 75
Houston 82 UK 78

Oh, and it also predicted that some KY billhillies will be calling for Cal to be fired after the loss to Houston in the Elite Eight round. That's the most predictable thing ever.

---

KenPom:

AdjO = Adjusted Offensive Efficiency

AdjD = Adjusted Defensive Efficiency


UK :   Ranked #5 in  AdjO ;  ranked #110 in AdjD  (No team ranked worse than #17 in AdjD has ever won a national championship)

Oak:  Ranked #134 in AdjO ; ranked #165 in AdjD

Net Overall Efficiency(AdjO - AdjD) :  UK is ranked #21  ;  Oakland is ranked #137.


Based on net overall efficiency ,  KenPom has Kentucky winning by 17.


Factoid:   There are nine teams that have worse seedings than UK that have a better overall KenPom ranking( SD St. #20 , Mich St. #19,  St Mary's #18,  Wisconsin #17 , BYU #16 , Gonzaga #15 , Alabama #13 , Duke #8, Auburn #4).

[jetpilot]

ChatGPT predicted:

UK  86  Oakland  65
UK  77  Texas Tech  71
UK  79  Marquette  75
Houston  82  UK  78

Oh, and it also predicted that some KY billhillies  will be calling for Cal to be fired after the loss to Houston in the Elite Eight round.  That's the most predictable thing ever.

---

KenPom:

AdjO = Adjusted Offensive Efficiency

AdjD = Adjusted Defensive Efficiency


UK :   Ranked #5 in  AdjO ;  ranked #110 in AdjD  (No team ranked worse than #17 in AdjD has ever won a national championship)

Oak:  Ranked #134 in AdjO ; ranked #165 in AdjD

Net Overall Efficiency(AdjO - AdjD) :  UK is ranked #21  ;  Oakland is ranked #137.


Based on net overall efficiency ,  KenPom has Kentucky winning by 17.


Factoid:   There are nine teams that have worse seedings than UK that have a better overall KenPom ranking( SD St. #20 , Mich St. #19,  St Mary's #18,  Wisconsin #17 , BYU #16 , Gonzaga #15 , Alabama #13 , Duke #8, Auburn #4).

I could be off base here, but I think it's starting to dawn on you that the committee doesn't seed based on KenPom, JimBob or any other system. And yes the more Calipari doesn't perform, the more people will want rid of him and his obscenely excessive pay package.