VU @ Kentucky 12/7

[VULB#62]

[tweet]755086252303642624[/tweet]

Could be the Wildcats' Pearl harbor?

[ml2]

In the seven seasons that John Calipari has coached Kentucky, they are 62-1 in non-conference games at Rupp Arena. Their only loss was December 1, 2012 against Baylor. That was also the only one of Calipari's seven teams to not make the NCAA Tournament (they lost a first round NIT game AT Robert Morris). North Carolina and Louisville are a combined 0-7 at Kentucky during this time frame. 

[vu72]

In the seven seasons that John Calipari has coached Kentucky, they are 62-1 in non-conference games at Rupp Arena. Their only loss was December 1, 2012 against Baylor. That was also the only one of Calipari's seven teams to not make the NCAA Tournament (they lost a first round NIT game AT Robert Morris). North Carolina and Louisville are a combined 0-7 at Kentucky during this time frame. 

So, are you saying we have a chance??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMRrNY0pxfM

[M]

Kentucky will play mighty Cleveland State a few weeks before us.  I wonder what the payout is for Valpo going to Kentucky.

[talksalot]

I was hoping the payout was nothing in consideration for a 2:1   but I'm not holding out any hope for that. (even if the '1' was at the United Center)

[a3uge]

I was hoping the payout was nothing in consideration for a 2:1   but I'm not holding out any hope for that. (even if the '1' was at the United Center)

1 for 0 is good enough - the selection committee is too stupid to understand how RPI works, so a game at a top 10 opponent will help our RPI tremendously, even if we get blown out.

[oklahomamick]

Would have loved to seen last years team play them. 

[usc4valpo]

Valpo 61, Kentucky 59

[bbtds]

I was hoping the payout was nothing in consideration for a 2:1   but I'm not holding out any hope for that. (even if the '1' was at the United Center)

1 for 0 is good enough - the selection committee is too stupid to understand how RPI works, so a game at a top 10 opponent will help our RPI tremendously, even if we get blown out.

Playing under control, as a senior and upperclassman, and being able to outplay the very athletic freshmen of Kentucky with smart play is the key. Will Valpo be able to get ahead of Kentucky and panic the younger Wildcats.

I'm reminded of the time we played at Syracuse and stayed ahead of the Orangemen until the second half when freshman Carmelo Anthony ran away with the game on his athleticism alone. If UK has anyone player who can do that then I don't think we have a defender who can stop that guy unless Bradford plays up to the occassion.

[agibson]

Hmm... last week of classes at VU. Not easy... Maybe not impossible.

[usc4valpo]

agibson - I can't take these negative waves so late in the evening. Have a little faith baby, have a little faith

[VUSWIM08-12]

https://kentucky.forums.rivals.com/threads/uks-ooc-schedule-whew.199861/

Here is a link to one of their forums, this thread talks about their OOC schedule. We get mentioned once or twice but they apparently have bigger fish to fry. Valpo may have some struggles next year but this is a game they could win. Probably to early to guess what the line might be, but with very little to base it on, I'll go with UK -12.5. Maybe a range of -6.5 to -17. Oh yeah the game is 4.5 months away 

[oklahomamick]

Don't think people realize how special last years team was.  Last year's team could compete with Kentucky but not next year.  We had the luxury of having the best rim protector in basketball.  We also had a very very good point guard that we trusted.  Those two were huge advantages and then add Peters.  That's what separated us from most teams.  That team ended with a top 30 rpi.  Next year will be different and one that Kentucky will get the best of us in a similar game to our previous one with them.  Sorry to be the negative Nancy.

[FieldGoodie05]

Agreed.  Our offense could afford to be suspect with Carters on ball D combined with the best rim protector in the country.  We witnessed one of our best teams last year.  Though with a more aggressive offense and decent D we could put together a good season.

[VU2014]

It's no surprise that power 5 conference schools and even the powerhouses of college basketball like Kentucky are willing to schedule us when we lose our starting point guard and most importantly our rock in the middle in Vashil. Teams also see that we are going to have 2 big men who haven't played a single minute in college yet and are raw. I have high hope for Smits and Sorolla but this will most likely be a learning year for our front court. Power 5's see that they can schedule us but still have the cache of playing a top mid-major program in the nation with one of the best mid-major players in the country, but can see the holes they can take advantage of. 99 out 100 times Kentucky would beat with last years squad anyways but we'd have a better opportunity last year to give them a run for their money.

[vu72]

Agreed.  Our offense could afford to be suspect with Carters on ball D combined with the best rim protector in the country.  We witnessed one of our best teams last year.  Though with a more aggressive offense and decent D we could put together a good season.

Obviously there are questions about the upcoming season.  To me, the point guard situation is the biggest question mark.  Bradford comes in very highly regarded but he will be a freshman.  Then there is Lexus, more questions, then there is Max, more questions.

As for losing Vashil, sure, his blocking can't be reproduced but, his 5.6 ppg and 7.3 rebounds certainly can be.  He is being replaced by a guy his size and one even bigger.  Derrik is said to not be a project.  His scoring ability is way better then Vashil.

Then there is Sorolla.  I did a little checking and in particular looked at the 2014 U17 World Championships Semi-final game against Australia.  He went head to head with Issac Humphries who signed with Kentucky and is 7' 260# and who was named to the first team all tournament team. That Australian team also had a guy who signed with Miami, two who signed with SMU and one who signed with TCU.  Sorolla played 30 minutes, scored 15 points (team leader), was 6 of 10 from the floor and 3 for 3 from the line and  had 6 boards and 2 blocks.

[atkins]

I think vu72 has a good point.  Vashil was an elite defender, but he was an offensive non-factor.  Who knows what Smits and Sorolla will give us, but together they will outscore Vashil. 

This year's team may be better than we think. We have a bit of tunnel vision regarding last year's team.  They were inconsistent and, at times, did not look very good.  They began and then finished strong, which masked their weaknesses. 

Peters should be a first-round pick. He will have to take over those marginal games, ala Bryce.  That's what first-rounders do.  If Peters plays as expected, that alone should compensate somewhat for the personnel losses. Also, Tevon and Shane should be improved.  Alec has a ton of talent surrounding him. 

[nkvu]

I am less concerned about replacing Vashil than I am Carter.  What we lose in defence we should gain in offense with Smits and Sorolla. The returning point guards however got little to no chance to develop last year. Yes Williams was coming off an injury after a pretty good freshman season. Still he got garbage time last year.  I thought Joeseph showed some potential as a freshman, but again only saw garbage time last year with no chance to develop. I wonder now if Bryce's thinking was that since this was going to be his last year at Valpo he was less concerned with developing his young point guards than playing the more overall talented Hamink out of position at backup point. So we are left with hoping that Bradford can come in and run the team as a freshman. That's a lot to lay on a freshman point guard, particularly one as slightly built as Bradford appears to be. Now I hope he is the second coming of Steph Curry but that is very questionable.

One big difference I have seen over the years between the top teams and Valpo is the athleticism of their guards. In some cases Valpo has been able to hang for a while but then the top team's guards clamp down defensively and things go down from there. If our point guards can't handle the pressure we won't be able to get into our offensive sets and no matter how good Peters is he won't get the ball in places where he can score.

Kentucky always brings in 5 star talent. This year they bring in five 5 star freshman. We will have no advantage at point now where we might have had an advantage at least in experience if Carter had been able to come back.  That's why I wish we had played them last year rather than next.

Playing at Rupp with no experienced point guard I would consider a 10 point or less loss a win for us. 15 would be ok. 20 is about what I expect. 20 to 30 would be a disappointment.

[agibson]

agibson - I can't take these negative waves so late in the evening. Have a little faith baby, have a little faith

Funny! I was actually talking entirely about my prospects for getting down to see the game in person. That was, admittedly, entirely unclear.

But, yeah, December 7 is a little later than we'd like if we're hoping to play the "we're more experienced" card.

Do we have a chance? Sure, it's why they play the games.

[agibson]

I wonder now if Bryce's thinking was that since this was going to be his last year at Valpo he was less concerned with developing his young point guards than playing the more overall talented Hamink out of position at backup point.

I doubt that's what happened. It seems like Bryce was open to "the right" job, and maybe that could have been dozens of universities, not just a few like some of us might once have hoped or assumed. But, I don't imagine he was in any way committed to last year being his last year. That Nashville came up fairly late in the game and was "something special" for him.