Kentucky Basketball: Where Do We Go From Here?

Everyone knows I am a music freak. Especially 70’s and early 80’s Rock. Not that techno punk nonsense, real music with a real sound. So it should be no surprise that I place the photo above on this article. Alan Parsons, I need to borrow a line. Where do we go from here? Oh the Games People Play.

No, I have not joined that group that have jumped on the bandwagon and rode it over the cliff in the last few games. I just have to ask myself these questions? Why can’t this team win on the road? Is the rest of the SEC really this good at home? Or did we play a lot tougher schedule than everyone says we have? Actually that schedule one is not very good. Everyone knows we have played a tough schedule, and our SOS is only getting better as the year goes on. We have some great wins, we have some tough losses. And in truth, losing to Vandy at Vandy is never a terrible thing, assuming the score is respectable. They were a Top 25 ranked team, however, if we cannot do more than this, then getting into the NCAA Tournament may just have to be enough for this squad this season. Talk about your lowered expectations.

I consider myself to be fairly well versed in college basketball. I understand the game’s little nuances, how coaches play their head games, and what a good product looks like on the court. I have also gotten fairly adept at breaking down what happens in a ball game, and to get to the root cause of a problem. But this team has me completely befuddled. Now the obvious choice about what is wrong is the Kanter Factor. Add Kanter to this talented roster and the world changes before your eyes. But is that all that is wrong? Surely Enes alone would not have been enough to overcome all of the problems that the Cats face at this point? Actually he probably would have. My honest opinion is that Enes Kanter attributes a double double every night out, and a big double double at that. Him averaging 20-20 would not have surprised me at all. However we do not have Enes, so that is a moot point. And truthfully, Josh Harrellson has done a remarkable job at times in playing the minutes that Kanter could not. Where this team is hurting is when you get past the first 5 guys on the court, maybe 6. I think that Cal may have miscalculated when he decided that 6 guys could get it done if necessary. It is just almost a physical impossibility to win with 6 in the SEC. He could do that in the talent bereft Conference USA, but not the SEC. The funny part is that when you look at this year’s results, the Cats are less than 15 points away from being a one loss team. Anyone who doesn’t think that Kanter could cover that spread is nuts.

So, should we run for cover, knowing that another 15 points this season changes everything? Not if you are a Kentucky fan. We have seen these up and down years before. Trying not to look ahead is difficult, knowing that truthfully none of our supposed one and dones have been spectacular like last year’s squad. There is an outside possibility that we might lose a Knight or Jones, but at this point, I think Cal needs to start doing some of that Pied Piper stuff he does and convince these guys to come back next year. So, we start next year with one serious gaping hole in the middle, which a certain freshman should be able to fill, and if Eloy Vargas can find it in his heart to continue to improve, maybe he can help out as well. From here, it looks like a lot of hard work and a break or two, could land us in another Sweet Sixteen. Should that happen, then I have to say I would be not just comfortable, but excited for the future. Ahhh, who am I kidding? We are Kentucky, we are always excited for the future.

So, we have to expect a tough remainder of the season. OK, I can live with that. We have to trust that Cal can get more out of these guys than he has, and I can live with that. IF a few breaks occur, things will get better. IF the Cats find that balance and drive that they need, they could make a run for the Final Four, and surprise a lot of people. IF those guys get tired of coming up just short of the prize then the entire world could change for them. Of course, as my Daddy used to say, “IF a frog had wings, he wouldn’t bump his butt when he hops either”.

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