Kentucky is playing in Knoxville in just a few hours, and one of the biggest indicators of how far they have come will be seen straight away. Kentucky was down 19-5 on Wednesday against LSU. It is a position they have found themselves in far too many times. These Cats seem to always fall behind before trying to make a big rally; sometimes they can do it, and other times they can't muster that fight. But this team knows it has to change, and they think it will.
Kentucky basketball players don't understand the slow starts either
When talking to the media yesterday, the big man was asked about Kentucky's slow starts and why that has consistently happened with this team.
“I don’t even know... even Coach Pope, he’s adjusting the lineup so we cannot have a slow start, but I don’t really have an answer to that, I’m not going to lie... I don’t really have an answer to that.”
Kentucky has found itself down by 20 points four times this season and lost every game. They also have been down 18 to LSU, 10 to St. John's, and 9 to Indiana before making a run and getting a win. But you don't win those games too often.
And Otega Oweh is ready for that to change.
“We’ve got these slow starts, and I think it starts with me and D.A. (Denzel Aberdeen)... The intensity has to be how it is when we played in the second half (at LSU). We’ve just got to adjust it, really, that’s all it is.”
That "intensity" line has been an issue all season long, starting with the Georgetown loss. It has been brought up time and time again, and here we are in the middle of January still searching for an answer.
Jelavic finished by saying, “That’s our, like, number one problem, that we’re always trailing by 10 at halftime, and then we are turning around the game. That shows character, and it’s inspirational, but against real opponents, you need 40 minutes of good games to win. That’s what we need to do.”
BBN agrees with you, Jelavic. Now get it done on the floor in Knoxville.