Vanderbilt Scraps Hard, but Falls to #1 Kentucky's Defense, 63-69
by Christian D'Andrea on Feb 11, 2012 11:15 PM EST
in Vanderbilt Commodores Basketball
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PrintVanderbilt battled back hard to retake the lead late in the second half against a vastly talented Kentucky team. Unfortunately for Commodore fans, the Wildcats proved why they're the #1 team in the country in a tight win at Memorial Gym.
Jeffery Taylor put together a head-turning performance, but his leadership wasn't enough as the Commodores fell 63-69 to the top-ranked team in the country. Taylor made his presence felt on offense with threes ,strong drives and limited Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to just four points, but his Vandy squad still lost in a tightly contested game in Nashville Saturday night.
The fact that the 'Dores were in the game was a testament to their resiliency in this contest. Vanderbilt hit the second half of their contest trailing 36-23 and had few responses to Kentucky's swarming defense. The Commodore gameplan of getting the ball to Festus Ezeli failed early in the game, as UK's triple-teams in the paint robbed Ezeli of his effectiveness and opened up possessions for the Wildcats all night. However, Vandy adjusted in the second half to take advantage of their studs on the wings.
Taylor and John Jenkins got the green light in the second half, and their leadership led this team back and put the 'Dores ahead with under four minutes to play. Unfortunately, the team had no answer for Doron Lamb's prime-time three, which gave UK the lead for good with 3:19 to play. The Commodores wouldn't score after that.
Despite the loss, the 'Dores earned points for a strong comeback at home and some big performances from their key players. Ezeli, Taylor, and Jenkins combined for 51 points against a swarming UK defense that threatened to blow this team out early in the first half. Though the game ended in a loss, it was still a solid showing for a team that's looking to improve their stock when March comes around.
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Proves once again
We can go head-to-head with anyone who doesn’t press.
If we play a press team in the 1st round, I’m going to be sad. But as long as we avoid anyone who can press, we could make a nice run. That’s possible right?
However, if 2nd half Jeff from tonight shows up in March, he could single handedly win just about any game at least into the sweet 16.
Press
I do hope we have worked on it. Calipari, despite trailing, only pressed on one possession. We almost scored a layup. No consolation, but hoping we have worked on it, we should be able to either turn it into points or at least set up our half court offense, which is pretty good.
They aren’t really a press team. It’s dumb for them to press when their whole defense exists to have big guys in the key you can’t dribble around. They press like a team that isn’t a press team. It’s annoying because they are athletic, but it is beatable.
But we did turn it over on that nearly a layup play.
This group has 6 guaranteed games left
I want to see them go balls to the wall for all 40 minutes of those games. Not 16 like they did tonight (granted, #1 will make you look bad a lot of the time). Not 30 like they did against Richmond last year. Not 35 like they did against Mississippi State a few weeks ago. 40 minutes. Every. Single. Night.
Jeff, Festus, Brad, Lance, and Steve have thus far left us wanting for something positive to define their careers. They still have a shot, but the window of opportunity is quickly closing. We have the talent to match up with anybody, but I’m not sure we have the moxie. Prove me wrong, guys. Silence the doubters. Put it together for the next month and a half and make us all proud.
I like Tennessee and Vanderbilt. There aren't many like me, and they're probably better off for it.
by VolnVA on Feb 11, 2012 11:51 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
It's a shame anyone had to lose
Good Game Vandy fans. What a comeback by your ’Dores! It was a great game to watch- best of luck to you guys (until we meet again, LOL)
You have no idea how much respect you earned from me.
I know you lost. But that was an effort worthy of memory. You guys came out in the second half and tried to take a 13-pont game away from us. If only tor its unmitigated audacity, it is impressive.
You have prove to me that you are what you are supposed to be. About time.
Much respect. Hate me all you want, but I love, and I mean love, the response Vandy gave to our first half. Nobody will praise you for falling short, but you can take it from somebody who knows a thing or two about basketball, this was an effort worthy of our highest respect.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Glenn
I don’t have to like the outcome, but the game was everything it was hyped up to be. Glad we were able to make something out of it.
Wish we could have taken one from you tonight. It’s obviously going to be an even more difficult challenge in Lexington…
Hard to see how Kentucky isn’t the favorite to win the NC right now. Syracuse might give them a test with their zone (particularly on a night when Kentucky struggles from deep the way they did most of the game—though picking up some quick fouls on Darius Miller was a big part of that), but the Wildcats won’t see them until at least the final four, if either team overcomes the 1-and-done gauntlet that is the NCAA Tournament.
Anchor of Gold
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by KingJamesIV on Feb 12, 2012 12:18 AM EST up reply actions
For those that don't know
Glenn and I had the opportunity to chat it up at the SB Nation blogger’s conference last summer in Vegas. Good people. Congrats on the win, Glenn. See y’all in Lexington!
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by KingJamesIV on Feb 12, 2012 12:19 AM EST up reply actions
Man, you were great.
It was a huge pleasure to spend time with you.
I have no idea where Vandy will wind up. But unless you play us, you will receive all the support I can give you.
It has nothing to do with anything other than the natural fact you have earned it by deeds, not with words.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Glenn Logan on Feb 12, 2012 12:33 AM EST up reply actions
I can't really think about this right now.
But I know two things:
1) The guys we have on this team can play for me anywhere, anytime, all the way down the bench.
2) We had better beat the very living evangelical Baptist revival HELL out of Ole Miss now.
"Well, if that ain't a show, I'll kiss your ass." - Gov. Jim Folsom Sr. (D-AL), 1948-52
That's really shaping up to be a tough game now...
…this is gonna be a tough game to bounce back from. Really can’t afford to lose any games that you should win, from this point on.
Vandy plays like they did last night
and Ole Miss will be run out of the gym before halftime.
The problem with quotations on the internet is, you don't know whether they're accurate. - Abraham Lincoln
by Anything but Gatorade on Feb 12, 2012 10:40 AM EST up reply actions
Need to take these next 3
to stay off the bubble.
Tough one
I really liked the gameplan overall, but we couldn’t buy a basket in the first half despite getting a lot of open looks. We gave up too many offensive rebounds in the first half, but overall the guys really fought on both ends and ended up out-rebounding UK. We just didn’t do a good job keeping their guys in front of us in man, though we did a great job of containing MKG and Davis. In the zone Davis really was able to get on the offensive glass and set up inside in a way that he wasn’t against our man defense. Kind of a pick your poison thing.
Davis is amazing. Name another center in the country that could have played 39 minutes in that game – there isn’t one and his ability to affect the way they play defense in nothing short of incredible. He did by far the best job on our pick-and-roll plays than anybody we’ve faced since Ezeli has been back. Just tremendous defensive instincts. All of UK’s players can press up in man coverage without any fear of their guy going around them because #23 has so much range. Was easily the MVP of the game. Say what you want about Calapari’s ability to coach defense, but his defense is tremendously simply – they just play straight up and press up on the perimeter – on screens they can afford to go under them or around them, because Davis can practically defend the screener and screenee simultaneously until the screened defender recovers.
Lance struggled a bit, and I felt that the matchup against Jones would be the key – Jones was really good and clearly outplayed Lance, which was likely the difference in the game. JT really came to play, though he needs to shoot the ball more – but was fantastic on both ends of court. Special shout-out to Steve, who played his heart out against a super-athletic front line.
Defending both in the Pick and Roll
That’s it exactly, Jason. Davis is the first player I’ve seen with the legitimate ability to defend both players in the pick and roll since Tim Duncan (who, even more amazingly, was able to do that in the NBA until fairly recently). Anthony Davis has a similar combination of length, mobility, intelligence, and just enough strength to hold his ground reasonably well. Very tough player.
by Tim in Surrey on Feb 13, 2012 7:45 AM EST up reply actions
Two things I haven't seen mentioned much
1. Their defensive intensity fell way off in the second half. Had they kept up the stifling defense of the first half, we would have had a much harder time with the comeback. They turned it back up in the last five minutes of the game and, guess what, our scoring pretty much stopped.
2. We needed to do a better job going at players with foul trouble until we fouled them out of the game. (Granted, this point is related to the first and some of the reason they played worse defense in the second was that guys with fouls were being less aggressive in order to stay in the game, but we did not take it to them as much as we could have.)
by Andrew D. Smith on Feb 12, 2012 9:48 AM EST reply actions
That was the difference in the game
I’ve never seen Darius Miller pick up fouls like that in the four years he’s played at Kentucky. I think he deserves a ton of credit for continuing to play the way he did in the second half despite four fouls for the last 10 minutes of the game. I don’t think Vandy wanted to change up their game plan and focus on driving at Miller simply because what they were doing worked in the second half without making those kinds of adjustments.
This game didn’t quite play out the way I thought it would simply because Miller and Kidd-Gilchrist were in the foul trouble they were. TInsley predictably got burned by Teague, but Brad did step up and make some pretty good plays of his own. I think everyone played well for Vandy, but when Kentucky really locks down on defense, I don’t know if anyone can score on them. Great, great game and it was an effort that Vandy should be able to build on for the rest of the season.
The problem with quotations on the internet is, you don't know whether they're accurate. - Abraham Lincoln
by Anything but Gatorade on Feb 12, 2012 10:34 AM EST up reply actions
Let me be clear
Credit goes to Vandy for getting those fouls. Those two guys are the Kentucky’s glue, and somewhat removing them from the game is what helped break things open in the second half because they couldn’t defend as aggressively as they might have liked. Vandy also did a much better job coming off high screens (their bread and butter) until Kentucky decided they’d had enough of that. However, in the last five minutes, I think Miller and MKG just decided they didn’t care about fouls anymore, and Vandy didn’t score again after the 4:09 mark.
The problem with quotations on the internet is, you don't know whether they're accurate. - Abraham Lincoln
by Anything but Gatorade on Feb 12, 2012 10:38 AM EST up reply actions
Dude does not play
Easily my favorite opposing SEC coach. Though, I’d like to point out that we handled Bama before all of their good players got kicked off the team.
Business is about to pick up
I’ve been banging the drum for this guy and Barbee at Auburn all year (I don’t think anyone has to beat the drum for Mike Anderson anymore). The coaching talent in this league is getting better all the time…
"Well, if that ain't a show, I'll kiss your ass." - Gov. Jim Folsom Sr. (D-AL), 1948-52
i am new here ... due to my family roots
I am a Vandy and UK fan i am also a Oklahoma fan by chose but i always root for Vandy when we play UK or OU bc my dad is a HUGE Vandy fan and Vandy is my number one team and the team I grew up rooting for
that being said i loved how we started to come back in the 2nd half Tinsey was my MVP of the game. I just love how he plays and everything i am proud of both my teams this morning even though my friends and family who are UK fans know that Vandy comes first in my life! … but i ALWAYS love seeing these two teams play bball cause you never know what you will get in the end
GO DORES and i am happy to be a SB Nation Member
Life is great....
Welcome.
Thanks for reading, we’re looking forward to some good conversations heading into March.
by Christian D'Andrea on Feb 12, 2012 4:30 PM EST up reply actions
Davis is amazing. I mean the dude just does not foul. Usually when Festus or lance go up I’m screaming for uncalled fouls. But you watch Davis’ defense on replays and he always goes up and contends the shot (often blocking it), but manages to avoid any sort of significant contact. Maybe it’s just his pure length that lets him do it, but there are other long players out there. Maybe Festus just wasn’t doing a good enough job at trying to create contact, but I really don’t think that was the issue either. The kid’s defense is just so sound.
He is going to be a beast when his body fills out.
He’ll always be lanky, but once he bulks up and eliminates opponents’ post play altogether, he’s going to be a force in the NBA.
by Christian D'Andrea on Feb 12, 2012 4:31 PM EST up reply actions
One thing i know for sure
I have not heard Memorial that loud in a very long time. Possibly since the Florida game in 2007 when they were number one. It was absolutely incredible.
Steve Flagrant, Uncalled
UK fans all over Youtube and Reddit are flipping out about this non-call,to the extend to calling for suspension for Steve. To me it looks like Steve was just trying to put his arm against another post-player’s back, but found Teague’s head instead since Teague is that much shorter.
Thoughts?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8KFdQlAom_E
DC and Vandy Sports - A Lesson in Letdowns
Steve's "punch"
I am concerned about this. There is NO WAY that Steve did that on purpose. Simply did not, BUT the video looks terrible. If Teague thought it was intentional (he did fall) I would have thought it would be addressed at the time. It has created quite an uproar, though, and I feel badly for Steve. There is about as much chance of him (or any of our players) punching someone in the head on a random play as there is Calipari being honest!
by foreverhopeful on Feb 13, 2012 10:05 AM EST up reply actions
Doesn't look like a punch to me
Looks like he’s trying to get Teague in the back with his forearm to assert position, and I think the impact there is what knocks Teague over. Definitely a foul, probably not a flagrant. I can understand the anger on their side though. It certainly doesn’t look good.
by Christian D'Andrea on Feb 13, 2012 10:46 AM EST up reply actions
That's what I think as well.
Though it probably should have been a flagrant 1 – contact above the shoulders.
Still, not “thuggery” as many UK fans are saying. Steve just messed up and went by instinct, but Teague’s head was where a larger player’s back would be.
No suspension needed, but it sucks for Steve’s image.
DC and Vandy Sports - A Lesson in Letdowns
The UK2GAY shirts
Has anyone actually seen them? I keep hearing them brought up by UK fans on forums. Haven’t seen anything other than that. Do they really exist?
by Christian D'Andrea on Feb 13, 2012 10:48 AM EST up reply actions
Here are the shirts in question.
No one seems to have a definite link to Vandy creators. Anyone seen someone wearing a shirt in person?
http://outsports.com/jocktalkblog/2012/02/10/vanderbilt-removes-uk2gay-shirts-from-online-store/ – also note that outsports suggests that a CafePress site is affiliated with the university.
I’m pretty sure that these shirts were around well before Vandy/UK. I think we’re just getting the blame on this one without any definite link to the school or its students.
That’s not defending the shirts, they’re tasteless and degrading, but to tie this to Vanderbilt without any hard evidence is a bit ridiculous. Here’s the phrase being used for the UL/UK game in 2010: http://kykernel.com/2010/12/31/uk-spoils-yum-center%E2%80%99s-debut-as-setting-of-the-battle-of-the-bluegrass/
by Christian D'Andrea on Feb 13, 2012 10:56 AM EST up reply actions
I've only heard UK fans talking about them
I really, really hope they don’t exist.
DC and Vandy Sports - A Lesson in Letdowns
Im writing it up for the game recap article tonight
GLAAD came out and said that there’s no evidence tying the shirts to Vandy or its students. The phrase itself, while ignorant, has been around since 2009. Not a Vanderbilt creation. Could the CafePress site have been set up by Vandy students? It’s possible, but not likely. I think we just got caught on the other end of some sensationalism here.
by Christian D'Andrea on Feb 13, 2012 11:30 AM EST up reply actions
Just can't be affiliated with the university.
If these shirts were in any way affiliated with VU, the Divinity School would already have set up shop in front of Sarratt to protest, and I’d hop a plane to join in.
I can see some immature undergrads joking about this late on a weekend night…but to actually see the idea through to creating and selling shirts – not likely.
by Pope Vanderbilt on Feb 13, 2012 12:18 PM EST up reply actions
Also
I absolutely believe the UK fans are THE WORST in the country- or at least in the SEC. Not all, of course, but many. I see a lack of class that I just don’t see from the fans of the other teams. I saw it at the game and I’m seeing it online.
by foreverhopeful on Feb 13, 2012 10:06 AM EST reply actions
I think a large part of it
is the size of the fan base. It’s so large that there is a greater chance for the scumbags to come out and then influence those around them.
I drove from Nashville to the game at Rupp last year wearing the most absurd black and gold combo I could find (including gold afro) the entire way. UK fans all along the drive and in Lexington couldn’t have been more good-natured about it all, making jibes but nothing past hometeam spirit.
At Rupp there were a few assholes, but I walked through the student section in the same gear (minus the afro) to take some photos for The Hustler and never saw anything but a few boos thrown my way.
So, again, I think it’s really more a representation of the size of the fanbase that there are that many more assholes around. Rupp feels like a freaking NBA arena.
DC and Vandy Sports - A Lesson in Letdowns
I agree
It isn’t that their fanbase is worse (in terms of character). It’s just so much larger than most fanbases (essentially sec-football-quantity in basketball) that the number of idiots is much larger than most, though it probably isn’t any unusual percentage of the fanbase. Every fanbase has idiots, ours included. And for every idiot, there is an overwhelming majority of reasonable, tolerable or friendly fans.
Also, the portion of any fanbase that travels tends to be more rabid and, by extension, more intolerable. Having been to a game at Rupp and watched games with UK fans in Lexington, most of them are really thoughtful, kind, and knowledgeable about basketball. It sounds counter-intuitive, but I’d rather sit with generic UK fans in a Vandy loss at Rupp than with UK fans in a game at Memorial.
I would definitely sit with Glenn, if I could. Or Anything but Gatorade — seeing as he’s a part of both worlds…
Anchor of Gold
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by KingJamesIV on Feb 13, 2012 12:48 PM EST up reply actions
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