Beyond the Arc : SEC

Hey! A ranked showdown that was good!

Mike Miller — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:43:00 GMT

Now that’s more like it.

Brennan Linsley/AP

Purdue's Robbie Hummel, left, fights for a rebound with Tennessee's J.P. Prince and teammate Keaton Grant.

Most ranked matchups this season have either been sloppy or one-sided. The Paradise Jame championship was neither.

Purdue’s 73-72 win against Tennessee was nearly everything one could hope for in a Top 10 showdown – in November, or any month.

It was close throughout (a six-point lead was the most either could muster) and featured defense, impressive offensive displays (Tyler Smith’s full-court drive-and-dunk is bound for top plays) and some late-game drama.

In a 72 possession game, both teams were right around 1 PPP (Purdue 1.009, Tennessee .996), a testament to good defense and offense. Both took care of the ball (12 turnovers is excellent for any game) and were OK at getting to the line. Neither team shot lights out (47.4 eFG% for Purdue, 46.2 for the Vols), but that was because of the 3-pointers. (Don’t ask.)

It also provided a glimpse of two teams that have enough talent and skill to meet again in the Final Four. It wasn't pretty, but it was still a good game.

In fact, the game’s final play was about the only thing I’d change. Was Wayne Chism really the Vols’ best option for taking the game-winner?

(shakes head)

But hey, it’s November. It’s early in the season. Expecting a true classic at this point is probably too much.

Or not. Maybe the 76 Classic (West Virginia vs. Butler?) or the NIT (UConn vs. Duke) could be the ones…

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Calipari's had it up to here with bad 'D'

Mike Miller — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:42:00 GMT

Kentucky’s defense – or lack of – is killing John Calipari.

Three days after watching Miami of Ohio’s Nick Winbush hit 8 of 10 from beyond the arc and escaping thanks to John Wall’s late heroics, it was more of the same for the Wildcats against Sam Houston State on Thursday. Corey Allmond made 11 of 16 from deep and finished with 37, a Rupp Arena record. Kentucky still eked out a 102-92 victory, but it didn’t sit well with Calipari.

Ed Reinke/AP

John Calipari gives his team directions.

“If we don’t do better defensively folks, we are in trouble,” he said afterward. “Do you think we can score 100 against everybody? Because we’re going to have to. They are going to score 100 against us.”

Threes were the biggest problem by far. The Bearkats were 18 of 38 beyond the arc. Their 49.4 eFG% wasn’t that impressive, but was enough to irritate Calipari, whose team was sloppy (22 turnovers on 83 possessions? ouch) and did whatever it wanted on offense.

But that’s apparently all the ‘Cats care about.

"Our execution stinks right now," Calipari said. "It stinks because everybody's trying to get theirs."

The Lexington Herald-Leader has more along those lines, including video. It’s worth a listen to hear how exasperated he is.

"We need to get a little better rhythm. Our rhythm stinks right now,” Calipari said. “In other words, we race it up, that means shoot it fast. No! You race it up to try to put pressure on (the defense). So they all get in the lane, you pass, pass (to get an uncontested shot)."

The silver lining for Big Blue Nation is that the players realize they have to get better.

“Sometimes we didn’t bring it a lot on the defensive end and other times we just messed up on a lack of communication,” Daris Miller said. “We didn’t play how we wanted to.”

I know what practice is going to focus on the next few days…

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Could Tennessee be back to '07-'08 form?

Mike Miller — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:35:00 GMT

Kentucky isn’t the only uber-athletic SEC team this season. Tennessee showed as much Tuesday.

The Vols’ 124-49 win against UNC Asheville was them at their best: pressing defense, balanced scoring and hitting from beyond the arc. Kinda like Bruce Pearl’s team played in 2007-08.

Wade Payne/AP

J.P. Prince goes up for a dunk.

Can’t say it’s a huge surprise, though. Tennessee was capable of doing this last season.

Hey, sometimes you have to give these kids a chance to grow, right?

Every player’s back from last season’s 21-13 squad that features a bevy of long-armed, fleet swingmen like Tyler Smith, J.R. Prince and Scotty Hopson, an ever-improving point guard in Bobby Maze and underrated center Wayne Chism.

And with guys like Cameron Tatum (6-6), Renaldo Woolridge (6-8) and Brian Williams (6-10) coming off the bench, there’s plenty of depth.

Then again, depth doesn’t matter if those subs can’t play defense. That was the biggest difference between 2007-08 and last season. They could always score. But they played slower and it hurt them. Kenpom.com has the details.

'07-08 (D-I rank) '08-09 (rank)

Adj. tempo 68.7 (76) 72.5 (18)

Adj. off eff 117.1 (19) 115.0 (21)

Adj. def eff 89.9 (22) 96.0 (73)

Turnover % 24.5 (21) 20.7 (145)

Steal % 12.6 (24) 9.2 (215)

UNC Asheville isn’t the ideal indicator for how the Vols will perform this season, but it’s a good place to start. If the athletic ability finally results in forcing more turnovers, this won't be the last blowout we see.

Perhaps more importantly, if guys like Maze and Hopson (neither of whom were efficient scorers or excelled on defense last season) provide support to Smith and Prince and play like the hype that followed them to Knoxville, Tennessee could be a Top 10 mainstay.

I know. Big if.

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Wall wows in opener -- thanks to final shot

Mike Miller — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:04:00 GMT

John Wall’s Kentucky debut wasn’t perfect. It just had a storybook ending.

And that’s what Big Blue Nation wants, especially when March rolls around. For now, they can relish a win that probably wouldn’t have happened the last few years.

Andy Lyons/Getty

John Wall

The No. 4 Wildcats spent most of Monday trailing Miami (Ohio) and failing to guard Nick Winbush, who hit 8 of 10 from beyond the arc. At one point, the ‘Cats trailed by 18. John Calipari’s freshmen weren’t dogging it, it’s just that the RedHawks played that well. They disrupted Kentucky’s dribble-drive offense for most of the night, clogging the lanes and forcing UK into perimeter shots.

Wall rarely forced the issue (5 assists, 5 turnovers), but wasn’t shy about driving by defenders when necessary. During the first half, he drew fouls on three Miami players in a 22-second span. As a result, he did most of his scoring from the free-throw line, hitting 10 of 14 from the stripe, bit only attempted nine field-goal attempts.

Yet when the RedHawks tied the game at 70 with six seconds left, Calipari wasn’t worried. Wall took the inbounds, scooted down the court and nailed pure a 15-footer with .5 seconds remaining. Watch for yourself.

“When it hit the bottom of the net, it was a relief, a great feeling,” Wall said.

That goes for every Kentucky fan. The Wildcats are a work in progress (like North Carolina and a handful of other young teams), which means this won’t be the last tight game Cal’s crew has. And they won’t all turn out like this.

But having a player like Wall – a freshman who belies his class standing – gives them someone who can win those games. It’s music to Kentucky’s ears.

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Arkansas' Clarke beyond an efficient scorer

Mike Miller — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:33:00 GMT

When Jodie Meeks torched Tennessee for 54 points last season, I figured I’d never see a more efficient performance.

Less than a year later, Arkansas’ Rotnei Clarke blew that to shreds. Note to self: Avoid such statements in the future.

Clarke, a 6-foot sophomore, drilled 13 three-pointers – and SEC record – and finished with 51 points in the Hogs’ 130-68 win against Alcorn State on Friday. It was one of those games where even Clarke came away slightly amazed by his night.

"I just felt like every time I shot it, it was going in," Clarke said. "I guess it was just one of those zones."

No kidding.

His numbers were 15 of 21 from the field, hit 13 of 17 three-pointers and 8 of 9 free throws. That’s a 97.7 eFG% and 2.018 PPWS. For comparison, Meeks was 90.9 eFG% and 1.885 PPWS. Meeks put on his show against much better competition, but still. Those are video game numbers.

Before the season, FOXSports.com’s Jeff Goodman called Clarke’s the nation’s top shooter, notably because ex-Razorbacks coach Stan Heath once saw Clarke hit 25 straight shots from beyond the arc and 94 of 100 overall.

Safe to say, other teams will be checking Clarke. Often.

Alert readers are now checking if Alcorn State is on their team’s schedule. The Braves gave up 100 points and a triple-double to Ohio State last week. Stopping Evan Turner – the game’s best all-around player a future NBA lottery pick – is one thing. But how could they not double-team Clarke? Arkansas suspended five players before Friday’s game, so it wasn’t like the Hogs had many options.

"The way he was shooting the 3s, I don't see how you can possibly lose him," Alcorn State coach Larry Smith said. "We failed to get him covered."

What’s Kansas going to do to them?

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Miss St.'s Sidney may be eligible after all

Mike Miller — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:40:00 GMT

Any day now, Mississippi State could get some really good news. At least, that’s what Renardo Sidney’s lawyer thinks.

The 6-10 forward is one of the nation’s top freshmen, but he’s been in NCAA eligibility limbo because of amateurism issues rising from his family’s two-year stay in the Los Angeles area. Basically, rumors flew that they couldn’t afford that house they were living in, so someone else was paying. The family says it’s hogwash.

After a long investigation into the matter, Sidney’s lawyer says the NCAA will come to the same conclusion and clear Sidney to play.

"We expect it could happen as soon as tomorrow or in the next week," Alabama-based attorney Don Jackson told FOXSports.com. "Frankly, there's no reason he shouldn't have already been cleared," Jackson said. "If he's done something wrong, someone needs to say something. If not, the family needs to be left alone."

Most of the Sidney background can be found here and here, but this is what’s most important if Sidney is cleared: Miss State will be really, really good.

He makes the Bulldogs a Top 10 team and gives them perhaps the nation’s top frontcourt. He’s a skilled power forward who can play the post or away from the basket. Playing alongside Jarvis Varnado or John Riek will give any team massive matchup headaches.

Did I say really good news? I meant great news.

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Big Blue Nation goes international

Mike Miller — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:11:00 GMT

Ed Reinke/AP

John Calipari greets the Big Blue faithful.

Big Blue Nation is going international.

Via John Calipari’s Twitter account, Kentucky’s athletic department has translated Coach Cal’s speech at Big Blue Madness into eight different languages. This is not a typo.

Maybe it’s just the next step in creating an unstoppable Kentucky basketball force in a 24-7 Internet world, but … it just leaves me kind of speechless. Now Kentucky fans can see Calipari’s speech in Spanish, Kazakh, Russian, Chinese, Afrikaans, German, Arabic and American sign language.

This seems kinda over the top – and a little bit amazing. I only speak one language (I know, typical American), so I don’t have to seek out similar types of translations. I’m also not aware of other schools doing this kind of thing very often. Perhaps it goes on more than I know.

Regardless, it’ll only serve to burnish the images of Calipari, the school, and Kentucky hoops in general.

Everyone else, take note.

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Wall's eligibility just causes Internet chatter

Mike Miller — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:09:00 GMT

Those seeking a quick resolution to the questions surrounding John Wall’s eligibility won’t find any answers today. Just a lot of Internet chatter.

The mess – Wall’s former AAU coach, Brian Clifton, was once a licensed sports agent and the NCAA has questions about that relationship – will probably end up being less than a mess. More like a hiccup. Wall could miss a few games.

And it won’t loom over Kentucky’s head all season. There’s already a report from FOXSports’s Jeff Goodman that Wall will be cleared before the Wildcats’ opener against Morehead State on Nov. 13.

Still, because it involved the nation’s top recruit, Kentucky and new coach John Calipari, message boards and Twitter went a little nuts. Like here, here and here.

John Clay has a Twitter sampling here. Most of that focuses on Calipari, even though this would’ve been an issue even if Billy Gillispie was still Kentucky’s coach.

Kentucky fans here don’t seem overly concerned. Can’t blame ‘em. Once this gets resolved it’s just gonna be a blip on what promises to be a huge season for the ‘Cats.

(H/T: A Sea of Blue)

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Big Blue panic: Wall's eligibility in question

Mike Miller — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:26:00 GMT

This is every Kentucky fan’s worst nightmare. Kind of.

Star point guard John Wall, the nation’s top recruit, is dealing with an eligibility issue that could affect his season. SEC commissioner Mike Slive confirmed the report to ESPN.com on Thursday.

Ed Reinke/AP

John Wall

It centers around Wall’s former AAU coach, who was a certified agent. The school has been investigating Wall’s the situation for months. Mississippi State recruit Renardo Sidney also is dealing with eligibility issues. It goes back to 2007 when Wall made two unofficial visits to the UK campus but it’s unclear how much money he may owe for the visit.

Slive says the NCAA’s agents, not NCAA enforcement, is handling the investigation.

"Those are amateur issues that arose prior to their coming to our schools," Slive told ESPN.com. "Those are strictly amateurism issues. As we told our people, somebody needs to determine if they are eligible. It's not relative to you, it's relative to them."

Here’s the gist:

Brian Clifton, Wall's AAU coach, was a certified agent with FIBA, basketball's international governing body, for nearly a year. Under NCAA rule that equates to Wall accepting illegal benefits from an agent. Consequently Wall could have to repay any and all expenses Clifton footed during that period before he can play with Kentucky.

NCAA rule also stipulates that an athlete can be withheld from at least 10 percent of a team's games as part of the punishment.

What’s that mean for Wall’s season? It’s too early to tell. The early impression from John Clay, a writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader, is that it won’t be a big deal and that Wall may have to sit out two or three games.

He also says – pay attention John Calipari naysayers – that is would be an issue even if Billy Gillispie were still Kentucky’s coach because of when he visited the campus.

But until Wall’s eligibility is resolved, it’ll likely create much hand-wringing in Big Blue Nation.

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Calipari's pitch-perfect offseason gets better

Mike Miller — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:51:00 GMT

Without even coaching a game, John Calipari’s given Kentucky basketball fans everything they could want.

National attention. A recruiting class for the ages. Making himself accessible to fans and generally being an exceptional ambassador for the program.

This quote from a Dana O’Neil story sums it all up nicely.

"In Kentucky, you can't love your grandmother more than basketball,'' said Van Florence, the 30-year president of the Committee of 101, the UK booster organization. "And if you did, your grandmother would tell you you're stupid.

"Having a couple of winning seasons at Texas A&M or El-Paso doesn't equate to nothing to these people. They equate to Carolina and Kansas. They don't give one damn who's in the Big 12 or who you beat in the Big 12. Until you've beaten Louisville and Indiana and UCLA and Kansas, you haven't proven a damned thing. That's what this program is about.''

And somehow, Calipari keeps topping himself. The response to his speech at Kentucky’s Big Blue Madness has already reached mythical proportions among the Big Blue Nation.

And I gotta say, it’s an impressive speech for its delivery, message and reach. Say this for Cal, he knows his audience because this is everything they want to hear, and expect. See for yourself.

The speech’s aftermath was what you’d expect. Fans were delighted, pumped, ecstatic, etc. Any adjective will do.

"I don't ever remember it being like this,'' said 74-year-old Tom Wilson, who has served as an usher at Rupp for 21 years and was at his usual perch Friday night for Big Blue Madness. "I usually get here about two hours early, and it's quiet. I got here at 4:45 tonight, and you couldn't get a seat at the food court. People are just so anxious to get this season going.''

To quote O’Neil, this was more than Big Blue Madness. This was Big Blue Salvation.

In a speech in which he invoked Richie Farmer, the Unforgettables, grandmothers sharing cocoa with their grandkids while camping for tickets and Big Blue fans "fighting for our country overseas," Calipari laid it on thick and laid it on loud. For a fan base that felt disenfranchised by the previous regime, it was nothing shy of a come-to-Jesus meeting.

And why not? When your coach proclaims his goal for the school as the “gold standard, not just for college basketball, but for all college athletics,” it’s gonna create a tidal wave of high hopes in Kentucky.

The inevitable question – what happens if they don’t win a title this year? – is fair, but it misses the point. Kentucky fans aren’t looking to end their NCAA tournament misery this season.

They’re seeking NCAA dominance for years to come. This is what Calipari is selling, and what he intends to deliver.

And given his performance thus far, I’m starting to believe he’s on his way.

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