Ky +5.5 vs tOSU (ov/un 137.5) Fri 9:45 ET, CBS

[WolverineMike]

There were only 5 seconds left and they got a clean inbounds pass to the point guard moving forward, and Kentucky's defense wasn't set. Buford got a decent look, but it wasn't his night and it just didn't go in.

If they call timeout, Ky either bothers the inbounds pass or doubles Craft. I think it's probable that tOSU wouldn't have gotten as good a shot as they did.

Hindsight is 20-20. Because Knight hit his shot with Craft's hand in his face, nobody is questioning why Calipari didn't call a timeout in the last 21 seconds. If he had missed, and tOSU had won the game, how many people would be saying that Calipari should have called a timeout?

i don't question Cal not calling it because the game was tied. If you miss anything there you just go to OT. The season wasn't on the line as much as with Buford trying to pull a Tyus Edny.

 

[cincibuck]

but Craft was arguably the best player on the floor, particularly with how he often played in spite of his teammates struggles.

Thanks for a great season seniors and a program establishing career, particularly Mr. Lighty, who was a loyal buckeye long before the wins came and the storm clouds cleared, shut down lottery pick Green as a frosh and anchored a half decade of greatness.

Craft was magnificent - picked several pockets - found time to rebound - forced errors. He was fun to watch.

Everything said and done, this was a wonderful team to watch.

 

[germ]

There were only 5 seconds left and they got a clean inbounds pass to the point guard moving forward, and Kentucky's defense wasn't set. Buford got a decent look, but it wasn't his night and it just didn't go in.

If they call timeout, Ky either bothers the inbounds pass or doubles Craft. I think it's probable that tOSU wouldn't have gotten as good a shot as they did.

Hindsight is 20-20. Because Knight hit his shot with Craft's hand in his face, nobody is questioning why Calipari didn't call a timeout in the last 21 seconds. If he had missed, and tOSU had won the game, how many people would be saying that Calipari should have called a timeout?

I agree he just missed the shot.

 

[jwinslow]

Craft was magnificent - picked several pockets - found time to rebound - forced errors. He was fun to watch.

He rebounded over Harrelson once (setting up a beautiful full court layup... miss ), grabbed another board between 4 big men underneath the basket, weaseled his way into a steal and foul on a Liggins rebound, stole multiple passes including one where he was severely outmatched 1v1 in the post (against Jones?) and shut down Knight almost all night long (and had great position on the final shot).

Truly a memorable performance.

If opposing fans think they hate him now, just wait until he gets better for three more years

 

[CentralMOBuck]

Craft did exactly what I thought he would have against Knight. Jwins couldn't have said it better.

I don't really know what to say about the loss, besides it f'in sucks. I feel bad for all the seniors, especially Lighty. I felt that with about 10 minutes left that this was a repeat of last year vs Tennessee. No one could get anything going offensively. Kentucky was just the perfect storm. Harrellson contained Sully and their length gave our shooters all kinds of fits. On the defensive side I never imagined we'd have to worry about guys like Liggins or Harrellson beating us.

 

[Thump]

Without having read any of this thread:

UK beat OSU AND the officials last night in my opinion.

 

[WolverineMike]

Without having read any of this thread:

UK beat OSU AND the officials last night in my opinion.

so you're saying the refs were in osu's favor? that's how I read that

 

[Thump]

so you're saying the refs were in osu's favor? that's how I read that

Correct.

 

[buckeyes_rock]

The Bucks just had an off night offensively and Kentucky played about as well as they could have...it happens...they call it March Madness for a reason. All said and done, this has been a wonderful season and these guys were tons of fun to watch. Hats off to Matta for putting together a group of guys who really seem to enjoy watching each other and ultimately this team succeed.

I'm disappointed to see it come to an end, but I have to say, I'm really excited for next year. With Sully back and Buford (I assume?) this team is going to once again be the class of the Big Ten.

Anyone want to share their opinions about next year's starting 5? Who will be the pure shooter to replace Diebs? Who will be the slasher to replace Lighty?

 

[LitlBuck]

Props to all the guys on the team who made this season so much fun to watch. We will miss you seniors but we all know that none of you left anything out there on the court.

 

[billmac91]

so you're saying the refs were in osu's favor? that's how I read that

Being as objective as I can, I thought the officials were a bit whistle happy in the first half against UK. There were a lot of legit fouls called, and it did appear Kentucky was being the aggressor and trying to send a message so the fouls make sense. I thought some of the charges they called against Kentucky were a bit iffy. There was a large foul discrepncy against UK at the half...

I will say, in the first 9-10 minutes of the second half, it looked like a controlled effort by the officials to even out the foul differential. Ohio State had 6 fouls with 14:00 still on the clock!!! A lot of touch fouls and curious calls.

Once the fouls were evened out, the last 10 minutes was mostly called fair IMO. They swallowed the whistle on a few plays I thought could have been called charges. I thought Craft had pretty good position on Liggins and I thought Sully fumbled the ball on one possession and took a bad shot because one of UK's guards doubled down and hacked him on the wrist. But they let them play physical down the stretch which is never a bad thing...

My only beef was the evening of fouls to start the second half b/c sometimes one team does commit more fouls. It's ok to have a differential.

In the end I thought it was a decently called game though...it's actually impressive we only lost by 2 points when we only shot 33% from the field. That's an insane stat and shows how good tOSU was this year. If Kansas or UNC shoot 33% from the field against UK they're getting their doors blown off, in my IMO...

 

[Bill Lucas]

I agree with billmac91 about the refs.

There were two terrible (not foul related) calls in the game and they evened out. Eddie Munster was out of bounds on the save off of Sullinger and Lighty touched the ball that went to Ohio State.

Ohio State had numerous fast breaks and I don't think they finished one. Instead of attacking the basket they were looking for the shot blockers.

 

[buckeyesin07]

I felt that with about 10 minutes left that this was a repeat of last year vs Tennessee.

Not only that, but the last minute of the game was eerily similar to the UT game last year--OSU was down in each game with under a minute and hit a three (Turner last year, Diebs this year) to tie it (maybe Turner's gave us a one-point lead, I can't remember), but the other team came right back and scored, OSU had one last chance and missed.

To be honest, Buford got a pretty good look on that last play, given that OSU inbounded from the opposite baseline with 5 seconds to go...and the shot damn near went in.

No one could get anything going offensively. Kentucky was just the perfect storm. Harrellson contained Sully and their length gave our shooters all kinds of fits. On the defensive side I never imagined we'd have to worry about guys like Liggins or Harrellson beating us.

Well said. Sullinger had 21 and 16, but you didn't get the sense he was taking the game over. And I think he was 2-8 or 2-10 from the field in the first half.

I think UK just had a great game plan and executed it perfectly. OSU's shooters never could get the looks that they got all year. It's no accident that was OSU's worst shooting performance of the season.

 

[Gatorubet]

I feel bad for all the seniors, especially Lighty. I felt that with about 10 minutes left that this was a repeat of last year vs Tennessee.

Good Lord. I forgot all about that.

I will try in 2011 to avoid my auto-responding to "Fuck the SEC" comments.

That now seems like a patently reasonable opinion, considering....

 

[BB73]

i don't question Cal not calling it because the game was tied. If you miss anything there you just go to OT. The season wasn't on the line as much as with Buford trying to pull a Tyus Edny.

So you want to compare a guy catching a pass and trying to make a 3-pointer with a guy who dribbled over 75 feet in order to make about a 6-foot bank shot?

There are dozens of better comparisons of guys attempting game-winning shots in the NCAA tournament, that one's simply ludicrous.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHceOvR464s"]YouTube - 4.8 - Tyus Edney 1995 NCAA Tournament[/ame]