2006-2007 Schedule

[ukcat1]

What do we know?

[Wildcat Larry]

Usually late July, but because of some NCAA issues with certain schedules last year we didn't know until sometime in September.

[Wildcat Larry]

Oops, you said "what do we know", not "when will we know".

Don't know any dates yet, but past the SEC teams we've got Louisville, Indiana and some more ........ :shock: somebody help me out here.

[hoosierhateruklover]

Wildcat Larry wrote: Oops, you said "what do we know", not "when will we know".

Don't know any dates yet, but past the SEC teams we've got Louisville, Indiana and some more ........ :shock: somebody help me out here.

The Indiana game is in trouble this yr with Freedom Hall already being booked....I don't know where it will even be!

[Mackcat]

Im pretty sure we go to North Carolina, and i bet we play High Point.

[Will Lavender]

FCFS82 wrote: Three games in Maui.

Heard very early in the season last year that Hawaii wanted UK to stop there for a game before the Maui Invitational. Michigan State played UofH last year before Maui and got destroyed.

Not sure if that was still on the table, but it would be interesting.

And I wonder if the Big 12/SEC Challenge is still being considered? EDIT: Just saw where FC asked the same thing.

I'd like to see them pick up one more "high" mid-major. A team like Creighton or one of the MAC teams would be interesting in Rupp. (Last year, the Iona and Ohio games were both competitive match-ups against good teams.)

[RP_McMurphy]

Scheduling is a art form as you have to schedule to your team and it's personal. Right now with it's fragile team ego and down right fractured fan base. Kentucky has to schedule right or it's season could be over before it really starts. Forget the high mid-majors. This team needs wins early and many of them or things could get real ugly early in the season.

[wyldkatzky]

Is our contract up with Kansas already? I really didn't want to go down 2-0... :-/

What about Georgia State, we have played them years on end recently.

We will probably play a Kentucky School again this year other than UofL.

And if we end up needing another game scheduled, I'm sure Tubby can probably get High Point basically to play whenever.

[wyldkatzky]

Sorry about a double post, but this is very true, just look at last year's Florida team. They weren't supposed to amount to diddly, but thanks to a super soft schedule preconfrence they gained a LOT of confidence. However it could backfire, like the Cards did last year. Ranked #4 in the country when they played us, ending up not even making the NCAA tournament.


RP_McMurphy wrote: Scheduling is a art form as you have to schedule to your team and it's personal. Right now with it's fragile team ego and down right fractured fan base. Kentucky has to schedule right or it's season could be over before it really starts. Forget the high mid-majors. This team needs wins early and many of them or things could get real ugly early in the season.

[Lost Highway]

Will Lavender wrote: FCFS82 wrote: Three games in Maui.

Heard very early in the season last year that Hawaii wanted UK to stop there for a game before the Maui Invitational. Michigan State played UofH last year before Maui and got destroyed.

Not sure if that was still on the table, but it would be interesting.

And I wonder if the Big 12/SEC Challenge is still being considered? EDIT: Just saw where FC asked the same thing.

I'd like to see them pick up one more "high" mid-major. A team like Creighton or one of the MAC teams would be interesting in Rupp. (Last year, the Iona and Ohio games were both competitive match-ups against good teams.)


I hope an extra game against Hawaii is off the table. Playing that game would be too risky for this team. If we lost the season would start off with a disaster and I'm afraid this fragile team would self destruct.

We are at a point, for the first time in my life, that I feel we need to scale back on quality opponents. We can't handle it. We need to pad the schedule and play the High Points of the world so we can take our lumps against Indiana and North Carolina.

Florida and Louisville are masters at pre season scheduling. We need to follow their lead until we get our program back on theright track.

It is hard to admit you don't want your team to play the best teams but that is where we are now.

[Will Lavender]

Really, I don't think we played a brutal schedule last year. So I don't think "scaling back" is necessarily going to happen. Our schedule was fairly tough but not grueling, certainly not as tough as it was in 2000, 2001, and 2002. I think you'll see something like last year's slate again this season: a sprinkling of top 25 opponents and a handful of easy wins. Nothing wrong with that.

Remember, the last time UK "scaled back," back in 2005, Tubby and Mitch got blasted.

But we had a very solid season that year, which once again shows that scheduling tough has nothing to do with success in college basketball.

[Stretch]

What makes next year's team "fragile"?

[ukwebfan]

I was thinking the same thing. They didn't play with "fragile egos" in the NCAA tournament. We also return 6 of the top 9 players in terms of PT. I look to pick up right where we left off.

Stretch wrote: What makes next year's team "fragile"?

[Lost Highway]

ukwebfan wrote: I was thinking the same thing. They didn't play with "fragile egos" in the NCAA tournament. We also return 6 of the top 9 players in terms of PT. I look to pick up right where we left off.

Stretch wrote: What makes next year's team "fragile"?



I guess you are being serious and really believe we are going to pick up where we left off. I hope you are wrong because we left off with 13 losses and that is not where I believe Kentucky basketball should be. JMHO.

I have an opinion that the current team is very fragile. First of all the fan base is split. That rubs off on the team. Coach Smith and the team understand a large percentage of the fan base would likeCoach Smith to catch the first bus out of town. It may be 5% or 10% or 25% or 50%, whatever it is, it is vocal and making a big noise. The media will begin to come down on Coach hard if things don't change. So far he has been given a pass, that will change.

Who is going to be the leader of this team? Who will step up and say, get on my back and I'll bring you a victory. Who is our go to man? Who is consistent and can be counted on to hit for 15 to 25 every night. Who can bring down 8 or 10 rebounds every game? Who can block 3 or 4 shots every game? Who is this person?

Until we know we can count on someone to step up and lead our team, the Cats are fragile in my opinion. Playing a killer schedule would destroy this team before conference play. We need a soft schedule like Rick Pitino plays.

Last year's teamhad at least 10 non conference "gimmes" andthey need to repeat that in 2006-2007. Northern State, Georgetown (Ky), South Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Lipscomb, Liberty, High Point, Georgia State, Ohio and UCF. Some were not "gimmes" but hey were expectedto be when the schedule was made. They must continue this trend and drop a few more heavy weights until Coach Smithgets back on track.If we had played mid majors instead of some of these gimmes, we would have joined UL at the NIT.

[RP_McMurphy]

I tell you who thinks they have fragile ego's. The Coach!!! You know the one who had to bring in help for them last year. This team could easily have 4-6 losses before January with just the teams already committed to play to Kentucky. I don't see this team going into UNC and UL and pulling out W's. Maui could be ugly also as Kentucky has traditionally started slow under Orlando Smith. This team has problems folks from a talent point of view to a mental point of view.

Lost Highway wrote:
ukwebfan wrote: I was thinking the same thing. They didn't play with "fragile egos" in the NCAA tournament. We also return 6 of the top 9 players in terms of PT. I look to pick up right where we left off.

Stretch wrote: What makes next year's team "fragile"?



I guess you are being serious and really believe we are going to pick up where we left off. I hope you are wrong because we left off with 13 losses and that is not where I believe Kentucky basketball should be. JMHO.

I have an opinion that the current team is very fragile. First of all the fan base is split. That rubs off on the team. Coach Smith and the team understand a large percentage of the fan base would likeCoach Smith to catch the first bus out of town. It may be 5% or 10% or 25% or 50%, whatever it is, it is vocal and making a big noise. The media will begin to come down on Coach hard if things don't change. So far he has been given a pass, that will change.

Who is going to be the leader of this team? Who will step up and say, get on my back and I'll bring you a victory. Who is our go to man? Who is consistent and can be counted on to hit for 15 to 25 every night. Who can bring down 8 or 10 rebounds every game? Who can block 3 or 4 shots every game? Who is this person?

Until we know we can count on someone to step up and lead our team, the Cats are fragile in my opinion. Playing a killer schedule would destroy this team before conference play. We need a soft schedule like Rick Pitino plays.

Last year's teamhad at least 10 non conference "gimmes" andthey need to repeat that in 2006-2007. Northern State, Georgetown (Ky), South Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Lipscomb, Liberty, High Point, Georgia State, Ohio and UCF. Some were not "gimmes" but hey were expectedto be when the schedule was made. They must continue this trend and drop a few more heavy weights until Coach Smithgets back on track.If we had played mid majors instead of some of these gimmes, we would have joined UL at the NIT.

[Will Lavender]

RP_McMurphy wrote: I tell you who thinks they have fragile ego's. The Coach!!! You know the one who had to bring in help for them last year. This team could easily have 4-6 losses before January with just the teams already committed to play to Kentucky. I don't see this team going into UNC and UL and pulling out W's. Maui could be ugly also as Kentucky has traditionally started slow under Orlando Smith. This team has problems folks from a talent point of view to a mental point of view.

Lost Highway wrote:
ukwebfan wrote: I was thinking the same thing. They didn't play with "fragile egos" in the NCAA tournament. We also return 6 of the top 9 players in terms of PT. I look to pick up right where we left off.

Stretch wrote: What makes next year's team "fragile"?



I guess you are being serious and really believe we are going to pick up where we left off. I hope you are wrong because we left off with 13 losses and that is not where I believe Kentucky basketball should be. JMHO.

I have an opinion that the current team is very fragile. First of all the fan base is split. That rubs off on the team. Coach Smith and the team understand a large percentage of the fan base would likeCoach Smith to catch the first bus out of town. It may be 5% or 10% or 25% or 50%, whatever it is, it is vocal and making a big noise. The media will begin to come down on Coach hard if things don't change. So far he has been given a pass, that will change.

Who is going to be the leader of this team? Who will step up and say, get on my back and I'll bring you a victory. Who is our go to man? Who is consistent and can be counted on to hit for 15 to 25 every night. Who can bring down 8 or 10 rebounds every game? Who can block 3 or 4 shots every game? Who is this person?

Until we know we can count on someone to step up and lead our team, the Cats are fragile in my opinion. Playing a killer schedule would destroy this team before conference play. We need a soft schedule like Rick Pitino plays.

Last year's teamhad at least 10 non conference "gimmes" andthey need to repeat that in 2006-2007. Northern State, Georgetown (Ky), South Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Lipscomb, Liberty, High Point, Georgia State, Ohio and UCF. Some were not "gimmes" but hey were expectedto be when the schedule was made. They must continue this trend and drop a few more heavy weights until Coach Smithgets back on track.If we had played mid majors instead of some of these gimmes, we would have joined UL at the NIT.


Tubby, in his BBC stop last week, said that the chemistry issues were in part caused by Randolph Morris's suspension.

I think there were other things there, possibly things that stemmed from Rajon Rondo's relationship with the rest of the team, but you have to think losing a key player for that long was a blow to the team's confidence.

And not only was Morris suspended: he was hurt for a good part of October. When I went to practice, he wasn't even able to be out there with the team. And Joe Crawford was also hurt early in the season, and so was Rekalin Sims.

So there were things that will shake up a team chemistry-wise. I'm not going to suggest that those things were the reason we lost 13 games; there were some gaps in the rotation, too, some of which will be back next year and some of which will be cleared up a little bit with the needed (IMO) defection of four players.

But if we're talking about the mental aspect of the game, suspensions and injuries play a part in that. Hopefully, we can get off to a good start next season because we won't have off-the-court stuff to deal with in October and November.

As for the "slow start": yeah, I guess that's true. But last time we went to Maui, we went 2-1 against an always tough field. I'll take that again next November.

[RCS]

'I tell you who thinks they have fragile ego's. The Coach!!! You know the one who had to bring in help for them last year. This team could easily have 4-6 losses before January with just the teams already committed to play to Kentucky. I don't see this team going into UNC and UL and pulling out W's. Maui could be ugly also as Kentucky has traditionally started slow under Orlando Smith. This team has problems folks from a talent point of view to a mental point of view.'

They said the same thing about the 2002-2003 team and they turned around and ran the table in the SEC after a pretty rough start to the season including losing an exhibition game and needinga buzzer beater against another. Bogans sure didn't look like he was going to be any kind of leader on that team after his awful JR year but he was. If Bobby Perry can build on his performance in the tourney I think he can be the leader. Morris seems like he is really maturing into a leader and with more PT and some maturity Bradley may also turn into a leader. There is no way to know. A whole lot can change chemistry wise from one year to the next. Kids leave, other mature, new guys are added, new strength coach to push kids, etc. all can make a big difference. All the new guys sound like really hard workers and high character guys. That has to help.

As for having to go to UL, what about that team scares you, especially early in the year when they will be playing a bunch of FR? They were HORRIBLE last year and lost their best player. They have a nice recruiting class but it is not like they have Ohio St or UNC's class coming in. UK has beaten them 2 years in a row when they were suppose to have much better teams. I like our chances. I can't say the same for UNC, but I am not scared of UL.

[CaliUKFan]

Does anyone know why we don't schedule Cinci on a yearly basis?

[KWICD]

24-11

[Will Lavender]

KWICD wrote: 24-11
Pretty Uri Gelleresque to predict the season before the schedule comes out. :D

[Will Lavender]

Will Lavender wrote: KWICD wrote: 24-11
Pretty Uri Gelleresque to predict the season before the schedule comes out. :D

And also, I'll add, before the roster is set.

[RaleighCat]

KWICD wrote: 24-11

Oh, I thought that was the score of our game with Cincy about 20 years ago. Which is why we don't schedule the Crapcats anymore. We have ZERO to gain by playing UC. Z-E-R-O.

[Will Lavender]

RaleighCat wrote: KWICD wrote: 24-11

Oh, I thought that was the score of our game with Cincy about 20 years ago. Which is why we don't schedule the Crapcats anymore. We have ZERO to gain by playing UC. Z-E-R-O.



Oof. I'm an idiot. Didn't see the post at the bottom of page 1.

:blush:

[RaleighCat]

Back to the question of leadership and fragility with the upcoming squad: I feel Bradley and Perry will be the vocal talented leaders we've sorely missed since Hayes & Azubuike left. Tubby's best teams have had excellent upperclass leaders and we have them again finally. Also, I like the prospects of our incoming frosh. From what I've read they seem like level-headed hard working players. Not super cocky (Rondo/Bradley) or super brooding (Crawford/Morris).

As to the schedule itself- I like what FCFS82 suggested. We need the right mix of opponents to build confidence and be tested. With UNC/UofL/IU and Maui we should be plenty tested. Not to mention the very tough SEC East.

I'm tired of the Tubby drama and ready for some basketball.

[Terry L. Wildcat]

CaliUKFan wrote: Does anyone know why we don't schedule Cinci on a yearly basis?
Because they are not worthy.

[bleedbluelady]

Terry L. Wildcat wrote: CaliUKFan wrote: Does anyone know why we don't schedule Cinci on a yearly basis?
Because they are not worthy.
:thumbup:cool:

[ukwebfan]

How about some cheese with your whine RP?

:tongue

Sorry but I see nothing fragile about Bobby Perry, Randolph Morris or Smooth Bradley. In fact, more backcourt size and PF depth should help get us closer to the top teams in the NCAA like UL.

WHAT!!! Oh wait, we already did that with our runts last year by beating #4 UL and scaring the crap out of UCONN. Rosters may change but you can always count on a UK basketball team with 20+ wins and a NCAA run.

Now if the football team could ever become as consistent as the basketball team, what a wonderful state it would be.

Just the facts!

RP_McMurphy wrote: I tell you who thinks they have fragile ego's. The Coach!!! You know the one who had to bring in help for them last year. This team could easily have 4-6 losses before January with just the teams already committed to play to Kentucky. I don't see this team going into UNC and UL and pulling out W's. Maui could be ugly also as Kentucky has traditionally started slow under Orlando Smith. This team has problems folks from a talent point of view to a mental point of view.

Lost Highway wrote:
ukwebfan wrote: I was thinking the same thing. They didn't play with "fragile egos" in the NCAA tournament. We also return 6 of the top 9 players in terms of PT. I look to pick up right where we left off.

Stretch wrote: What makes next year's team "fragile"?



I guess you are being serious and really believe we are going to pick up where we left off. I hope you are wrong because we left off with 13 losses and that is not where I believe Kentucky basketball should be. JMHO.

I have an opinion that the current team is very fragile. First of all the fan base is split. That rubs off on the team. Coach Smith and the team understand a large percentage of the fan base would likeCoach Smith to catch the first bus out of town. It may be 5% or 10% or 25% or 50%, whatever it is, it is vocal and making a big noise. The media will begin to come down on Coach hard if things don't change. So far he has been given a pass, that will change.

Who is going to be the leader of this team? Who will step up and say, get on my back and I'll bring you a victory. Who is our go to man? Who is consistent and can be counted on to hit for 15 to 25 every night. Who can bring down 8 or 10 rebounds every game? Who can block 3 or 4 shots every game? Who is this person?

Until we know we can count on someone to step up and lead our team, the Cats are fragile in my opinion. Playing a killer schedule would destroy this team before conference play. We need a soft schedule like Rick Pitino plays.

Last year's teamhad at least 10 non conference "gimmes" andthey need to repeat that in 2006-2007. Northern State, Georgetown (Ky), South Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Lipscomb, Liberty, High Point, Georgia State, Ohio and UCF. Some were not "gimmes" but hey were expectedto be when the schedule was made. They must continue this trend and drop a few more heavy weights until Coach Smithgets back on track.If we had played mid majors instead of some of these gimmes, we would have joined UL at the NIT.

[RP_McMurphy]

Ok you guys got me!!!! It wasn't Kentucky that lost 13 games last year. It was some other team. It wasn't Kentucky that got blown on Senior Day at Rupp. Yeah, yeah that's it.......See there I can go along with Group Think like others and forget about what actually happened last year and what talent we have coming back and coming in.

[wyldkatzky]

RP_McMurphy wrote: Ok you guys got me!!!! It wasn't Kentucky that lost 13 games last year. It was some other team. It wasn't Kentucky that got blown on Senior Day at Rupp. Yeah, yeah that's it.......See there I can go along with Group Think like others and forget about what actually happened last year and what talent we have coming back and coming in.


Posts like this remind me why I hate online forums sometimes.

Arrogant and negative.


Back onto the subject, I wouldn't mind playing Cincy every year. It would be a fun game with two close schools playing. Granted it would be a win for us pretty much every year, other than that I don't see why.

[EricBigNally]

RaleighCat wrote:
I'm tired of the Tubby drama and ready for some basketball.


My thoughts exactly.

IMO, in order to win consistently and be able to try and make that much wanted run in March, we need a more progressively tougher schedule. Start out with some weak opponents and work up to tough opponents. I realize that won't happen because we are going to be in Maui against some tough teams. Hopefully we will be able to come out of the gates and fight through that tourney with a good showing. If they can get the chemistry and mental toughness to be a champion, there's nothing stopping them. Tubby is a good enough coach to be able to win a title again if the players have the correct mind set and the coaching staff progresses the players along in terms of helping them reach maximum talent with a team work mind set. I'm not a Tubby supporter, not a Tubby basher. I want to watch basketball that is fun to sit through and where we win. I don't care who the coach is that provides that. Bottom line is that 13 losses at Kentucky is not right. Again, I don't care who the coach is.