But don't believe the line. The Kentucky Wildcats stunk. A few late buckets in OT made the result look more impressive. Don't be fooled. The Stanford Cardinal outplayed Kentucky in the make shift gym/ball room in Cancun.
A few honest observations:
1. This team takes terrible shots. It is the curse of too much talent. Every player on the floor (with the exception of Pat Patterson) feels they can get a shot off whenever they choose. So they do. It is the most contested shots I have seen a clearly better team attempt in any NCA game this season.
2. A sequence with 3:30 to go in regulation in a tied game. Kentucky brings the ball up court. DeMarcus Cousins gets the ball at the top of the key, about 4 feet deep. After holding the ball awkwardly looking to swing it, he instead launches up a brick of a line drive three. NOT the shot you want your 6'11'' bricklayer launching in a tie game. Perhaps he aspires to be the next Wayne Chism. Suffice it to say, the Wildcat Faithful would like a liitle bit more.
On the defensive transition, Stanford rotates the ball from the baseline corner to corner, then pass out to the foul line extended. Bledsoe is on the ball; apparently realizes HIS man is on the other side of the key and promptly leaves the man with the ball to shoot an open three. My team ran laps for that one in high school. Um, you don't leave an open ballhandler to get your man. That's junior high stuff.
3. John Wall is icicles. I mean cool as hell. Clutch city. It wasn't the two tying free throws he made with 2.3 seconds remaining that impressed me. It was the fact he didn't blink, smile, sweat, flinch; nothing. Just stepped to the line, calmly swished two and sent the game to OT. This kid has a real knack for the big moment and is slowly becoming the absolute leader of this team. As much as a I love Patterson, the more the game goes through Wall's hands, the better the Cats will be.
A win is a win is a win is a win. I get that. But I imagine it will be a long film session for Calipari and his Cats. Here's hoping the player are not too big of stars to listen.
Early analysis: Final Four Talent, First-Round upset ball management and movement.
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