After the Buzzer: Kentucky

Quick Hitters

-I will do my best to keep this brief because I know this is way after the buzzer. There were several stages that it took to even get to this point. The game ends and I want no part of even doing this post for a couple of days. The calendar turns to 2020 and I wonder if we should just leave it in 2019 and act like it didn’t happen. Then I see Mike put out a 3,000-word post reflecting on the game and I realize that I can’t run from it. I have to face it and do the dang film review, which means that yes, I have to watch the game again. I did this around 11 pm Thursday night, which just made me feel fantastic. It’s amazing what sports can do to your emotions even when you know what the outcome will be. It actually makes it worse because you notice so many plays throughout the game that would have changed the ending. Ah well, we move on to a few quick hitters, film review, and then Florida State.

-Speaking of Mike’s post, a big reason this will be brief is that he expands on just about anything I could talk about here. We are generally on the same page about these things, and this game was no different, so be sure to check that out.

-Steven Enoch was an absolute beast in this game. He made hook shots with either hand and threw in a sweet up and under move on the block. He couldn’t be stopped and was a key factor in the Cards even getting back into the game and not losing it in regulation.

-This was Fresh Kimble’s best game in a UofL uniform. He finished with 12 points, 4 assists, 2 steals, and no turnovers. Not only that, he made a clutch three from the corner and the layup to tie the game and force overtime. He played with poise and it looked like the big stage is anything but too big for him.

-I heard on Saturday morning that David Johnson was dealing with some shoulder soreness. I wasn’t sure how serious it was, but it appears that it was enough to limit him to about 30 seconds of action. Having him would have been nice for sure, but you can’t risk the rest of his season for this game, especially when guard play was not the problem.

-Jordan Nwora assist to turnover watch: 0 assists and 3 turnovers, bringing his season totals to 17 assists and 31 turnovers.

-I’m not going to do a full novel about Nwora’s play, but there could have been an entire film review thread on it. I don’t mind if you miss shots, that’s going to happen. I can’t watch the standing around when you don’t have the ball. And when you are closely guarded because you are the best player on the floor, you can’t make one small move to get open and when it doesn’t work, just check out for the rest of the possession. What if YOU go set a screen for someone else? Your man obviously isn’t leaving you, so wouldn’t you most likely get a teammate open? I won’t pile on anymore than that. It was just frustrating to watch the second time around last night.

-Dwayne Sutton: Warrior.

-I can deal with Steven Enoch’s deficiencies on defense more than I can deal with Malik Williams not being physical under the basket on offense OR defense. Jordan Nwora made the three out of the corner in overtime and it felt like Louisville may have control of the game and then the next possession, Williams gets shoved under the basket and gives up an offensive rebound and the and one. Tie game and it felt like we were done after that. I don’t mean shoved like he was fouled. I mean out-physicaled by someone who wanted the ball more.

-I’ll try to end on a positive, although it just sucks to lose this game again. No way around that. But your preseason ACC Player of the Year shoots 2-10 and 3-6 from the free throw line and is never a positive factor in the game, your team is 9-20 from the free throw line, and you still take Kentucky to overtime at Rupp. No moral victory at all. But this team can still be good. It starts back up on Saturday.

Film Review: