Half-time

My, oh my, how half-time thoughts can change in a matter of minutes.

I had the intro ready to go: Home, sweet home. It's amazing how much better the Cats play at home.

Um, scratch that. Partially, at least.

Kentucky did indeed prove that they are a much better team at home. But they also proved, yet again, that they cannot play with a large lead. Up until this point in the season, the let-downs had all come late in the second half, but I guess the team figured since it is a rivalry game, after all, and it is on national TV, they should start blowing the lead in the first half.

It certainly doesn't help having Knight on the bench with two fouls, but the idiotic nature of some of our turnovers is just infuriating.

Liggins throws a one hand pass. Liggins drives straight into a defender and loses possession. Two or three players get called for player control fouls. Maddening.

UK shot just under 60% from the field after missing its first 5 shots and yet we are still only up 7. We need to learn how to put teams away. Fast. The only positive thing about having a melt-down in the first half is that it gives Cal a chance to motivate the guys at half-time, and I'm sure the paint is peeling.

Better on-the-ball defense will win us this game, and having Knight back on the floor will certainly help with that. It's obvious that the Vols cannot defend our quicker and more athletic wing players, so Liggins and Miller need to penetrate and look for kicks to Knight and Lamb.


As long as we come out with the same intensity as we played with for most of the first half - minus the jittery play - there is no way that a team as dysfunctional offensively as Tennessee should beat the Cats.