So, what the hell happened, anyway? I mean, I know what happened, but [I]what happened[/I]? I know some things that didn’t happen.
Made free throws.
3-point defense.
Terrence Jones.
Terrence Jones didn’t just [I]not play[/I] yesterday. He was still in Lexington, having failed to get on the bus, make to the arena, or dress out. Instead, a look-alike took his place, and only managed 4 points, a rebound, a steal, an assist, 2 blocks, and 6(!) turnovers in 28 minutes. Hell, he didn’t even foul anyone.
[I][SIZE=1]Have you seen this man?[/SIZE][/I]
Terrence Jones was so awful yesterday, George Jones thinks he was a no-show.
Terrence Jones was so small yesterday, LeBron James thinks he shrunk from the moment.
Terrence Jones was so useless yesterday, Khloe Kardashian is busy creating a new fragrance as we speak, trying to maintain her place as the most useless 252-pounder in America.
But it was more than Terrence Jones. It was Anthony Davis, who couldn’t keep himself out of foul trouble long enough to make a difference. It was Marquis Teague, who, after crapping the bed in the first half, played much better in the second, making numerous clutch baskets. It was more shoddy 3-point defense, as Kentucky followed up the North Carolina 11-18-61% effort with an equally WTF? effort of 9-15-60%.
It was those damned free throws.
But honestly, more than anything, it was Indiana. And the Assembly Hall crowd. The combination of a scrappy Hoosier team and an insane crowd had Kentucky disjointed from the get-go. Sure, the Cats didn’t play anywhere near the level they were capable of, but let’s give credit where credit is due: Indiana, and its fans, deserved that one.
Let me just say that I’m not mad or upset about yesterday’s loss. Had they lost by 10 after playing with their heads in their asses all day, I would’ve been mad. Instead, they clawed back, in as difficult an environment as they will see all year, and almost won, instead losing at the buzzer on a wonderfully clutch shot by Christian Watford that will go down in history as one of the biggest shots in this storied rivalry. (I wrote yesterday that it once was a rivalry. Guess what? It is again.) Indiana needed this game more than Kentucky. They also wanted it more, and it showed. Still, UK only lost by one.
And Kentucky did all this without Terrence Jones, who either didn’t care to begin with, or saw a little adversity and threw in his hand. Or Anthony Davis, for all intents and purposes, who managed 9 rebounds but never could adjust to the officiating. Or Marquis Teague, in the first half at least. You know what that tells me? That this team grew up last night. Darius Miller continues to get points when it matters. MKG continues to play every game as if his life is on the line. Doron Lamb continues to find ways to score.
But, those damn free throws are killer. In the long run, this game doesn’t matter. If nothing else, it helps the team down the stretch. Still, at some point, John Calipari is gonna have to realize that missed free throws can, in fact, lose games. Sure, had the team managed to foul in the closing seconds yesterday, none of this matters. But had they shot better than 33% from the line in the 19 seconds prior, then it doesn’t even get to the point where it could matter to begin with.
Enjoy the last day of Kentucky being #1. And if you see Terrence Jones, be sure and tell him that the next big game is at noon on December 31, in Rupp Arena.
We’d appreciate it if he could show up.
