Calipari 1.02 - Miami (OH)

How you like me now?

Welcome to Lexington Coach Cal! The range of emotion that we thought was gone when Alan Cutler chased Billy Clyde around returned to Rupp Arena Monday night as your University of Kentucky Wildcats escaped with a 72-70 win over a team that was beaten by Towson State. As good as you feel about the win.......simply reread that last sentence.

Five quick notes:

1. DeMarcus Cousins was a problem in the first half. He was not a problem in the second half. It's gonna get old real quick if Cousins decides to start every game like he has the first two. Granted the guy is playing his first two games against teenagers actually trying against him. Watch yourself Big Fella. Daniel Orton seemed really comfortable while you rode the pine.
2. Where was Darnell Dodson? As a card carrying member of Big Blue Nation, it's my right to ask this question. I forgot he was even a part of the team until the eight minute mark of the first half. He was the one thing we were missing during the brutal Nick Winbush stretch. Thank you for showing up tonight.
3. Somebody please get Patrick Patterson the ball. If for no other reason than he can dominate inside early in the game. It's good to see Pat draining three's every once in a once, but his money is going to made down low. I know we had trouble getting him the ball last year..........but this team?
4. Eric Bledsoe really defers to John Wall doesn't he? We all know why Coach Cal was preaching this in between games. He wanted Bledsoe to be as active in 1.02 as he was in 1.01, and he wasn't. Both guys were very erratic driving the lane throughout the night, but Bledsoe had a ridiculous wrap-around drive-assist to Pat tonight in the second half that was making The Big Blue long for more.
5. Grab the energy from the best moments tonight and run with it. Calipari 1.01 had its moments, but it was no Calipari 1.02. Pat needs to teach these young fellas to harness the energy they got in the second half tonight and transfer that to each practice.

A win is a win, but as a UK fan, I have to be nit-picky. It's in my blood. The top recruiting class in the nation is one thing; comparing them to the Fab Five is another. At the end of the day, it's no Gardner-Webb or VMI, but hopefully this gets the ball rollin'. You also don't need me to tell you John Wall is the shit either.

Welcome to the Big Blue Nation rookies!

Go Cats.