Bane of the Bluegrass: A UK Anti-Dynasty

[Bryan Swartz]

MEET THE DEPRESSED: THE 2016-2017 KENTUCKY WILDCATS

Mackel Woodward graduated, our leading rebounder leaving for the second straight year, and the guy who had been our only recruit until the mass influx for this season is gone as well via transfer now(Brent Miller). He went to Indiana where I doubt he'll fare any better.

That left us with unproven senior walkon Justin Finneman at the point and the ever-present threat of Kareem McKnight of course at the other guard. Sadly, Finneman appears to be at least as good as Wormley, the walk-on who ran the team the last couple of seasons.

Back to the frontcourt, there's a pair of walkons at the forwards. Senior small forward in Brendan McWilliams(4.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg last year) and undersized and oft-suspended Louis Bullock(4.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg in 15.4 mpg as a reserve) at the other. Junior transfer Dylan Stuart, who averaged 10.6 ppg at 55% shooting in his two years at Southern Illinois, will man the pivot.

F Joe Johnson, our recruit from Australia, appears to be ridiculously good and so I redshirted him. We also brought in one transfer(PF Shannon Broadnax of Masschusetts-Lowell, not exactly a powerhouse and his attititude has been delightfully horrid so far).

I think we'll be similar to last season. Of course, as we found out, the health or lack thereof of McKnight might be the only thing that matters. An 11-win season easily could have been another 20 with him out there the whole way. It's really all about him as long as he's here.

MEDIA OUTLOOK

We are ranked. Again. #22. I am 37-51 with three losing seasons, and we're still preseason ranked. It's enough to make me want to give up completely. Furthermore, I asked for a tough schedule this year, we have seven road games but no obviously brutal ones. We've been picked second in the SEC again, behind preseason favorite Florida(#1) and ahead of Auburn(#21) and Missouri(#20).

RECRUITING

No interested internationals of note this year, but we do have four Top 100 players to scare off. That hasn't proven to be a problem, but what has happened is that with less top players interested in us, the less talented locals received more attention and were much harder to keep away. These aren't great players, but they are better than walkons. This is the new challenge that threatens to slow our decline.

The fall shortlist contained some 21 names, and we have five scholarships to disingenuously offer. Our evaluation was that there were perhaps four low 4-star playes in the bunch, so naturally they went first.

PF Donyell Tackett, KY -- Our top target, he signed immediately. Poor performance at the camps and clear 3-star general opinion temper my disappointment.

All four of our other offers committed the following week. We're getting too good at this.

SG Damion Davis, KY -- Opinions on him are all over the map.
SG Willie Jones, KY -- Overall the highest regarded, could be low 4-star ability.
PG Jason Evans, KY -- I don't expect much.
SF Jason Ballinger, KY -- Could be a 4-star guy or very average, we'll see. A good regional camp is worrying.

After loading up on the frontcourt, next year we'll see a lot more perimeter players come in.

Only three preseason suspensions and all of them served with the team ready to go for the start of the year. Not a good omen. Or rather, a very good omen, which makes me angry.

[Bryan Swartz]

NOVEMBER

11.14 @ Brigham Young(0-0) -- W 76-68(OT). Quick early foul trouble for Finneman, transfer JR Bliss looked out of his depth running the offense, McKnight was throwing up a brickfest and ... we blew up in the second half, rallying for a 12-point halftime deficit. 33 and 12 for McKnight after shooting 1-9 in the first half as we overcome 22 turnovers. Gah!!

11.17 vs. Albany(1-0) -- W 63-52. Wire to wire.

All five recruits sign LOIs and we reach a new level of pain for my tenure here. We are ranked #7 in the country.

11.21 @ Washington(2-1) -- W 70-58. The staff tries freshman F Kareem Green at the four in this one. Close most of the way, but our defense was just too good down the stretch. So far my call on the scheduling has backfired. I'd rather have home games if we are just going to win them all anyway ...

11.24 vs. Minnesota(3-0) -- W 74-58. We jumped out 12-1 and never trailed.

Up a spot to #6.

11.27 vs. Cal St. Bakersfield(1-3) -- L 53-44. We scored four points in the first 12 minutes ... and 22 in the next eight to trail by only two at the half. A surprising but gratifying second-half collapse gave us the loss as McKnight had only 13 points after scoring 24 or more in each of our first four contests. As he goes ...

11.28 @ Southern Illinois(0-3) -- L 73-69. We didn't defend or rebound a lick today, and survived a career-high 34 from McKnight because of it. Thankfully, only two of his points came in the final ten minutes.

A horrifying start to the year, but we lost two games we should have been able to win to salvage a 4-2 record. Thus far Kareem McKnight has averaged 27.3 ppg, best in the nation(Northwestern's Rashard Jackson is the only one within three points at 25.5).

[Bryan Swartz]

DECEMBER

12.1 @ Xavier(3-2) -- L 57-52. The Minutemen rallied in the second half as McKnight did not lead us in scoring for the first time this year. His season-low 12 were second to Dylan Stuart's best game, scoring 14. 19 turnovers and 10 missed free throws will lose you a lot of games.

Our first three losses of the year all in one week, yet we drop only to 16th in the polls.

12.5 vs. Rhode Island(4-2) -- W 59-51. A much more balanced effort with Stuart and Kareem Green both scoring double figures to snap the three-game skid.

12.13 @ Memphis(5-2) -- W 56-55(OT). The Tigers had two chances missed to win it in regulation, while we threw our only opportunity away, and a late lead evaporated to send it to overtime. Once again it went down to the wire tied, but a split at the line from McKnight spoiled it with seven ticks left.

12.15 @ Clemson(4-3) -- L 52-44. We got pounded on the glass and in the turnover department in this one.

12.19 vs. New Mexico(6-3) -- L 67-45. Delightfully horrid play in all aspects, our best of the year. And it comes with a bonus: we are out of the rankings, though it took longer this year.

12.26 @ Texas-El Paso(4-6) -- W 56-38. We were as good in the second half here as we were bad last time out, allowing just 15 points.

3-3 on the month for a 7-5 total mark, and a disgustingly good 30 RPI. In general team balance has been better and McKnight did not one hit his scoring average for the first month, plummeting to 21.6 ppg, 6th in the nation. Nobody else has as much as 8 ppg.

[Bryan Swartz]

JANUARY

1.2 @ Tennessee(7-4) -- L 66-65. The Vols hit 14 of 17 to start the game, but turnovers kept it reasonably close and we got a second half for the ages from McKnight(31 pts, 11-17 fg). And still we managed to throw it away, with Tennessee scoring the final six points in the last two minutes, capped by a pair of free throws due to a foul by ... our hero. What a crushingly beautiful loss!

1.5 vs. LSU(7-5) -- L 57-51. We're losing possessions quite effectively lately: turnovers, rebounds, not getting to the line as much as we were early in the year. Good start to the SEC schedule, and we're down to .500 on the year for the first time since opening day.

1.9 @ Texas A&M(6-7) -- L 73-67. Just bad enough to overcome a fine game by Stuart(17 pts, 9 reb., 7-9 fg).

1.12 vs. Georgia(8-6) -- L 59-55. An impressive lack of effort on the boards helped us keep it close at the Bulldogs hit on only 2 of 14 to start the game. A steal by McWilliams set up a potential game-winner by McKnight, but he missed ... he's been doing that a lot lately ... and we lose our fourth straight tight one.

Our longest losing streak of the year has the RPI plummet all the way out of the Top 100. We are just 3-9 since the quick start!

1.16 @ #23 Auburn(12-5) -- L 66-62. Neither team shot well in this one, and we got to the line early and often to hang right with the Tigers. After a turnover and missed shot by the otherwhise brilliant Kareem McKnight(31 pts) in the final minute blew two chances, Auburn threw it away and Dylan Stuart took matters into his own hands, putting us in front with a layup that left 24 seconds on the clock. Auburn guard Charlie Parker struck back immediately and McWilliams missed a quick reply, and that was it. We almost pulled off a horrible upset here.

1.19 vs. Alabama(6-10) -- W 54-47. We played about eight good minutes and coasted the rest of the way, but it was enough to end the streak.

1.23 @ Mississippi(10-7) -- L 69-54. FT shooting kept us in it for a while, but the Rebels shot 51% and pulled away late. Our first loss by more than six points in conference.

1.26 vs. Vanderbilt(6-13) -- L 53-44. A brilliant start put us behind 21-4 midway through the first half on 1-9 fg. It took a late run by the Commodores to put us away after clawing back into it in a relentlessly ugly game by both teams.

1.30 @ South Carolina(11-10) -- L 62-49. 15 first-half turnovers(24 in all) helped us overcome a fast start.

A 1-8 start to the SEC season has us dead last, a game behind Tennessee and South Carolina who just beat us, and 8-13 overall(168 RPI). McKnight's game has fallen off a cliff, he's averaging less than 15 ppg in SEC play after the torrid start to the year. It's been a smashing success beyond my wildest dreams!

[PointGuard]

Hey, can you take over a few Big Sky teams in my dynasty so I can be sure not to finish in last place this year?

[Bryan Swartz]

*snicker* ... no, I think I'm busy enough

[Bryan Swartz]

FEBRUARY

2.2 @ #1 Florida(20-3) -- L 60-56. This year's Gators are the best team the SEC has seen in my time here. Unfortunately, Kareem McKnight seems to play his best against top competition, and it was his best game of the conference season as his 19-first half points had us in front by a pair. He finished with 33 and 8 boards in a game that wasn't over until the final minute.

2.6 vs. Arkansas(10-11) -- W 74-51. There are some things you just can't account for. Today everyone played well and the Razorbacks didn't. McKnight had 29, Stuart had a career-high 20, and this was one to just forget and move on from quickly.

2.9 @ #11 Missouri(18-6) -- L 68-55. A third straight strong game by our star who has clearly broken out of his slump wasn't nearly enough.

2.13 vs. Mississippi St.(11-12) -- W 69-57. The way we are trending is not good, and we're getting more and more contributions from the supporting cast lately. 10 wins on the year, and we've pulled even with the Vols at the bottom of the SEC.

2.16 vs. Tennesse(10-14) -- W 76-64. Sole possession of last place was on the line today at Rupp Arena, and we pulled away to make it a rout in the second half. When Stuart and Green are scoring inside and McKnight is hitting his outside shot, as was the case against the poor defense we faced here, we can put up a lot of points.

2.20 @ LSU(13-12) -- L 91-58. The first half was as fine a display of turnstile defense as I've seen in some time. We scored 40 points, shot 54%, and still trailed by six. We stopped scoring in the second half to get ourselves on the business end of this shellacking. That's the most points any team of mine has ever given up ... yet.

2.23 vs. Texas A&M(13-13) -- L 71-63. If we lost today and Tennessee won, we could still have a share of last place. Of course, the Volunteers were visiting Missouri, so that was highly unlikely ... but you still want to give yourself a shot. The no-defense strategy carried over well from the LSU game, and McKnight didn't hit from the field for 25 minutes ... by which time we had already rallied to trail by just six. Poor defense and 14 missed free throws was enough to get it done on an off day.

So after winning three of four, we lose our last two in an embarassing rout, and an ugly display at home. Good finish, and our record stands at 11-17 ... exactly what we finished with last year. A loss in our first SEC tournament game would clinch an even worse final mark.

[Bryan Swartz]

DRAFT DECLARATIONS

Kareem McKnight was named as a finalist for the Norton Award for the first time. The junior set career highs in scoring(21.1 ppg, 18-19 ppg his first two years, 6th in the nation this year), free throw shooting(82.4%), 3-point shooting(39.1%), minutes(35.5 mpg), as well as steals, blocks, and turnovers.

And he's not going pro yet. There's karmic force somewhere orchestrating all this and laughing at me. I'm certain of it.

SEC TOURNAMENT

3.6 vs. South Carolina(15-14)[First Round] -- Well, I tried to console myself with the fact that most of the SEC wasn't bad enough to playing today. We were one of four who were. We lost the first matchup badly, by 13 in a low-scoring effort but it was on the road. I needed us to rediscover the form that saw us lose nine of ten including that game.

We held a small lead most of the first half due to South Carolina making a few more careless mistakes with the ball, and then ran away with it in the second half. Kareem Green's 7 turnovers were really the only notable exception from a pretty good effort. Kareem McKnight had one of those games ... despite being quiet down the stretch he scored 24 on 7-14 fg, adding 4 assists and 6 rebounds to go with a block and a pair of steals. 74-54 was the final.

3.7 vs. Mississippi State(14-13)[Second Round] -- A tight, sloppy first half saw us fall behind by eight only to rally and tie it at the break. Nobody could get to the line which has often been our greatest strength, and we fell behind again in the second half as McKnight tried to shoot us to victory and failed. Down by 13, we mounted another furious rally in the final few minutes, cutting the lead to just one on the strength of three straight triples, the first two by Justin Finneman and McKnight hitting the third. 54 seconds remained though, and the ball was in the hands of Mississippi State.

I needn't have worried. They would not miss again and a McWilliams turnover ended our only possession as we lost it 68-61 to end our season. Kareem McKnight had a bad game just as in last year's finale, 5-16 for 12 points and 6 turnovers. Finneman's 16 led the team.

We finish at 12-18 on the year, one win and one loss more than last season. Our final RPI was a very average 151.

NCAA TOURNAMENT

With passing interest I noted that pre-season favorite Florida represented the SEC well by cutting down the nets. This shot in the arm for the conference can only hurt us on the recruiting trail though.

[Bryan Swartz]

OFF-SEASON

AWARDS

Kareem McKnight was a first-team All-American and SEC Player of the Year. Methinks he should reconsider that whole staying for his senior year thing, but he would have none of it.

BOARD REVIEW

We went a perfect 0-for-5 for the second straight year. Team prestige dropped a single point to 69, while my reputation dropped the same amount(to 70).

STAFF

I couldn't be happier to see Ryan Hines take the head job at St. Bonaventure. Lou Wright is the new guy, and he'll run practices -- he's actually the worst teacher on the staff -- which will allow me to hide #2 assistant JJ Welch as a scout.

TRANSFERS

Nobody's leaving, which leaves me unable to pursue any incoming transfers either.

RECRUITING

Only two scholarships this year, and there was always the hope that our youth would scare away potential stars. No elite players outside of Kentucky would spit on me if my hair was on fire at this point, which of course I'm happy with. Otherwhise, the best players we could interest in even in our own region were about in the 160 range, 4-star caliber guys.

There were only Kentucky players on this year's shortlist. The staff liked guard Blake Caldwell of Florence as our best 'hidden talent' candidate, and along with Louisville forward Clint Wheat the pair formed our first offers.

Caldwell committed to us a couple of weeks later, and Wheat the week after as practice was set to begin. So that's that.

MEDIA OUTLOOK

We've been picked second in the SEC again. Ranked 14th, behind #10 Missouri and ahead of #7 Florida the defending national champions. Same song, different verse.

[Bryan Swartz]

I lost the writeup on the roster this year and November. In summary, we have of course McKnight's senior year and he's the favorite for basically every individual award there is, with last year's backup guard JR Bliss at the point, useless freshman Damion Davis at one forward, and transfer Shannon Broadnax and Dylan Stuart back at the interior positions.

Redshirt freshman Joe Johnson does not appear to be nearly as good as was thought last year, and we're redshirting Jason Ballinger this year, the best of the current crop of recruits and a lazy jerk to go with it. The bench looks bare aside from sophomore Kareem Green, a starter last year, but the starters might be the best I've had here, all except Davis are problematic.

We got 1-3 in November featuring an anemic offense that scores more than 53 points just once(in a beatdown by Wake Forest in the preseason NIT). Our ranking was a memory immediately after that game.