Azubuike24 wrote: Listen, I'm not a UK homer, and there were 2 calls in OT that were to UK's benefit, but it wasn't the difference in the game.

That's arguable. The two "fouls" give Wall three free-throws. The goal-tending takes away two points. I believe of those free throws, he hit two of them, so we're talking about a four-point swing.

Sounds like a lot of sour grapes here, it was an ok game, not a great game. UK couldn't shoot, MSU couldn't rebound.

Azubuike wrote:Only Kentucky, who most people dislike, would people actually claim they asked for that treatment.

I beg to differ.

Luckily, Kyle and company aren't put into many of those type situations in the ACC (except Maryland on occasion).

Not to mention after the guard from Miss St lost the ball with 15 second left down 3. Wall passed it ahead to Liggins who promptly traveled with the ball before being fouled 2 seconds later.

I didnt get to watch the middle part of the game. But UK just has so much size down low. I thought Vernardo might be able to neutralize it...but I guess not. Cousins and Paterson are just so damn good!

The only calls I saw that were suspect were the foul on Wall's jump shot (debatable call) and the goal tend (missed call). He missed one of those free throws, and the non-goal tend was another 2 points.

However, Dee Bost fumbling the ball on the drive to the lane was the "game-changing" mistake for MSU.

Azubuike24 wrote: The only calls I saw that were suspect were the foul on Wall's jump shot (debatable call) and the goal tend (missed call). He missed one of those free throws, and the non-goal tend was another 2 points.

However, Dee Bost fumbling the ball on the drive to the lane was the "game-changing" mistake for MSU.

You and-1 you didnt see? He made the shot, so it was only a 1 pt swing. But there was no foul there at all. It was a much worse call than the other Wall shooting foul.

I agree, what lost this game was MSU and their retarded bball IQ. They looked lost the last 3 minutes of the game and OT. Reminded me of Indiana on offense

The "foul" on Wall's and-1 was clearly all-ball.

Didn't matter. Kentucky was the better team. MSU did not execute one bit in the end-game and deserved to lose.

reclegend22 wrote:

Azubuike wrote:Only Kentucky, who most people dislike, would people actually claim they asked for that treatment.

I beg to differ.

Luckily, Kyle and company aren't put into many of those type situations in the ACC (except Maryland on occasion).

I know Duke is hated, but the national media will NOT even remotely come close to insinuating blame toward Duke players for their treatment from opposing fans. You watch, tomorrow this will be debated and someone, somewhere will get on their soapbox and actually blame the cockiness of UK players for the actions of MSU fans. My early money is on Jay Mariotti.

I do agree though, Duke is one of the few who would get similar treatment from other fans. You have the fans of the school, and the rest usually dislike you.

The bigger question this game presents is whether UK is a good enough shooting team from the perimeter to win it all. I'm not sold that they are. However, will the elite teams pack it in and make UK beat from the outside?

Maturity (turnovers, tempers) and outside shooting (Dodson, Liggins, Miller and Bledsoe) will determine how far UK goes.

Keep the former in check and succeed in the latter and they are unbeatable. It has all come together in about a dozen games this year, and they have looked dominant in all of those contests.

Then you have games like the one tonight and it's clear that the Cats can't be beaten. However, they DO have that ability to win games when they should have lost. They have definitely overcome that "everything against them" scenarios a few times this year.

friendfromlowry wrote: I haven't watched too many Kentucky games, but does Wall/Kentucky get that type of favorable treatment in all their wins? Absolutely incredible. The refs had to of had money on that game.
This is what is making sports (especially college basketball) more difficult to watch, is how blatantly bad the officiating is.

It was a home game for MSU, so UK shouldnt get the calls

Azubuike24 wrote:

wildcats20 wrote: You don't need to be walking off the floor waving your hands at fans that are already pissed.

Cousins was trying to hug each MSU player and one of their players wouldnt even shake his hand after Cousins offered. Is that classy?

I think this was done in response to the fans throwing stuff. I mean one of their teammates got 100+ calls and 1000+ text messages with racial slurs attached. I'd gloat a little too...

BINGO

bartsimpson wrote: Once again, a top teams gets given a game they should have lost. No excuse for officiating that bad when it involves the #2 team in the country on national tv. The SEC should be embarassed for hiring such incompetent officials.

MSU got the calls for 2 halves, while UK got them for OT. 40 minutes vs. 5 minutes of bad calls benefits MSU.

Pretty interesting/ugly game to watch. This shows me more why Im not too sure if UK is a Final 4 team. Good thing the top scorer couldnt play and the 2nd leading scorer had foul trouble or this could of been a loss for UK. Three double doubles for UK.

Azubuike24 wrote: The only calls I saw that were suspect were the foul on Wall's jump shot (debatable call) and the goal tend (missed call). He missed one of those free throws, and the non-goal tend was another 2 points.

The and-1 on Wall wasn't close to being a foul, and the block that was probably actually a charge on Patterson was at least "suspect". There were probably even a couple more than that that I can't remember.

I doubt MSU would have won anyways once Varnardo fouled out, but they would have at least covered the damn spread for me if those refs weren't atrociously bad. I got my hopes up when Bost hoisted that 3 at the buzzer, even though it was off camera. That seems like the kind of garbage shot guys usually make at the end of games. But it wasn't to be. $22 down the drain.

I just went back and watched the and-1 foul and I agree, definitely ticky-tack, if even a foul at all.

The foul on Patterson, or lack thereof, is tough to categorize because those occur all game and it's essentially a 50/50 call that can go either way.

I'll concede UK was probably given 4 points in differential in OT. Enough to cover the spread

Azubuike wrote:I know Duke is hated, but the national media will NOT even remotely come close to insinuating blame toward Duke players for their treatment from opposing fans. You watch, tomorrow this will be debated and someone, somewhere will get on their soapbox and actually blame the cockiness of UK players for the actions of MSU fans. My early money is on Jay Mariotti.

I do agree though, Duke is one of the few who would get similar treatment from other fans. You have the fans of the school, and the rest usually dislike you.

I would agree with this now, but only because Duke really doesn't have an overly (at least not in the media) Reggie Miller-like flaunter. Singler definitely talks his share of smack, but he's not really publicized for it. When J.J. played, however, any bad treatment that was thrown Duke's way was a majority of the time thrown back to him. After Maryland fans chanted "Fuck you, J.J." and held up sexual-oriented posters directed at the Duke standout's sister on national TV, ESPN highlighted Redick's on court talk and over-exaggerated three-point signals after made baskets as reasons for the "good natured" jabs. Or something to the effect. You know where I'm coming from, though.

Duke and Kentucky are the most hated schools in the country when it comes to college basketball. And it's not even close. I think we can both agree on that.

P.S. Jay is a real good guess. He's a pos. Most on ESPN are. Fortunately for us, they know how much our programs mean to them, so we're their TV poster children. Oh, the irony.

"It was a home game for MSU, so UK shouldnt get the calls"

Sound reasoning.

I agree Rec. Kids are kids, they talk smack, they act cocky, it happens all over the country and has become accepted. Hell, the NBA image is built on players who have made a living acting this way, and it's even promoted by those who cover the sport. There's no reason to debate the merits of why it's occurring, we should just accept that it's a part of the sport we all enjoy.

I'm not one to diss ESPN either, or to believe they have these conspiracies against teams, conferences, players, coaches, etc. However, I just can't believe they got away with actually, in a bizarre way, condoning and even glorifying the actions of some MSU students for what they did to Cousins. I mean there is gamesmanship, and school spirit, and things done by fans to agitate opposing players/schools, but this was downright cruel and embarrassing.

I'll leave the discussion on this note. Imagine if it were UK fans who got caught making racist comments toward an opponent or opposing player? I mean hell, people STILL knock Kentucky for Adolph Rupp being a racist (again, we can debate the merits of how valid these are). Imagine what people would be saying if the tide was turned. I sure as hell don't think ESPN would laugh it off like they did tonight...

Damnit..my prediction would have been right, if not for some bs calls..oh well, at least UK won't be winning any titles this year.

Azubuike24 wrote: Then you have games like the one tonight and it's clear that the Cats can't be beaten. However, they DO have that ability to win games when they should have lost. They have definitely overcome that "everything against them" scenarios a few times this year.

It's clear because they beat a team who was without their leading scorer and 3 point shooter?

I meant "can" be beaten in that context. Read it again, it wouldn't make sense for me to say "can't", aside from that fact that nobody is unbeatable.

Azubuike24 wrote: I meant "can" be beaten in that context. Read it again, it wouldn't make sense for me to say "can't", aside from that fact that nobody is unbeatable.

I figured. Just wanted to clear it up.

SportsAndLady wrote: ..oh well, at least UK won't be winning any titles this year.

Lets hope Kansas doesnt run into Tennessee in the tourney or they might not win any title either. UK has one loss, the same as your jayhawks, and are ranked #2.....so how wont they have a chance?

must've been a heckuva game--sorry I missed it