Lots of people on the board like UK. I'm going to try to talk you out of it. All comments are welcome, especially from those more familiar with how UK runs things.
For starters, UK got 41 from Prince against Tulsa, and still only won by 5. That kind of has to scare you right there. Besides, he will be guarded by Wilcox and Baxter tonight. Wilcox is athletic enough to stay with him and Baxter is big enough to keep him from getting deep on the block. I don't see him scoring much more than 22, and he will cool off from outside the arc, esp. if Wilcox is leaping at him.
Maryland out shoots (48% & 37% to 44% & 31%) and out-defends (39 & 30 vs. 41 & 33) Kentucky. (those numbers are for 2's and 3's). They also out-rebound them.
Matchups: It's hard to tell who will be on who especially the way KU spreads out the minutes, but I like Prince over Wilcox in the forward position. That is a nice matchup, though. I hope they play each other, and could see Wilcox getting a couple blocks.
In the middle, I like Baxter against whoever (Camara?), on both ends of the floor.
For guards, I'll take Blake and Dixon over Blevins and Bogans (and any other 1-2 combo in the nation for that matter). Defensively: terps hands down. They both make steals and really harass you. Offensively: terps pretty strongly. Blakes A/TO ratio is excellent, and we all know how well Dixon can score.
Mouton against whatever assembly UK wants to throw the terps way.
Benches: UK plays 10 guys, and MD only plays 8, but the 3 guys off the bench for MD are Nicholas, Randle and Holden. When Blake is running the point with Nicholas shooting, they're merely a shade less dangerous than when dixon is in there. Tahj Holden is solid on both ends, and Randle has been a better and better stand-in for Baxter as the season has gone along.
Consistency: Maryland has got it. Their losses are against ZONA in the first game of the season, at OK, at Duke, and in the ACC tournament to NCSU -- a game where NCSU was out of their tree. They have a particular level they play at and don't ever drop much below that level. UK is remarkably inconsistent, and even if they are hot they're going to have trouble staying with the Terps.
Coaching: Gary vs. Tubby. Gary, I guess. A team with the inconsistency of UK reflects poorly on the coach. They should have killed Tulsa, too, with the kind of shooting they had. I don't know if Tubby comes up with the right plans to slow down Maryland.
Conferences: I won't go there, but you make your own call about ACC-SEC.
So, why are you on Kentucky? Any time I bet a team with 6, I like to think they have a legitimate shot at winning and I don't see that tonight.
Don't accuse me of being a 'homer' either. I've had the terps both games in the tourney, but have been against them often this year, much to my detriment.
MD -6 is my play.
Thanks for reading. That's my only play right now, and will probably remain that way.
TheShrimp
For starters, UK got 41 from Prince against Tulsa, and still only won by 5. That kind of has to scare you right there. Besides, he will be guarded by Wilcox and Baxter tonight. Wilcox is athletic enough to stay with him and Baxter is big enough to keep him from getting deep on the block. I don't see him scoring much more than 22, and he will cool off from outside the arc, esp. if Wilcox is leaping at him.
Maryland out shoots (48% & 37% to 44% & 31%) and out-defends (39 & 30 vs. 41 & 33) Kentucky. (those numbers are for 2's and 3's). They also out-rebound them.
Matchups: It's hard to tell who will be on who especially the way KU spreads out the minutes, but I like Prince over Wilcox in the forward position. That is a nice matchup, though. I hope they play each other, and could see Wilcox getting a couple blocks.
In the middle, I like Baxter against whoever (Camara?), on both ends of the floor.
For guards, I'll take Blake and Dixon over Blevins and Bogans (and any other 1-2 combo in the nation for that matter). Defensively: terps hands down. They both make steals and really harass you. Offensively: terps pretty strongly. Blakes A/TO ratio is excellent, and we all know how well Dixon can score.
Mouton against whatever assembly UK wants to throw the terps way.
Benches: UK plays 10 guys, and MD only plays 8, but the 3 guys off the bench for MD are Nicholas, Randle and Holden. When Blake is running the point with Nicholas shooting, they're merely a shade less dangerous than when dixon is in there. Tahj Holden is solid on both ends, and Randle has been a better and better stand-in for Baxter as the season has gone along.
Consistency: Maryland has got it. Their losses are against ZONA in the first game of the season, at OK, at Duke, and in the ACC tournament to NCSU -- a game where NCSU was out of their tree. They have a particular level they play at and don't ever drop much below that level. UK is remarkably inconsistent, and even if they are hot they're going to have trouble staying with the Terps.
Coaching: Gary vs. Tubby. Gary, I guess. A team with the inconsistency of UK reflects poorly on the coach. They should have killed Tulsa, too, with the kind of shooting they had. I don't know if Tubby comes up with the right plans to slow down Maryland.
Conferences: I won't go there, but you make your own call about ACC-SEC.
So, why are you on Kentucky? Any time I bet a team with 6, I like to think they have a legitimate shot at winning and I don't see that tonight.
Don't accuse me of being a 'homer' either. I've had the terps both games in the tourney, but have been against them often this year, much to my detriment.
MD -6 is my play.
Thanks for reading. That's my only play right now, and will probably remain that way.
TheShrimp
Last edited:
