LOUISVILLE AT WESTERN KENTUCKY GAME THREAD - 3:00 PM CBS

[TheRealVille]

Well, we have to give Mack a little bit of consideration. He didn't know both Williamson and Withers would regress as bad as they have. Think about it. He was counting on his two forward spots being secure and a strength of the team.
Instead both look like they belong in the Sun Belt conference.

He went after 3 point shooting and got a career 40 percent shooter who is shooting under 30 percent.

It's the players after all that make the coach look good, and bad.

 

[Knucklehank1]

Well, we have to give Mack a little bit of consideration. He didn't know both Williamson and Withers would regress as bad as they have. Think about it. He was counting on his two forward spots being secure and a strength of the team.
Instead both look like they belong in the Sun Belt conference.

He went after 3 point shooting and got a career 40 percent shooter who is shooting under 30 percent.

It's the players after all that make the coach look good, and bad.

Louisville fans know what a crisp, well coached team is. This ain’t it

 

[indaville]

Well, we have to give Mack a little bit of consideration. He didn't know both Williamson and Withers would regress as bad as they have. Think about it. He was counting on his two forward spots being secure and a strength of the team.
Instead both look like they belong in the Sun Belt conference.

He went after 3 point shooting and got a career 40 percent shooter who is shooting under 30 percent.

It's the players after all that make the coach look good, and bad.

Which means instead of developing players he makes them worse.

 

[Knucklehank1]

Well, we have to give Mack a little bit of consideration. He didn't know both Williamson and Withers would regress as bad as they have. Think about it. He was counting on his two forward spots being secure and a strength of the team.
Instead both look like they belong in the Sun Belt conference.

He went after 3 point shooting and got a career 40 percent shooter who is shooting under 30 percent.

It's the players after all that make the coach look good, and bad.

Btw…we go 10-11 deep and barely do ball pressure defense. I mean shit, Western is shaky handling the ball and yet Mack in his infinite coaching wisdom stocks with the same old defense.

 

[Mayoman]

I kept hearing tis echo in the WKU huddle during timeouts, "They suppos to be ACC?

Well, WTH the ACC is down basketball wise this year...but how far down has UofL fallen in comparison???

A nine game winning streak broken by WKU. What will be next???

UK by 20+ likely. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

 

[Thecycle27]

This another poorly constructed team. They have no identity. They are average athletes. Again the best players were on the other team.

The problem is Mack apparently can’t evaluate talent or doesn’t know how to recruit to his system. The players clearly don’t fit the new offense. The players clearly can’t absorb the defensive game plans. How else does other teams best players go off.

 

[NorthCard]

This another poorly constructed team. They have no identity. They are average athletes. Again the best players were on the other team.

The problem is Mack apparently can’t evaluate talent or doesn’t know how to recruit to his system. The players clearly don’t fit the new offense. The players clearly can’t absorb the defensive game plans. How else does other teams best players go off.

Williamson and Withers are just flat terrible now. Withers head isn’t in the game, he didn’t even realize they were shooting the 1 and 1. How bad could JJ (he showed some promise last year) be that he can’t at least take some of Williamson’s minutes? Sam does even look to shoot but instead drives and turns the ball over. He’s not even rebounding well like he did last year, which means he isn’t giving effort. Those two are so frustrating, they make the game unwatchable when they are on the floor.

 

[jmac1029]

ImUK by 20+ likely. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

We haven’t been mighty for a while!

 

[earsky]

They ran into a buzsaw today. Too many empty possessions with WKU playing(shooting) that well.
I see guys not realizing who has the hot hand and feeding it.

 

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

None of the players have improved, most have regressed, and in some cases badly.

It was a bad sign when Williamson was unable to crack the starting 5 to start the season. Concern really set in when Withers lost his starting job. These should be your top 2 players, everybody knows this. So what the %#@$ is up? They have struggled beyond comprehension.

When Malik is the clear #1 player, by a wide margin, given all his injuries, you know you are in trouble. Big trouble.

I'm not sure any player on this team would be in the rotation for a vintage UofL team. Malik and Cross might be back end rotation guys. Maybe.

I'm not trying to slam on players. They are all good enough to get to this level. But collectively it's just a real bad mix. No quickness, no post game, just not that talented. No alpha. Once they begin failing, they then attempt to do things they can't do, because they are trying.

 

[Thecycle27]

They ran into a buzsaw today. Too many empty possessions with WKU playing(shooting) that well.
I see guys not realizing who has the hot hand and feeding it.

This maybe true but seems like they have ran into a buzz saw multiple times this year.

The reality is they look lost on offense and defense. It really is a mess.

 

[WildCard]

This another poorly constructed team. They have no identity. They are average athletes. Again the best players were on the other team.

The problem is Mack apparently can’t evaluate talent or doesn’t know how to recruit to his system. The players clearly don’t fit the new offense. The players clearly can’t absorb the defensive game plans. How else does other teams best players go off.

I agree.. They may be decent Shawnee Park pick-up players but are simply not coming together with disciplined teamwork at the college level. Too many possessions look like they do not have a clue (or necessary skill levels) about scoring.

Peace

 

[indaville]

West should not be on the floor for most of the game. He’s one of the worst shooters I have ever seen.

 

[Thecycle27]

What they have is a bunch of guys that need to run sets for but this system requires players to have elite ball handling and passing skills. The roster is a terrible fit for what they are trying to do offensively. It is hard to get paint touches against the better teams when the other team is more athletic. How do you beat more athletic teams you run sets to perfection. Hard to do with a constant change over in players.

Defensively they are too slow to play his style. They also don’t function well as a unit against more athletic teams especially guards.

At the end of the day Mack has completely whiffed on the building of his roster since day 1. His 1st class was basically a bust. He has failed to recruit a legit HS PG. He has brought in players that are soft. Completely opposite what he states he wants. That tells me he doesn’t know how to evaluate players. Someone else was doing that for him at Xavier. As of today Mack appears to be a bad fit.

 

[earsky]

This maybe true but seems like they have ran into a buzz saw multiple times this year.

The reality is they look lost on offense and defense. It really is a mess.

Yes,lost for sure,but maybe caught up in the moment of what's going on in BG.
That's not a cop out,just a reality of bad timing on that game.
We can only imagine how the team felt rolling into that town and seeing and hearing what had taken place there.
They played on their heels.

 

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

What they have is a bunch of guys that need to run sets for but this system requires players to have elite ball handling and passing skills. The roster is a terrible fit for what they are trying to do offensively. It is hard to get paint touches against the better teams when the other team is more athletic. How do you beat more athletic teams you run sets to perfection. Hard to do with a constant change over in players.

Defensively they are too slow to play his style. They also don’t function well as a unit against more athletic teams especially guards.

At the end of the day Mack has completely whiffed on the building of his roster since day 1. His 1st class was basically a bust. He has failed to recruit a legit HS PG. He has brought in players that are soft. Completely opposite what he states he wants. That tells me he doesn’t know how to evaluate players. Someone else was doing that for him at Xavier. As of today Mack appears to be a bad fit.

Good post.

His 2019 class consisted of, per Rivals one 5* and four! 4*s, and even one 3*.

The class turned out to be a real disappointment, if we're being honest, and not trying to run down players.

One guy now plays for Grand Canyon. Another is at Lasalle. Two are reserves on the current team regressing in ways that are so painful it's hard to watch. Another is in the G League. The 3* now at Iona.

His 2020 class consisted of three 4*s, Dre is ok. JJ a total non factor. Gabe a project that appears a distance from being a contributor.

His 2021 class three were 4*s, one 3*. The 3* is not in the rotation. Wheeler looks legit. Ellis has been inconsistent. James hurt.

All and all, some bad luck, some pieces that maybe don't fit, and a bunch of guys either not developing or regressing.

 

[luv2hit63]

He has brought in players that are soft

IMO that statement right there sums up the lack of success for Mack. If you were a high intensity player would you want to play for him? Not advocating for Bruce Pearl but you see the passion for winning while he is on the side line.

Mack would be a better fit coaching the women at say Tennessee or even Kentucky. Yes the university should keep him around till the NCAA sanctions are over. After that cut him loose.

 

[REDFISTFURY3]

A day after i've cooled down from anger. And let my common sense takeover. I personally feel this way yes Mack needs to do a better job. However he did make changes with personal and players hoping that it would work. Cake hasn't completely baked. And too be honest i think he has given the players the tools to be successful it's up to them to perform to standards and they have to take responsibility for their play also. Maybin stated alot of players this past off season did not do things on their own to get their bodies and work on their craft. He specifically talked about JJ who went to California instead of focusing on weight and strength over the summer. And also in my mind i'm keeping perspective of the situation that the BB program has been dealing with prior to Mack. And no he hasn't did himself any favors either with a screw up also. But the totality of the program was a sinking ship before him . He isn't responsible for sinking it . It's still afloat but is taking on more water. Hopefully he can right it. So i'm going to not pile on and stay the course.

 

[Thecycle27]

Coaches are only as good as their players. They have to be talented and fit the system. I really don’t blame him with recruiting. It hasn’t been easy with NCAA, Covid and transfer rules.

The other point made in a earlier post is the players are the key to their own development. They tend to listen to the wrong people. Harrell did it too coming back to prove he was a shooter. Guess what he is dong exactly what he was good at in college….rebounding and playing with energy. Whoever told JJ to not focus in on his body was mistaken.

 

[Knucklehank1]

Cats just housed WKU.

 

[earsky]

Had a

Cats just housed WKU.

Had a feeling they would. No way Western could play that good 2 in a row.

 

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

Cards ran into a buzzsaw on road after the tornado and no Malik. It wouldn't have been as tough to take if the team hadn't looked bad all year. And other stuff.

 

[achilles992000]

there's still hope. we are 7-4 and the ACC is really bad right now.
have to figure out how to get points out of Sam and Jaelyn.

 

[zipp]

...the ACC is really bad right now...

I'm seriously wondering what happens to the ACC after Coach K retires...

 

[Knucklehank1]

Had a

Had a feeling they would. No way Western could play that good 2 in a row.

UK pressured the ball all night. A lot of people on here commented that WKU was shaky handling the ball and yet we did very little ball pressure and then just let them crush us from 3. Is Mack not capable of adjusting, do we not have personnel to adjust, is he not able to see what message board posters can see?

 

[earsky]

UK pressured the ball all night. A lot of people on here commented that WKU was shaky handling the ball and yet we did very little ball pressure and then just let them crush us from 3. Is Mack not capable of adjusting, do we not have personnel to adjust, is he not able to see what message board posters can see?

Couldn't agree more. They had one ball handler at most. I'm sure Cal had a good look at the tape of the game Saturday.
No in game adjustments is what drives most of us crazy.
I'll also say this about Cal. He or his coaches are fairly adept at having a defensive scheme that targets what the opposition does well or not so well.

 

[glassmanJ]

I'll also say this about Cal. He or his coaches are fairly adept at having a defensive scheme that targets what the opposition does well or not so well.

i disagree, cal's philosophy is basically you have to beat his team and he doesn't worry much abotu scouting the other team. when your guys are generally taller, bigger and faster than every other team in the country, you don;t have to scout the other team you jsut have to do what you do best. that's why cal sucks as an in game coach, he jsut expects his talent to be better than yours. i don't think he spends much time trying to figure out the other teams and what they do or don't do well

 

[earsky]

i disagree, cal's philosophy is basically you have to beat his team and he doesn't worry much abotu scouting the other team. when your guys are generally taller, bigger and faster than every other team in the country, you don;t have to scout the other team you jsut have to do what you do best. that's why cal sucks as an in game coach, he jsut expects his talent to be better than yours. i don't think he spends much time trying to figure out the other teams and what they do or don't do well

Yeah,he might suck in game,agree. I mentioned his coaches as the guys that possibly have the defensive scheme coming in.
He(or his coaches) always had a plan to slow down what we did. I can't answer for other teams in the past because I don't care,but they knew how to slow down everything we did when Rick was here,which was usually the high pick n roll.