The Kentucky Wildcats are obviously the 2014 NBA Draft All-Stars; and a 2013 McDonald’s All-American team. They are the blue-chip recruits of the bluegrass state; and mock draftnick’s fantasy. However, the Kentucky Wildcats are not a better college basketball team than Michigan State. At least not right now. That was proven tonight in a 78-74 nail-biter at the United Center in Chicago.
UK might be better than State in March, should they meet again when the stakes are higher. However, watching the game tonight, you see why Kentucky Wildcats Coach John Calipari was whining about having to play MSU so early in the season. Or maybe not.
Either way, you hear the funny stuff Tom Izzo said in response to that.
Kalamazoo’s Big Ten team got off to a 10-0 start, and held a 15 pt lead versus UK and a few different occasions. Michigan St basketball took after Michigan St football with stifling defense. The Kentucky Wildcats had just 9 points in the first 10 minutes.
They came roaring back though to tie it at 66. And were in a position to win it down the stretch.
So, about those idiots who thought Kentucky was going to go 40-0 this year…
..those people were not serious anyway I’m sure. Not in today’s day and age of college hoops parity.
Tom Izzo said at Big Ten Media Day that MSU doesn’t have as much cachet as the Kentucky Wildcats. That’s probably true, but MSU had the victory tonight.
There was a lot of NBA talent on the the floor tonight; especially Gary Harris at MSU and Kentucky Wildcats forward Julius Randle. Harris had 2o points, while Michigan State Spartans point guard led State with 22. Randle dominated with 27 points and 13 rebounds. James Young had 19.
“They have been in these moments, we have not,” Coach Cal said of his team in the postgame presser.
“I don’t like to play friends early in the non-conference,” Calipari said of the hyped up match with Izzo so early in the season.
“I’m fine with playing them in April. I’m fine with playing whoever in April,” he added.
Of course, just playing in April says it all. No matter who it is.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. He’s also an analyst for multiple news talk radio stations across the nation; with regular weekly segments on NBC and Fox Sports Radio. Catch him talking Chicago Bears every Friday on WAOR, Illini and Northwestern for KOZN every Tuesday. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks) and RSS