Another year in Lexington, The Official Home of Home Cookin'

No over the back here, ref?

      Somewhere there is an alternate universe where Kentucky isn't allowed to win basketball games on no-calls and free throws. On Saturday afternoon the Wildcats shot 40 free throws. That is 15 more than Alabama was allowed to shoot.  That was excessive, of course, But it is the no calls that kill you. I'm sure as I write this story the Kentucky players are with the trainer icing down their shooting hands from all those free throws. I have no problem with fouls the officials called on Alabama. They were, for the most part, good calls. 


        The real problem when you have your yearly game stolen by Kentucky is that the officials will not call the Wildcats for the same type play. I've been watching this for 55 years. It hasn't changed. It is the not so little dirty secret that everyone else in the SEC complains about year after year. There will never be a change because SEC league officials allow this non-sense to continue unabated. 


    I am sure that Anthony Grant is upset, but he won't say it because he'd be fined or suspended. Truth is not a defense in talking about SEC officiating. The sad thing for the Kentucky Wildcats is they are good enough to win without the help. That is one reason why the 'Cats have had no luck in winning an NCAA Championship lately. When the Cats have to play in a situation where the officiating is even they get bumped. You can't build an offense on 40% of your scoring coming off free throws in the real world of basketball. It is truly a shame that those gifted young players at Kentucky ability is diminished because of the officiating. I do not blame the players. I think John Calipari ought to have enough sense to tell the league it hurts the SEC in the long run. That would take integrity and sense, one of which Calipari woefully lacks. 

     Given all that, the Crimson Tide was only down 69-67 with a little over a minute left. This was a gritty and determined effort by the Tide, led by Trevor Releford and JayMychal Green not to play the part of sacrificial lamb in home of the holiest of holys. I wish we could attach a box of words to pass out to all the Green smashers. You could eat them as you read comments on the Tider Insider Forums. You know who you are and, gentlemen please start your apologies. 

Green played his best game of the year providing
energy and leadership in a double-double

     I'm glad to see the team that played against Vanderbilt has left the building. This team has only one identity and that is hard play and harder defense. Alabama left lost that identity for one game and the result is pretty clear. I'm going to wind down this brief article by hitting a few good points. I've long stopped worrying about losing in Lexington. That is going to happen by mandate. But the Tide did some good things. 

• Bama shot 48% from the floor
• The Tide ripped 5-7 from outside
• Alabama hit 18-25 from the free throw line
• Moussa continues to improve. He also made  3-4 from the line, and had 2 rebounds
• Bama was outrebounded by 1 board against one of the top rebounding teams in NCAA

Tomorrow we will talk about individual players and the upcoming schedule...