Losing Streak Reaches Three; Sky Conclusively Falling

Kentucky looked confused, poorly coached, and decidedly befuddled throughout tonight's loss to Mississippi State at Rupp Arena. The start was so bad that Dan-O made a crack that he had already read something about the game already: you know, the one in the news last week where that girl's team lost 100-0. It certainly seemed that way, with the Cats struggling in vain to find the bucket for the first 6 minutes (Doug E. Fresh) of the game.

Gone is the swagger, the confidence that came with the 5 straight wins to start conference play. Replacing it is a tentative, unsure approach that has me concerned about where this team is truly headed. A home loss of this magnitude must serve as a wake-up call from the head coach on down to the team water boy.

Granted, State was simply lights out from 3-point range tonight, and not all of that can be written off to poor defending. More than a few of those treys were of the borderline "ridiculous" variety... but that's no excuse for not ensuring that every one of those attempts was challenged. UK did a less-than stellar job (to be kind) of stepping out and getting a hand in the face of the Bulldogs' sharpshooters. Ravern Johnson in particular was making it rain in Lexington, and the basket had to seem huge for everybody wearing a maroon jersey.

Just as disquieting was the Kentucky attack this evening, with players still demonstrating a poor understanding of their offensive roles and recognition of how to create high-percentage looks. Jodie Meeks has apparently been hit with kryptonite, turning in a 6 for 15 evening and looking awfully pedestrian during the current skid.

I truly wonder at this stage whether that 54-point blowup Meeks had in Knoxville has hindered the team's progress. Might it have been better if he scored say, 42 points in a Cats' win and therefore allowed himself and the team to stay a bit more under the radar? Personally, I loved Jodie having that huge night and Kentucky reaping the subsequent media attention, but I do think it's changed not only the way other teams defend UK, but also slowed some of the offensive development of other UK players. We've got too many reluctant shooters and a categorically timid approach right now.

The only encouraging spurt from UK was mid-second half, when they were able to put together a few stops and cut the deficit to three points near the 10 minute mark. However, the Bulldogs did not rattle. (Rupp Arena itself used to rattle opponents, right? It wasn't that long ago, was it?) State simply relied on their all-too-easy dribble penetration and hot outside shooting to close the game out.

So now comes a full week without a game. Seven days to pore over video and probably seven thousand theories of how to "fix" the Cats and get things back on track. Expect no mercy from Florida or the remaining conference slate. As bad as the Big Blue looked tonight, Coach G and his staff have their work cut out for them.