After a 23-10 season, with wins over teams such as Maryland, Louisville and eventual NCAA Champion Michigan State and runner-up Florida, most teams would consider that a pretty successful year. Unfortunately this is not most teams we are talking about, but the University of Kentucky. What transpired during the 1999-2000 season for Kentucky and their fans could only be described as frustrating. Since 1998 the UK fans have watched as the Wildcats went from Final Four regulars and an intimidating defensive nightmare for their opponents, to an offense that struggled to put 60 points on the board. The stifling and suffocating defense that had the opposition shaking in their sneakers even before they took the court, had all but vanished. Last season the Cat's shooting eye abandoned them and the Wildcats finished the season as the worst shooting team in the school's history.

Many fans have longed for a return to the fast paced, pressing game of the Rick Pitino days. While I doubt that we will ever see UK return to that under Tubby Smith, I do feel the pace must be picked up for the UK offense to get on track; even Tubby Smith himself says as much. Smith has stated on many occasions his desire to get Kentucky back to an uptempo game and this season seems to be his best chance to do so. In the past years the reason for not accomplishing this has been a lack of players or not having the right combination of players. Last season the team couldn't press because they shot so poorly, they couldn't get out and run because they couldn't press enough to create turnovers. Not being able to get out on the break I feel hurt their field goal percentage. I believe as the year wore on the team became stagnant and fell into a half court type of offense that was so inside minded they were much too predictable and therefore easily defended.

Whatever the reasons, UK's offensive difficulties were well documented by season's end. Their final game in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, a loss to Syracuse 52-50, was the entire problem in a microcosm. The Cats could not make their shots, they didn't rebound and turned the ball over too many times. Complicating matters, by season's end the UK bench had become almost non-existent. Part of this was due to the departures of Michael Bradley, Ryan Hogan and Myron Anthony, all expected to provide minutes and experience. After the season got underway the shooting woes began almost immediately, then transfer Nate Knight left the team. Desmond Allison, who finished the previous year on a roll, never got on track. Then at the most crucial point of the season, Allison was arrested for DUI after Kentucky's first round loss to Arkansas in the SEC Tournament.

So in 3 years, UK has gone from NCAA finalist, to a near first round loser. Why this has happened is very complicated and dozens of theories abound. This year could turn it all around and quite frankly many believe it must. One thing that the UK Basketball team did not need to start this season was more irresponsible incidents by its players. Unfortunately, Michael Southall, a promising recruit was arrested on drug charges and his scholarship offer was withdrawn. Then Jules Camara was arrested for DUI and has been indefinitely suspended. Camara's loss is not only damaging to the potential success of the team, but extremely disappointing in light of all the incidents that occurred during the last year. While these are huge losses, the Cats will bring several new faces in for the coming year. Of the 13 currently eligible players, seven will be seeing action for the first time in a Kentucky uniform. With a change in personnel this large, UK's fortunes are sure to change, one way or another.

The position under the most scrutiny this year will be point guard. Saul Smith manned the spot by default last season and even he and his father Coach Tubby Smith would agree he is not the most talented point in the world. All the same, it was a weak spot in the Kentucky program and must be improved. There is hope in freshman Cliff Hawkins, one of the top point guard prospects in the country last year. Kentucky also signed lesser-known Gerald Fitch out of Georgia. These players along with returning guards Keith Bogans, J.P. Blevins, Todd Tackett and Smith would appear to make the guard position the deepest on the roster. Hopefully one of them will step forward and seize the opportunity.

The forward position has taken a big hit with the losses of Allison and Camara. The Cats leading scorer returns in the person of Tayshaun Prince. Camara'a loss of scoring and athletic ability leaves a large hole, but it could be filled by the unexpected late signing of Jason Parker. Parker had committed to North Carolina, but due to a complicated question of academic eligibility, he ended up at UK. The other new faces in the forward spot are Erik Daniels and walk-on Cory Sears. Also seeing his first action as a Wildcat will be Marquis Estill. Estill red-shirted his freshman year and is expected to make a big impact at both forward and center. As for the center position, it is all Marvin Stone's. Stone will have to be relieved by Parker and Estill. Camara'a situation is unclear at this time. He has decided to remain at UK, but how soon he may return to the team is hard to say. A part from the obvious improvement in field goal shooting, Tubby Smith has stated he intends to get out and run this year. What that means remains to be seen, but most fans hope it is a return to the pressing and uptempo style of Pitino's teams. Personally I don't believe it will mean that all out attack of those squads, but something between that and what we have seen the last couple of years. I believe that better shooting can be achieved with a more active offense. If the Wildcats fall into the same slow half court style as last season, it'll be a long year.

As usual the UK schedule was not arranged for the faint of heart. Kentucky's inexperienced troops will have to mature in a hurry for there won't be any early season cupcakes to get fat on. The Cats jump right into things with the Coaches vs Cancer Tournament the second week of November, opening against St. Johns with a second game against either Kansas or UCLA--that's just to get started. Then the two top programs in the country go at it as the Wildcats take on North Carolina in December and it just goes on and on; Georgia Tech, Michigan State, Indiana, Louisville and then the SEC.

A lot has been expected from Tubby Smith and the last two years have been a bit less than even he would have desired. Many reasons or excuses have been offered for this and there are some who see this season as a kind of make or break year for Smith. At the very least, Smith is now doing the job with his players and the theory of Pitino's recruits, good or bad, is no longer in the mix. As I heard someone say not long ago, Tubby has been saying he wants to press more and pickup the pace, but there always seems to be some reason why it can't be done. This year it appears that none of those roadblocks exist. The season is almost here and we will soon see what Tubby Smith and the Wildcats have in store for 2001.
 

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