Kentucky Basketball: Lessons Learned Against Pikeville College

The Kentucky Wildcats saw their first game action of 2010 on Monday night as they took on Pikeville College. The Wildcats ultimately came away with a 97-66 victory but also raised a number of concerns in the process.

Kentucky again found itself without the services of big man Enes Kanter, as the NCAA has yet to make a final ruling on his eligibility. As time continues to pass, it seems increasingly likely that the NCAA's decision could drag on into the regular season.

If this is the case, Kentucky's lineup will likely resemble Monday night's lineup of Brandon Knight, Doron Lamb, DeAndre Liggins, Darius Miller and Terrence Jones.

A four-guard lineup may take some getting used to, due to the fact that Kentucky had the tallest roster in the nation last season. Yet it should come as no surprise, considering Calipari's affinity for the dribble-drive offense.

Calipari has already stated that he is more comfortable coaching a smaller, quicker lineup, and his teams at Memphis excelled while running out of four-guard sets. A four-guard lineup gives the Wildcats four players who can handle the ball and penetrate the lane. It also means that the team will be able to consistently push the tempo and put additional pressure on opposing defenses.

Kentucky's athleticism was apparent on offense, as the team was able to generate a number of fast-break scores, all the while racking up 56 free-throw attempts. Yet, when forced to play out of a half-court set, the offense often looked stagnant.

Additionally, the Wildcats' struggles from beyond the arc seem to have carried over from last season as Kentucky made only one of 11 three-point field goals. If Kentucky hopes to be effective on offense this season, Knight and Lamb will have to live up to their reputations as sharp-shooters coming out of high school.

Kentucky's biggest weakness on Monday was its defense. Although they were able to hold Pikeville to a low field-goal percentage, the Wildcats also gave up a number of easy baskets and allowed Pikeville too many second chances because of their inability to rebound.

Much of the team's struggles can be attributed to its lack of size. In fact, the Wildcats struggled to rebound the basketball until forwards Josh Harrellson and Eloy Vargas were inserted into the lineup. Regardless, the Wildcats must eventually find some way to overcome this problem, especially if they are forced to play without Enes Kanter.

This means, in part, that the team must improve its physicality, and this begins with forward Terrence Jones. Jones, the only forward in Kentucky's starting lineup, had a tendency to camp out on the perimeter and take too many jump shots while on offense.

Jones' versatility is a great fit for the dribble-drive offense, but to be effective he must also be willing to showcase his post game. Otherwise, the Wildcats' offense will quickly become one-dimensional.

Junior Eloy Vargas also struggled with his physicality, too often allowing Pikeville's big men to push him around on defense, which led to a number of easy baskets.

Bottom line: If the Wildcats hope to contend for a national championship this season, they will first have to increase their physicality on defense, improve their half-court sets on offense, and most importantly, pray that the NCAA ultimately rules Enes Kanter eligible.