Barnhart on UK needing a better home schedule: ‘Our fans deserve that’
Pardon the pun, but you could say Kentucky’s non-conference games in Rupp Arena this coming season will be “home groan.”
Only three of Kentucky’s nine non-conference home games will be against opponents who had a winning record in 2020-21. That’s Mount St. Mary’s (12-11), Ohio (16-8) and Louisville (13-7). Sigh.
Only two of the opponents had a final NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) ranking in the top 179: No. 58 Louisville and No. 88 Ohio. The final NET rankings for six of the nine opponents were outside the top 215: Albany (216), High Point (279), Southern (281), North Florida (297), Central Michigan (307) and Robert Morris (313). Meh.
Overall, the nine opponents’ combined record last season was 83-105 (.441). The average final NET was 224.3. Ho-hum.
To put that in perspective, Kentucky’s non-conference home schedule fits the profile of an elite program. This coming season’s non-conference home opponents for Duke (.494), Kansas (.472) and UCLA (.395) also had combined losing records in 2020-21.
None of Duke’s non-conference home opponents had a final NET in the top 150. The best final NET ranking is Army’s 152. Only two of UCLA’s six non-conference home opponents had winning records: CSU Bakersfield (13-11) and Villanova (18-7).
UCLA’s home non-conference opponents had a poorer collective NET (230.3) than UK (224.3). Opponents for Duke (213.0), North Carolina (151.2) and Kansas (145.2) also had modest NET rankings on average.
For individual visiting teams facing college basketball’s elite programs, the most modest final NET rankings belong to Duke opponent South Carolina State (345 or third worst in Division I) and UCLA opponent Alabama State (343 or fifth worst).
North Carolina is an exception. With a boost from playing Michigan (23-5) in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, the Tar Heels’ home opponents had a combined record of 74-56 (.569) last season.
By contrast, UK’s non-conference opponents away from Rupp Arena (Duke, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Kansas) had a combined 65-45 record (.591) and average final NET of 44.3.
A markedly better record for road opponents also holds true for North Carolina, Duke, Kansas and UCLA.
Of course, Kentucky’s schedule is rich in sentimental value with “homecoming games” with former UK Coach Tubby Smith (High Point), former point guard Sean Woods (Southern) and former assistant coach Tony Barbee (Central Michigan). Plus, Robert Morris is in UK Coach John Calipari’s hometown of Moon Township, Pa.
During an appearance on the Kentucky Sports Radio show Thursday, Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart was asked about UK’s schedule lacking much marquee value. He said Kentucky thought it would get a home game in the SEC-Big 12 Challenge, so it was a surprise to be asked to play at Kansas in the event this coming season.
Barnhart also said he understood how UK fans would want more compelling opponents for home games.
“Our fans deserve that,” he said, “and we’ll try to work towards that as we go forward.”
High Tide
When it comes to non-conference scheduling, Alabama will be exceptional in 2021-22.
The Tide will play three of the four teams that advanced to the 2021 Final Four: home games against Houston (Dec. 11) and Baylor (the SEC-Big 12 Challenge Jan. 29), plus a game at Gonzaga (Dec. 4). Those teams had three of the five best final NET rankings last season: 1. Gonzaga, 2. Baylor and 5. Houston.
The NCAA does not keep a statistic on schedules that include games against the previous season’s Final Four participants.
One precedent comes to mind. The 1985 Final Four (played in Lexington) included three teams from the Big East: Villanova, Georgetown and St. John’s. So, six Big East teams played three-fourths of the Final Four field the following season.
But that was mandated by conference scheduling, not done voluntarily.
Thanks to the boost provided by Houston and Baylor, the seven opponents on Alabama’s home schedule had a combined record last season of 134-59 (.694). The average final NET ranking was 115.3.
Only one of Alabama’s non-conference opponents had a losing record last season: Oakland (12-18). A second would be Miami (10-17) should the teams play on the third day of the ESPN Events Invitational in Kissimmee, Fla.
Mazel tov
Former UK player Sacha Killeya-Jones is continuing his professional basketball career with a team in Israel. His first practice with Hapoel Gilboa Galil was Tuesday. The regular season starts Oct. 7.
Joshua Halickman (aka “The Sports Rabbi”) said the team is based in the Galilean town of Gan Ner, which is about two hours north of Jerusalem and had a population of 2,670 in 2019.
“Really out in the middle of nowhere,” Halickman said. “Usually the only thing you’re doing is playing and practicing. … It’s a very good landing spot for young players.”
Killeya-Jones’ new team prides itself in developing young players, Halickman said. One such player was Jeremy Pargo, who began his career with Hapoel Gilboa Galil and then subsequently played with four NBA teams.
Kentucky basketball is a known commodity in Israel, Halickman said.
“People know the big programs,” he said. “They’re familiar with Duke. They’re familiar with Kentucky. They’re familiar, obviously, with North Carolina.”
Halickman is not a rabbi. He said the rabbi of the Riverdale, N.Y., synagogue he attended as a child gave him the nickname “because my sports knowledge is of rabbinical proportions.”
Halickman is a cantor. “The High Holidays are coming up,” he said, “so I’ll be leading a bunch of services here in Israel.”
Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) begins at sundown Monday and ends at sunset Wednesday. Then Yom Kippur (atonement and repentance) is Sept. 15-16.
$%&#$
Reflecting on his father’s time as Alabama coach led Martin Newton to the 1976 NCAA Tournament. Coached by C.M. Newton, the Tide played undefeated Indiana in a Sweet 16 game.
Indiana won 74-69 and went on to win the national championship with a 32-0 record. There hasn’t been an undefeated NCAA Tournament champion since then.
Martin Newton, then a teenager, attended the game. He recalled a critical call that went Indiana’s way: Blocking on Leon Douglas rather than charging — and a fifth foul — on IU big man Kent Benson.
“That was the first time I heard Coach Bryant cuss,” said Newton in reference to iconic Alabama football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant.
Winning intangibles
Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra led the Select Team that helped prepare the U.S. Olympic team. Keldon Johnson was one of the players on the team.
“Keldon has those winning intangible qualities,” Spoelstra said of the former UK player. Johnson’s basketball future is about refining those qualities, he added.
More immediately, Johnson got a promotion to the U.S. team and won a gold medal. He played in four of its six Olympic games, scored four points and grabbed three rebounds.
As for the two other ex-Cats on the team, Devin Booker averaged 9.3 points. Bam Adebayo averaged 6.3 points and led the U.S. team in rebounding (5.7 per game) and tied for the lead with seven blocks.
Rest in peace
Monday of this coming week would have been Terrence Clarke’s 20th birthday. He died in a car accident in the Los Angeles area on April 22.
Happy birthday
To Texas A&M Coach Buzz Williams. He turned 49 on Wednesday. … To Steve Masiello. He turned 44 on Thursday. … To Julius Mays. He turned 32 on Saturday. … To Bo Lanter. He turned 62 on Saturday. … To Nazr Mohammed. He turns 44 on Sunday (today). … To Elena Delle Donne. She turns 32 on Sunday (today). … To John Wall. He turns 31 on Monday. … To Alex Poythress. He turns 28 on Monday. … To Dale Brown (the former UK guard). He turns 53 on Monday. … To former Ole Miss coach Rob Evans. He turns 75 on Tuesday. … To Oak Hill Academy coach (and Asbury University grad) Steve Smith. He turns 66 on Tuesday.
