Size Does Matter

Size matters.  That’s what the popular injury lawyer’s advertisements blares from television, radio and billboards.  It was also most evident that size mattered in the University of Kentucky’s women’s basketball team's conclusive 76-44 win over Marshall University, which was very much out-sized.

    UK had a distinct size advantage at almost every position and that was evident as the Cats out-rebounded the Herd by a 25 to 14 margin with Kentucky pulling down 12 offensive rebounds to only four by Marshall.  In addition to size, the UK has great length that was noted by the second-year Marshall coach, Julie Fulks.  “Every team strives to recruit length as it makes defending much easier and rebounding easier as well because you don’t need to be as tight on the ball..  Against UK, passes that we normally get through to our players we just couldn’t get through because of UK’s length.  They got their hands on our passes that other teams usually don’t get their hands on.”

     Even though the game ended up being a blow-out, the first quarter was anything but that.  UK had trouble making shots, at one point being one for eleven from the field and ending up being only three for 17 when the quarter ended.  UK held a meager 9-6 lead, an inordinately low quarter score for a college basketball game.  “It was ugly,” is how UK Coach Kenny Brooks described the first quarter.  However, that three point deficit was as close as the Herd would come as the Wildcats gradually extended the lead to set the final score.

     Marshall played the entire game with a zone defense.  When asked about facing the Herd’s zone, Brooks said that by the Herd playing zone and also pressing his team, Marshall was actually helping UK to get ready to face SEC competition.  Brooks noted that he expects that many SEC foes will be playing more zone than normal against the ‘Cats.  Also, when queried if the Herd’s zone caused Kentucky to be out of sync causing UK to start so poorly, Brooks stated emphatically that Marshall’s defense was not the problem for UK’s uncharacteristic slow beginning.  “We left a lot on the table.  We missed some layups but our defense was really good.  The team did a really good job the whole night.  We are not the type of team that will have a lot of steals,”  Brooks noted.  The Marshall game actually proved Brooks’ point as his team only had six steals to 15 swipes by Marshall.

     All-World Wildcat star, Clara Strack, gave the UK faithful a slight scare with four minutes to play in the first quarter as she awkwardly hit the floor under the UK basket and had to be helped from the floor.  However, she returned shortly thereafter and finished with 15 points to go along with her team high 13 rebounds.  “Clara is instrumental to anything we are going to do.  So, obviously (when Strack went down) I was a little worried.  Clara is one of the toughest players I’ve ever coached in my life.  If she can go she is going to to go,” Brooks stated.

     Jordan Obi led the victors with 17 points.  Tonie Morgan logged over 35 minutes of game time and finished with a spectacular plus/minus of plus 35!  “Tonie is getting down pat one part of the game by running the team,” Coach Brooks exclaimed.  Morgan said that it’s taken some time to know exactly what her coach desires her to do.  “Coach Brooks has been patient (with me) and I watch film everyday and I feel like I’m getting better,” Morgan noted. 

     When asked about why UK would travel to Huntington, West Virginia to play Marshall, Brooks said that scheduling a school like Marshall (which is only two hours from Lexington down Interstate 64), on the road, will help to boost his team’s NET rating, a convoluted system that I’m not about to explain.  The better the NET rating a specific team has will make it more conducive to the NCAA selection committee come selection Sunday this March. 

     Coach Brooks was gratified for the UK fans, either from the Huntington area, or those who made the trip from afar, to help cheer on his team.  3,040 was the official attendance with a number of those present wearing blue.  “I hope this series continues,” Brooks noted.  “It great for both programs.”