When Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel left last night's game with a knee injury, it did not look good.
And it wasn't.
The results of Noel's MRI shows that he has a torn ACL and he will miss the remainder of the college season. He will have surgery in the next two to three weeks and the rehab will take at least six to eight months.
While it's certainly unfortunate that he has suffered the injury, he appears to have the right attitude.
Noel tweeted earlier today,"Minor setback for a MAJOR comeback! I love you all and can't thank y'all enough for the prayers."
Projected as the top pick in my NBA mock draft before the injury, it's less clear if he will enter June's NBA draft. If he does, however, he won't be able to participate in any of the pre-draft workouts and it's highly unlikely that he would be ready for the start of the 2013 NBA season.
Before last night's game, Noel had three consecutive double-doubles and he finishes the season averaging 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.4 blocks per game.
Showing posts with label Kentucky Wildcats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kentucky Wildcats. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Nerlens Noel left tonight's game with a knee injury
Kentucky freshman power forward Nerlens Noel left tonight's loss to the Florida Gators with a potentially serious knee injury.
Noel landed awkwardly after a blocked shot attempt, screamed in pain and had to be carried off the court by teammates.
Coming into tonight's game, Noel was nearly averaging a double-double (10.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game) in addition to 4.5 blocks per game, which leads the country.
Before tonight's loss, the Wildcats had won five consecutive games and made their way back into the AP Top 25 for the first time since November 26th.
In my latest NBA mock draft, Noel is the top overall pick going to the Bobcats. While he is not the consensus top choice, he will certainly be a top-five pick depending on the status of his knee injury.
Noel landed awkwardly after a blocked shot attempt, screamed in pain and had to be carried off the court by teammates.
Coming into tonight's game, Noel was nearly averaging a double-double (10.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game) in addition to 4.5 blocks per game, which leads the country.
Before tonight's loss, the Wildcats had won five consecutive games and made their way back into the AP Top 25 for the first time since November 26th.
In my latest NBA mock draft, Noel is the top overall pick going to the Bobcats. While he is not the consensus top choice, he will certainly be a top-five pick depending on the status of his knee injury.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Nerlens Noel blocks school-record 11 shots
Coming into tonight's matchup against Ole Miss, Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel was ranked second in the country in blocked shots with 4.32 per game. Plus, he was averaging nearly a double-double: 10.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
In tonight's game, Noel took only one shot, and missed it, in addition to converting on only two-of-eight free throws, but he blocked a school-record 11 shots.
As a team, Kentucky had a total of 12 blocked shots.
The previous school record was nine set by both Sam Bowie and Andre Riddick.
Noel should be a top-five pick (at least) and has a shot at being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Aside from Noel, freshmen Archie Goodwin, Alex Poythress and Willie Cauley-Stein all have a chance to be lottery picks if they declare.
In tonight's game, Noel took only one shot, and missed it, in addition to converting on only two-of-eight free throws, but he blocked a school-record 11 shots.
As a team, Kentucky had a total of 12 blocked shots.
The previous school record was nine set by both Sam Bowie and Andre Riddick.
Noel should be a top-five pick (at least) and has a shot at being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Aside from Noel, freshmen Archie Goodwin, Alex Poythress and Willie Cauley-Stein all have a chance to be lottery picks if they declare.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Final Four Prediction: Kentucky Wildcats vs. Louisville Cardinals (Trifone)
The premiere matchup this weekend is clearly Kentucky facing Louisville. Pitino vs. Calipari, vying for bragging rights and in-state basketball dominance. It is Michigan/Ohio St., Yankees/Red Sox, and Duke/UNC all rolled into one. And Pitino has done a masterful job putting all of the pressure on Kentucky. Of course, he's right, all of the pressure is on Kentucky. They are far and away the best team in college basketball, with what will likely be the top 2 picks in the draft next year.
Kentucky has steamrolled everyone.
There may have been a few moments during the tournament where a game appeared close, but that was short-lived. The Wildcats scored 102 points against Indiana in the Sweet 16, one of only two teams to knock them off this year.
102 points!
This wasn't the first round against the Savannah State Tigers or a team that went on a nice run to win their conference tournament even though they had a 12-28 record for the season. This was a top-15 Indiana basketball team in the Sweet 16. Credit Indiana, they actually played a great game. But Kentucky is just too good. For anyone that saw the first half of the Baylor game, there really isn't a lot of room for debate as to who the best team, and heavy favorite to win it all, is.
Louisville has also been fairly impressive. New Mexico posed a pretty tough challenge, but Louisville outlasted them in the Round of 32. Michigan State was the favorite to come out of the bracket, but the Cardinals smothered them defensively. The Spartans struggled against the press, but ultimately, it was their inability to score that kept them from making it a game. They scored a measly 44 points in a game that the Spartans just couldn't make any kind of run at winning. As great of a defensive game as Louisville played against the one seed, perhaps their most impressive win was over a hot Florida team. Louisville was able to stifle the Gator offense enough, and even though they were largely outplayed and trailing for most of the game, they were able to control the game down the stretch and come out with the victory. Pretty impressive that Pitino moved to 10-0 in Sweet 16 games and 7-0 against his former protege, Billy Donovan.
I'd love to go out on a limb and take Louisville to win this game. I am certainly hoping for an entertaining game, and I do believe that Louisville's defense will be able to slow Kentucky a bit. It will also be interesting to see what Pitino comes up with, knowing he is clearly overmatched from a talent perspective. The problem with taking Louisville is that even if Louisville can contain the Wildcat offense, Kentucky's defense is even better than their offense is. In a one-game situation, anything can happen although Louisville needs to be pretty close to perfect to come out on top. But I believe Kentucky is ready for the pressure, and on a mission to win the title.
Prediction: Kentucky 74, Louisville 58
[Editor's note: John Trifone (@JohnnyT0122) is the author of this post. For his prediction for the other Final Four matchup, click here.]
Kentucky has steamrolled everyone.
There may have been a few moments during the tournament where a game appeared close, but that was short-lived. The Wildcats scored 102 points against Indiana in the Sweet 16, one of only two teams to knock them off this year.
102 points!
This wasn't the first round against the Savannah State Tigers or a team that went on a nice run to win their conference tournament even though they had a 12-28 record for the season. This was a top-15 Indiana basketball team in the Sweet 16. Credit Indiana, they actually played a great game. But Kentucky is just too good. For anyone that saw the first half of the Baylor game, there really isn't a lot of room for debate as to who the best team, and heavy favorite to win it all, is.
Louisville has also been fairly impressive. New Mexico posed a pretty tough challenge, but Louisville outlasted them in the Round of 32. Michigan State was the favorite to come out of the bracket, but the Cardinals smothered them defensively. The Spartans struggled against the press, but ultimately, it was their inability to score that kept them from making it a game. They scored a measly 44 points in a game that the Spartans just couldn't make any kind of run at winning. As great of a defensive game as Louisville played against the one seed, perhaps their most impressive win was over a hot Florida team. Louisville was able to stifle the Gator offense enough, and even though they were largely outplayed and trailing for most of the game, they were able to control the game down the stretch and come out with the victory. Pretty impressive that Pitino moved to 10-0 in Sweet 16 games and 7-0 against his former protege, Billy Donovan.
I'd love to go out on a limb and take Louisville to win this game. I am certainly hoping for an entertaining game, and I do believe that Louisville's defense will be able to slow Kentucky a bit. It will also be interesting to see what Pitino comes up with, knowing he is clearly overmatched from a talent perspective. The problem with taking Louisville is that even if Louisville can contain the Wildcat offense, Kentucky's defense is even better than their offense is. In a one-game situation, anything can happen although Louisville needs to be pretty close to perfect to come out on top. But I believe Kentucky is ready for the pressure, and on a mission to win the title.
Prediction: Kentucky 74, Louisville 58
[Editor's note: John Trifone (@JohnnyT0122) is the author of this post. For his prediction for the other Final Four matchup, click here.]
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Trifone: Some NCAA Championship Futures to Capitalize On
I was looking over the odds to win the NCAA championship (at Sportsbook.com), and thought I'd see if I could find a few long shots to win the tournament. It's a little comical going down the list because there are so many teams paying enormous odds.
Gonzaga, for example, is 75-1. Bookies aren't fools, though.
They offer the huge payouts because the likelihood of one of these teams winning is far worse. I'd love to get 500-1, but Northwestern simply isn't going to rattle off six in a row in March. There were, however, a few bets; none of which I would call true "long shots" that are giving pretty good odds that have a legitimate chance to win it.
I'll say, for the record, that I think that this is the year that Calipari wins his first title, as I think that Kentucky is the best team in college basketball. Kentucky is a 2-1 favorite, which doesn't seem like very good odds, but may be pretty close to accurate. If Kentucky made a run at it and got to the Final Four, you could certainly try and hedge your bet at that point, already having 2-1 on the Wildcats. Still, taking Kentucky against the field at only 2-1 is a tough proposition.
So what are some other reasonable wagers?
Georgetown at 25-1 seems like a pretty good bet to me. They are currently number 10 in the nation and have only one loss outside of conference play. The Big East may not be as good as it's been in recent years, but it's still one of the toughest conferences in the country, and with a halfway decent draw, Georgetown could certainly make some noise.
Michigan State at 12-1 is another decent play. The Big Ten is the premiere conference this year and Michigan State has posted a 10-3 record in conference play. They are currently number seven in the country, and let's be honest; doesn't Tom Izzo make the Final Four like every year?
North Carolina and Syracuse are both 8-1. Carolina has underachieved this year. They certainly have the talent to win it all, but have yet to put it all together this season. In the UNC-Duke rivalry, I'm a Carolina guy, but to date they haven't made me believe they're going to win it all this year. I'd stay away from them, even at 8-1. Syracuse, on the other hand, is a more intriguing play. Their only loss this season was on the road to a solid Notre Dame team. No team goes undefeated anymore, especially not in a conference as competitive as the Big East. Earlier in the season, Syracuse looked pretty unbeatable. They have been a bit more vulnerable of late, with very close victories at home against West Virginia and Georgetown, and with just a one-point road win at Louisville. Still, Syracuse has been impressive, and if they can rebound the ball, they can beat anyone in the country. They're a virtual lock for a one seed, so should be positioned for a deep run. I'll take 8-1 on the Orange.
The last bet I like is a Missouri team, who is also 8-1 to win it all. Missouri is for real this year, losing only two games (both in conference), and currently ranked third in the nation. Since losing at Oklahoma State on January 25th, Missouri has rattled off seven wins in a row, beating Texas and Oklahoma on the road, as well as number eight ranked Kansas and number six ranked Baylor. Missouri has great guards, and can hit free throws down the stretch; something that can be extremely important at the end of tight games.
All of these futures wagers are tough to predict, especially because the bracket you draw plays such a big role. But at this point in the season, these are a few of the bets I like. Georgetown's 25-1 looks the most attractive, but my favorite bet would be Missouri at 8-1.
[Editor's note: This post is by John Trifone (@JohnnyT0122), who also contributes at our NFL site: Eat, Drink and Sleep Football (see John's archives).]
Gonzaga, for example, is 75-1. Bookies aren't fools, though.
They offer the huge payouts because the likelihood of one of these teams winning is far worse. I'd love to get 500-1, but Northwestern simply isn't going to rattle off six in a row in March. There were, however, a few bets; none of which I would call true "long shots" that are giving pretty good odds that have a legitimate chance to win it.
I'll say, for the record, that I think that this is the year that Calipari wins his first title, as I think that Kentucky is the best team in college basketball. Kentucky is a 2-1 favorite, which doesn't seem like very good odds, but may be pretty close to accurate. If Kentucky made a run at it and got to the Final Four, you could certainly try and hedge your bet at that point, already having 2-1 on the Wildcats. Still, taking Kentucky against the field at only 2-1 is a tough proposition.
So what are some other reasonable wagers?
Georgetown at 25-1 seems like a pretty good bet to me. They are currently number 10 in the nation and have only one loss outside of conference play. The Big East may not be as good as it's been in recent years, but it's still one of the toughest conferences in the country, and with a halfway decent draw, Georgetown could certainly make some noise.
Michigan State at 12-1 is another decent play. The Big Ten is the premiere conference this year and Michigan State has posted a 10-3 record in conference play. They are currently number seven in the country, and let's be honest; doesn't Tom Izzo make the Final Four like every year?
North Carolina and Syracuse are both 8-1. Carolina has underachieved this year. They certainly have the talent to win it all, but have yet to put it all together this season. In the UNC-Duke rivalry, I'm a Carolina guy, but to date they haven't made me believe they're going to win it all this year. I'd stay away from them, even at 8-1. Syracuse, on the other hand, is a more intriguing play. Their only loss this season was on the road to a solid Notre Dame team. No team goes undefeated anymore, especially not in a conference as competitive as the Big East. Earlier in the season, Syracuse looked pretty unbeatable. They have been a bit more vulnerable of late, with very close victories at home against West Virginia and Georgetown, and with just a one-point road win at Louisville. Still, Syracuse has been impressive, and if they can rebound the ball, they can beat anyone in the country. They're a virtual lock for a one seed, so should be positioned for a deep run. I'll take 8-1 on the Orange.
The last bet I like is a Missouri team, who is also 8-1 to win it all. Missouri is for real this year, losing only two games (both in conference), and currently ranked third in the nation. Since losing at Oklahoma State on January 25th, Missouri has rattled off seven wins in a row, beating Texas and Oklahoma on the road, as well as number eight ranked Kansas and number six ranked Baylor. Missouri has great guards, and can hit free throws down the stretch; something that can be extremely important at the end of tight games.
All of these futures wagers are tough to predict, especially because the bracket you draw plays such a big role. But at this point in the season, these are a few of the bets I like. Georgetown's 25-1 looks the most attractive, but my favorite bet would be Missouri at 8-1.
[Editor's note: This post is by John Trifone (@JohnnyT0122), who also contributes at our NFL site: Eat, Drink and Sleep Football (see John's archives).]
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