UK vs East Tennessee State.....A Brief Preview

Lwcat
WT Administrator

UK vs East Tennessee State....3/18-
Thursday @ 7:15PMEST/6:15PMCST CBS

Location- Johnson City, Tenn
Enrollment-13,126

Head coach- Murray Bartow
UAB-6 years- 103-83
ETSU- 7 years-138-85
Career Record-241-168 (61.9%)

Murray Bartow is the son of Gene Bartow who once coached UCLA and started the UAB program.

Atlantic Sun conf- 13-7 over Record 20-14

ETSU

PPG-69.2
FG%-43.5%
3 Pt%-31.0%
FT%-66.3%
TO's-14.9

Starting Lineup

Tommy Hubbard F-6'4" Jr. (PPG-14.1)
Isiah Brown F-6'8" Soph (PPG-7.7)
Justin Tubbs G-6'3" Jr. (PPG-12.0)
Jocolby Davis G-6'1" Sr. (PPG-2.8)
Micah Williams G-6'4" Jr. (PPG-12.5)

Other Key Players

Adam Sollazzo F-6'6" Soph (PPG-3.7)
J.C. Ward F-6'6" Fr. (PPG-2.4)
Sheldon Cooley G-6'3" Fr. (PPG-6.9)

A quick look at the ETSU starting lineup reveals a very small team, but it also reveals a very experienced team with 2 seniors and 2 juniors in the lineup. Tragically, ETSU lost 6'11" Seth Coy, who was a projected starter this season, to an auto accident last summer that cost Coy his life.

Tommy Hubbard who is ETSU's leading scorer is also their leading rebounder hauling in 8.4 PG...and Hubbard is only 6'4". Hubbard also leads the team in steals. Williams and Tubbs take the vast majority of 3 point shots and hit a very respectful 36% and 33%.

ETSU finished the year wining 9-11 and 6 straight at the end of the year. ETSU got the NCAA bid by winning the Atlantic Sun conference tourney.

Early in the year....ETSU lost at Louisville 69-56......defeated Arkansas at Arkansas 94-85......and lost to Tennessee at Knoxville 78-66.

ETSU is essentially playing a 4 guard lineup.....very likely a quick team on the floor that depends on speed and experience to win games.

UK obviously has a significant advantage in talent and height....and will be a definite favorite.....but, although a 16 seed has never defeated a 1 seed......doesn't mean it will never happen. ETSU will have nothing to lose.....they will likely play loose because no one expects them to win.....teams that are underdogs are always dangerous in the NCAA. One bad game and you're home!

However, coach Calipari will have the Cats ready to play......and as long as UK brings the same great intensity and heart to NCAA games as they showed in the SEC tourney.....the Cats will be hard to defeat. Still, it will be critical that UK improve their FT shooting as well as their 3 point shooting. Cats by 14! GO CATS!