Merrill

UK Graduate. Sports Writer. Past: NkyTribune, Mount Carmel Register and Princeton Daily Clarion. Thoughts are my own.

[Merrill @Emerrill2]

@AllMikedUp Nailed it!

[Cincinnati Reds @Reds]

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[Brandon Phillips @DatDudeBP]

My career included stops in other cities and I loved my time with those clubs. But for me, y’all know DAMN well Cincinnati is my HOME. I love the city, my teammates, especially the FANS. I can finally say, I’m a RED4LIFE!💯🫡 #RedsCountry

[Cincinnati Bengals @Bengals]

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[Merrill @Emerrill2]

@KyleTuckerCBB Dude’s playing with tremendous effort - but has thrown up some of the most ridiculous layups I’ve ever seen tonight.

[Merrill @Emerrill2]

Wouldn’t be a Doug Shows appearance without putting a team’s best player in foul trouble 1:20 into a final four contest.

[ARC 360 Podcast @ARC360Pod]

Episode 3 just dropped!

@ShagariAlleyne joins former UK players on ARC 360 🔥

Final Four takes, UK coaching chaos, draft prospects & Keeneland opening day!

Full ep out NOW on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts 👇

What’s your take on the next UK coach?

#KentuckyWildcats

[Merrill @Emerrill2]

@EricYearian @bigbluekodakk Yep, that became the absolute icing on the cake of it too.

[Merrill @Emerrill2]

@ChrisFisherKY Just completely exposed in not having a point guard in a game that physical.

[Merrill @Emerrill2]

@BleedBNetwork Is JJ basically responsible for the game getting out of hand and flipping? Yeah. But when Kentucky had Chandler, Oweh and Aberdeen all with two fouls in the first half, he was always going to have to look somewhere.

Unfortunately Kentucky just doesn’t have anyone to call on.

[Merrill @Emerrill2]

@joshLovethatwoa @StevenPeakeKSR That was a regular season game in December - and Kentucky lost.

[NCAA March Madness @MarchMadnessMBB]

NO. WAY. 😱

WE'RE GOING TO OVERTIME!!! #MarchMadness

[Merrill @Emerrill2]

Man, as good as Otega Oweh has been today, he’s forced some shots on some really, really critical possessions today.

Could’ve extended Kentucky‘s lead, instead low quality shots.

[Merrill @Emerrill2]

@AmwFreshprince @TristanUda The forcing, hero ball from Oweh and Aberdeen in that first half is the only reason Kentucky’s trailing at halftime.

Not enough extra passes, instead trying to settle for iso matchups and take contested shots or turning it over.

[Merrill @Emerrill2]

@KyleTuckerCBB And to clarify - the fixation is not solely by you, Kyle. Just feels a whole lot of nothing turned into a big deal.

[Merrill @Emerrill2]

@KyleTuckerCBB Pope’s had some head scratching, bizarre comments this year no doubt. But the fixation over his response here is even more bizarre.

He responds how you’re insinuating he ‘should have’, he’s shamed for attacking an athlete - hurting recruiting, not focusing on task at hand, etc.

[Merrill @Emerrill2]

@Jakesbbn Certainly has his faults. But all year it’s been a ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ approach to every comment he makes.

[Merrill @Emerrill2]

@JacksonCollier SEC flagrant foul reviews have been so inconsistent this week. There have been a number more egregious than that in Nashville this week called as common fouls (or nothing). Yet a clear common foul is flagrant in the SEC Championship game?

Yikes.

[Merrill @Emerrill2]

@simms13111 @KyleTuckerCBB Like in seeing these two teams compete, Florida’s a team that has a very clear blueprint. Bought in on both sides of the basketball, shooters to surround a platoon of dominant bigs. Play at a fast pace. You contrast with Kentucky - there’s not really anything that stands out.

[Merrill @Emerrill2]

@simms13111 @KyleTuckerCBB Roster construction is obviously screaming as the major flaw. But the lack of identity is the major concern. It’s really like Pope’s aside himself on how to coach this team (though the two issues might be intertwined).

Obviously injuries have played a major role as well though.