UK vs CREIGHTON – BCG RuMoUrS

The Wildcats get a chance to play again Monday in Omaha, Neb., when they face Creighton (27-7) in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament. If they win, they will play a third-round game at Notre Dame on Wednesday.

During a Sunday news conference, UK’s coach Billy Gillispie, shrugged at intense speculation about his firing as the Cats headed for Omaha, Neb., to play Creighton in the National Invitation Tournament.

“All I do is work,” he said. “That’s all I’ve ever done (and) all I’ll ever do.”

That prompted a question: Because he does not acknowledge the public-relations component of being UK’s coach, does Gillispie want to return?

“I love it,” he said after chuckling. “I mean, I love it. I love this place.”

But Gillispie could not say at a Sunday news conference whether he will remain Kentucky’s coach next season.

Gillispie neither confirmed nor denied that UK President Lee Todd met with Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart late last week to discuss the future of the basketball program. Or whether the coach had met with either of his superiors about the program in recent days, “We meet all the time” was his response.

Creighton, winner of 12 of their last 13 games, is led in scoring at 15.7 ppg by Booker Woodfox who was also the Missouri Valley Conference player of the year…He also shoots 47.6 from 3 land, 3^rd in the nation.

I look for Darius Miller to continue his improved play. Darius has been averaging 9.3ppg over his last ten…BCG on Darius: “It is hard for a freshman, and being Mr. Basketball in this state is added pressure. (Darius) has handled. He is learning to play angles and I’m proud he is improving in that area so quickly. He is not afraid to take shots and force the action, and I have great confidence he can guard his man in the toughest situations.”

Ramon Harris on the game, “Last year we had a few ups and downs and then we got it going. We thought the same thing would happen this year, but it didn’t. This is our last chance to get it going and prove that we are better than people think”.

Indeed it is….