RAGS TO RICHES~

I was fully prepared for the ending scenario when Walker hit that jumper. With complete confidence, I announced this would be a good L to build upon. Boy, am I TICKLED BLUE they made a liar out of me! (:

The Cats are finding the way to WIN & they’re not doing it quietly. Their youth brings  2 dangerous elements to the game in sheer athleticism, which negates many of the DUMB FRESHMEN mistakes that are expected & the absence of the common sense factor— what I mean by that is … they don’t have enough sense to respect & fear players that command said respect such as Dyson. Ya gotta love it! As nerve racking & hair pulling it is… we haven’t had a legitimate reason to be this excited since the mid 90’s. I cried during the Carolina game & I’m not ashamed to admit it— those of us that have been w/UK since birth/life long UNDERSTAND completely what we’ve been craving and missing for oh so long.
Well….
Crave no more & get your seconds at the buffet. The feast is upon us & the company couldn’t be better. For all you newcomers & bandwagon jumpers straighten up & pay attention…… you’re getting ready to witness KENTUCKY BASKETBALL full throttle, no holds barred, no mercy,  total domination of a fever frenzied BIG BLUE NATION tanked up on FRENZY FUEL being pumped out by this team—  just waiting to explode. THIS IS KENTUCKY BASKETBALL & THIS IS WHAT WE LIVE FOR, THRIVE ON & EXPECT!!!
Thank Rupp we finally hit rock bottom (shaken, not stirred). Through our failures we have learned the toughest of all lessons how to triumph when the deck is stacked against ya in every aspect known to the game.
I have been rather reserved in allowing comparison to our revered 1996 Cats, mainly because that was & is the greatest college team ever assembled. The reservations are slowly starting to raise to comparison. Make no mistake…. these Cats aren’t there yet—-far too many lessons to be learned, but the GLIMPSES OF GREATNESS the clinic passing in the 1st half between Bledsoe & Wall w/Wall on the finish— FREEZE! SNAP SHOT THAT FRAME… REWIND—-> THERE IT IS!!! DO YOU SEE IT???
It’s okay— go ahead trust your instincts “COUSIN” seein is believin! Proof was in the finishing points.
I’m officially shmoozing over this bunch. Can’t call it love just yet & it’s gonna take an awful lot more than these past couple of games to end my love affair w/Derek Anderson & Company but BOY do I ever eat up the flirts & come hithers that this team is giving.
Last night, I gave props to UConn & with good reason. We haven’t faced competition from the likes of which they gave till last night. Fellow Felines THAT TEAM HAS GAME & they brought it & SHOULD BE RANKED HIGHER THAN 12!! The important thing is we weathered the storm w/o Wall & that is going to be absolutely critical down the stretch. Producing w/o him on the floor—– When he went out w/2 fouls I figured that Cal~ was gonna let UConn have their run as long as it didn’t reach double digits, saving Wall for the 2nd. It wasn’t pretty, but they indeed weathered the storm & hung in their like warriors. Especially w/the Zebra’s gettin whistle happy—- which, I believe is one area we’re gonna get better in as the season continues. Fouls are just as much a part of the game & learning how to incorporate them comes w/time. Daniel’s foul out — was an example of a GOOD HARD FOUL & it paid off. LMAO—> although I firmly believe he didn’t aim to do commit it! Still, sent em to the line where 1 was the result rather than a HYPER deuce to blow the roof off the Garden. UConn had to work for those shots…. which is exactly what we want. Make em work, ware em down & then move in for the kill!
We get beat in Rebounding & Assists add to that the momentum was clearly swinging UConn way & STILL FIND A WAY TO WIN…. WALL WALL WALL — Oh whadda a difference a premier point guard makes (anyCat still hittin the sales pitch for Porter? LOL) and although he did it down the stretch establishing himself as our GO TO CAT. Let’s not forget what it took to get there— A SOLID TEAM EFFORT that was turned in by HARRIS (damn that kids brings D!), COUSINS, ORTON & last but never ever least PATTERSON!
One of the greatest things about Wall that is going unmentioned is ——-
HE ELEVATES THE WHOLE TEAM & brings the I BELIEVE’S into their HEARTS & MINDS. I wonder— really wonder …. our we seeing the next MJ coming to the NBA in the form of a ALL SMILES, WELL ROUNDED, INTELLIGENT, EXCEPTIONAL Phenom known as the GREAT WALL of KY?
That’s a big a brag to be sure… but then again… I allow myself to believe & dream ….. and WHAT IF—-
AND BETTER YET…. this one didn’t come outta Carolina— but BIG BLUE NATION & I’m proud to call him ours! (:
Ya’ll I urge you to enjoy this season and embrace it w/everything you’ve got. It’s going to be over in a blink of an eye— it’s already flying by & I don’t wanna miss a thing.

I can’t say enough how much we deserve this. But you know what—- OUR WILDCATS deserve it even more… especially our returning players who suffered through Hell & Humiliation— WIN OR LOSE, in the end…. they indeed have the HEART OF A CHAMPION & our capturing ours with every tick of the clock.
WE ARE KENTUCKY HEAR US ROAR!
Ms.Cats~

Numbed By The Wall

I’m still a little numb.  Sure, it helps that I had to drive in this frigid cold this morning, but I was just as numb when I went to bed and through the night as I am now.  The final horn last night was a sound that made you sit back off the edge of your seat for the first time in two hours and go, “Whoh”.  It was that kind of game.

 

And we should expect that type of game at Kentucky.  We deserve that type of game.  What made it that type of game was a very tough and talented UConn team.  This was a game where you win, but you have to tip your hat to the other guys and say, “Damned well played”.  Kentucky made it that type of game.  OK, let’s be perfectly honest for a second.  John Wall made it that type of game.  He almost single handedly kick started UK to a 12-0 lead and he almost single handedly carried UK down the stretch.  The start was fools gold at its finest.  Getting cheap baskets is great.  Getting cheap baskets is a must.  But you can’t get cheap baskets the entire game and you can’t win by relying on cheap baskets.  Wall had some help making it that kind of game from Harris.  I’m not sure if many understood as it was happening, but without Harris’ defensive team work on Dyson UK loses this game going away.  The guy was killing UK and the combo if Wall and Harris switching to him effectively took him out of the game and he eventually went to the bench for good.  To all of those that said Harris would never be a player, its time for crow because the kid’s got game.  He may not score a bunch of points, but he has been a positive difference maker in every game and I don’t see that changing.  Orton and Stevenson also helped make it this kind of game, although the rebounding for all but a few stints was horrid and I did not see one block out by a Cat.  Note to the Cats:  Giving up three offensive boards on one possession will lead to bad things PLUS a foul; every time. 

Things missing were Miller, which isn’t much new.  His failure to execute plays called for him and failure to rotate on defense were major contributors to UConn’s success.  Patterson got 16 points, but was pretty much missing when you consider Patterson is Patterson.  Stats to note: 4 boards, 0 assists, 0 turnovers, 2 blks (blked twice himself).  Those are pretty mundane numbers for Patterson.  Big Cuz was a difference maker in the second half but the liability on the board fundamentals negated most of what he did positively in the game. 

 

The question MUST be:  Where would UK be without John Wall?  I really don’t even want to think about the answer.  He was huge to start the game and over life sized down the stretch.  The kid looks to get others involved, but lets be honest in that he wasn’t getting much help on the offensive end and the two assists says more about his team mates than it says of his game.  Cal is right, this TEAM is not very good at all.  Wall has his own areas he needs work on.  He doesn’t understand tempo, or maybe better said, he doesn’t know how to play well at different tempos.  But knocking Wall for anything is like knocking a super model who has a small birth mark on the back of her thy.  Last night I said that UK is exactly two points better than anyone they play.  What I should have said was Wall is two points better than anyone UK plays.  I think the staff needs to seriously give Wall a week off and MAKE this team learn how to do it without him.   Hold him out of practice, games, the whole bit.  At this point this season may very well come down to whether Wall is in the game at the end or not, and it isn’t fair to Wall to have to lose because of it.

 

While the wall show didn’t get the sort of help he deserves, part of that has to go on UConn and the Refs.  I don’t usually complain about officiating but those guys were horrid on both ends and the more ugly the game the more it favored UConn.  Charges called blocks, blocks called charges, goal tending calls on blocks, blocks called goaltending moving picks on both ends, a UConn player taking four steps with the ball and no call.  I’ve played in games like this and it’s really hard to do anything when there is no consistency in the calls. 

 

Having said all of this, I wouldn’t have traded my numbness for anything in the world.  This is a great numb compared to the bad numb going back to 2003.  I’m ready for more!!

Assignment: Define Success.

SUCCESS:
1. the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors.
2. the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like.
3. a successful performance or achievement: The play was an instant success.
4. a person or thing that is successful

Not to be confused w/Expectations.
Expectations:
1. the act or the state of expecting: to wait in expectation.
2. the act or state of looking forward or anticipating.
3. an expectant mental attitude: a high pitch of expectation.
4. something expected; a thing looked forward to.
5. Often, expectations. a prospect of future good or profit: to have great expectations.
6. the degree of probability that something will occur: There is little expectation that he will come.

Clearly, expectations can be weaved right into the oh so tempting but deadly web of Hope.

We all know what the Media thinks– we define Success only in  terms of a National Championship. WRONG! Most of those analysts, guru’s & know it all’s must have been sleepin through English Class & have chosen to take the easy route by labeling & writing w/o all the facts.
Myth:
KY FANS DEFINE SUCCESS as winning a National Title every single season.
Fact: We measure our SUCCESS  on how we compete every season. Here in lay’s the expectation….. for, our definition of compete is a lot of different than — oh let’s say Towson’s. You know what I mean & if I haft to explain well… Go Copy off Hubert Davis when you take your quiz.

So exactly what would a Successful Season entail for the Mega-Talented Cats. A smart Cat knows there are no WRONG ANSWERS to that question but at the same time it delivers a lot of debate & when it’s at its best is HEATED– which is one of the things that makes us HATED BY MANY, REVERED BY THE KNOWLEDGEABLE & ADMIRED BY MOST.
So….. Here is what I’m grading on for a SUCCESSFUL SEASON.
1st off: We’re on our way, the effort is showing great promise of doing exactly what a TOP 10 team is supposed to do—- OBLITERATE CUPCAKES! These games are nothin but glorified practices and as we learn, we are also forcing our opponents to STAND UP & RECOGNIZE. I HEAR THUNDER!!! — now We’ll Wait for Late January to bring the Lightning that will announce the coming Storm that will REIGN down through March! Success always has a beginning….
2. Carolina goes down & we beat them to 2000….. No fret Cats— this will be a WAR, but I’m tellin you right here, right now, tackling them early on & in RUPP— this is the YEAR & WE WILL PREVAIL!
3. Which brings me to UofJail.  This almost by itself has the power to make or break a SUCCESSFUL SEASON. As bad as I hate to admit that, it’s true.
W/that said— YES LOSERVILLE MUST BE BEAT!! BADLY—is most preferred. (:
4. You know,  it does NO justice for the SEC  Conference (as a whole) when KY is down. Like it or not, our conference relies on us to be BIGGER THAN LIFE & WIN, WIN BIG. Let’s face it when the Media looks to the SEC, all eyes are on Lexington.
It’s time to TAKE BACK OUR KINGDOM!!
SEC outright CHAMPIONSHIP & A solid SEC TOURNAMENT RUN is a MUST.
5. Sweet 16 in the Dance. (Remember this is SUCCESS, not EXPECTATIONS)
I really don’t think that’s asking a whole lot but at the same time I challenge them to meet and/or exceed these goals. Rupp forbid, if it doesn’t happen…. Well, I STILL LOVE MY CATS & ALWAYS WILL.
One thing you can rest assure— WE WILL COMPETE & IT WILL BE FUN! Really, you can’t ask for much more– but this isn’t Towson now is it?! (: (Sorry Towson, you’re my whippin boy this week— deal!)

Let’s tap “DANCE” right into that tempting web of Hope & Expectations for a spell.
I EXPECT TO RULE THE SEC
I EXPECT TO GET NO LESS THAN A 3 SEED IN THE DANCE
I EXPECT A FINAL FOUR APPEARANCE.
I HOPE & PRAY FOR A SHOT AT THE NATIONAL TITLE.
Hey, the Yankees just broke in their NEW HOME under a NEW KING—- WHY CAN’T WE TAKE BACK OUR HOME & TITLE W/THE NEW KING OF THE BLUEGRASS.

There’s a big difference between those 2 isn’t there. Funny thing is… the Media discredits us by using our hopes against us which blinds college bb to the greatest gift KY FANS offer— KNOWLEDGE of the game.

Things to watch for this season:
Cal weaving his magic in getting our Freshman to gel w/our veterans. This is not going to be an easy spell to cast. THERE IS NO I in TEAM & making KIDS not only comprehend that BUT BELIEVE IN IT is a CHALLENGE. If this doesn’t happen, we’ll never see what this team is truly capable of… Oh sure, it would probably be a successful season but just THINK OF THE POTENTIAL of this team as 1—– LOL Skeery HUH! (:
Patterson learning his new position & getting more touches on the ball. This will come w/time, I’m sure.
Wall & Bledsoe rippin defenses to shreds! YIKES! Dare I say we possibly have the BEST backcourt in the nation…. I’m a watchin for it, how bout you?!
Witnessing this team of Boys become MEN on the Court!

Agree or not: these are my standards & I’m stickin to em…. course I’ve been known to grade on the “Billy Curve.”
Now it’s your turn!
Assignment Define Success. No copying! I’m watching you! You have 1 week so get on it!
LUVTHOSECALICATS!
Ms.Cats~

Observation from Section 39

Fellow Cats a CAT FAN was born again last night & I have been put on notice—-
“Mommy, you’re not goin to another game w/o ME!” Me’s so proud!!!
Last night was HER night & it took everything in me to keep from sayin— Shush, let me watch this game in peace w/o all the d*mned question….. (we had basketball 101 last night). <---- That's okay, how else is she gonna learn.

Boy it was bad fer a time----- cheered like the Coach w/No Name coached--- LMAO she was screamin Defense when we're on offense ---- I got that straightened out QUICK FAST & IN A HURRY! Wanted to know all the players----- Her favorite is PSquared and she's lovin Bledsoe. Not bad taste huh! When Coach Cal came out --- Top of her lungs ---- LOOK MOMMY IT'S COACH CAL!!! (: She was a real section pleaser!

Still diggin on the seats---- and the feller that has them is gonna give me 1st dibs on em for any games he can't make --- there's 4 of em so keep a weather eye out CATS.... last minute on that kinda stuff, ya know.

Now on to what ya'll wanna hear:
I haven't had time to read Boo's write-up....that's what I was gonna do for my piece this week but since he beat me to the draw...... I'll just give my thoughts right cheer! (:
OUR TALENT is masking our ball handling skills or lack thereof----- it's okay, I think a lot of that will be diminishing as they learn the DDMO. We shoulda been on the glass more --- our bigs got lazy for lack of a better word---- So overall, I think what we witnessed there was something Coach Cal~ will haft to address in that good ol fashioned class of Maintaining a HUGE lead---- they slacked off is what it looked like to me. Man o Man--- we're gonna be super wicked nasty in the back court when Wall joys Bledsoe--- I expect to see better ball distribution then as well. Glimpses of greatness is cause & effect w/this squad when one gets on it... it is actually motivating the rest --- I CAN DO THIS! ----> something we haven’t seen in a long long time. THEY HAD FUN!
COUSINS worries me—– no, not that bad…. but did we just get a preview of HABITUAL FOUL TROUBLE…. he’s gonna haft to get that gargantuan size of his under control. We’re gonna be BEAST in the paint—-> THAT’S OUR TERRITORY & TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT ON SIGHT!
DODSON—> where are the critics now?! And dare I say…. he’s got the maturity and leadership skills to Co-Captain, if you will, along side of Pat…… Mr. Cool Calm & Confident he is…..
Liggins has disappeared—- The Kool One and I discussed this briefly and I can’t help but wonder if it’s attitude or lazy work ethic—- the jury is out. I hate this for him & my cat senses find it hard not to blame that Coach w/no Name.
Gotta get the lanes cleared ——

Overall…… B- with an A in effort and that is for the hustle after the ball and you can actually see these Guys learning—– it’s gonna take a group effort and that includes us gettin behind them. Ya know 23 TO’s is a scandalous affair to be sure, but what I seen w/those TO’s wasn’t stupidity—but learning & catching themselves…. Harrellson for instance…… pointing at his chest…. as in “OH SH*T, yeah that was me & Yeah, I know what I did.” SUCCESS through Trial & Error will be our’s. Lots of work to be done between now & Carolina. Our ranking might be a lil high right now— but I’m not fussin bout it.

BECAUSE IT’S THERE—- JUST HASN’T ALL COME TOGETHER JUST YET.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT————

IT’S GONNA & THAT’S THE FACTS JACK!

Blue White Game

Boy was that fun. The blue white game just finished and a Realtor came to show the house I’m in to a nice couple. She is from Louisville and we had fun dissing each other. Next to the game and her nose ring it made my day.

How do you start to describe the potential this team has. I haven’t seen the final stats yet but #8 could happen this year if things go right.

Start with Patrick Patterson. If he isn’t first team All American this year there should be a lynching at some news outlet. He did everything in this game. Faced the basket, made the outside shot, rebounded, played with his back to the basket, ran the break and dunked for a total of 24 points.

The competition between Wall and Bledsoe was fun to watch. Both look to score or make sure someone scores every time they touch the ball. The only person thats gonna stop them is themselves.

Josh Harrellson prove again that the coach with no name was out of his frickin head not to use the kid. He made 3’s, rebounded on both boards and proved hes going to be an asset to this team. He simply plays the game the right way considering his physical abilities. He finished the game with 13 points and 14 rebounds and wont have to sit in the bathroom this year.

Darnell Dodson showed us he can shoot, run the floor and will thrive in coaches offense with 23 points. He needs to work a little more on his penetration but hes gonna score the points outside to keep teams honest.

Darius Miller was quiet in the first half but showed he will do what is needed on defense. He came alive at the start of the second half using his shot game well.

Jon Hood missed most of his 3’s but he sure has a beautiful floater on the drive and is gonna be hard to keep on the bench.

Harris shot his 3’s with confidence and played good defense. He still looks a little clumsy on his drives but will see some playing time.

Cousins and Orton can clog up the middle against big teams, have the ability to score on both the run and on the drive. They combined for 30 points and several nice passes. Both their weaknesses seem to be stopping Wall and Bledsoe on the drive but who’s gonna do that.

Mark Krebs showed he can shoot and looked a lot more comfortable than he did at midnight madness. Did Perry Stevenson play?

And finally DeAndre Liggins had to have fouled out twice but looked a lot more in control than last year.

Defensively this team is going to be real good with the press. The starting Blue team showed they will be the same in the half court game.

The second half showed that these players are able to play togeather no matter who is in the game.

John Wall and Eric Bledsoe are gonna be important to this team but the key player is still Patrick Patterson.

CALIPARI MAY BRING COUSINS, HENRY TO UK WITH HIM…IF

He comes….

AND…. Gary Parrish, of CBSSports.com, is reporting that ESPN #1 overall 2009 recruit Xavier Henry has a clause in his Letter of Intent that requires Memphis to release him without stipulations, if Calipari leaves the Tigers. Henry is a 6’6″, 210 lb shooting guard from Oklahoma.

AND…Demarcus Cousins?

Who is this man-child, and how much would it improve UK’s team to have him? Well the 6-foot-9, 250-pound Cousins is rated the No. 1 power forward, and No. 2 prospect in the country. He considered UK early in the recruiting process while attending one of Gillispie’s summer camps, but ultimately gave a surprising verbal commitment to UAB which he rescinded to pledge to Memphis and Calipari.

How much he would improve a front line loaded with Patrick Patterson, Matt Pilgrim, Orton, Perry Stevenson, et al, is anyone’s guess, but can we say bulls on the boards? That’s what we’ll have if we add the beast Cousins to the mix….

Now that John Calapari is courting the job at UK, Demarcus’ mom was ask how they were taking the sudden news: “The things that have developed over the last 24 hours or so, he is not too aware of,” Ms. Cousins said. “He’s at the aquarium today with the (McDonald’s All-American) group. I’m sure if they had any down time, that someone has mentioned it to him. Right now, we haven’t talked about it.”

On John Calapari:

“He likes the way he motivates his players, said Ms. Cousins. “He has watched Coach Cal for a long period of time. He is the type of coach that is very up-front. There’s no gray area. You know right away that his way is the way it is. You learn and he pushes you, and that is what DeMarcus likes about him.”

Kenny Walker, former UK star and NBA player, seemed ecstatic over the possibility of John Calipari joining the Wildcats as head coach:

He has a very charismatic personality. He’s a great communicator. He’s a great motivator. He’s a proven recruiter. Those are all things you need at the University of Kentucky,” said Walker. “He really has all the qualities you need for this job. He’s very good with fans and the media. He relates well to the players. He is the complete package.”

“All I have heard about Calipari is how much fun it is to play for him and that’s what college basketball is about. Get an education, get some exposure for yourself and have fun. Then take it to the next level if you can. “He will get guys to do that and make it pleasant experience for them, and I don’t think that has been the case at Kentucky the last two years.”

HARANGODY=HARD TO GUARD

UK VS NOTRE DAME –

Before his freshman season, even Luke Harangody’s parents were sceptical when Irish coach Mike Brey suggested he would make “an immediate impact. Brey continued, “He’s as good a story as they come. When his parents heard me say how important he’d be as a freshman, they looked at each other like, ‘You’re sure we’re talking about Luke?’ He’s turned into a player capable of dominating in the best league in the country.

Luke Harangody has proved to be very hard to guard in his last couple of seasons at Notre Dame…The 6’8” 255lb PF has lead the Big East in scoring the last two seasons, and this year averages 23.3ppg in leading the Irish. The Big East is considered the toughest conference this year, and Luke represents the toughest player in the toughest conference…Many think that Luke will be a better NBA player than that other BIG kid, whose name also starts with an “H”.

What Harangody might lack in athleticism, he makes up for in brute strength inside and a deft touch from the outside. Patrick Patterson, UK’s big man, obviously respects his game and details the challenges he will face in guarding the Big Man, “With his size, strength and height you can tell that he’s obviously a post player,” Patterson said. “But when he gets the basketball, he’s able to shoot turnaround fadeaways, step back dribble fadeaways. He’s shooting threes.” AND “”It means I have to play it all over the place,” the Kentucky sophomore predicted. “I know he can post up but I’ll have to play with him out on the perimeter where normally I can back up with big men. Inside the post, he’s a lot stronger and wider than me so I know he’s going to try to back me down and overpower me.”

UK is playing after surviving a second round game with Creighton 65-63 before a roaring crowd in Omaha, Neb., on Monday night. Jodie Meeks scored the last 5 points of the game to put it in the win column for the Wildcats.

The Irish suffered 10 of their 14 losses in the rugged Big East conference, which still has 5 teams in the sweet sixteen, a first….The winner of this game moves one step close to the NIT Championship AND goes on to New York City’s HaLLowed Madison Square Garden for the semi-finals of the NIT. Tipoff is 7p.m. tonight at the Joyce Center on the campus of Notre Dame.

UK ESCAPES CREIGHTON 65-63!

Amid swirling rumours as to his future as UK’s basketball coach, Billy Clyde Gillispie took his basketball team to Omaha Nebraska to take on a Creighton Blue Jays squad that has been on a roll of sorts winning 12 of their last 13 games. They certainly represented an almost impossible task and a tough out for a team like UK that went in the other direction over their last 13 games, dropping 9 of those…

UK rode the backs of its two leading scores, Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson, who sit out most of the first half with foul trouble. Patrick was a warrior inside the entire second half and Jodie won the game, scoring the last 5 points, after being held in check most of the night…

BCG is right, this team has matured over the past couple of weeks, because this is one of those games that they lost all season, but this one, well.., they found a way to win, using their “bunker mentality” says Glenn Cyprien, assistant coach. Example: UK was down by 3 points with 1:25 seconds to play…Jodie Meeks scored a layup, and was fouled on a driving shot in the lane, for the old fashion 3 point play…The final margin of 2, with 7.5 seconds, left was the largest lead for a UK team that fought to stay even all night…

One indicator of team maturity is the fact that UK executed all five of it’s time out plays, including the all important one to Meeks that won the game. “I just think we’re executing a lot better overall, but coming out of timeouts people realize their assignments and are carrying them out the right way,” sophomore Patrick Patterson said. “Coach always has an arsenal of plays and tonight we executed them a bunch of times,” said Patterson, who was on the giving and receiving end of the set plays. “Down the stretch, it enabled us to score when it mattered the most.”

But, again, the biggest story was the way they played in winning their second straight NIT matchup. Defeating what was considered the strongest team in the field, will go a long way for the team’s confidence come Wednesday Night against Notre Dame.

Indeed, UK was the underdog here, and seemed to relish the role, playing in front of a sold-out Qwest Arena…There’s nothing that can quell the rumours like a team that comes out, and plays as if there is none…BCG intimated that he and the players were having fun, “…Shoot, our guys are having fun, I’m having fun and we’re going to go after it.”

BCG seems to be an “old school”, throw- back, type coach, who is not concerned with social graces, hence his problems at UK. There’s is no doubt he could have chosen his words much better in many encounters with the press this year, and with his own in-house media people. Hopefully, the gist of Friday’s meeting will alleviate that situation…

He is a single man who lives and breathes basketball, and two years ago we were told by this very administration that HE would be THE FIT for UK basketball. If he goes, he has not had sufficient chance, by any means, to build a team and the error is UK.

To say that a man cannot change, as some in the media have suggested, is an awful stigma on one’s persona. Patrick Patterson intimates that Billy Gillespie has ALREADY changed, “”Coach will ask our opinions. He’ll ask if we see anything out there and he’ll take it to heart,” Patterson added. “I think he’s come a long way from last year because he didn’t do that too much. But we’re all a lot more comfortable with each other.” THEY better have a top notch coach waiting in the wings, or it might be a difficult search for a new ONE….

30 YEARS FOR THE WIN! UK 70 UNLV 60

UK stumbled out of the gate last night, but rallied to take a 20 point lead before holding off a furious comeback by UNLV. Indeed, the friendly confines of Memorial Coliseum seemed to energize our lads as the crowd screamed wildly on every play…Win or lose, this is the way the game supposes to be played, in front of a bunch of screaming fans….

UK made 5 turnovers in their first 9 possessions last night, but righted the ship and blowed out to a 20 point lead on UNLV, who made that furious comeback in the second half using the same formula that has killed UK all season. Namely, they “spread ‘em out” and shoot the 3 ball AND, theirs starting falling to make the game even more interesting, as if it weren’t fun enough, what with the crowd that was in Memorial Gym last night…

Fans got a chance to see the Cats that would not normally get in, and they responded commensurate to the occasion. Wildly cheering every play, the Cats were spurred on to play the best basketball they had played this year.

The cats were lead by committee, as everyone got in on the fun. Jodie Meeks had 19 points, and Patrick Patterson added 16. At one point in the first half of the game, all 9 players who played for UK had scored. UK, perhaps spurred on by this raucous crowd, hit 15 of 19 shots during one stretch, and ran out to a 20 point lead.

Memorial Coliseum was rocking last night, as predicted… Nicknamed, “The White Elephant”, back in the day, because people said they would never fill it, It was as if the Old Building held all the crowds that, “would have been there”, over the last 30 years, as the gym absolutely exploded with the sounds of squeaky gym shoes, players, coaches, cheerleaders, but most of all the FANS..YES, these same fans that have supported this program for the last 5 scores and some years showed up ONE MORE TIME in the Old Lady, the Queen of College Basketball, if you will, stand up and take your bow!

Memorial Coliseum, where the legends were made right there next to the road you know –SITS THERE ALL ALONE, BUT LAST NIGHT SOMETHING MAGICAL HAPPENED – A puzzled coach brought in a bunch of kids who had played “baby” ball all year, and they grew up right before our eyes; with the accompanist named Memorial Coliseum – FANS INCLUDED.

NIT TOURNAMENT UK vs UNLV

As expected the University of Kentucky Wildcats did not receive a bid to the NCAA tournament from the selection committee on Sunday…They will instead accept the bid to the NIT, where they well be matched up in the first round against the Runnin Rebels of UNLV with coach Lon Kruger.

UK will host UNLV at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday night in Memorial Coliseum. UK will be a four seed in a region that also has the top-seeded Creighton. Now that UK is playing in the JV tournament, I suggest that they make the most of it. There may be some fans that get to see them that would otherwise not have that opportunity.

Patrick Patterson had his own opinion of the NIT: “If we could win the NIT that could carry over to next year, that would be a huge confidence boost and weight lifted off our shoulders. We’ve had a not so good season and everyone is frustrated but making a run in the NIT would help”

Ramon Harris sees it as “a chance to play more basketball”, and indeed it is. UK will be playing its first game in Memorial Coliseum since the end of the 1975-76 season when the Wildcats moved to Rupp Arena.

“We are happy to still be playing,” Gillispie said. “There are 330 some teams and they all want to play in the NCAA and that’s not possible for every team every year. We will try to represent ourselves the best way we can.”

So his players seem eager to play?

“I am not a mind reader. We had a really good practice last night. I would expect we will play well and we will have to play well to advance against a very good team,” Gillispie said.

UNLV won AT Louisville 3 days before UofL beat UK on a Edgar Sosa buzzer beater. They are similar to many SEC teams in that they like to spread you out and shoot the 3. Billy Gillispie expects a difficult matchup for that reason, “It will be a difficult matchup for us because they spread you out and shoot a lot of 3’s. They really utilize the drive. They are hard to guard because of their athleticism and ability to shoot 3’s.”

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