The Cat Daddy

Kentucky knocks off North Carolina, becomes new No. 1 in AP Top 25

2011-11-28T14:23:00.001-05:00

Kentucky is back at No. 1 in The Associated Press' college basketball poll for the first time since the 2009-10 season. Saint Louis is back in the Top 25 for the first time since 1993-94.

The Wildcats (6-0) replaced North Carolina, which had been No. 1 since the preseason poll, on Monday, receiving 46 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel. The Tar Heels (5-1) dropped to fifth following their 90-80 loss to UNLV in the championship game of the Las Vegas Invitational.

Ohio State (6-0) moved up from third to second and had 17 first-place votes, while Duke (7-0), which won the EA Sports Maui Invitational, jumped from sixth to third and had the other two No. 1 votes.

Syracuse, North Carolina, Louisville, Baylor, Connecticut, Wisconsin and Florida rounded out the top 10.

UNLV (7-0) used the win over North Carolina to move in at 18th. The Runnin' Rebels were ranked for four weeks last season.

Saint Louis (6-0), which beat Boston College, Villanova and Oklahoma to win the 76 Classic, moves in at No. 23, the Billikens' first time in the poll in almost two decades.

North Carolina is at Kentucky on Saturday, a matchup that would have had No. 1 facing No. 2.

Cats take over the #1 ranking

2011-11-28T14:15:00.001-05:00

Kentucky is atop college basketball once again.

The Wildcats officially took over the No. 1 ranking in both the Associated Press Top 25 and ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll on Monday. North Carolina’s loss to UNLV on Saturday night, coupled with Kentucky’s impressive 6-0 start, paved the way for UK to claim the top spot.

It’s the second time in three years the Cats have been ranked No. 1 under John Calipari. It’s also the 19th season UK has been ranked No. 1 at some point during the year in the AP Top 25.

“This early in the season it’s nice but it’s not that significant,” Coach Cal said of the ranking. “Obviously, not everyone thinks that we’re the best team. Starting three freshmen and two sophomores, they may be right. I’ll be anxious to see how the team accepts the challenge this week.”

Kentucky beat out Ohio State and Duke for the top spot with 46 of the 65 first-place votes in the AP Top 25. The Cats collected 22 of the 31 first-place votes in the Coaches’ Poll.

Ohio State, Duke, Syracuse and North Carolina followed UK in the AP Top 25. Syracuse was ranked No. 3, ahead of No. 4 Duke, in the Coaches’ Poll.

Five Southeastern Conference teams are in both polls.

Freshman Davis sparks Kentucky in blowout win over Marist

2011-11-12T10:32:00.001-05:00

CBSSports.com wire reports
Nov. 11, 2011

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Terrence Jones said he worked hard to show he was a leader on the court this season for Kentucky. He's the reason the second-ranked Wildcats will have less free time off it.

Jones, a sophomore, came off the bench for eight points in Kentucky's 108-58 season-opening win over Marist on Friday night after the university said he was involved as a passenger in an early morning car accident.

Coach John Calipari said earlier in the day that he would institute a curfew for the Wildcats.

"I felt I was doing a great example on the court. I still believe that way," said Jones, who like the rest of his teammates will be forced to be back in their rooms at 11 p.m. on weekdays and midnight on weekends. "I take blame for being out that late, but I mean, it's just something that happened to cause all that."

Anthony Davis had 23 points and 10 rebounds to join Jones and Sam Bowie as the only freshmen in Kentucky history with 20-10 games in their debuts.

Davis attacked the rim in the opener, finishing 10 of 13 with eight dunks as Kentucky shrugged off a slow start with a dominant second half that turned a single-digit lead into a 50-point blowout in their first game of the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off tournament.

Fellow freshman Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 15 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals in his Rupp Arena debut.

"If Michael wasn't out there and Anthony wasn't out there, we're down at half," Calipari said.

Read More Here

Meet AP the newest Cat!

2011-11-10T16:30:00.001-05:00

The Rivalry starting to simmer already!

2011-11-10T16:29:00.001-05:00

Five Star Alex Poythress pick KENTUCKY

2011-11-10T14:45:00.001-05:00

Alex Poythress' decision has been quite suspenseful.

Early in the week the five-star prospect set Thursday as his decision day and since then the Clarksville (Tenn.) Northeast standout has kept everyone in the recruiting game guessing.

On Thursday afternoon Poythress made the call for Kentucky.

Poythress, a 6-foot-7 wing prospect, is Kentucky's third commitment of the 2012 recruiting class. He joins five-star recruit Archie Goodwin and four-star prospectWillie Cauley.

With Poythress' commitment, Kentucky jumps to No. 2 in Scout.com's 2012 recruiting class rankings. The Wildcats finished No. 1 in the past three recruiting class rankings.

Poythress ranks No. 16 overall in the 2012 class.

John Calipari participated in a media conference call Wednesday for the Basketball Hall of Fame’s Tip-Off Tournament

2011-11-09T14:24:00.002-05:00

John Calipari participated in a media conference call Wednesday for the Basketball Hall of Fame’s Tip-Off Tournament, which begins Friday with Kentucky’s regular-season opener against Marist. UK will then head to Uncasville, Conn., next weekend for two games before closing out the tournament at home on Nov. 23 against Radford.

Head coaches from all eight schools in the tournament were allotted 10 minutes of time to answer questions from the call’s mediator, Paul Lambert. Check out the summary of Coach Cal’s segment of the call.

Thoughts on Marist – Marist head coach Chuck Martin was an assistant to Calipari at Memphis, so the two are very familiar with each other. Cal thinks this may be the year Marist breaks through after a large turnover of seniors and a few transfers. “He’s doing a fine job,” Calipari said. “I know Chuck as a person, as a coach, as a recruiter and as a father and I have a lot of faith in him.”
On how the Tip-Off Tournament games will help the Cats – Coach talked about how important it is to have road games early in the season, especially for a young team. He said that sometimes teams that play nothing but home games in November find themselves in trouble once league play starts. It’s no coincidence that three of the Kentucky’s first four games are on the road. He mentioned that early road games go a long way in toughening a team up.
On Terrence Jones’ offseason improvement – Calipari basically summed up the key to Jones’ improvement in one word: change. He indicated that Jones worked hard to change his body this offseason, saying that he might be the best physically conditioned player on the team. He not only changed his body, but his mental approach to the game as well. “He’s got a competitive spirit, focus and concentration level that he didn’t have a year ago,” Calipari said. “He’s just way better. He’s not even the same guy in my opinion.”

TJ on the cover of SI at your local news stand soon!

2011-11-09T14:14:00.000-05:00

New York, New York

2011-11-08T22:49:00.001-05:00

The Cat's face Marist on Friday night at Rupp. No one expects this to be a hugh challenge but it's the first regular season game. If the Cats take care of business as expected the focus with turn to the much anticipated clash with Kansas in New York on Nov 15th.

Here's a look toward Kansas and what awaits the Cat's in the Big Apple .

Kansas Starting Five

The starters are likely set with Tyshawn Taylor, Elijah Johnson, Thomas Robinson, Jeff Withey and Travis Releford expected to round out those five slots barring injury or someone else rising to the top.

If you had to pick one player that might have been a question mark in that group it would have to be Withey. Bill Self has never really shown a lot of confidence in the big man and he is a bit of a question mark headed into the season. But after last night I think a lot of those concerns have been answered. Yes Pittsburg State is undersized and a division II opponent, but Withey stepped up and put together a solid game. Kansas can go small with Kevin Young or Justin Welsey in the rotation if need be, but for the moment Withey looks to be a good choice.

In terms of minutes for the starting five, again you can look to last night for some indication of what that might look like. Last night Bill Self rode four of his five starters for 30+ minutes in the game. It's probably a safe bet to think that Taylor, Johnson and Robinson could be playing 30+ per game once things get rolling. Releford could very easily fall into that category as well due to his versatility and effort on the defensive end.

Front Court Rotation

That brings us to the remaining minutes in the front court. Withey hit 31 minutes last night but that might not be the norm for him throughout the year. It was interesting when discussing Withey after the game that Bill Self described him as a four along with Wesley and Young. The indication was that Robinson is the five for the Jayhawks and that the heavier rotation will exist at the four spot with Robinson expected to shoulder quite a bit of the load inside. Obviously minutes will fluctuate based on potential foul trouble but it's an early hint at the thinking of Self in terms of his inside rotation.

So underneath the basket you have a rotation that will primarily include Wesley and Young off the bench with Young also filling in at the three if Kansas goes big. Welsey can score from outside as well as rebound so at 6'8" he provides some flexibility at multiple spots just like Travis Releford.

Backcourt Rotation

Moving to the backcourt you have two players who provided a large chunk of minutes as starters last night, but both will likely come off the bench when we move to the regular season. Naadir Tharpe and Connor Teahan. Both showed some very positive things while playing 34 minutes a piece in the exhibition opener.

Tharpe was a little careless with the ball at times but it's early and he's adjusting. He also provided eight assists and twelve points which is very solid for a collegiate opener. Bill Self certainly prefers experience and someone he can trust, but Tharpe is coming into the program at a time where Self has no choice but to allow him to learn on the court and honestly that might not be a bad philosophy for Self to adopt going forward considering some of the struggles on the recruiting trail. Good players want to play and to some extent you have to allow them to learn while doing.

For Teahan's part he was the leader of the team in a lot of ways last night. He's the counter argument to my argument above stating that Self should let young players make mistakes. Teahan is following in the footsteps of the Christian Moody's and Brady Morningstar's of the world and providing a very efficient and productive experienced presence on the court. It's only an exhibition game so expectations need to stay in line with reality but Teahan certainly looks like a player who will be coming off the bench for meaningful minutes in what appears to be a five guard rotation early on.

Kentucky rips D-II Morehouse 125-40 in exhibition

2011-11-08T22:36:00.004-05:00

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- Terrence Jones scored 22 points for No. 2 Kentucky and the Wildcats' five starters made their first 26 shots to lead the Wildcats to a 125-40 exhibition victory over Division II Morehouse on Monday night.

The Wildcats went on separate runs of 10-0, 16-0 and 29-0 while forcing Morehouse into 18 first-half turnovers to take a 74-13 lead at halftime.

In one sequence, Marquis Teague flipped the ball off the backboard across the rim to Jones for a dunk. Kentucky followed moments later with four straight 3-pointers before coach John Calipari pulled most of his starters, who received a standing ovation.

Kentucky's largest margin of victory in a game that counted is 77 against Georgia in 1956. The Wildcats open their season on Friday night against Marist.

Cats make improvements in all areas.

2011-11-08T22:29:00.005-05:00

Better start? More toughness? Stingier defense?

How about a performance that would have given NBA All-Stars a run for their money?

John Calipari asked for all three after his team’s first exhibition game against Transylvania. What he got Monday night in the final tune-up before the regular season was a performance that may never be matched again at Kentucky.

Ever.

The Wildcats not only answered the call of their head coach, they picked up the telephone, threw it against the wall and smashed it with a baseball bat. Playing like they had lost by 20 to Transy, UK beat Morehouse into submission Monday night, walloping the Maroon Tigers 125-40 in front of 20,194 fans at Rupp Arena.

“We were better,” Coach Cal said so nonchalantly you would have thought he was joking. “That’s what I was looking for.”

The 85-point win was the largest margin of victory in an exhibition game, shattering the previous record of 71 points in a 119-48 smacking of China in 1982.

Read More Here

Yahoo Runs the numbers on UK's Morehouse amazing game.

2011-11-08T10:25:00.004-05:00

Poor Division II Morehouse College was on the receiving end of a 125-40 shellacking that in many ways was even more one-sided than the final score suggests. Here are 10 numbers that better tell the story of what presumably will be the biggest mismatch of the college basketball season:

1. TWENTY-SIX: The number of consecutive baskets Kentucky's five starters made to start the game before Marquis Teague snapped the streak when he missed a three-pointer with 14:07 left in the second half. The starters finished 31 of 34.

2. FIFTY-SEVEN: The margin with 4:55 left in the first half after a three-pointer from Teague increased Kentucky's lead to a ridiculous 63-6. At that point, the Wildcats were on pace to score 168 points.

3. EIGHTY-NINE: Kentucky's largest lead, achieved on a Darius Miller jumper that made the score 125-36 with 2:06 remaining.

4. SEVENTY-SEVEN: Kentucky's largest margin of victory in a regular season game, a feat the Wildcats achieved against Georgia in 1956. Had this game counted in the record books, Kentucky's 85-point margin would have broken that record.

5. SEVENTY-FIVE: Percentage of shots Kentucky made from the field in the first half.

6. SEVENTEEN: Percentage of shots Morehouse made from the field in the first half.

7. ONE: Kentucky player who failed to score. Walk-on Brian Long did not attempt a shot in seven minutes of second-half playing time. Fellow walk-on Sam Malone got into the scoring column with a layup with 3:31 to play.

8. SIXTY-EIGHT: Kentucky's margin when Shabazz Muhammad, the nation's No. 1 recruit, tweeted: "86-18 with 16 mins to go all I can sa is wowwwww lol !!!!" Muhammad will decide in the spring between Kentucky, UCLA, USC, UNLV and others.

9. TWENTY-NINE: Unanswered points scored by Kentucky in one seven minute stretch to increase its lead from 34-6 to 63-6. Incredibly enough, Morehouse only called timeout once during that run.

10: TWENTY-FOUR: The margin of Georgia's 74-50 exhibition victory over Morehouse in an exhibition game on Friday night. Does that mean Kentucky is 61 points better than the Bulldogs? Probably not, but we'll find out for sure during SEC play in January.

UK tops Pomeroy's stat-based college basketball ratings

2011-11-03T15:59:00.001-04:00

Kentucky tops the 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball Rankings at the Pomeroy Statistical Genius Laboratory.

1. Kentucky
2. Ohio St.
3. North Carolina
4. Duke
5. Syracuse
6. Connecticut
7. Pittsburgh
8. Louisville
9. Vanderbilt
10. Wisconsin
11. Kansas
12. Florida
13. Temple
14. Missouri
15. Baylor
Read More on http://www.ukathletics.com/blog/

KSTV: Willie Cauley talks UK

2011-11-03T13:11:00.001-04:00

Marquis Teague Post Game Transy

2011-11-03T12:59:00.000-04:00

Coach Cal right about the need to improve.

2011-11-03T12:54:00.001-04:00

Let’s get something out of the way: John Calipari’s Kentucky team defeated cross-town school Transylvania 93-57 Wednesday night before 21,024 fans at Rupp Arena. Following a sluggish start, UK won its first game of the year, easily averting a 100-year upset in the waiting to a Division III school with the help of Terrence Jones’ 22 points and 12 rebounds.

But despite nearly doubling up the Pioneers, Coach Cal maintained a work-in-progress mentality following his team’s first real dress rehearsal.

“We have a long way to go,” Calipari said. “I think everyone knows it. … The good news is everybody in this building saw it; anybody that watched on TV saw it. They also see we’re not tough enough.”

Hmmm, sound familiar? Rewind one week ago to the Blue-White Scrimmage.

“Everybody’s excited because you saw a lot of high-flying dunking, blocking, tipping,” Calipari said after that scoring barrage last week. “That doesn’t win.”

Maybe Coach Cal wasn’t just blowing smoke. Maybe it wasn’t just coach’s speak. Maybe he’s got a point.

After all, 230 combined points in a scrimmage is a ton of points in whatever way you choose to look at it. If you choose to view it from a defensive standpoint, as Calipari did after the scrimmage, one begins to understand that Kentucky, in spite of its gargantuan size, towering length and scorching speed, is far from defensively sound in the early going.

Freshman forward Anthony Davis (his injury was just a cramp) finished with eight blocks, including a volleyball spike into a Transy cheerleader’s face in the second half, but Kentucky’s perimeter defense allowed the Pioneers to bury 12 3-pointers, most of them coming early.

Cats roll past Transy

2011-11-03T12:48:00.001-04:00

Head coach John Calipari’s instant reaction from his office at Rupp Arena following Kentucky’s 97-53 exhibition victory over Transylvania.

Terrence Jones ready to lead UK

2011-11-02T15:32:00.000-04:00

The idea -- or maybe more accurately, the hope -- was to take the all-boy bundle of energy and tire him out.

Run him like you would a golden retriever puppy.

And so Ava Mashia would pack everything she could get her hands on -- football, basketball, tennis racket, baseball and bat -- and grab hold of her nephew and head to the park. They would play for hours, feasting on a sports smorgasbord where neither deference for your elders nor charity to a child was allowed.

"I never let him win, not once,'' Mashia said. "He wasn't going to win at anything until he earned it.''

Eventually Terrence Jones earned it, his aunt the first victim in a basketball ladder climb that took no prisoners, only wins, across the state of Oregon.

Now in his second season at Kentucky, Jones is hoping to do the same to the college game.

With yet another loaded freshman class, Kentucky always was going to be good this season. When Jones eschewed the NBA and elected to return for his sophomore season, most everyone agreed the Wildcats could be great. "I told Terrence, you look at those freshmen and you say, 'You guys are really good, but you aren't better than me,''' coach John Calipari said. "He's practicing that way. He's trying to say, 'Look, I went through this. I just went to the Final Four.'''

It is more than Jones' experience that will determine Kentucky's results; it's his maturity.

Read More Here

UK recruit Gary Harris, nearing a decision?

2011-11-01T16:00:00.000-04:00

The 6-foot-4 Harris has visited Purdue, Indiana and Kentucky. He still has his final visit scheduled to Michigan State on Nov. 5. Fishers, Ind., Hamilton Southeastern High School star basketball senior Gary Harris has already been on three of his four official visits. And while his father, Gary Sr., said the younger Harris is still “open” but he’s getting closer and closer to making a decision. The finality is near,” Harris Sr. said. “Obviously, at this point and time it’s a lot of dotting the ‘I’s’ and crossing the ‘T’s’. He wants to make sure he knows everything, asks all the right questions. He’s trying to wind is down.”
Harris Sr., said “the plan” is for his son to sign a national letter-of-intent with one of the four schools during the early signing period that begins on Nov. 9.

Not only is Harris thinking about where he’ll attend college but he plays football and Hamilton Southeast is in the second round of the playoffs and one of the favorites to win the state title. Harris has 34 catches, 697 yards and 10 touchdowns.

“I never want to say never but the plan is for him to sign (then),” Harris Sr. said. “As far as a plan or anything, we have not talked about specifics yet.”

Read More Here

John Calipari At Final Practice Before Exhibition Game

2011-11-01T15:58:00.000-04:00

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Speaks at Final Practice Before Exhibition

2011-11-01T15:55:00.000-04:00

Marquis Teague Speaks at Practice Before First Exhibition

2011-11-01T15:53:00.000-04:00

AP All American Team

2011-11-01T13:30:00.000-04:00

The Associated Press named Terrance Jones a preseason first-team All-American on Monday. Joining Jones on the first team are Harrison Barnes (North Carolina), Jared Sullinger (Ohio State), Jordan Taylor (Wisconsin) and Jeremy Lamb (Connecticut).

Jones received 33 of the 65 possible votes. Sullinger was the only unanimous pick.

After averaging 15.7 points and 8.8 rebounds while leading the Wildcats to the Final Four last year, Jones passed on the NBA to come back for his sophomore season at UK. His hopes of parlaying last year’s success into the upcoming season look promising. He scored a game-high 52 points in the Blue-White Scrimmage last week.

A Kentucky player has been named an AP All-American after the season 42 times in the school’s storied history. Last year Jones was named a Yahoo! third-team All American and CollegeHoops.net fourth-team All-American.

The Battle on Broadway

2011-11-01T10:00:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday night (November 2nd) the University of Kentucky Men's basketball team will finally take to the court for the first time against outside competition. You wouldn't have to go far outside campus doors however to find this nights competition. Despite being practically next door neighbors UK will take on Transylvania in an exhibition game for the first time in 100 years.

Even though these two teams haven't met since 1911 they seem to have 100 years worth of history packed into this short series, which is split evenly 7-7. For those of you who don't know, Transy and UK used to be one and the same. They were part of the same university until independence was declared in 1878 by the A&M College which jumped to the other side of town and became the University of Kentucky.

This is where the rivalry began, first with football then moving on to basketball as it became an established college sport. Back in the early going there were many, by today's standards, comical disagreements between the two which included eligibility issues and even "bloomer" issues. Yes, "bloomers". The women's team refused to play a game once due to this subject.

When games were played they routinely included fist fights often resulting in injury to some players. When fist fights are involved in a basketball game it is a sure sign of an intense rivalry. These teams wanted to go after each other so badly that in 1906 the UK and Transy teams met secretly at the local YMCA to play a game after Transylvania banned all athletics.

Even though this rivalry has cooled off in the 100 years since the last meeting it should be an interesting game none the less. I don't expect a 40 point blow out at the hands of Transy, as happened in 1903, or a fist fight but I do expect a good game out of them. It should fun seeing these two duke it out for the series lead if nothing else.

By: Scott Peercy

Willie Cauley can't help but stand out

2011-10-31T17:41:00.002-04:00

Kentucky commit never looks for spotlight, but it always seems to find the two-sport star.

OLATHE, Kan. -- For a guy who doesn't like to stand out, Willie Cauley continues to make decisions to separate himself from the crowd.

The latest? His pledge, confirmed Monday by Cauley, to sign with Kentucky next week as the early period opens for basketball.

"They have everything," Cauley said. "My thing was, do I have the confidence, right now, to be successful there? Standing up to the hype is the hardest thing about Kentucky."

Cauley, a 6-foot-10, 215-pound center ranked No. 32 in the ESPNU 100, picked the Wildcats over Kansas State, Alabama and Florida, accepting an offer to play in a pressure-filled environment on one of the sport's biggest stages. He joins guard Archie Goodwin (Little Rock, Ark./Sylvan Hills), No. 13 in the ESPNU 100, in this Kentucky recruiting class.

Still raw as a basketball player, Cauley wowed recruiters with his apparent room for growth and athleticism -- much of it groomed, improbably, on the football field.

UK coach John Calipari and assistant Orlando Antigua, in fact, got a final look at Cauley before his decision Friday night as his Olathe Northwest team clinched a playoff berth with a 56-28 win over rival Olathe North. Cauley caught a 57-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, surpassing the 1,100-yard mark in his ninth game to lead all receivers in Kansas' largest classification of football.

The choice of Kentucky represents another sign of growth for Cauley, who has spent much of his life simply trying to blend in. Cauley stood out because of his height and his skin color in Spearville, Kan., population less than 800. Raised there by his white grandparents, Val and Norma Stein, Cauley said he didn't realize he was black or that he was tall.

Read More on ESPN.COM

Willie Cauley is a CAT!

2011-10-31T10:42:00.003-04:00

After taking a handful of college visits Willie Cauley made his college decision.

According to multiple sources, Cauley, a 7-footer out of Olathe (Kans.) Northwest gave the Wildcats a verbal commitment late Sunday night becoming their second commitment of the 2012 class.

Cauley, Scout.com's No. 28 prospect, took official visits to Kentucky, Kansas State,Alabama and Florida. Cauley visited Kentucky for their midnight madness festivities the weekend of October 15th.

Cauley caught the Wildcats in July on the summer circuit. Playing for Spiece Mo-Kan Elite, Cauley showed an ability to run the floor and block shots.

With this commitment Kentucky now holds pledges from Archie Goodwin, a five-star prospect, and Cauley, who is regarded as a four-star player.

Terrance Jones Transformation

2011-10-29T18:47:00.001-04:00

No doubt about it Terrence Jones has manned up big time. All the extra work in the weight room over the summer along with the long nights in the gym has definitely paid off for the 6'9" forward. Jones exploded for 52 points and 16 rebounds in Wednesday nights Blue-White scrimmage game in Rupp Arena witnessed by 12,134 fans. I believe each and everyone in attendance will attest to the "new" Jones and his determination. It seems so far Cal's insistence of changing your habits truly work. Josh Harrellson is positive proof that if you want to get better you have to work hard and it will come.

Jones is striving to be a lottery pick in the 2012 draft this season and with what we saw on Wednesday night he should have no problem. Even though he was playing against his own teammates it was still obvious the effort that was put forth. It is going to be so exciting seeing this young man play with burning fire that wasn't always there last season. That's not saying Jones didn't try or care last season its just everyone knew their was so much more left on the table. He is naturally talented but now he sees you can't just walk through to the next level.

Terrence will be a stat machine this year and a handful to deal with. I would hate having to be the one tasked with dealing with him and as you seen Wednesday night there was no mercy shown on his own teammates. It makes you wonder what will happen to the likes of UNC and anyone else who stands in his way.

Scott Peercy

Kentucky All-Stars vs The Villains

2011-10-29T08:33:00.000-04:00

On Monday night Rupp Arena played host to a bevy of the Big Blue Nations most beloved Wildcats. The Big Blue All-Stars as they were called which included such stars as Rajon Rondo, Jodie Meeks, Nazr Muhammad, Chuck Hayes, Josh Harrellson, Brandon Knight, Keith Bogans, Enes Kanter, and Demarcus Cousins. Also on the bench but not playing in the game were John Wall and Tayshaun Prince. The coach of the All-Stars was former UK great Rex Chapman.

Rudy Gay, Tyler Hansbrough, Terrence Williams, Corey Brewer, were a few players who made up the opponents team "The Villians". They were coached by the most notorious Villain of all time Christian Laettner. Not all Villains were received by boos. Two home State favorites Shelvin Mack and Kenneth Faried were given a loud welcome.

The game was played like an NBA All-Star game with little defense and plenty of showboating. Jody Meeks was the leading scorer making three after three, kind of reminiscent of the Tennessee game in which he went for 54 points. This also marked Enes Kanter's first game on the Rupp Arena floor. Kanter seemed a little tense on the night but did manage a few good plays. I feel he was just happy to be on the floor in front of the Big Blue Nation.

One of the most funny moments of the game was when Coach Laettner acted as a towel boy wiping the sweat from the floor. Fans had been calling for Laettner to take over the duty, so on the next trip down court Laettner obliged and on his hands and knees. Even though it may not of quelled the pain of yesteryear fans still found it fitting. Jodie Meeks was the star of the game with 42 points.

Fans got a bonus when Laettner was hit with a double technical after disputing a call by the refs and subsequently ejected from the game. Even though the fans got a good laugh from this.Coach Laettner may have gotten the last laugh. His Villains defeated our All-stars in overtime 152 to 149, but I don't think the final score mattered to any one.

Scott Peercy

Kidd- Gilchrist documentary tonight on HBO 9PM

2011-10-25T16:28:00.003-04:00

The highly anticipated HBO documentary of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s high school team will debut Tuesday at 9 p.m.

Kidd-Gilchrist led his St. Patrick’s team on a mission for an undefeated season. St. Patrick’s was the top-ranked prep team in the nation for much of last year.

The documentary, “Prayer for a Perfect Season,” not only covers the team’s on-court success, but also features the story of Kidd-Gilchrist’s tragic childhood journey. After the passing of his father in 1996, Kidd-Gilchrist lost another father figure when his uncle Darrin Kidd died on the same day he signed with the University of Kentucky.

Read More Here

Coach Cal with Media today

2011-10-25T15:51:00.002-04:00

Enes with his moment in Rupp 14 point 10 rebounds

2011-10-25T00:32:00.001-04:00

Enes Kanter is back in the Bluegrass

2011-10-23T21:21:00.000-04:00

Enes Kanter returns to Lexington to play in the Kentucky Pros vs Villains

Could we see another entrance of the UnderKanter on Monday night in Rupp?

The work in the Lab continues for the Wildcats

2011-10-23T18:27:00.000-04:00

Coach Cal's Coaches Clinic was held today. It was a great opportunity to see some of what coach Cal has the
Cats focus on early on in practice #12 of the season. The team has been having two a day on the weekends. Two hours in the morning and another two hours in the afternoon. This team seems to be grasping the offense very well. Coach continues to praise Terrance Jones and his transformation from last year. Marquis Teague gathered the most praise. Coach Cal stopped practice to speak directly to Teagues. He told him he was learning to offense quicker than any guard he has coached. That's pretty high praise for the freshman and has to do wonders for the young mans confidence. Darius Miller's presence and leadership was very visible today. Side line chats with the new fellows on many occasions as well as vocal directions during practice. Coach Cal worked a few extra plays for Doron Lamb a point facing Marquis Teagues defensive pressure. Coach Cal referred to Teague on several occasions as the Bulldog defender.

The tradition of presenting the football helmet to the player who received the dunk of the day continued. Anthony Davis delivered another "Spiderman" dunk, this time on Twany Beckham. Twany gets the helmet for now.

Anthony Davis claims the funniest man on the team title.

2011-10-20T07:50:00.000-04:00

Why the Kentucky Wildcats Will Win the National Championship

2011-10-19T11:26:00.003-04:00

As Lewis F. Powell once opined about pornography, when you know, you know. And when it comes to Kentucky winning the national championship this season, I know. The last time I was this certain of the Wildcats' fate was in the fall of 1995. Going into that season with Antoine Walker, Tony Delk, Ron Mercer, and a pre-Porcini's Rick Pitino, I was sure UK was ready to fulfill its destiny and give me the first UK title of my lifetime. That 1996 Kentucky team had nine future NBA pros on its roster, and its demolition of opponents throughout the season was magical to watch. The Wildcats lost twice that season — once to UMass and once to Mississippi State, both of which were loaded enough to eventually make it to the Final Four. It was an exhilarating ride for a Blue-obsessed teenager, made even more special by the knowledge from the beginning of the inevitability of our final destination.

Sixteen years later, this Kentucky team is headed for a similar date with destiny. Just as the 1996 group had a coach considered to be among the game's best but without the national championship to confirm it, the 2011-12 version has John Calipari desperately yearning to finally have his face close the "One Shining Moment" montage. The roster is once again loaded with talent, as Calipari has stacked the deck with seven future pros and five potential NBA lottery picks. Early performances have showcased a team whose length and athleticism cannot be matched by any team outside of Chapel Hill. This is the year Kentucky hangs banner no. 8, and no treatise on the emergence of Kendall Marshall or the majestic beauty of Austin Rivers can sway me from that conclusion.

College Basketball's 50 Can't Miss Non-Conference Games For 2011-2012

2011-10-19T11:24:00.000-04:00

A monumental showdown between likely No. 1 North Carolina and likely No. 2 Kentucky highlights the 50 best non-conference college basketball games of the upcoming season.

Just a note that the only games eligible for this list were ones guaranteed to take place. Like the double play, potential preseason tournament semifinal and championship games can never be assumed.

Anyone who watches all 50 gets a Red Lobster/The Expendables dinner/movie date with yours truly. The Expendables is still playing, right? It's not? That's still the deal.

Kentucky involved in 3 of the top 5.

5. Kansas vs. Kentucky (Nov. 15)
The second Legends Classic game will provide the finale for ESPN’s 24-hour college hoops marathon.
4. North Carolina vs. Michigan State (Nov. 11)
If the likely No. 1 team in the nation taking on one of the sport’s top programs wasn’t enough to pique your interest, then maybe the fact that the game will be played on the deck of the aircraft carrier where Osama Bin Laden was buried at sea is. Oh yeah, and the President will be there watching.
3. Duke at Ohio State (Nov. 29)
Easily the best matchup of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The big question for the Blue Devils is whether or not they have enough of an inside presence to compete for the national title. It’s a question that will be asked early and often in a game featuring Jared Sullinger.
2. Louisville at Kentucky (Dec. 31)
The rivalry was already college basketball’s most contentious before Rick Pitino and John Calipari decided to spend a significant chunk of the offseason lobbing shots at one another. Rupp Arena may spontaneously combust from hate a half hour before tip.
1. North Carolina at Kentucky (Dec. 3)
Arguably the sport’s two biggest names and the two runaway preseason favorites to cut down the nets in 2012. As far as non-conference games in recent memory are concerned, I can’t think of one bigger.

Madness Highlights continue

2011-10-17T17:25:00.000-04:00

Big Blue Madness

2011-10-17T11:42:00.002-04:00

Big Blue Madness not all about freshmen

2011-10-15T11:07:00.000-04:00

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- They came out to flashing lights and pulsing music, the highlight exclamation point of a two-hour show rehearsed and timed better than a Broadway hit that was equal parts pomp and party.

Welcome to Big Blue Madness, an idol-worshiping of teenagers that would make Justin Bieber jealous. There was a countdown clock, pyrotechnics, dancing, locked-out NBA stars, spotlights, and even a little basketball tossed in. This show, though, wasn’t about unveiling Kentucky’s new offensive options -- pick and roll, anyone?

It was about unveiling the latest-model Wildcats. (Honestly, Apple would be wise to steal from UK’s debut programs as it searches for a new launch model post-Steve Jobs).

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/36880/big-blue-madness-not-all-about-freshmen

Big Blue Madness Darius Miller

2011-10-14T23:55:00.002-04:00

Big Blue Madness Anthony Davis

2011-10-14T23:52:00.002-04:00

UK to wear the LeBron9

2011-10-14T12:27:00.000-04:00

What happens when three kings of industry team up? You get a spectacular launch for a basketball shoe unlike anything ever seen before on the hardwood.

LeBron James (a.k.a. King James) and Nike (the king of the shoe industry) have teamed up to create LEBRON 9, James’ ninth signature shoe. With the help of John Calipari and Kentucky, the winningest program in college basketball and a Nike Elite school, Nike will debut the UK-colored version of the shoe on Friday at Big Blue Madness in front of a sold-out crowd at Rupp Arena. Players and staff have the option of wearing the shoe Friday and throughout the season.

http://www.coachcal.com/7425/2011/10/kentucky-to-help-launch-nikes-new-lebron-9/

Michael Media Day

2011-10-13T16:53:00.000-04:00

Anthony Media Day

2011-10-13T16:33:00.004-04:00

Darius Media Day

2011-10-13T16:02:00.002-04:00

KSTV Special Interview with Marquis Teague

2011-10-12T19:26:00.000-04:00

Big Blue Madness Coverage Oct 14th

2011-10-11T10:58:00.000-04:00

From UK Athletics:

Big Blue Madness, the first open practice opportunity for Kentucky’s 2011-12 men’s and women’s basketball teams, is Oct. 14. This will be the seventh time Madness has been held at Rupp Arena. Fans will be allowed to enter Rupp Arena beginning at 6 p.m. the night of Big Blue Madness.

Madness Timeline:6 p.m. – Doors open
7:30 p.m. – Event begins
9:30 p.m. – Event concludes

Madness on TV: UK fans without tickets to Big Blue Madness have a variety of TV options for watching Kentucky’s first open practice opportunity. The UK IMG Sports Network will televise the festivities live from 7-9:30 p.m. on WYMT-TV in Hazard, Ky., WKAG-TV in Hopkinsville, Ky., WSAZ-DT in Huntington, W.V., WKYT-TV in Lexington and on WMYO-TV in Louisville. Fans can also view Big Blue Madness live for free on the University of Kentucky website at www.ukathletics.com or ESPN3.

http://www.coachcal.com/6806/2011/10/big-blue-madness-tv-coverage/

Shabazzzzzzzzzzzz

2011-10-07T17:47:00.000-04:00

Wildcats 2011-12

2011-10-07T16:07:00.002-04:00

Seeking last place for No. 1

2011-10-07T15:12:00.000-04:00

Shabazz Muhammad will admit this much, that when he got to school Wednesday morning he wondered what schools would show up on the last day of the NCAA’s contact period.

After all, college coaches had been coming to Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) in droves since the period began on September 9 vying to make lasting impressions on the top-ranked player in the ESPNU 100.

But while nearly every major college coach in the country is dying to be first on Muhammad’s wish list, the coveted slot during the contact period is the last one.

“It makes sense,” said Muhammad, a senior small forward. “I definitely think coaches want to come on the last day on purpose so we’ll keep thinking about their school.”

This year’s last word winners?

Kentucky coach John Calipari and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.

“There were definitely a couple students hanging around after school that don’t normally stay after,” Muhammad said. “They’re two of the best coaches and programs so it was good to see them again.”

Calipari and his assistant Orlando Antigua were on the scene first and focused on how Muhammad could flourish in Kentucky’s dribble-drive offense with his athleticism and skill set.

“I liked what Coach Cal had to say,” said Muhammad, who will see Calipari in a week when he attends Kentucky’s Big Blue Madness season kickoff event. “They talked a lot about how they could use me there. It was perfect timing because when Coach Cal was leaving, Coach K was coming.”

Krzyzewski along with associate head coach Steve Wojciechowski and assistant Jeff Capel talked more about branding and exposure.

“They talked about the experience as a whole,” Muhammad said. “Just how it could benefit me to come there. It was a really good talk. They both really showed me how much they wanted me.”

Especially since Muhammad wasn’t even running basketball drills; he was just, well, running.

Read More on ESPN

ENES RETURN'S TO RUPP OCT 24TH, AWESOME BABY!!!

2011-10-06T16:32:00.002-04:00

"Remember Me?" Big Blue All Stars vs The Villains

2011-10-06T15:58:00.001-04:00

Enes Kanter Added to Big Blue All-Stars Roster

2011-10-06T15:01:00.000-04:00

Jeff Shepperd announced this afternoon that former Kentucky big man Enes Kanter has been added to the Big Blue All-Stars roster for the game against the "UK Villains" at Rupp Arena on October 24.

Kanter was declared ineligible by the NCAA and never appeared in a game for the University of Kentucky.

He was drafted by the Utah Jazz and is currently working out in Chicago while the NBA works on ending its lockout.

http://www.allkyhoops.com/2011/10/enes-kanter-added-to-big-blue-all-stars.html

UK Releases Statement About Herald-Leader, Kidd-Gilchrist

2011-10-06T14:54:00.001-04:00

The University of Kentucky has released the following statement regarding the Lexington Herald-Leader and men's basketball player Michael Kidd-Gilchrist:

Statement from UK on Michael Kidd Gilchrist

After a recent interview session with UK men’s basketball player Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the Lexington Herald-Leader took the liberty of rewriting a question from the transcript in a way that we feel sensationalizes the story and was unfair to Michael and his family.

While the Herald-Leader thought their actions warranted a clarification, the newspaper has not issued a public apology to Michael or his family.

Because it is our responsibility and duty to protect our student athletes and we feel an apology from the Lexington Herald-Leader was necessary, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will no longer be available for interviews with the Herald-Leader.

http://www.allkyhoops.com/2011/10/uk-releases-statement-about-herald.html

Kentucky villain Christian Laettner to coach in Rupp Arena

2011-10-05T17:56:00.001-04:00

Christian Laettner, perhaps the most hated man in the state of Kentucky, has agreed to face his foes on their home court in a charity basketball game next month.

Laettner is the Duke All-American who hit the game-winning shot in what is called by most as the greatest college basketball game ever -- the Blue Devils' 104-103 overtime victory over Kentucky in the Elite Eight of the 1992 NCAA Tournament.

Christian Laettner will coach against a team of Kentucky legends. (AP photo)
Laettner, 42, has agreed to coach the "villains" team in an Oct. 24 charity game at Lexington's Rupp Arena. Laettner's team -- to consist of players from rival schools -- will play a team of former Kentucky stars in a game to benefit The V Foundation for Cancer Research. Kentucky All-American Rex Chapman will coach the former UK stars.

"It should be standing-room-only for the fans to get a chance to boo the hell out of me and to boo Rudy Gay, Kemba Walker and Tyler Hansbrough," Laettner told Kentucky Sports Radio on Wednesday. "And I hope it's an earth-shattering boo they all get with me getting the biggest one."

Sheppard said both teams' rosters will be announced Thursday.

"It's a great opportunity for Kentucky fans to come out and tell Christian Laettner exactly how they feel about him," game organizer Jeff Sheppard, a former Kentucky guard, told the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Laettner scored 31 points, hitting all 10 field-goal attempts and all 10 free-throw attempts, in that famed East Regional final at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. However, he almost wasn't around for game's climax. He was assessed a technical foul in the second half for stomping on the chest of UK center Aminu Timberlake, in retaliation for an earlier shove, as he lie on the ground under the basket. Kentucky fans hate Laettner as much for that incident as for the shot that ended the Wildcats' miraculous season.

"I made a mistake and I thought it was Timberlake (Kentucky guard Richie Farmer had done the shoving), so when Timberlake was underneath me 30 seconds later or a minute later, I had a bad reaction," Laettner told KSR. "It was just from the emotion of the game. There was maybe too much adrenaline flowing, but it was a big mistake.

"It's worthy of a technical. I don't think it's worthy of getting kicked out of the game even though all the Kentucky fans will disagree with me on that. But it looks horrible. It's one of the things that I'm embarrassed about in my Duke career. There aren't many things, but that's one of them. Coach K was not happy with me about doing that. And he made a point to let me know about it a few times the following week going into the Final Four."

Read more at www.sportingnews.com

Chris Farley as Christian Laettner

2011-10-05T14:03:00.001-04:00

UK Pros vs the UK Villians. Oct 24th 2011 Rupp Arena. At this time it's being reported that Rex Chapman will coach the UK Pros and that Christian Laettner will coach the UK Villians. Cat fans will most definitely give Laettner his well deserved welcome to Rupp Arena! How cool will this be... Proceeds to the V Foundation.. The first question I have is will Dickie V be in the building?

Trailer for "Prayer For A Perfect Season"; HBO documentary that will include Michael Gilchrist

2011-10-05T13:54:00.000-04:00

Prayer for a Perfect Season from Blowback Productions on Vimeo.

ESPNU Midnight Madness Returns Oct. 14, Tips Off NCAA Basketball Season

2011-10-04T14:37:00.005-04:00

Network Gives Viewers First Look at 11 Schools; Full Live Event Coverage of Seven on ESPN3

ESPNU Midnight Madness tips off the basketball season for the sixth year on Friday, Oct. 14 with more schools than ever before, including both the men’s and women’s defending NCAA National Champions and nine teams ranked in ESPN.com senior writer Andy Katz’s Preseason Top 25. Beginning at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU, the four-hour special will preview top college programs in whip-around coverage of 11 basketball events across the nation. In addition, seven sites will be featured live on ESPN3.

ESPNU Midnight Madness 2011 highlights:

In-studio coverage and analysis provided by ESPNU host Dari Nowkhah, college basketball analysts Hubert Davis, Doug Gottlieb and Katz, as well as contributions from Dick Vitale and Jay Bilas
Katz expectations for this year’s Midnight Madness:
“The meaning of this night is that it tips off what should be one of the best seasons in college basketball, with NBA-level talent in a potential NBA-less fall and early winter,” said Katz. “Get ready for the college basketball regular season to have more meaning than it has had since four No. 1 seeds reached the Final Four in 2008.” More from Katz on each team here
ESPN analysts on-site: Stephen Bardo, Doris Burke, Dan Dakich, Jimmy Dykes, Sean Farnham, Fran Fraschilla, Carolyn Peck, Bill Raftery and more…
On-site commentators will provide coverage of various elements including scrimmages, player introductions, skill and dunk contests, team skits, head coach and player interviews, along with season previews
No. 1 North Carolina, No. 2 Kentucky, No. 4 Syracuse, No. 5 Duke, No. 6 Connecticut, No. 9 Louisville and No. 20 Texas A&M will be featured live on ESPN3
Additional team spotlights with coach interviews from No.3 Ohio State, No. 7 Vanderbilt, No. 8 Memphis, No. 10 Arizona, No. 11 Wisconsin and No. 12 Florida from Katz’s Preseason Top 25, as well as New Mexico and UCLA
Be a part of the Midnight Madness action on twitter with #ESPNUMadness; become a fan of ESPNU on Facebook or follow @ESPNU all season long for daily updates and behind-the-scenes photos and videos

http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2011/10/04/espnu-midnight-madness-returns-oct-14-tips-off-ncaa-basketball-season/

Scouting the Wooden Award watch list

2011-10-04T12:55:00.001-04:00

ESPN.com has the list of 50 players the Wooden Award has recognized on its preseason watch list. It's important to note that freshmen and transfers are not eligible for this list but can be added during the season with other standout performers who didn't make the initial cut.

ESPN.com played no part in the selection of this preseason watch list by the Los Angeles Athletic Club, but after we got the roster of nominees, we asked opposing coaches to break down the skill sets of each of the 50 players on the condition of anonymity. Each coach is from the conference of the nominee.

Here is what they had to say:

Terrence Jones, 6-8, So., F, Kentucky
"Jones is a dynamic player who does his damage in a lot of ways. The added year of experience will make him a player of the year candidate."

Read More Here

Anthony Davis sits down with KSTV

2011-10-03T15:13:00.002-04:00

Ryan Harrow

2011-10-02T15:44:00.002-04:00

Cats photo Day

2011-10-02T15:32:00.000-04:00

http://cdn.coachcal.com/videos-2010/uk-photo-day-2011.mp4

John Wall BEHIND THE BACK DUNK!

2011-10-02T15:28:00.000-04:00

500 Tents and counting

2011-09-30T16:42:00.000-04:00

http://www.coachcal.com/2011/09/29/500-and-counting/

Coach Cal drops in on over 550 tents, 100 pizzas, one basketball team and too many people to count.tle

2011-09-30T16:39:00.002-04:00

http://www.coachcal.com/2011/09/30/coach-cal-and-players-visit-with-madness-campers/

Anthony Davis dunks at Big Blue Madness camp out

2011-09-29T11:39:00.002-04:00

Goodwin makes Cats even more attractive (ESPN)

2011-09-21T20:59:00.000-04:00

When Archie Goodwin took to Twitter Tuesday night to announce what he’d known ever since Kentucky coach John Calipari left his house less than a week ago, he expected that the response would be overwhelming.

“Any time someone commits it’s big news,” said Goodwin, a senior shooting guard at Sylvan Hills (Little Rock, Ark.). “But when you commit to a place like Kentucky, it can be a little crazy. There’s so much tradition there.”
Goodwin, who is ranked No. 13 in theESPNU 100, picked the Wildcats over Memphis and Arkansas, and estimates that he’s fielded “more than 100 calls” since 11 p.m. last night from reporters, friends, family and fans.

“When I woke up this morning I had 160 text messages, 40 voicemails and I had over 200 emails,” Goodwin said. “It’s crazy. I’ve got about 2,000 more followers on Twitter since Tuesday night at 11 p.m. I couldn’t get to a lot of the calls, there were just so many.”

http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/boys-basketball/post/_/id/337/goodwin-makes-cats-more-attractive

Class of 2012 Perry Ellis stays in Kansas and commits to the Jayhawks

2011-09-21T15:48:00.000-04:00

Archie Goodwin picks Kentucky

2011-09-21T12:26:00.002-04:00

Elite wing Archie Goodwin (Little Rock, Ark./Sylvan Hills), No. 13 overall, has become the Kentucky Wildcats' first commitment in the 2012 class.

Goodwin, the fourth-ranked shooting guard in the senior class, had his pick of programs. Recently he eliminated Connecticut and Kansas but kept in-state Arkansas and nearby Memphis alive. Big Blue Nation had been waiting to see which prime recruit was going to pop first and following an in-home visit, Goodwin could no longer resist the pull toward Lexington.

Goodwin took a measure of pride in being coach John Calipari's beacon for the rest of the class to follow. "He told me he wants me bad and I'm a top recruit for him," Goodwin said. "No matter what, he wants the ball in my hands and he feels like me committing will probably get the ball rolling for the rest of the class. It's got to start somewhere."

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/basketball/mens/story/_/id/6997544/archie-goodwin-first-commit-kentucky-wildcats-2012-class

Big Blue Madness student ticket lottery set for Monday, Sept. 26

2011-09-21T12:22:00.001-04:00

A lottery for student tickets to Big Blue Madness will be held Monday, Sept. 26 in Memorial Coliseum.

Doors will open at 8 p.m. and the lottery will start at 9 p.m.

1,100 tickets are available. Students will be given numbers when entering Memorial Coliseum, and those whose numbers are drawn can get two tickets to Big Blue Madness, which is set for Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m.

Student IDs will be checked before receiving tickets.

http://kykernel.com/2011/09/20/big-blue-madness-student-ticket-lottery-set-for-monday-sept-26/

2012 Archie Goodwin picks the Cats

2011-09-21T11:44:00.004-04:00

UK 2011 Basketball Schedule

2011-09-19T15:40:00.001-04:00

Date Opponent Live TV Time
Oct. 26 (Wed) BLUE-WHITE SCRIMMAGE / 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 2 (Wed) TRANSYLVANIA [EXH.] / 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 7 (Mon) MOREHOUSE [EXH.] / # 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 11 (Fri) MARIST / # 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 15 (Tues)  Kansas 9:00 p.m.
Nov. 19 (Sat). Penn State Noon
Nov. 20 (Sun). Old Dominion/South Florida Noon
Nov. 23 (Wed)RADFORD / # 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 26 (Sat) PORTLAND / # 7:00 p.m.
Dec. 1 (Thurs)ST. JOHN’S 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 3 (Sat) NORTH CAROLINA Noon
Dec. 10 (Sat) at Indiana 5:15 p.m.
Dec. 17 (Sat) TENNESSEE-CHATTANOOGA 8:00 p.m.
Dec. 20 (Tues) SAMFORD 7:00 p.m.
Dec. 22 (Thurs) LOYOLA (MD) 1:00 p.m.
Dec. 28 (Wed) LAMAR 8:30 p.m.
Dec. 31 (Sat) LOUISVILLE Noon
Jan. 3 (Tues) Arkansas-Little Rock / # 7:00 p.m.
Jan. 7 (Sat) SOUTH CAROLINA 4:00 p.m.
Jan. 11 (Wed) Auburn 8:00 p.m.
Jan. 14 (Sat)  Tennessee Noon
Jan. 17 (Tues) ARKANSAS 9:00 p.m.
Jan. 21 (Sat) ALABAMA Noon
Jan. 24 (Tues) Georgia 9:00 p.m.
Jan. 28 (Sat) LSU 4:00 p.m.
Jan. 31 (Tues) TENNESSEE 7:00 p.m.
Feb. 4 (Sat)  South Carolina / 6:00 p.m.
Feb. 7 (Tues) FLORIDA 7:00 p.m.
Feb. 11 (Sat) Vanderbilt [ESPN College GameDay] 9:00 p.m.
Feb. 18 (Sat) OLE MISS 4:00 p.m.
Feb. 21 (Tues)  Mississippi State 9:00 p.m.
Feb. 25 (Sat) VANDERBILT Noon
Mar. 1 (Thurs) GEORGIA / 9:00 p.m.
Mar. 4 (Sun) Florida Noon
Mar. 8-11 (Th-Su) SEC Tournament [New Orleans] / TBA
Check local listings • All times Eastern

Coach Cal talks about practice with the new team.

2011-09-19T11:27:00.000-04:00

See video of Coach Cal and the players talking about the first practices.

St. John's has 3 ruled ineligible for fall

2011-09-15T18:17:00.002-04:00

UK's opponent for the Dec 1st gamewith St Johns receives word from the NCAA that three players will be ineligible for the fall semester.

NEW YORK -- A month before practice begins, St. John's was dealt a significant blow to their 2011-12 men's basketball season Thursday, when three members of its much-ballyhooed incoming class were declared ineligible for at least the fall semester.

Jakarr Sampson, Norvel Pelle and Amir Garrett -- all three among the top 100 players in the nation in their high school class, according to ESPNU's rankings -- will not be able to suit up for the Red Storm this fall, after failing to qualify academically.

Red Storm Central

Looking to get a jump on all things Johnnies? ESPNNewYork.com has you covered. Blog

St. John's home

"We will continue to work with the NCAA in an effort to review Amir, Norvel and Jakarr's cases regarding their eligibility," said St. John's coach Steve Lavin in a statement. "Our student-athletes and their families have been patient and cooperative throughout this review process. We are hopeful that Amir, Norvel and Jakarr will be able to join us on the court this winter, and in the classroom when the 2012 spring semester begins."

Read More Here

"Jorts" talking some trash about the Louisville game.

2011-09-15T18:10:00.001-04:00

Dozen dazzling diaper dandies

2011-09-15T09:03:00.001-04:00

Every season, one thing that excites me most is seeing the new kids on the block, the diaper dandies, coming aboard.

Many of these former high school All-Americans moving up to the college game enter with a great deal of hype. The question often is, will they live up to that fanfare?

The crème de la crème of this year's class will offer numerous impact players. Just look at Lexington, Ky., and the newcomers who will be called upon to shine in Big Blue Nation, baby!

Can they earn that ink and notoriety that they have received for years? A lot of these young men already have traveled to tournaments during their high school careers and have dealt with the added pressure of lofty expectations.

Often, they respond. It can take a while to adjust to the different level of competition, going from the BMOC (big man on campus) in high school to blending in with a different unit in college. Just look at Harrison Barnes down at North Carolina last season. It took a little while, as he started slowly, but the cream rises to the top.

Here is a look at my dazzling dozen diaper dandies for the coming season:

1. Andre Drummond, C, Connecticut

He is a genuine low-post threat who makes everyone else better. Drummond is a solid passer for a big man, and Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun has to be thrilled with this late addition to the Huskies.

2. Anthony Davis, PF-C, Kentucky

Name it, and this young man can do it. He can be a major force inside for the Wildcats. Davis also possesses great versatility.

3. Austin Rivers, SG, Duke

The son of Celtics coach Doc Rivers has a great basketball IQ and will fit in perfectly in Coach K's system. He can shoot the jumper from long range and has exceptional passing skills.

4. Cody Zeller, PF, Indiana

The Hoosiers are looking to move up the ladder in the Big Ten, and there is excitement galore in Bloomington over this big man. He will be called upon right away to make a difference for Tom Crean's club.

5. Michael Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky

Gilchrist is a physical factor who must improve his range as a shooter. He can dominate on both ends of the court and has a winner's mentality.

6. Adonis Thomas, SF, Memphis

Thomas shows great athletic ability and quickness and should blend in nicely with Joe Jackson and Will Barton.

7. Myck Kabongo, PG, Texas

A lot has been made about the talent Texas lost in the draft (Tristan Thompson, Cory Joseph and Jordan Hamilton). The 6-foot-2 guard from Findlay Prep will help Rick Barnes' club bounce back quickly. This kid can score, dish the rock and rebound.

8. LeBryan Nash, PF, Oklahoma State

I recently spent some time in the Midwest, and a lot of fans told me that Oklahoma State will be a sleeper team. One key is Nash, an athletic and powerful player who is great at attacking the rim.

9. Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky

Teague has great ballhandling skills and is a talent on the perimeter. His presence will be vital to the young Wildcats squad.

Read More Here

Rajon Rondo cover of Kicks Mag

2011-09-13T12:23:00.002-04:00

Even in a non-lockout year, taking a break after our annual Champs Issue to focus on shoes is a nice change of pace. This year, with the lockout news so depressing, it’s almost essential.

And sure enough, we’ve got all you basketball and sneakerheads covered (x 3!). This year’s edition, our 14th, has three covers: Rajon Rondo, Kemba Walker and Monta Ellis.

As always, we were looking for compelling players who also have unique footwear stories. Our man Rajon more than fits the bill.

On the court last season, Rondo averaged 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 11.2 assists and 2.3 steals (the latter two each good for second in the League), firmly establishing that in terms of Boston’s MVP, the “Big Three” now all take a backseat to the “Big One.” And that’s exactly what Rondo is: a big 1, blessed with long arms, serious athleticism and a fine-tuned court sense that allows him to complete plays at both ends of the floor that most PGs wouldn’t even try. As well as LeBron and Wade played at the end of last spring’s Eastern Conference Semis, Celtic fans rightly wonder if things might have gone differently if Rajon hadn’t suffered that gruesome injury in G3.

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2011-09-13T12:22:00.000-04:00

Even in a non-lockout year, taking a break after our annual Champs Issue to focus on shoes is a nice change of pace. This year, with the lockout news so depressing, it’s almost essential.

And sure enough, we’ve got all you basketball and sneakerheads covered (x 3!). This year’s edition, our 14th, has three covers: Rajon Rondo, Kemba Walker and Monta Ellis.

As always, we were looking for compelling players who also have unique footwear stories. Our man Rajon more than fits the bill.

Kentucky's lack of Class (of 2012) nothing to worry about

2011-09-13T12:17:00.001-04:00

Another weekend has passed and Kentucky still has zero commitments from the Class of 2012.
So Wildcats fans should be concerned, right?
"Not at all," Scout.com recruiting analyst Evan Daniels said. "At this point, it's hard to doubt John Calipari and what he's doing recruiting wise."
Exactly.
Which is why I joked last week during a podcast with my colleagues Matt Norlander and Jeff Goodman that worrying about when Calipari will land his next great prospect is akin to worrying about when George Clooney will land his next gorgeous woman. Just give it time. It'll happen, because it always happens.

Calipari is similarly great at landing heralded basketball prospects. He has enrolled at least one McDonald's All-American in each of his past five classes and had the consensus top-ranked recruiting class each of the past three years. He has secured elite point guards (Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, John Wall, Brandon Knight), elite wings (Doron Lamb, Mike Gilchrist) and elite bigs (DeMarcus Cousins, Enes Kanter, Terrence Jones, Anthony Davis), all of which allowed him to win 30 games in each of his final four seasons at Memphis, win a national-best 35 games in his first season at Kentucky, make a Final Four in his second season at Kentucky and garner a No. 2 ranking in this year's CBSSports.com preseason Top 25 (and one).In 2005, Clooney had a smoking hot British model. When that ended he dated a smoking hot Vegas cocktail waitress. When that ended he dated a smoking hot Italian actress. When that ended he got Stacy Keibler, and did I mention that George Clooney is awesome?Read More Here

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN WALL!

2011-09-06T17:30:00.000-04:00

For the last few years, I had always thought John Wall would one day become the best point guard in the world, even better than Chris Paul, better thanDeron Williams and all of the rest. Now that Rose has taken the jump, and with CP looking like he might be back to his old self, that opinion is constantly shot down. But the future is too hard to predict.

It helps to have perhaps the greatest high school highlight tape ever on YouTube as your hook. But while that may draw someone in at first, it still takes game rather than hype to hold you there. And John Wall has a lot of that.

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Wall wants to prove he’s a franchise star

2011-09-06T17:22:00.000-04:00

HARBOR CITY, Calif. – In his first season in the NBA, John Wall (notes) was just one of three players to average more than 16 points and eight assists. The other two: All-Star point guards Deron Williams (notes) andRussell Westbrook (notes).

And yet Wall knows everyone – including himself – was expecting more from the top pick in the 2010 draft.

“I don’t think anybody respected it,” Wall said of his rookie season. “I don’t want to blame my injuries – things happen in this world – but I think I would have had a better rookie season. You see how I played when I started the season healthy. When I injured myself, I lost confidence. When I injured myself, I didn’t have the energy.”

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Can UK continue their streak of bringing in the Best? Shabazz Muhammad 2012

2011-09-03T17:34:00.000-04:00

Coach Cal's Big Blue Madness Special Guests list is growing.

2011-08-29T12:20:00.010-04:00

Class of 2012

Talented wing prospect that has a unique scoring ability. He's constantly in attack mode and is an aggressive scorer. His long range shot is getting better, but he does majority of his work from mid-range and in. He's also confident enough in his post game to take defenders to the block and show a jump hook. We'd like to see him continue to develop range on his shot, but he's a heck of a prospect with an impressive motor.

A true low post prospect, Coleman, at 6-foot-8, 280-pounds, is one of the strongest players in all of high school basketball. He finishes well in the paint and doesn't mind a little contact along the way. He locks up his area rebounding wise and isn't afraid to go outside of it to reel in boards. Coleman has a great set of hands, soft touch around the basket and can get a bucket if he gets it on the block.

Sometimes it can look like Warren is coasting, but he has a great skill set. A wing with a thick strong body, Warren can really shoot it from deep and knows how to create for himself despite not being a superior athlete for the position. He's also starting to develop a mid-range game and he has great touch on his pull-ups and floaters.

A post player with a solid skill level, McGary has really come along since re-classifying from 2011 to 2012. He can score inside and out with a strong face up game along with the ability to drive to the basket. McGary plays mostly below the rim, and isn't a great shot blocker.

One of the better two-guards in the 2012 class, Goodwin, who stands 6-foot-4, possibly 6-foot-5, made his bones by attacking the basket and always playing an aggressive brand of basketball. Goodwin gets after it on both ends and plays with intensity of the defensive side of things. At this stage, Goodwin is a good shooter, but could still extend his range. Overall he's a talented scorer with some serious potential.

Class of 2013

Andrew Harrison and Aaron Harrison are twin guards out of Houston who can completely dominate games with their size, athleticism, and natural scoring ability.

His rise to the top of the 2013 rankings has been quick and swift. Walker has grown to 6-foot-10 and didn't lose a bit of his mobility. Walker runs the floor quite well, is a terrific athlete and an impressive rebounder. Defensively he's tough to score on, as he uses his length, timing and athleticism to block shots. Going forward he'll need to continue to develop his low post scoring moves, but he's loaded with potential.

Class of 2014

Kidd-Gilchrist to be featured in HBO documentary

2011-08-29T12:07:00.002-04:00

Freshman Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has yet to play his first collegiate game, but by the time he does, he will already have been featured in an HBO documentary called Prayer for a Perfect Season.

Kidd-Gilchrist played his high school basketball for national powerhouse St. Patrick's in Elizabeth, N.J. During his senior season, award-winning director Marc Levin and a camera crew followed his national championship-contending team that took an undefeated record into a end-of-season showdown against archrival St. Anthony's.

While St. Patrick's quest for a national championship will undoubtedly figure largely into the piece, Kidd-Gilchrist's personal journey and that of his team will be at its heart. Since he signed with Kentucky in November 2010, UK fans have come to learn about the perseverance that Kidd-Gilchrist has shown throughout his young life.

Read entire article here

Coach Cal announces Women Clinic dates now accepting registration

2011-08-24T13:47:00.000-04:00

Date: October 2nd, 2011
Time: 4-7pm
Location: Joe Craft Center and Memorial Coliseum
Cost: $100
Building on the phenomenal success of the 2010 Coach Calipari Women's Clinic, this year's clinic will be held on Sunday, October 2nd, 2011. Be the first in your household to meet the entire 2011-2012 roster, learn the Dribble Drive Motion Offense, and get a tour of the Cats' stat-of-the-art practice facility. Scheduled presentations include behind-the-scenes looks at UK video, strength and conditioning and sports injury/rehabilitation lectures, as well as a Q&A with Coach Calipari, staff and current players. Included in this year’s Clinic will be full involvement by the entire 2011-2012 roster and also more interaction with the participants (at your own risk). We encourage all participants to wear comfortable attire.

http://www.ukathletics.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/082411aaa.html

Rex Chapman 1997 playoffs Phoenix Suns vs Seattle Supersonics

2011-08-24T13:04:00.002-04:00

Watch King Rex in 1997 Playoffs, lights it up for 42.

Kansas follows Kentucky lead with exhibition game.

2011-08-24T11:12:00.000-04:00

The lockout at basketball's professional level is providing an ironic twist that usually goes the other way. Right now, the NBA's loss is college basketball's gain. Kansas hoops is about to take advantage of the work stoppage and give its fans a rare treat, similar to what Kentucky did recently.

Being that Kansas football has a bye the weekend of Sept. 24, Bill Self and the basketball program are taking advantage of an available fall Saturday in Lawrence.

Former Kansas players and coaches will participate in an exhibition game at Allen Fieldhouse. It's being billed as the Legends of the Phog game. I like it. I like it a lot.

Former KU coaches Larry Brown and Ted Owens will coach a collection of former KU players who have been part of three NCAA titles, 54 conference championships, 13 Final Fours and 2,038 all-time victories. The rosters will include many current NBA Jayhawks, including NBA All-Star Paul Pierce, as well as many other recent KU standouts.

“It’s going to be a spectacular event,” Self said in a statement. ”Not very often can you spin a negative into a positive but we get an opportunity to do so with the NBA lockout. There have been numerous times we’d like to get all these guys back at the same time, but it’s always been hard for the current NBA players to come back because their schedules run similar to ours."
Paul Pierce is the big name, of course, but who else could we see? Well, Cole Aldrich, Mario Chalmers, Darrell Arthur, Nick Collison, Kirk Hinrich, Drew Gooden and Julian Wright are all former 'Hawks who make a wage in the Association. None of those were named in the press release, but it does state a good number of NBAers will play, so I think it's fair to expect a decent portion of the names above to make their way to Lawrence that weekend.
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Dominicans hold off ex-Cats 91-86 as Calipari rests stars in second half

2011-08-24T11:07:00.000-04:00

LOUISVILLE — Although he's guiding the Dominican Republic National Team, John Calipari seemingly tried to coach a Kentucky team to another victory Tuesday night.

Calipari did not play his three leading scorers in the second half. But because a team of former UK players shot poorly from three-point range (1-for-19) and the foul line (31-for-52), the Dominicans managed to win anyway, 91-86, over the team called The Pros.

Edgar Sosa, Francisco Garcia and Al Horford — who combined for 71 points in the Dominicans' 106-88 victory in Monday's exhibition — were on schedule for another productive evening. The three had 33 points in the first half.

Then they sat and watched along with a crowd of about 15,000 in the Yum Center.

"I needed to see the other guys," Calipari said. "I have to figure out who can play. We still have to cut three guys."

Before the game, there was some question whether anyone would have a clear view of the action.

Courtside at Rupp: Kentucky Pro's vs Dominican Republic : Don't Bink you'll miss it.

2011-08-24T10:58:00.001-04:00

Scout.com's 2013 Top 100

2011-08-24T10:58:00.000-04:00

It’s quickly becoming apparent that the 2013 class is one of the best collections of talent in recent memory.

From top to bottom it’s a great group that consists of plenty of star power and depth that extends well past the top 100 list.

Leading they way for the strong class is Chicago (Ill.) Simeon standout Jabari Parker. A 6-foot-7 do-it-all forward, Parker has established himself as the top overall prospect because of his size, versatility, athleticism, scoring ability and skill set.

Parker put together an impressive July with the Mac Irvin Fire and has had some talking about him as the best prospect in all of high school basketball.

Landing just behind Parker is 6-foot-8 power forward Julius Randle. The Texas native is active and energetic in the paint, runs the floor with ease and continues to develop his ball skills.

Pressing behind Parker and Randle is the nation’s top defensive player – Nerlens Noel.

Noel is the top prospect on BABC, who won the Peach Jam and made it to the finals of the AAU Super Showcase. At 6-foot-11, Noel has extreme length and is tough to score on because of his physical features, athleticism and timing.

To go with his ability to defend the rim, Noel is becoming a better rebounder and is starting to develop his ability to score on the low block.

Read More Here

Gillispie era at Texas Tech isn't going smoothly

2011-08-24T10:52:00.000-04:00

Few major, BCS-level athletic directors would have hired Billy Gillispie to coach their basketball team. He was radioactive, to say the least. In fact, that probably doesn't do it justice.

Honestly, Texas Tech AD Kirby Hocutt may have been the only major-conference AD willing to take a chance on Gillispie. The former Texas A&M and Kentucky basketball coach is known for his ability to win games but also carries with him a reputation that seems will haunt him forever, much of that stemming from how hard he is to interact with. There are also concerns with his penchant for drinking.

Fortunately for Gillispie, Hocutt went all in on him a few moths ago. Yet, before a game's been played under Gillispie, it turns out he couldn't even make it through an offseason without headaches and turmoil at his new job. There's already erosion within the Texas Tech program, considering Gillsipie can't hang on to assistant coaches, trainers or even secretaries.

He's scaring, bullying and forcing people away from the buildings in Lubbock. People who'd spent the better part of a decade there no longer are because of the new basketball coach in town.

SPORTSbyBROOKS ran with a story today that details some of what Gillispie's put Hocutt through in a few months' time, including the departures of the people referenced above. The post's primary conflict centers around longtime assistant Chris Beard, who left the program in mid-June -- an uncommon time for an assistant to jump ship.

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Kentucky keeping arena options open

2011-08-24T10:50:00.000-04:00

Rupp Arena is a legendary basketball venue. It has housed some of the best teams in college hoops history. Blue-clad fans pack the place every night, even if they're only there to take in a halfhearted exhibition game between a foreign national team and a handful of former Kentucky stars.

But Rupp, like any good storied arena, is getting to the point where its age is outshining its charms. The building is old and drab and lacks many of the modern conveniences baked in to the gleaming new arenas we've seen pop up in NBA cities and college towns in the past 10 years. The obvious example is Louisville's Yum! Center Arena, which provides a beautiful year-round venue for Louisville residents and a top-notch hoops facility in the heart of the city's entertainment district. Kentucky is not the kind of program that wants to lackanything, let alone the facilities required to keep up with the basketball Joneses. (Not to be confused with The Basketball Jones, still the best NBA 'cast on the planet.) But could Kentucky really move out of Rupp?

Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart is currently trying to find an answer to that question. On Tuesday, Barnhart and Lexington mayor Jim Gray sat down for a local news conference to discuss UK's possible arena options going forward. From the Lexington Herald-Leader:

Gray noted that the process of exploring options is a long way from the finish line. "We're at Step One or Two," he said. "This is a project that will have 10 steps."

Barnhart said UK would be "open-minded" to either renovating Rupp or building a new arena. "My job is to protect University of Kentucky basketball and make sure it has what it needs to be the flagship of college basketball," he said. "... We think about the next 30, 40, 50 years of Kentucky basketball, and how we can be partners with the city in what the mayor's trying to get done."Read More Here

Rajon Rondo in Lakers Gear (Video)

2011-08-22T13:45:00.002-04:00

Dick Vitale's 2011-12 All-Solid Gold Teams: Terrence Jones First Team Honors

2011-08-22T13:11:00.001-04:00

It is always exciting to sit down and make my preseason choices for the best of the best in college basketball! Obviously the key is to make it as a postseason All-Solid Gold selection. That means a super season on the hardwood, baby!

There are so many good players out there and these decisions weren't easy, but the VBDI (Vitale Bald Dome Index) churned out the following players as the best, the PTPers, the cream of the crop for the upcoming season! Enjoy!

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Big Cuz throwing it down

2011-08-21T12:27:00.001-04:00

DeMarcus Cousins, Kevin Durant and John Wall played in the Capital Punishment game in D.C. Good clip of DeMarcus with back to back dunks: