SB Nation - Perry Stevenson

Kentucky 64, Connecticut 61 -- Postmortem

Truzenzuzex — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:29:51 -0000

More photos » by Julie Jacobson - AP

Josh Harrellson made one good play tonight, and this is it.

What. A. Game.

We may be saying that a lot this year. I have no idea why, but at no time during this game did I ever worry about losing. Why? I can only suppose that perhaps John Wall is the reincarnation of the Buddha, and all I can think of is Zen.

Great effort by the Connecticut Huskies. They were what we knew they would be -- tough and determined. Jerome Dyson was incredible, Kemba Walker was amazing, Gavin Edwards outplayed everybody on both teams -- except one. John Wall. The Huskies were awesome, just amazing, but not amazing enough this time.

For Kentucky, well, we saw exactly what John Calipari implied we should see -- a really bad team having really good stretches because of their talent. Once again, UK had one more good stretch in this game than the opponent, a now-familiar theme for the 2009 Wildcats.

I have to confess, I really wanted Calipari to go zone. But as he has said, and perhaps I should acquiesce to (not a chance), "I am the coach, let me do my job." Okay, Coach, but forgive me if I sit in my armchair and disagree. It's what we do here in the Bluegrass State, and if you are going to kanoodle the job here at Kentucky, this is just another part of what you have so enthusiastically embraced. Deal with it.

Moving along, I was not concerned going in down six to the Huskies at the half. I want to stop right there and ask you all, ladies and gentlemen of the Big Blue Nation -- when was the last time you could have imagined that we could go into half time down six points versus the UConn Huskies in Madison Square Garden and not be concerned? It has been a very, very long time, certainly the better part of a decade at least. That, in and of itself, is a wonderful thing.

More after the jump.

Here are the things that jump out at me:

Bad Cuz, Good Cuz, all in the same game. Nothing to see here. Move along.
John Wall. Well, what can you say? He was pretty good, but then, he always is. But he had a stretch in the first half where he looked very much like the freshman he is.
Patrick Patterson -- Warrior of warriors. I have no idea how severe his ankle sprain is, but I get the impression he would have gone back in with a compound fracture -- he was going to make sure this game was won, and physical maladies be damned. And largely because of his leadership, the 'Cats did win.
Eric Bledsoe had an off night, particularly defensively. It wasn't lack of effort, really, just lack of experience. He will get a lot better, and his effort was very good.
Darius Miller just took a step back tonight. He didn't look confident, his shot was flat, and the more he missed, the worse he played. But he had a great game defensively against Stanley Robinson, who was almost never a factor.
Darnell Dodson made a couple of big shots, but he played abysmally overall, particularly on defense. He is much better than that.
Daniel Orton did what he always does -- play harder than anybody. This time, he fouled out. He will have better days, and this day was better than it looked.
Ramon Harris is such a great effort player, but he sure does need some kind of offensive game. Big free throw at the end, though. And a ton of rebounds.
Josh Harrellson made one good play and then laid down flat. C'mon, Josh, you can do this.
Perry Stevenson gave some good minutes, and did what he was in there to do.
Are the oddsmakers any good or what? They had UK +2. Scary.
That 12-0 run showed what could happen, just like the 28-2 run last week did. If the 'Cats can ever learn to sustain the effort, look out Indianapolis.
Calipari did a great job. Then again, John Wall can make an average coach look like a genius. Fortunately, he didn't have to tonight.
Where the heck did our offensive rebounding go? On vacation to Hawaii, apparently.

That's it. It's late. I'm finishing up a taste of Four Roses for a nightcap. Up next -- the Hoosiers.

UK Athletics: The Good, the Bad, and the Hilarious

Ken Howlett — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:00:19 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

More, please.

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With the basketball 'Cats fresh off their 68-66 victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels, and the football 'Cats officially going country with their third Music City Bowl invite in four years, there is much happening in the world of Kentucky sports. While normally I write about a particular event or topic, today I'm going to venture into the realm of diversification and include in this post thoughts on the happenings of UK basketball and football.

For more, make the jump with me:

The Good

Fast-break 'Cats -- For those who witnessed UK's roller-coaster win over North Carolina on Saturday, you saw nine minutes and twenty-eight seconds of near perfection. With UK down 9-2 at the 17:16 mark of the first half, the 28-2 Big Blue blitzkrieg that followed, had me, 'ol Roy, and anyone else watching wondering if the Wildcats would pulverize our powder blue rivals into submission before halftime. For nearly ten minutes the 'Cats did what they do best, and that is leave it to John Wall to gallop at a break-neck pace; passing, shooting, and alley-ooping his way into the hearts of Kentucky fans (and NBA scouts).

During UK's dominant first-half demonstration Wall scored seven points, and assisted on four of UK's other eight made baskets. He loudly and proudly announced to the world that the hype surrounding his "game" is not only justified, but it may be understated.

Also getting into the act during UK's nine-and-a-half minutes of bliss were: Darius Miller -- Two three-pointers, a mid-range jumper, two steals, and one assist: Patrick Patterson -- A jumper, dunk, layup, and two free throws: Darnell Dodson contributed a three-pointer and a steal.

During a stretch most coaches only dream about, the 'Cats made 11-14 shots (with six assists), pilfered the Heels four times, and committed only two turnovers (neither by a guard). UK's stifling defense (with an assist to the pace) held the Tar Heels to only 1-9 shooting, while forcing eight turnovers.

From down 9-2, to up 30-11 in less than half of a half -- No one, and I mean no one will want to run with this team. If Roy Williams, possibly the elite fast break coach in the country, doesn't want any part of the John Wall-led "Wonder of Me Tour," no coach interested in winning will be enthused to see Wall streaking unmolested toward the basket with a team of thoroughbreds filling the lane, or waiting to pop from the perimeter. To emasculate a lesser-team in such a way is impressive, but North Carolina's roster is filled with talent, which makes what I saw awe-inspiring.

UK won despite a sub-par performance by DeMarcus Cousins -- Many so-called experts have prognosticated that Kentucky cannot beat good teams (and therefore, be a Final Four contender), without Cousins being a major force. Bull excrement!

Patrick Patterson, Daniel Orton, and Perry Stevenson displayed why the mercurial Cousins, while very talented, is not the key to UK's low post play -- Patterson produced a typical PPat game: 19 points, seven rebounds, one block and one steal, while Orton and Stevenson combined to play 26 minutes and produced five rebounds, three blocks, one steal, and one assist.

As long as Patterson has another player of size working with him down low, taking a bit of the defensive pressure off, he is capable of handling the workload. He's proved that for two-plus years.

UK won despite John Wall missing seven straight minutes of action -- I admit, when Wall started limping, I started pacing.

When Wall left the game in the second half at the 18:46 mark (and began his hypodermic-dodging journey back to the floor), UK was up 45-30. When Wall reappeared, much to the delight of the record-setting Rupp Arena crowd (as well as millions of palpitating UK fans at home), at the 11:44 mark, Kentucky was up 54-42. My calculator says UNC outscored the 'Cats 12-9 in that nerve-racking stretch of the game. Not bad when one considers Wall is the heart and soul of what makes UK go.

The 'Cats did commit four turnovers (two by Bledsoe, one each by Patterson and Ramon Harris), and they made only 4-12 shots (three of the makes were by Patterson) during the stretch, but they held serve, they preserved the lead, and that's all that really matters. Good teams win despite adversity. The fulfillment of that adage was on full display Saturday afternoon.

The final two minutes -- With UK clinging to a 61-56 lead over the Heels (at the two minute mark), freshmen guards John Wall and Eric Bledsoe refused to allow the 'Cats to lose. Over the two minutes that mean the most, Wall and Bledsoe combined to make five of six free throws, stole a pass (Wall), made a layup (Bledsoe), and dished out an assist (Wall).

The "Cool Hand Luke" demeanor in which these two players perform in end-game scenarios, at such a young age, cannot be overstated. Some players are simply gifted with the absence of fear. We are now watching two such gifted athletes. Enjoy 'em while ya got 'em.

UPDATE -- Kentucky's three-point threat -- With UK's 6-16 (37.5%) three-point shooting against North Carolina, the 'Cats trey accuracy now stands at 37.9% (50-132) on the year.

Led by Darius Miller's 40.0% shooting (14-35), Kentucky is quickly putting to rest the preseason questioning of their perimeter game. Eric Bledsoe, who's only weakness was thought to be his shooting, has pitched-in to the tune of 12 made treys on 25 attempts (48.0%); Darnell Dodson, now liberated from the Calipari doghouse, has made a respectable 38.5% (10-26), and possesses one of the sweetest strokes this side of Chris Lofton; and finally, Patrick Patterson continues to impress with his outside shot by making 6-14 (42.9%).

I don't know when UK's perimeter game ceases to be a cause for concern, but I sense the time is near.

Music City Bowl invite -- While many UK fans are unhappy about returning to Nashville for the third time in four years, I choose instead to celebrate four straight years of UK bowl games. It's a milestone for the program, and a tribute to one of the best senior classes in Kentucky football history.

So many 'Cats had outstanding seasons -- Derrick Locke, Randall Cobb, Micah Johnson, Sam Maxwell, La 'Rod King, and John Conner all produced fantastic individual years. They, as well as the other 'Cats, deserve the full support of the BBN while they do battle with C.J. Spiller and the Clemson Tigers in the Music City Bowl.

Football 'Cats honored -- It was announced Monday that five UK football players were selected by the Associated Press as All-SEC performers -- Randall Cobb: First Team all-purpose player -- Corey Peters: Second Team defensive tackle -- Sam Maxwell: Second Team linebacker -- Derrick Locke: Second Team all-purpose player -- Zipp Duncan: Honorable Mention offensive lineman.

Congratulations to all the 'Cats selected, with one caveat -- Sam Maxwell deserved First Team honors. He was second in the SEC with six interceptions, and he made big play after key play in UK's road victories over Auburn, Georgia, and Vanderbilt. I honestly can't think of another SEC linbacker that I would have rather had.

The Bad

The DeMarcus Cousins in-game pout -- I was the same way at his age -- I allowed (perceived) poor officiating to get in my head.

What Cousins has to realize is: DON'T ALLOW THE OFFICIALS TO BEAT YOU TWICE. It's comparable to a golfer allowing one bad shot to adversely effect his next shot. It's a recipe for pine-time, and unfulfilled potential.

Although I feel confident John Calipari will work his pupil through this flaw in his game, it may take some time. Cousins, afterall, is accustomed to getting all the calls in high school, he's accustomed to bullying his foes, not being on the receiving end of such physical play (and there definitely was an abundance of physical play on Saturday). Well, this ain't high school ball, DeMarcus. Adjust accordingly, and become the beast that is within you.

Underused Patterson -- With the absence of John Wall from the 18:46 mark to the 11:44 mark of the second half, one would expect Patrick Patterson to become that which the offense runs through. Well apparently, one would be wrong.

During that seven minute stretch, Patterson took exactly four shots, with one of those shots being an offensive rebound of his only miss (of that stretch). UK's big man, and best player (if Wall isn't on the floor), simply has to receive more touches if such a predicament faces UK in the future.

I realize Eric Bledsoe was playing erratically at the time, he was ... trying to do too much while Wall was sidelined. But what young Mr. Bledsoe would be wise to remember is that he needs to run the offense through Patterson, ensure the big fella gets his touches, and everything else will open up.

Sam Maxwell's labrum tear and Micah Johnson's omission -- The terrible news out of the Nutter Complex that Sam Maxwell will miss the Music City Bowl was most unpleasant for this UK fan. Maxwell, a senior, played sparingly through his first three years in Lexington, opting to patiently wait his turn in lieu of transferring. And when earning the opportunity to start, the Georgia native put up big numbers, and made game-changing plays. My thanks to Maxwell for a job well done, and good luck at the next level.

Maxwell's senior statistics -- 80 tackles (42 solo) (second on the team), 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, six interceptions (second in the SEC), seven pass breakups, and two forced fumbles.

Micah Johnson's omission from the AP All-SEC team is laughable. UK's senior middle linebacker posted 100 tackles (fifth in the SEC) , 6.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, and one sack. And he did all of this while battling plantar fasciitis and a bad ankle for most of the year.

The Hilarious

I like John Calipari. I've liked him since he brought his UMass team to Rupp Arena in December of 1991. He impressed me then, and he's impressed me ever since; he's a fine coach, and a great recruiter. A fan can't ask for much more.

But, his "like-ability" quotient shot through the roof Saturday, when after the game he said the following (paraphrasing) -- When I saw where Seth Davis predicted us to lose, I knew we had a chance.

Most UK fans know Seth Davis, and most UK fans don't like Seth Davis. He speaks of that which he doesn't know, and is paid handsomely to do so. Which is why I spewed my just ingested Coca-Cola all over my carpet when Calipari called a spade ... a spade.

Thanks, coach, finally someone with credibility called-out a national media member, and did so without hesitation.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats, beat the Huskies!

Kentucky Basketball: Dear Santa

BigSkyCat — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:44:19 -0000

'Tis the season....

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For those of you who have children that still believe in Santa I'm sure you are all too familiar with "Letters to Santa", and if you haven't already done so, I'm sure you are getting ready to help your children write their Christmas lists, stamp the letters, and then get them mailed off to the North Pole. Or perhaps you are a grandparent who is assisting your grandchildren, or maybe you are simply an adult who is still very much a kid at heart and you, too, want to make a list. Either way, it really doesn't matter, the point is that this is the season for making wish lists and they give you the opportunity to see if you have been naughty or nice this past year.

I know that we all regularly post wishes and hopes that we have for our players as that is just what fans do. After a loss we want random things for so-and-so, and since we are a particularly hard-to-please bunch and are never quite satisfied, we even want random things for so-and-so after we win.

I'm a sucker for posts that are relevant now, but posts that are also interesting to look back on, so with that in mind, I thought it would be rather fun if we had all the basketball-related type things that we want for this year's team posted in one neat singular place. That way, in one, two, or maybe even three months down the road we can look back on our lists and not only see what areas of concern were addressed, but which ones might still be lingering.

In keeping with the spirit of the holiday season what better way to make our requests than to ask Santa? Based upon what we have witnessed from our boys up to this point in the season, I'll go first and make my list as to what I would like Santa to bring some of our boys this year in order to help out our team.

Dear Santa,

I am writing to you on behalf of some fabulous members of the Kentucky Wildcats Men's Basketball team. I'm certain that they have all been on their best behavior this year and I happen to think that there are a couple of things that they might need in order for us to have a stellar season. If you could assist them with the following it would be greatly appreciated.

First of all, there is one of our outstanding point guards named Eric Bledsoe. Eric is extremely gifted, appears to be in great physical shape and plays much larger than he actually is. But, one thing that might help our dear Eric at times would be the gift of control when he is in possession of the ball. I would also request that you assist him in the healing of his apparent tendinitis as he is having some pain, and since our Eric has shown great poise down the stretch on more than one occasion in this young season, he really does deserve the reprieve.

Next I would like to talk about one of our big men, Daniel Orton. Daniel has a certain gentleness about him and his demeanor definitely gives me a sense of calmness when he is on the floor. I'm never really worried that he will do anything totally horrible or out of control, but on the reverse side, I would request that that you bring some ferocity and aggression to his game that he could use when the occasion calls for it.

One of the three seniors on this year's squad is Perry Stevenson. Perry's role on this year's team is quite a bit different than it was last year as he is not getting nearly as many minutes as were asked of him last year. Even given Perry's somewhat diminished role, it appears to me that Perry has kept a great head about him and has come in and given good solid minutes and I would ask that you see that he is able to maintain that great attitude and those solid contributions. He is a senior and most surely has a special place on the team.

Next, I want to talk about yet another senior on our current team, the oft-criticized, Ramon Harris. Ramon is another person who goes about his business in rather obscurity and depending on what he does on any given night he is either forgotten about because he did just enough, or he is remembered because he made a mistake. In addition to possibly giving Ramon a bit more of an offensive repertoire, please see to it that he is able to keep up his defensive intensity and also, more importantly, please give Ramon the gift of being able to tune out all of the outside chatter (criticism) and just go about his business.

Now, let's move on to the beloved boy from Kentucky, Darius Miller. Although I think he has made considerable progress from last year, he still has a tendency to disappear, and although I realize not all the boys on our team can be standouts, if you could please see your way into giving Darius some more consistency in his play? Well, that would be awesome.

Next up is our All-American, Patrick Patterson. He is certainly a fan favorite and I have a feeling that he will remain that way long after he has left the confines of the University of Kentucky. He holds so many great qualities and it has truly been a blessing and an honor for him to wear the blue and white. His work ethic is second to none; he is a poster child for not only what you want in a player, but a poster child for what you want in a human. I'm struggling to find anything that Patrick might need as he really does seem to "have it all", already, but if I had to pick something, I guess I would say my one request for Patrick would be that he could embrace more of public leadership role for our team. We do have several youngsters that can only benefit from being around and absorbing the kind of wisdom not to mention the outstanding work ethic that Patrick has. In short, please give Patrick the ability and the know-how to share his wisdom with our youngsters and maintain his extremely high level of on-the-court intensity.

The member of the team who provides us all with plenty of topics for debate due to his incredibly spirited nature, DeMarcus Cousins, is next. Cousins already possesses a really solid foundation to be an excellent player. He has good size, soft hands, and a ridiculous wing span, but I think he is still in need of a few things. For DeMarcus, I would ask that you give him a greater degree of focus, more explosiveness around the basket and the strength to own his shots on offense. Additionally, and probably most importantly, I would request the ability to shoot a decent free throw percentage for DeMarcus. I'm not asking for anything spectacular here, but since he does seem to get fouled an awful lot, a decent, respectable percentage from the charity stripe would really come in handy.

In closing, (and I certainly saved the easiest member for last), I have one teeny-tiny request for John Wall, as well. I'm positive that John really isn't in need of many basketball-related things this year, but I would just ask that he have access to lots and lots of Gatorade, PowerAde, or whatever kind of sports drink he prefers that contain electrolytes so that he can stay properly hydrated.

Sincerely,

BigSkyCat

Now, I realize that I don't have a request for every single player on the team and I know that Darnell, Josh, Jon, Mark and DeAndre are all very deserving of gifts from Santa, as well. I'm also fairly certain that there are quite a lot of things missing from the above letter, but that's where all of you, my fellow fans, come in. My list was just to get things started, and your ideas are now most welcome and certainly encouraged.

Go ‘Cats! : )

Kentucky 68, North Carolina 66 -- Postmortem

Truzenzuzex — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:13:22 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

One of many memorable plays by the Great Wall, even though he was less than 100% in the second half.

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Wow, what a game. Thank God I am diligent about exercise, because at my age, these kinds of games are bad for a less than strong heart.

Thanks and well-wishes to North Carolina for a very tough game. The Tar Heels came back from a big deficit in the first half to make this game a nail-biter. Needless to to say, my nails are bleeding all over the place. The Tar Heels showed much better defense in the second half and forced the Wildcats in to a level of turnovers that could have done us in. Kudos to the Tar Heels for a strong effort. Not only that, their presence today allowed UK to set a new Rupp Arena record for attendance.

For Kentucky, this represents a very good win that could have been great -- not because of anything the Tar Heels did, but because UK did not appear to come out ready in the second half. Combined with John Wall's apparent dehydration (I have no doubt he went to the locker room to take an IV), Kentucky and North Carolina literally swapped places at halftime. With UK at 43 points going into the half, who would have believed they would only score 25 points in the second half?

Of course, you can expect a team like North Carolina, a team with many players who know what it's like to play in the NCAA tournament at the highest level, to make a game of it after being uncompetitive in the first half. It will be very galling to UK fans who saw some great basketball in the first half to remember how the 'Cats went out in something less than style.

More after the jump.

Here are my observations:

DeMarcus Cousins has got to learn to control his emotions -- and his foul shots.
It goes without saying that this team is different without John Wall in the game.
Eric Bledsoe showed nerves of steel by making all those free throws at the end.
Patrick Patterson was awesome, but for some reason, we went away from him in the second half.
Dunk on Daniel Orton? Nope.
Ramon Harris continues to amaze with his rebounding and heady play. If he could only score a little more.
Darnell Dodson seems a bit off form, but he contributed some good offensive minutes and made a couple of good defensive plays.
Speaking of defense, this was the best defensive game the 'Cats have played all year.
Seeing North Carolina play at the pace they did was just weird.
Darius Miller vanished in the second half. But he sure was great in the first.
Calipari showed why he is such a winner. I think he out-coached ol' Roy today, and had a big hand in the outcome.
Perry Stevenson made some nice contributions on defense. I wish he could score more.
The best thing about this win was that UK will get better. So will UNC, but I think UK's ceiling is significantly higher.

That's about it for now, I am getting ready for the SEC championship game. This win makes my weekend automatically great. I am tickled to be writing about a win, because I was prepared to write about a loss.

Great win by Kentucky. Not perfect, but in the end, we won the stat that counts the most -- the final score.

Kentucky 73, Cleveland State 49 -- Postmortem

Truzenzuzex — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:14:07 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

This game aught to give Coach Cal plenty to yell about.

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The Cancun Challenge is certainly providing a challenge for the Kentucky Wildcats. Not only did the Sam Houston St. give us plenty of challenge, but the Cleveland St. Vikings also proved tough enough to challenge the 'Cats -- for a half.

Nice effort by the Vikings of Cleveland State. They out-hustled and outworked Kentucky for most of the game, and refused to be bullied or pushed around, matching UK's physicality inside and proving that hustle will offset talent most of the time. The Vikings were tough, gritty and determined. Unfortunately for them, they weren't big enough or skilled enough to handle the Wildcats.

This was an ugly game by any measure. Tons of fouls, players pushing and shoving, two intentional fouls, turnover after turnover. Ugly, ugly basketball.

Cleveland State could not throw the ball in the ocean from the beach. They were ice-cold from everywhere, but UK kept giving them the ball before they could get off a shot. I can't wait to see the stats on this game, they should prove instructive.

But in the second half, the Wildcats began to take care of the ball and force the Vikings to beat them without a bunch of extra possessions, and that wound up being too tall an order for the shorter Cleveland State team. After the first five minutes of the second half, the game was really no longer in doubt, and Kentucky improves to 5-0 and advances to the championship round of the tournament, while the Vikings move on to the consolation game.

More after the jump.

Here are my observations:

I sure hope Patrick Patterson's injury is minor. He didn't come back after he apparently tweaked an ankle. At least, I hope that's what it was.
Ramon Harris played another excellent game, and by the minutes he's getting, it's clear that Calipari is falling in love with him just like Gillispie did.
Big Cuz had another good game, but once again, he is weak with the ball when he gets trapped.
Daniel Orton played well again. Blocks galore, some points in close, lots of good stuff.
Eric Bledsoe played really poorly for most of the game. He got better very late, but he turned the ball over a lot.
John Wall was OK, but I though this wasn't really one of his best efforts. He seemed out of control a lot.
Perry Stevenson gave some good minutes.
Jon Hood hit an open shot and absolutely played his best game so far.
Darius Miller was fine, but I wish he had been a little more under control.
This was a really rough game in spite of all the fouls. Most of the fouls were absolutely good calls, and even if the officiating was uneven at times, I thought it was OK. I am not a big advocate of "letting them play." A foul is a foul and it should be called.
Nice three at the end of the first half by Josh Harrellson. It was a difference-maker.
I really wish I knew if we were ever going to hear from Liggins or Dodson again. I think they have slipped into the Calipari Triangle.

All in all, this was a most unsatisfying game. There was very little of the kind of play that I had hoped to see on offense, and the defense, although competent, was just okay. I was hoping for much more. Maybe I'll get that tomorrow.

Kentucky 75, Morehead State 59 -- After Action Report

Truzenzuzex — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:18:23 -0000

by Ed Reinke - AP

Do it this way, guys!

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First of all, I want to thank the Morehead State Eagles from coming into a hostile arena against a much more talented team and showing everyone how important experience is in college basketball. Morehead gave a fantastic account of themselves, and Kenneth Faried showed tonight why he has a chance to play basketball for money somewhere when he graduates from Morehead. Donnie Tyndall's team will likely be a force again this year in the OVC, and they gave Kentucky plenty to think about.

Okay, now to the Wildcats. There is a big difference in Kentucky with John Wall, and without. Eric Bledsoe is a remarkable talent, and he had a really good game tonight, but here is the stat that you don't want to see -- 4 assists and 7 turnovers. That is not a good line out of your point guard, no matter how many points he scores. And Bledsoe scored plenty -- 7-14 for 24 points overall, including a dipsy-doo whacko shot that will be a SportsCenter highlight tonight.

Kentucky, once again, was plagued by turnovers. But the real problem is, they were plagued by bad shots. Yes, I know, the three is open against a sagging zone like Morehead employed tonight, and the DDM is not as effective against a zone, especially one that essentially concedes the three-point shot. But Kentucky was not patient and was too frenetic in their offensive effort in the half court.

On the upside, I really liked our effort on defense, particularly all the players giving up their body for charges. UK is long and tall and will get a ton of blocks this year, but they really showed exactly how that is done tonight, managing eight blocks. When this team really runs the floor, it is hard to get back fast enough to have any hope of stopping them. It will be even tougher with Wall in the lineup.

Here are tonight's observations:

DeMarcus Cousins reminded me a lot of Randolph Morris tonight. I hope that doesn't continue.
Patrick Patterson was a true monster, with an easy double-double. That's the Patterson we need to see this year.
Darnell Dodson continues to play well offensively. He needs to be a bit more focused on defense.
Eric Bledsoe is off the charts as an athlete. He really showed his full range of athleticism tonight.
Perry Stevenson again gave good minutes in limited action. 3 rebounds in 14 minutes is not bad.
Darius Miller must become more of a factor. He totally drifted this whole game.
Daniel Orton is getting better every game. He needs to be more aggressive offensively.
Ramon Harris does what he does -- give total effort. He got 21 minutes tonight, and even though he didn't make much of an impact on the stats, he was excellent defensively and was a steadying influence on the team, as a senior should be.
Watching Calipari was really instructive tonight. Gone is Dr. Feel Good, who has been replacedy by Judge Dread.
I loved the crowd. They were big and bad, just like they should be.
Did Jimmy Dykes defend Calipari eloquently, or what?
No DeAndre Liggins at all tonight, and very little Josh Harrellson. I think I know what Harrellson means, but Liggins?

Overall, it was a good game for the 'Cats, and an imprvement over every game so far. Just imagine John Wall and Eric Bledsoe together. Just imagine that. Chills run up my spine just thinking about it.

1-0. Go Cats!

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Season Kickoff Edition

Truzenzuzex — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:00:32 -0000

by Gerry Broome - AP

Don't know 'bout those unis, Tar Heels ...

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Well, what do you know, the basketball season has officially begun, but with a whimper rather than a bang. North Carolina opened up last night against the Fighting Isaiah Thomases, and lo and behold, the Tar Heels were not even a shell of last year's team. But of course, like UK, they are very young but very talented, and they will certainly improve.

The SB Nation UNC blog Carolina March has more, as does this News and Observer piece, about how the Heels did in their first outing versus an opponent that counts. Of course, UK doesn't get a shot at a counter until later this week, but it will get here, folks. Be patient.

Ohio State had a convincing 100-60 win over Alcorn State in a very efficient outing. The Buckeys look to be a very interesting team, and unlike UNC and Kentucky, is loaded with less talent but much more experience. Teams like Ohio State often make a lot of noise in March, and this team will bear close watching throughout the year.

#25 Syracuse was easily handling tiny Albany as I was going to bed, and Murray State was getting set to take on Cal, but that tip is past my bedtime.

After the jump, all the news that's fit for Wildcats.

In Patterson's dream game, he keeps firing from downtown and he can't miss | KentuckySports.com
In Patrick Patterson's fantasy, he dribbles the ball downcourt and swishes three-point shot after three-point shot.

"I'm going to play Jodie Meeks," he said. "Just like Tennessee."

That just seems so...right. Patterson has a nice stroke and a nice release. He may not be Jodie Meeks this year, but I do think he will surprise us all from the arc.
Dunlap, Snowden star in UK women's scrimmage | KentuckySports.com
Basketball Prospectus | Articles | The List: Season-Opening Edition
Another ranking, once again UK is fairly high.
Improving Cobb part of ‘extensive’ injury list at UK | Vaught's Views
One day, we will have a season where we are not so banged up. One day.
Western Kentucky fires coach David Elson in seventh season amid 0-9 season - ESPN
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers have fired coach David Elson amid the Hilltoppers' first fully eligible season for FBS play.
SEC power rankings - SEC - ESPN
11. Kentucky: One of the most time consuming things Kentucky coach Rich Brooks does every Sunday is read off the injury report. The Wildcats (5-4, 1-4) are really banged up. Derrick Locke and Randall Cobb didn’t play last week in the 37-12 win over Eastern Kentucky, but both are expected back this week against Vanderbilt. The Wildcats would like to get all the drama out of the way and become bowl eligible this week. Otherwise, they’ll have to beat Georgia or Tennessee to do so.
Five Bold College Basketball Predictions - Andy Hutchins - The Sporting Blog - Sporting News
The best team in the SEC will be Mississippi State. Forget about the John Wall Show at Kentucky: The only team in the SEC coming off an NCAA Tournament berth and returning all five starters plays in Starkville. Add Renardo Sidney, currently caught in eligibility limbo, and the Bulldogs may have the most imposing frontline in college hoops in Sidney and one-man block party Jarvis Varnado. Maintaining the quietly above-average guard play of last season could be their key.

MSU will be very good, but not better than Kentucky. Andy is letting his hopes write a check that reality can't cash.
Kentucky Sports Radio " Blog Archive " Rich Brooks press conference notes
I'm disturbed that the team is still worrying about MSU. Forget it -- its water under the bridge now. Beating Vandy, Georgia and/or UT would more than make up for it.
NCAA College Basketball Power Rankings - NCAA Basketball - ESPN
I'll take a #4 ranking for now, but I honestly believe we will be better than Texas and Michigan State. Interesting to find Dook all the way down at #9. Cardinals at 21? Nah. That's too high, I don't get it. I also don't buy Minnesota as top 25 yet, but I would have them fairly close.

Butler #10? Not. Maybe 18. Michigan 15? Well, that won't likely last. Georgetown probably deserves to be a bit higher. West Virginia top ten? Well, maybe close.
65 things to watch during the 2009-10 season - CBK News - FOX Sports on MSN
2. How will new Kentucky coach John Calipari mesh the old with the new? Patrick Patterson, Darius Miller and Perry Stevenson must figure out a way to co-exist with the new guys in Lexington — freshmen John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe, Darnell Dodson and Daniel Orton.
KY reports two more H1N1 deaths
Ugh.
Projecting the Field - NCAA Division I Mens Basketball - CBSSports.com
Last season's first projections just rimmed out. But a new season is about to tip off and Gary Parrish launches his first tournament field projections, following the talent trail to Kentucky and Kansas.

Florida and Vandy both just miss? One may, but not both. Only 5 bids for the SEC and 6 for the ACC. Hmm, must be a last-season hangover.
WBIR.com | Knoxville, TN | Tennessean: Criticizing SEC officials is easy call for some
In our smoke-and-mirrors world, SEC refs are supposedly doing whatever is necessary to keep Florida and Alabama undefeated and on track for a showdown in the SEC Championship game.

The theory holds that SEC powers-that-be want to keep the records of both teams spotless until Dec. 5, thus assuring that the winner plays for the national championship and the loser remains ranked high enough in the BCS standings to lock down a spot in one of the other major bowls.

Heh. Conspiracy theorists -- gotta love 'em.
Can college hoops' opener ever earn buzz? - Beyond the Arc - msnbc.com
They don’t because college basketball’s opening day is blasé. There’s no national tie-in or big recognition about the season starting. Maybe it’s because the season’s too long, or maybe it’s because the games will be blowouts.

The NCAA knows it and is – slowly – addressing the problem. Kind of.
College basketball preview: Year of the blueblood - Mike DeCourcy - College Basketball - Sporting News
What separates the bluebloods, though, from the nouveau riche — Michigan State, Arizona, Connecticut, Texas, Florida and the like — is how dramatically their cataclysms can be transformed into triumph. It took Williams two seasons to lead the Tar Heels to a championship after inheriting a young team that had finished in the NIT. Howland and the Bruins began a three-year Final Four streak just two years after UCLA endured back-to-back losing seasons.

DeCourcy gets it absolutely right again.
UK at Georgia set for 7:45 p.m. on Nov. 21 | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Peters: UK’s season is on the line at Vanderbilt | Vaught's Views
Corey Peters has no problem admitting that Kentucky’s season is on the line Saturday at Vanderbilt.

You bet it is. Big time. Wins at Georgia or vs. Tennessee are possible, but very tough.
Memphis making an ultra-clean Calipari break - Beyond the Arc - msnbc.com
To be fair, no school spends much time lauding the coaches who leave for other jobs, particularly in the media guide. That’s a space reserved for the new regime and the current season’s players. As Mark McGwire might say, why dwell on the past?

Heh. Whatever. I could care less if Cal is ever remembered as Memphis' coach.

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Blog Refresh Edition

Truzenzuzex — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:56:06 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

John Wall will be out there on the floor on Friday.

Browse more photos »

SB Nation has performed what they are calling a "visual refresh" of the blogs, and I hope you love it as much as I do. To me, the the site looks much cleaner and more readable. Great job by the code magicians at SBN.

Now, to business. The game last night drew pretty predictable commentary from around the Big Blue Nation, mostly expecting the ugly, disjointed nature of the game while marveling at the talent and athleticism. I think that's the best way to look at it, and I'm sure Coach Calipari learned a lot about his team last night. We will learn even more on Friday when John Wall gets to suit up and take the floor for the first time versus outside competition.

At the end of the day, I was not unhappy with what I saw. I expected this game to be ugly, and it did not disappoint. But I loved the way the team tried to play together, and the effort on defense was really quite remarkable, with a number of players hitting the floor hard trying to draw charges, and getting floor burns chasing after loose balls. You have to really admire all that effort, and even if the execution was sloppy, it was really good to see how hard the team played.

Now, for the news:

UK Basketball News

[SLIDESHOW] UK wins turnover plagued game against Campbellsville | The Kentucky Kernel
"I was really happy for Perry Stevenson," Calipari said. "Instead of pouting or anything, he just goes in and now he earns his space. Now all of a sudden he gets in that rotation."

That's what I like to see also, and Perry did a very good job in limited minutes. My guess is that if he keeps it up, he'll earn more.
Danny Jett's Inner Circle: An Exhibition In Ugly Basketball
Ugly, indeed.
Calipari: Bledsoe and Wall are better together | Vaught's Views
I agree, I think that together, they are pretty much unstoppable.
We can't judge UK by exhibition, but we can try | KentuckySports.com
The dribble-drive motion offense is very much a work in progress (which it should be in November of the first year it's being run).

Too many guys driving with no intention of actually getting to the basket was the verdict of John Calipari.

I think that's right. Not Perry Stevenson, though. He drove with bad intentions. We need more of that.
Calipari's first win an eye-opener | KentuckySports.com
Patrick Patterson, who left last week's Blue-White Game happy with his contributions from the perimeter, struggled. He made two of seven shots. Both baskets were dunks. He had no assists and six turnovers.

Tipton haters, shut your eyes, or you might turn to stone. I suppose that if Patterson is going to have bad games, now is the best time for that to happen. I'd be surprised if it happens again anytime soon.
Column: A long way to go, but Cats’ potential is there | The Kentucky Kernel
If DeMarcus Cousins scores, rebounds and downright terrifies opponents the way he did against Campbellsville, things might get scary. Cousins had 11 points and six rebounds. He scared the small Tiger team inside, even more so than his impressive four blocks may suggest.

People don't scare so easy in the SEC, though.
Wildcat Blue In a Sea of Orange: Calipari era officially underway as UK rolls over Campbellsville University 74-38
All in all, I think this is exactly what Calipari expected when he warned us that UK had a lot of work to do. The big thing to look for is how improved UK is when Wall settles into the lineup in the next exhibition game.

I think that's right.
Tom Leach - Kentucky Football, Kentucky Basketball, UK Football, UK Basketball
Lots of good stuff from last night's game.
UK handles Campbellsville 74-38 | straitpinkie.com
Any illusions that Kentucky fans had about this team instantly jelling together, instantly learning the dribble drive, and instantly living up to their potential had a bit of a reality check in tonight’s second half against Campbellsville.

So true.

UK Football News

Newton's progress comes at Fidler's expense " Evansville Courier & Press
Fidler, who said he was expecting to take some snaps in the first half, was obviously disappointed to not get on the field. "I want to do whatever they need me to do to help us win," he said.

Fidler finds himself in an awkward position. He is rooting for Newton to play well not only for the good of the team but for the good of Newton himself. But it seems now the only way Fidler will get the chance to play is if Newton doesn't play well.

What a tough spot for Fidler. Unfortunately, next year it will only get worse. Well, that's how you get better at anything -- the cream must be allowed to rise to the top.
Rich Brooks Answers Questions about MSU Loss
"A week ago people thought we could win out," Brooks said. "Now they don't think we can even win another game."

Heh. How true.
UK Football Fan: SEC Bowl/Standings projections
The Pizza Bowl looks likely, unless we spring an upset. But we have to win at least one more SEC game for that to be a reality.
Cats prepare for EKU, try to salvage season | KentuckySports.com
It's not just the fact that Kentucky lost, it's the way they lost that really took away a lot of steam: 348 rushing yards allowed, three turnovers and a passing game that generated just 119 yards. The message boards and radio shows that were once buzzing about the Outback and Chick-Fil-A bowls are now playing the blame game, and the players say they can't get caught up in that.
Brooks asks players to help motivate | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
"Where some of our leaders in the past were vocal, our leaders are quiet and try to lead by example on this team," Brooks said. "Sometimes they don’t feel particularly comfortable in voicing an opinion in practice or in a meeting, where in the past some of our players did do that."

"Quiet" leadership rarely works.
Locke questionable to doubtful for EKU
AAARRGGHH! Locke just isn't very durable.

Other UK Sports News

Report: Top-50 player commits to UK women | KentuckySports.com
Finally. Man, it has been a struggle to get women's basketball back into contention in the SEC, but this type of player might just get it done.
No. 12 UK Turns in Complete Team Effort to Sweep Ole Miss - KENTUCKY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

NCAA Sports News

Dan Wolken: Recruiting rules changing "
The NCAA is also going to shut the door on "package deals," which Memphis certainly engaged in under John Calipari. He hired Milt Wagner as director of basketball operations in 2000, which ultimately yielded a commitment from his son, Dajuan Wagner. Several months after Tyreke Evans signed with Memphis in 2008, his personal trainer from Philadelphia, Lamont Peterson, was hired to an administrative position.

I am very glad to see this go away. Calipari was not the only coach to do this by any means, but I'm glad to see it off limits.
You obligatory SEC Primer - Searching for Billy Edelin
A big step backward for Michigan, Rodriguez - College football- nbcsports.msnbc.com
Man. I hate to see this. I actually like Michigan football (in a semi-interested sort of way), and now they are looking very much like they are going through the same kind of decline that UK went through post Smith.

Rich Rodriguez probably (not certainly) gets one more season to get it right. After that, the former hot property from West Virginia might well follow Coach Gillispie into the depths of anonymity.
Rush The Court " 2009-10 Conference Primers: #5 – SEC
Rush The Court predicts the SEC for 2009-10, and tournament seeds as well. I don't think Florida will be NIT bound, though.

Other News of Interest

Celtics, Rondo agree on 5-year, $55M extension - NBA News - FOX Sports on MSN
Wow. What does that work out to, about $120,000 per game? Good for him.

The Daily Schadenfreude

Are Gators contenders? - College sports - BradentonHerald.com
Florida followed consecutive national championships with back-to-back NIT appearances, hardly the way coach Billy Donovan wanted to build off those title runs.

The drop-off humbled Donovan and made the Gators hungry to return to the NCAA Tournament. Getting back there could be a challenge, though.

Heh. I feel the need. The need for ... schadenfreude. Via Walter's Wildcat World

Kentucky 74, Campbellsville 38 -- Postmortem

Truzenzuzex — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:52:35 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

We saw far too little of this from Patrick Patterson tonight.

Browse more photos »

First of all, thanks to Campbellsville University for coming into Rupp Arena and fearlessly taking on the much bigger and more athletic Wildcats. The Tigers were full of hustle, effort, and teamwork, and they helped contribute to forcing the Wildcats into 23 turnovers and making them look quite a bit less impressive than their press clippings have been.

Well, John Calipari said it would look ugly early, and he was not kidding. This was as ugly as the north end of a south-bound camel, and take it from a guy who has seen that far closer than anyone would want to, that's ugly. No ice cream there, and no ice cream here tonight.

But.

This is a big, big "but." This is a euphoric "but" rather than a damning one. This team was more fun to watch at its worst than last year's team was at it's best, excepting Meeks' lights-out performance at Tennessee. This was an ugly game, but it was incredibly beautiful in that this was clearly the kind of team that can crush people into the dust when they finally figure it out. It is a thing of beauty to see a team that clearly has no clue still recognize that they are so superior to the other team that it really doesn't matter what the other team does.

Ugly, yes, but like a nasty, hairy caterpillar that you know will turn into a beautiful butterfly. More thoughts after the jump.

Kentucky only managed a 10-rebound advantage against a much shorter team. That's a real problem that needs attention.
UK really looked out of shape at times to compete in this style. No surprise, at this point.
3-14 from three. Well, we knew this was going to be a problem.
50% from the field against this team is not satisfactory.
Eric Bledsoe is a lot better than I expected. He is not far behind Wall. I do hope is ankle is okay.
Patrick Patterson was very quiet, and I have no idea why. This is a guard-oriented offense, but 4 points and 5 rebounds? What the heck?
Maybe it was because he came in late, but Perry Stevenson just went nuts. 11 points and 2 rebounds in six minutes? That's off-the-charts efficiency.
Darnell Dodson took a few too many shots for my taste. He's good, but I thought he put up some pretty questionable shots. But I did love his energy on defense.
Darius Miller was great on defense, but he must involve himself more in the offense.
Seven rebounds for Daniel Orton. I liked his game, I wish he had gotten in better offensive position.
Jon Hood did okay, but I expected a bit more.
No DeAndre Liggins. Could he be in the doghouse already?
You would have thought that Josh Harrellson would have been more of a factor against such a small team.
Ramon Harris? What can I say, he did what he always does -- maximum effort and doing the little things.
DeMarcus Cousins can be so much better than he is, and he is already pretty good.
Turnovers are going to plague us in the early season. I just hope we get them under control before they start costing us games.

Bottom line, as ugly and ungainly as this game was, the display of raw talent was amazing, and the speed of the game, when it wasn't weirdly frenetic, was a sight for sore eyes. This team will have a lot of film to study in this game, but I loved they way they stood in and took charges, and played defense in the first half. In the second half, the defense kind of stank, but I think that was more due to conditioning issues that will quickly get corrected.

Kentucky vs. Campbellsville -- Pre-game Analysis & Open Game Thread

Truzenzuzex — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:56:07 -0000

More photos » by Garry Jones - AP

Pre-season All-American, Patrick Patterson. That sounds really sweet to me.

Browse more photos »

Forgive me for running a little behind today. Monday's can be like that.

So tonight, we begin basketball in earnest with an exhibition game against Campbellsville in Rupp Arena at 7:00 PM. The game will be carried on Fox Sports South, so check your local listings for availability. This post will also serve as the official Open Game Thread for the game.

Tonight, the Kentucky Wildcats take on the NAIA Campbellsville Tigers in exhibition basketball action at Rupp Arena. This will be the first time the Tigers have played the University of Kentucky. Campbellsville was in a rebuilding year last year in the Mid-South conference, winning only 2 conference games and having an overall record of 10-19.

Tonight will mark John Calipari's debut as coach in a game where they play by the rules and keep score, so that's significant. We will be able to see how he will comport himself on the sidelines, how he will coach the kids, and how the young players will respond to him. That will be very much worth watching.

Another thing we will see is the UK team without John Wall, likely for one of the very few times this season. There has been some talk about who will play and who will not, but Chris Diggs gives us more detail:

Here's the announced starting line-up as of now.

Eric Bledsoe - Fr.
Darius Miller - So.
Darnell Dodson - So.
Patrick Patterson - Jr.
Demarcus Cousins - Fr.

Back-ups (First f0ur in no particular order)

Jon Hood - Fr.
Josh Harrellson - So.
Daniel Orton - Fr.
Ramon Harris - Sr.

Who we don't see in this is interesting -- no Perry Stevenson and no DeAndre Liggins. Oh, I'm sure they will both play, but not being on his announced list kind of says something to me, even though I may be reading tea leaves that say nothing.

And, in an interesting John Wall development, apparently addressing questions about Wall missing one exhibition and one regular season game, we have this:

Calipari said that "they" told him what games Wall would miss. The UK coach did not identify who "they" were.

Were "they" the NCAA staff? UK's athletic administration? A fan poll on CoachCal.com?

Apparently, Calipari doesn't even know who "they" are, or if he does, he's not telling. Maybe it's "the Visitors." I blame Jerry Tipton -- I think he knows "them" and is just having a bit of sport with us for ragging on him so hard lately.

Unfortunately, there is not much in the way of statistics available for Campbellsville, so I can't tell you much about their players, who leads the team, or anything else. But I can give you their roster from the school website, which you can find after the jump.

2009-10 Men's Basketball Roster for Cambpellsville

#	Name	Cl.	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown
	Demetric Ray*	SO	G	5-10	180	Bowling Green, KY
1	T.J. Bishop	SR	G	5-10	175	Boynton Beach, FL
2	Caleb Harris	JR	G	5-11	175	Chicago, IL
3	Shawn Savage	JR	G	5-10	170	Bowling Green, KY
4	Adrian Whelan	JR	G	5-10	170	Brandenburg, KY
13	Jermaine Carter	JR	G	5-11	185	Seaside, CA
15	Jordan Benock	SR	F	6-2	185	Battletown, KY
21	Justin Vitatoe	SO	F	6-4	190	Albany, KY
22	Joe Robinson	JR	F	6-4	200	Little Rock, AR
23	Leon Hart	JR	F	6-5	215	Hayward, CA
24	Sasha Mirosavljev*	JR	F	6-5	205	Sivac, Serbia
30	Brett Crittenden	JR	F	6-4	190	Tribune, KS
31	David Mann*	FR	F	6-4	175	Cincinnati, OH
32	Jake Gill	JR	F	6-4	245	Louisville, KY
33	Paulius Grikenas*	JR	C	6-8	225	Kaunas, Lithuania
40	Jonas Bohm	SO	C	6-9	235	Berlin, Germany
44	Nestor Colmenares	SR	F	6-8	235	Caracas, Venezuela
Keith Adkins - Head Coach
Bryan Milburn - Assistant Coach
Jeremy Monceaux - Assistant Coach
Justin Watson - Assistant Coach

To be honest, that's about all I know. But it should be good fun.

SB Nation - Perry Stevenson

Kentucky 64, Connecticut 61 -- Postmortem

UK Athletics: The Good, the Bad, and the Hilarious

Kentucky Basketball: Dear Santa

Kentucky 68, North Carolina 66 -- Postmortem

Kentucky 73, Cleveland State 49 -- Postmortem

Kentucky 75, Morehead State 59 -- After Action Report

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Season Kickoff Edition

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Blog Refresh Edition

Top Stories

UK Basketball News

UK Football News

Other UK Sports News

NCAA Sports News

Other News of Interest

The Daily Schadenfreude

Kentucky 74, Campbellsville 38 -- Postmortem

Kentucky vs. Campbellsville -- Pre-game Analysis & Open Game Thread

2009-10 Men's Basketball Roster for Cambpellsville