Morehead State (0-0) at (4) Kentucky (0-0)

Sports Network | November 13, 2009

GAME NOTES: The nation's fourth-ranked team makes its much-anticipated season debut as the Kentucky Wildcats and new head coach John Calipari host the Morehead State Eagles.

A member of the Ohio Valley Conference, Morehead State is obviously the underdog in this matchup. but don't expect a pushover by any means. Four years ago, the Eagles collected only four wins and now, after making an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, coach Donnie Tyndall's squad is a clear favorite to win the OVC title. There is a wealth of returning talent in place, so the high expectations are justified.

Speaking of high expectations, Kentucky has the talent in place to win the national title in Calipari's first season, and the former Memphis head man knows what it takes to make a run through the NCAA Tournament. Last season, the Wildcats finished 22-14 overall and didn't even earn an bid to the "Big Dance," so Calipari was brought in to replace Billy Gillispie. A master recruiter, "coach Cal" brought in some superstar freshmen to complement a deep and talented group of returnees.

Kentucky has won all eight of its previous meetings with Morehead State.

Coach Tyndall has the best guard/forward combo in the Ohio Valley Conference on his roster, and it begins down low with forward Kenneth Faried, who was named OVC Defensive Player of the Year last season. Faried was one of the most dominating forwards in the country and finished behind only Blake Griffin with 25 double-doubles. The senior forward is a menace on the glass, pulling down 13.0 rpg and adding 13.9 ppg and a team-best 68 blocks. In a recent exhibition game, Faried dominated the interior to the tune of 22 points and 15 rebounds in 23 minutes of action. In the backcourt, the Eagles possess a gifted performer in Maze Stallworth, who posted 12.1 ppg a year ago. The combination of speed and basketball instincts make Stallworth a handful for any opponent. Along with Demonte Harper in the backcourt (team-high 124 assists in 08-09) the Eagles could soar to new heights this year. However, beating Kentucky in this opener would be a major shocker.

Patrick Patterson decided not to bring his game to the NBA, and the fact that the 6-9 standout is back for his junior season makes Kentucky a legitimate national title threat. Patterson posted 17.9 ppg and 9.3 rpg a year ago, and he is a threat to score 20 points and grab 10 boards every time he takes the court. Perry Stevenson is back up front, and his 7.8 ppg and 5.9 rpg should not be overlooked. Ramon Harris is tall at 6-7 and can rebound and defend effectively. So who will handle the scoring duties this season? Well, the hope is that super freshmen John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins will be as good as advertised. Wall is a 6-4 guard, and Cousins is a 6-11 forward. In a recent exhibition game against Clarion, Wall exploded for 27 points and nine assists in 28 minutes of action, shooting 10-of-14 from the field. Cousins was tremendously impressive as well in that tilt, as he totaled 20 points on 9- of-12 efficiency. This team has no obvious weakness, and expect Morehead State to find that out first hand.

Kentucky will crush Morehead State, as Faried will be swallowed up by the size and sheer talent of the Wildcats' front line. Don't forget about Wall, who could prove to be the nation's best player by season's end.

GAME NOTES: The nation's fourth-ranked team makes its much-anticipated season debut as the Kentucky Wildcats and new head coach John Calipari host the Morehead State Eagles.

FACTS & STATS: Site: Rupp Arena (23,000) -- Lexington, Kentucky. Television: ESPNU. Home Record: Morehead State 0-0, Kentucky 0-0. Away Record: Morehead State 0-0, Kentucky 0-0. Neutral Record: Morehead State 0-0, Kentucky 0-0. Conference Record: Morehead State 0-0, Kentucky 0-0. Series Record: Kentucky leads, 8-0.

Kentucky 94, Morehead State 60