Recap: Kentucky vs. Morehead State

Sports Network | November 13, 2009

Lexington, KY (Sports Network) - Patrick Patterson began his junior campaign with 20 points and 12 rebounds, helping No. 4 Kentucky and new head coach John Calipari come away with a 75-59 season-opening win over Morehead State.

After failing to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1991 last season, Kentucky fired head coach Billy Gillispie and replaced him with Calipari, who had led Memphis to four consecutive 30-win campaigns.

The new era got off to an inauspicious start with the Wildcats (1-0) holding just an eight-point lead at halftime. Freshman guard Eric Bledsoe stepped up, though, scoring 22 of his game-high 24 points in the second half to pull away.

"Eric Bledsoe. He was the difference," Calipari said. "He's just a gamer...We have three starters and we have to figure out who those other two are going to be."

Darnell Dodson added 15 points for Kentucky, which turned the ball over 24 times. Highly regarded freshman John Wall did not play, as he began serving a two-game suspension for accepting improper benefits from his former AAU coach.

Kenneth Faried tallied 17 points and seven rebounds to pace the Eagles (0-1), who shot just 38.5 percent from the field. Demonte Harper chipped in 12 points for the defending Ohio Valley Conference Tournament champions.

Kentucky got out to a fast start and led 28-14 near the five-minute mark of the first half. Morehead State hung tough and scored nine straight points, however, and went into the locker room down by a reachable 33-25 deficit.

The Wildcats scored 11 of the first 13 points of the second half, with Bledsoe's three-point play giving the hosts a 44-27 lead five minutes in.

The Eagles had it as close as 52-39 with 9 1/2 minutes left, but Kentucky scored eight consecutive points to make the Rupp Arena crowd a little more comfortable down the stretch.

"As a team and as a coaching staff, you learn that to improve, especially early in the season, you don't beat your team down," Morehead State head coach Donnie Tyndall said. "There are positives to be gained tonight, even though I don't think we played very well. Kentucky deserves the credit for that."

Kentucky is 88-19 all-time in season openers and 91-16 all-time in home openers...Kentucky is 9-0 all-time against Morehead State...Patterson averaged 17.9 points and 9.3 rebounds a season ago...Kentucky shot 50.0 percent from the field and won the battle on the glass, 43-24.