John Clay's Sidelines

Audio from the post-game after Kentucky’s 61-51 win at Alabama:

• UK coach Billy Gillispie talks about Ramon Harris feinting fainting and being taken to hospital during halftime, and his team’s win over the Tide.

• Jodie Meeks talks about what he saw happen with Harris, and his 27-point performance.

• Perry Stevenson talks about the Cats overcoming turnovers, foul trouble and the Harris situation to get the win.

From Coleman Coliseum, updates on UK-Alabama:

• As for the condition of Ramon Harris, at 5:23 EST, we haven’t received any more official updates, but we believe he is still at the hospital. Right now, we’re waiting on the post-game press conferences.

• Kentucky wins 61-51. Meeks scores 27.

• Kentucky leads 58-51 with 43.3 seconds left.

• Kentucky leads 53-47 with 3:36 remaining. Cats scored eight straight points to break a 45-45 tie.

• UK up 49-45 as Bama takes time with 5:02 left.

• We have not received any further updates on Harris, other than UK did say he collapsed out the lockerroom was taken by ambulance to the hospital.

• It’s 43-42 Kentucky with 7:39 left. Meeks now has 25, as he hits three from left corner to put the Cats in front.

• It’s 35-35 with 11:35 left in game. Meeks has 22 of Kentucky’s 35 points.

• Ramon Harris fell ill in UK lockerroom at halftime, and Gillispie was late coming out for second half. Harris is not on bench.

• Cats made just one of seven threes in first half.

• UK committed nine turnovers in first half. Cats are even 21-21 on boards. Stevenson has seven rebounds.

• The 19 points is fewest since Cats scored 16 against West Virginia in the Las Vegas Tourney. UK rallied to win that one.

• UK shot 30.8 percent the first half. Bama shot 29.4.

• Anthony Brock, a 5-9 guard, hits a three at end of half to give Bama a 25-19 lead at break.

• Alabama leads 18-17 with 3:51 left. This has not been a good Kentucky half. Too many turnovers. Not enough defensive rebounds. To be honest, UK is lucky to be down just one at this point.

• It’s Alabama 14-13 with 7:44 left in the half. Very little offense in that segment. UK  hasn’t made a field goal since the 12:26 mark.

• It’s Kentucky 12-11 at the 10:55 TV time. Jodie Meeks has nine of UK’s 12 points. He’s scored seven straight.

• It’s 8-5 Alabama at the first TV timeout, 15:44 left  in half. UK has two turnvoers, both committed by Ramon Harris. Patrick Patterson did throw down a nice jam, but Bama hit its first three shots, and Justin Knox had a monster follow dunk.

• Alabama’s starters are Torrance, Gee, Hilllman, Green and Knox.

• Kentucky’s starters are the same: Porter, Meeks, Harris, Stevenson and Patterson.

• Officials are Tom Eades, Anthony Jordan and Michael Stephens.

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

• In the Herald-Leader, Jerry Tipton previews today’s Kentucky-Alabama game.
• Tipton’s notes includes that Bama coach Mark Gottfried is a Jodie Meeks fan.
• In the Herald-Leader, Chip Cosby has the report on Florida running back who committed to the Cats.
• Here’s audio from Billy Gillispie’s press conference on Friday.
• In the C-J, Brett Dawson on the Kentucky-Alabama matchup.
• Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News writes that the SEC’s hottest shooters will go head-to-head.
• In the Birmingham News, Ian Rapoport writes that Meeks could have been starting for Bama.
• An older link, but in the Mobile Press-Register, Paul Finebaum wrote there’s no reprieve for Mark Gottfried.
• A Sea of Blue previews Cats-Tide.
• On Tom Leach’s blog, Larry Conley talks about Meeks, Patterson and work ethic.
• Kentucky Sports Radio breaks down the Alabama starters.
• In the Danville Advocate-Messenger, Katheran Wasson writes that Perry Stevenson wants to contribute more.
• Straitpinkie breaks down Alabama.

College basketball on the tube for Saturday, Jan. 24:

Craig Robinson.

College hoops links for Friday:

• Jeff Goodman at FoxSports.com reports that ex-U of L head case Derrick Caracter has landed at UTEP. Goodman: “Tony Barbee felt it was worth the risk. The UTEP head coach, who had recruited Derrick Caracter for two years back when he was an assistant at Memphis, decided that it was the right move to bring the talented 6-foot-8 New Jersey native on board. Here’s the thing: Caracter won’t be on scholarship for the rest of this season – and will pay his own way with the help of financial aid.”

• It’s been a good week for Obama’s brother-in-law as Will Brown of the Oregonian reports on Oregon State’s upset win at Cal. Brown: “Most importantly, OSU clawed back from an early deficit. I watched this same team completely fold against UW last Saturday, yet there they were tonight, putting on a 16-4 run to get right back into it after falling behind by 11 – on the road. That sort of resiliency is beginning to be the hallmark of this team. When they start to show it consistently (and I’m willing to believe the UW game was an aberration), you’ll know these players have finally ditched last year’s losing mentality.”

• Liz Clarke of the Washington Post reports on Georgetown’s homecourt loss to West Virginia. Clarke: “The final statistics provided a diagnosis of what ails the Hoyas (12-5, 3-3 Big East). They committed 19 turnovers, were outrebounded 39-31 and made just 2 of 16 three-point attempts. Meantime, Georgetown allowed West Virginia (14-4, 3-2) to shoot 48.4 percent, compared with its own 39.2 percent shooting.”

• ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi has 44 thoughts on the college game’s midpoint. Lunardi: “Look out SEC. “Big Blue” (Kentucky) has emerged as the team to beat.”

• This is a couple of days old, but in question 3, the Sporting News’ Mike DeCourcy takes up for Kansas’ coach Bill Self. DeCourcy: “I’m not an NCAA compliance officer, but I’ve been around college sports enough to know an illegal bump when I see one. Based on what’s been reported and what Self has admitted to saying, there was nothing here that was outside the boundaries of NCAA rules. Self, regardless, has been dragged through the headlines because the wires picked up this story on a slow news day.”

• Gregg Doyel of CBS Sportsline shows his softer side by agreeing this is much ado about nothing. Doyel: “Inappropriate conduct is a big pile of dung. If that’s the best we can do, as a gotcha society, to bust a basketball coach, then why bother? Inappropriate conduct? Are you kidding? The Big 12 is the same league that allowed several coaches to hire men for the sole purpose of delivering a recruit. Baylor — another finalist for John Wall — hired one of his AAU coaches last year. Self hired Mario Chalmers’ father before landing Chalmers, a McDonald’s All-American now in the NBA. Kansas State let Bob Huggins hire Delonte Hill for the sole purpose of signing Hill’s buddy, Michael Beasley. That’s just one conference, and those moves were all allowed. They were legal.”

Continue reading ‘HL: Caracter headed to UTEP’

College basketball on the tube for Friday, Jan. 23:

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• According to Columbus Ledger-Inquirer, UK’s Billy Gillispie has told top football recruit he can play basketball at Kentucky if he signs on to play football with the Cats. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK basketball blog.)
• Meanwhile, Jason Leiser of the Palm Beach Post reports that UK Has a commitment from Florida prep running back Donald Russell. (Also on Kentucky Sports Radio.)
• On his blog, Chip Cosby also reports on Russell.
• Jody Demling of the Courier-Journal reports that St. X running back Deuce Finch has turned down UK in favor of Boston College.
• UK coach Billy Gillispie talks on the SEC teleconference about Saturday’s game at Alabama.
• Alabama coach Mark Gottfried talks on the same teleconference about Kentucky.
• In the Herald-Leader, Jerry Tipton writes that Perry Stevenson is leaving the praise to others.
• In the Herald-Leader, Mark Story writes that Jodie Meeks is showing the marks of a marked man.
• In the C-J, Brett Dawson writes on the beauty of Patrick Patterson’s beast.
• In the Danville Advocate-Messenger, Larry Vaught writes that Alabama’s athleticism worries Gillispie.
• In the Huntsville Times, columnist Bill Bryant writes that Ronald Steele is not to blame for his abrupt departure.
• Eric Lindsey of the Cat Scratches blog has a UK practice report.
• In the Kentucky Kernel, B.W. Jones writes that the Kentucky women are looking at LSU as a must-win.
• Also in the Kernel, Bobby Reagan has the diary of a UK walk-on, part 2.
• Adreaine Payne, a 2010 UK target, tells Chick Ludwig of the Dayton Daily News that recruiters can wait. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)

SEC links for Friday:

• ESPN.com blogger Chris Low reports that the salary price tag for Tennessee’s new assistants tops $3.5 million.
• Drew Edwards of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that the payout to UT assistants, with total compensation possibly topping $5 million, is probably the biggest in all of college football.
• In the Clarion-Ledger, Kyle Veazey reports that new Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen is closing in on a Top 25 recruiting class.
• Arkansas Democrat-Gazette columnist Wally Hall writes that Tennessee and Arkansas have the toughest basketball venues in the SEC.
• Ian Rapoport of the Birmingham news writes that Andrew Steele says things will work out for his brother Ronald.
• Mike Strange of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that Memphis coach John Calipari says Tennessee taught his team a lesson last year.
• Gainesville Sun columnist Pat Dooley writes that Amanda Butler has brought fire to Florida women’s basketball.
• Also in the Sun, Kevin Brockway writes that Florida’s loss at South Carolina was a learning experience.
• In the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Dan Fleser reports on the Lady Vols win at Arkansas.
• In the Montgomery Advertiser, Jay G. Tate writes on the Auburn women’s win over Alabama.

College basketball on the tube for Thursday, Jan. 22: