John Clay's Sidelines

Joe Lunardi’s new NCAA Tournament bracket projections are out, and the ESPN analyst has moved Kentucky up to a No. 6 seed. He had the Cats as a No. 9 seed last week.

Lunardi has a No. 6 Kentucky playing a No. 11 seed Utah in Minneapolis as part of the Midwest Region.

In all, Lunadri has four SEC teams making the tournament:

• Kentucky as a No. 6 seed.
• Tennessee as a No. 8 seed.
• Florida as a No. 9 seed.
• Mississippi State as a No. 12 seed.

Jodie Meeks is Andy Katz’s ESPN National Player of the Week, thanks to that jaw-dropping 54-point performance at Tennessee last Tuesday.

And UK cracks Jerry Tipton’s AP Top 25 ballot.

Click here to see where Jerry put the Cats.

Don’t forget to check out the Jodie Meeks Song.

Surfing the net for UK news:

• In the Herald-Leader, Jerry Tipton writes the game story of UK’s 68-45 trouncing of Georgia.
• Tipton’s notes includes how Patrick Patterson’s taped fingers are affecting his shooting.
• Here’s my column on how UK did an excellent job handling prosperity.
• Jennifer Smith of the H-L reports on the UK women’s loss to Mississippi State.
• In the AJC, Mark Bradley writes that it’s time for a coaching change at Georgia.
• Chip Towers of the AJC reports on UK handing Georgia its fifth straight loss.
• In the C-J, Brett Dawson writes that the UK men won with muscle and hustle.
• C-J fanblogger Chris Diggs likes UK’s teamwork.
• Matt May of the Cats Pause writes on how Kentucky roughed up Georgia.
• Bobby Reagan of the Kentucky Kernel reports on the UK victory over the Dogs.

Continue reading ‘Big Blue links: Wrap-up of Cats over Dogs’

SEC links for Monday:

• 

  Scotty Hopson

  In the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Mike Griffith writes that Tennessee freshman Scotty Hopson has picked a perfect time to step up.

• Nate Allen of the NW Arkansas Times writes that Arkansas needs all-around improvement.
• Also in the Times, Brandon Marcello reports that Razorback forward is suspended after DWI arrest.
• Randy Rosetta of the Baton Rouge Advocate reports that LSU wide receiver Brandon LaFell has taken name out of the draft.
• In the News-Sentinel, Drew Edwards writes that Lane Kiffin’s first UT staff is built around recruiting.
• The Birmingham News’ Charles Goldberg reports that Auburn has hired a Colorado assistant to coach offensive line.
• Also in the News, Ian Rapoport talks with Ronald Steele’s father, who says his son is healing.
• News columnist Kevin Scarbinsky writes that after loss to Auburn, Bama coach Mark Gottfried may have reached the point of no return.
• Gainesville Sun columnist Pat Dooley writes that Florida freshman Kenny Kadji is making strides in SEC play.
• In The State, Seth Emerson reports on the South Carolina women’s loss at Tennessee.
• Mike Organ of the Tennessean writes on Vandy’s win over LSU in women’s hoops.
• The Clarion-Ledger reports on Ole Miss’ win over Alabama in women’s hoops.

The horn had barely sounded after Kentucky’s 68-45 win over Georgia before the debate sounded as to whether this could be it for Georgia coach Dennis Felton.

AJC columnist Mark Bradley asks exactly that in his post-game column.

In fact, Mark asks and answers that question.

Excerpt:

On Sunday, they fell to 9-9 by losing to an unranked Kentucky team so emphatically that it seemed worse than it was. “We shouldn’t be losing by 30 points,” said forward Terrance Woodbury, speaking of a game that ended 68-45.

Stegeman Coliseum was only three-quarters full, and 35 percent of those in attendance wore Kentucky blue. Afterward, Dennis Felton levied the same criticism at his team he had 51 weeks earlier after a 26-point loss at Tennessee — “We did not compete with the kind of toughness we needed; it was a very soft effort,” he said Sunday. And the question arises: Just what will it take to change these moribund dynamics?

The answer, sad to say, is a new coach.

Felton is off to Washington where he is attending to Barack Obama’s inaugural. As I joked to AJC beat writer Chip Towers, maybe Dennis can ask Obama for some stimulus funds for the Georgia offense.

News and notes from Kentucky’s 68-45 win over Georgia:

• Georgia’s 31.1 percent shooting is the lowest by an SEC foe against the Cats in two years. South Carolina shot 26.8 percent against UK on Jan. 16, 2007.
• UK made just four of 11 three-pointers. That’s the fewest made threes since the Cats were two-of-18 against Florida Atlantic on Dec. 27.
• Kentucky blocked 11 shots, one shy of the season high.
• UK averaged 0.995 points per possession.
• Georgia averaged 0.641 points per possessions, the lowest average by a UK foe this year. Delaware State was the previous low at 0.651.
• Georgia made just four of 11 free throws. The Bulldogs were 0-of-2 from the line in last Wednesday’s loss at Vanderbilt.
• The Bulldogs did not have a double-figure scorer. Terrance Woodbury led the way with eight points.
• Trey Thompkins had seven points with 8:52 left in the first half, then did not score again.
• Georgia is shooting just 42.3 percent for the season.
• Jared Carter saw his first action for UK since the Central Michigan game on Dec. 29.
• Kevin Galloway contributed three assists, his most since he had four assists against Tennessee State on Dec. 22.
• After not playing at Tennessee, DeAndre Liggins played 23 minutes, contributing four assists, four rebounds and two points.
• Jodie Meeks had his consecutive made free throw streak snapped at 36.
• Meeks was 8-of-14 from the floor, including three-of-eight from 3-point range. He was three-of-four at the foul line.
• Meeks committed six turnovers, his most since committing six at Louisville.
• Patrick Patterson made just seven of 15 shots, the first time he’s been below 50 percent from the floor in a game since going 6-for-13 against Appalachian State on Dec. 20 in Louisville.
• Michael Porter made three steals, his most since Nov. 6 against Central Arkansas last season.
• Perry Stevenson scored 13 points, most since his 20 against VMI in the season-opener.

Post-game audio from UK’s 68-45 win over Georgia:

• Billy Gillispie talks about his team’s 23-point win in Athens. (9:01)

• Jodie Meeks talks about returning to his home state and putting up 22 points. (5:07)

• Perry Stevenson talks about winning the game’s MVP award for his 13 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots. (3:31)

• Patrick Patterson talks about his 15-point effort and UK’s team effort. (5:10)

I’ll be posting updates from this afternoon’s UK-Georgia game on this post.

• UK wins 68-45. Meeks finishes with 22.

• Patterson jam off breakaway makes it 64-36 with 4:09 left and starts “Go Big Blue” chants.

• Kentucky leads 56-32 with 7:58 remaining. Cats are down to 45 percent shooting for the game. Meeks has 20. Patterson 12. Stevenson 10.

• UK up 48-30 with 11:05 left and it has gotten really sloppy. UK has 13 turnovers. Georgia has 15. The Cats have made just two of 11 shots this half. Meeks is 6-of-14.

• Kentucky leads 46-22 at 15:55 TV time out. Meeks has 18 points. Patterson has struggled a bit this half with shot. He’s missed both, now 5-of-10 for game. UK shooting 48.4 percent. Georgia shooting 24.3.

• Georgia was 1-of-10 from three-point range in the first half. Both teams had eight turnovers.

• UK’s first-half minutes: Porter 10, Stevenson 12, Harris 16, Meeks 20, Patterson 20, Miller 6, Galloway 4, Stewart 1, Liggins 10, Harrellson 1.

• UK’s first-half scoring: Meeks 15, Patterson 10, Stevenson 6, Miller 4, Porter 2, Galloway 1.

• Meeks was 5-of-9 in the first half, including 2-of-5 on threes. Patterson was 5-of-8 from floor.

• UK shot 52 percent the first half. Georgia shot 25.8 percent.

• UK leads 38-19 at halftime. Meeks leads way with 15 points. Patterson next with 10.

• UK up 29-15 at the 3:42 TV time. UK is up 17-11 on the boards. Meeks now up to 15 points. Cats are shooting 52.4 percent from the floor.

• UK up 20-9 with 7:57 left in half. Meeks has 10 points. Thompkins leads Georgia with five.

• Meeks goes coast-to-coast for a 13-4 UK lead and Georgia calls time at 11:51 mark.

• UK leads 7-2 at the 15:37 TV time. Unofficially, I’ve got Georgia 1-6 from the floor. Meeks off to a good start with five points for Cats. But UK has gone last three possessions without scoring.

• There is a considerable blue presence here at Stegeman Coliseum.

• UK’s starters: Porter, Stevenson, Harris, Meeks and Patterson.

Surfing the net for UK news:

• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader writes that as a recruit Jodie Meeks was nearly shot down for lacking an outside shot.
• Tipton also has some notes, including Georgia thinking that UK wants revenge.
• Yours truly writes that the Cats can’t expect 54 from Jodie Meeks every night.
• In the H-L, Mark Story says “Rhythm and Bruise” wins the nickname contest.
• Also in the H-L, Chip Cosby writes that the UK football defense is still not void-free.
• In the C-J, Brett Dawson writes that Meeks is returning to Georgia a hero.
• In the Danville Advocate-Messenger, Larry Vaught writes that Kentucky thinks team first.
• A little old, but Tim Tucker of the AJC has a few thoughts on Georgia’s scoring woes.
• Roger Clarkson of the Athens Banner-Herald previews Kentucky’s visit to Georgia.