John Clay’s Sidelines

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

Kenny Colston of the Kentucky Kernel gives a running diary of the UK ticket lottery: “7:25 p.m. - One lone guy is pushing a car down Euclid Avenue while a girl steers inside. 6,000 people watch him. He fakes the turn up Lexington Avenue before stopping. 4 people offer to help, 5,996 keep watching. Eventually, they call a tow truck, a UK athletics member stops traffic on Euclid and four guys He-man the car into the Student Center parking lot. Only at the lottery.”

Jerry Tipton of the H-L writes that DeMarcus Cousins wasn’t a fan favorite in Alabama: ” While repeatedly insisting that playing against home-state Alabama on Tuesday night represents “just another game,” Kentucky forward DeMarcus Cousins acknowledged that many of his fellow Alabamans might be watching with special interest. ‘Probably the whole state,’ he said.”

Gentry Estes of the Mobile Press-Register on Cousins and Bama: “Alabama really never showed Cousins the love deserving of a top in-state prospect, and that thought process seemed to stretch through two different coaching staffs. My understanding is that (unlike what was said on the above interview) the Crimson Tide’s past coaching staff didn’t really recruit Cousins. Obviously, that wasn’t because of talent. Not to put words in others’ mouths, but we can safely conclude it had more to do with attitude than ability.”

Tipton’s notes focus on Alabama’s adversity: “Grant has made defense a priority. The Tide lead the SEC in holding league opponents to an average of 60.1 points and 25.4-percent shooting from three-point range. Alabama also ranks fourth in overall shooting accuracy by SEC opponents (39.6 percent). Only Arkansas (71) and Ole Miss (74) have scored more than 70 points against Alabama.”

Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News writes that coming close and Anthony Grant: “Given the fragile mental and physical state of his self-proclaimed ‘undersized and underskilled’ team, bet on more suffering. And hasn’t the man suffered enough? The last three defeats have taken him deeper and deeper into Dante’s inferno. Losing by a point at Auburn in the final seconds. Losing by a point to Florida in the final minute. Losing a big lead at Ole Miss in the second half.”

Gentry Estes of the Mobile Press-Register writes that it doesn’t get any easier for Bama: “Even in the best of times, Alabama would not be favored to beat Kentucky on the road. And these clearly aren’t the best of times. The Crimson Tide has dropped three in a row and is coming off arguably its most disappointing result to date under first-year coach Anthony Grant, blowing a 23-point second-half lead Saturday to fall 74-67 at Ole Miss.”

Here are two videos of John Calipari before Monday’s practice, talking about UK’s tough schedule the rest of the season. Asked if that will help come tournament time, Cal says no, because they are not neutral site games. But then we the media inform Cal that UK in NCAA Tournament games are not neutral site games. Kentucky fans find ways to get tickets.

Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News on Alabama’s tough task: “The Wildcats are loaded with young talent around veteran Patrick Patterson, including two stellar freshmen - 6-foot-10 forward DeMarcus Cousins and guard Eric Bledsoe - who are natives of Birmingham. Grant, who was hired in March, had little real shot at keeping either one at home, but it will still may sting a little to be facing such talented expatriates.”

Brett Dawson of the C-J writes on Cousins and the bad blood: “After a win against Louisiana State on Saturday, Cousins was singing a different tune, admitting hard feelings toward his home-state school and saying he expected to play harder than usual against the Tide, an opponent he’s looked ahead to since early in the season. On Monday, Cousins repeatedly stuck to his just-another-game story - or tried to, at least.”

Metz Camfield of the Kentucky Kernel writes that Cousins is growing up: “Earlier in the season when asked about the Cats’ upcoming game against defending National Champions North Carolina, Cousins shrugged his shoulders and said he wasn’t impressed. On Monday, when the Mobile, Ala., native was asked if there was a little extra something to Tuesday’s game against Alabama, Cousins had the politically correct answer.”

(AP photo)

Ken Rogers of the Dothan Eagle on the UK-Alabama matchup: “It won’t be easy for Alabama to defend the improving freshman, who is averaging 16.4 points and 10 rebounds per game. More hurtful is knowing that he - and Kentucky teammate Eric Bledsoe - are Alabama natives who went elsewhere to play college basketball. First-year coach Anthony Grant acknowledged the task would be easier playing with Cousins than against him.”

Tim Gayle of the Montgomery Advertiser on Bama’s JaMychal Green: “JaMychal Green’s shooting percentage has plummeted in recent weeks, an indication of the attention the Alabama power forward is drawing from opposing teams in the paint. The easy-going sophomore from Montgomery could point out the obvious, but remains diplomatic as he tries to explain the struggles he and his Crimson Tide teammates have faced in recent weeks.”

Eric Lindsey of Cat Scratches joins in on Cousins: “But don’t expect an Oscar nomination for this Cousins performance. Just a few months earlier before the Louisville showdown, Cousins had called the Alabama matchup his biggest game of the season. Somewhere along the line, between his double-doubles and Kentucky’s 22-1 record, did Cousins get out a No. 2 pencil and erase the circle around Tuesday’s date?”

Nick Craddock of the Kernel writes that Matthew Mitchell’s message has been the same: “Over the course of the season, UK’s calling card has been defense and the Cats lead the SEC in steals and turnover margin. UK manages to create much of its offense through opponents’ turnovers. As a result, UK sits atop the SEC in scoring offense. Last season, the Cats finished 11th in scoring offense. But does Mitchell’s message ever get stale for the players?”

Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes that UK’s talent impresses Anthony Grant.

A Sea of Blue asks if UK has improved: “Other teams have devolved, too. The victory against the Connecticut Huskies now looks pretty average, just like the North Carolina Tar Heels game. The win over the Louisville Cardinals still looks pretty good. It’s pretty interesting to see how teams, when they get tested, behave. Sometimes teams respond, and sometimes they do not.”

Danny Jett has some late-night UK thoughts: “Before writing this I had a dream that I was walking down the sidewalk with an elephant that had on a UK jersey. However, since the elephant is on the Alabama Crimson Tide logo, I am not sure what it means. Maybe it is a sign that an Alabama player will transfer to UK, or that David Hobbs will be in attendance.”

Here’s video of Cousins talking Monday about the national attention he’s been receiving.

Straitpinkie preview UK-Alabama: “Alabama is a team that scores much better in transition than the do in the half-court. When forced into a half-court game or an offensive set the Crimson Tide struggle to get shots off. Despite these half-court struggles expect Anthony Grant to go against the grain a bit and attempt to slow the game down against the Wildcats. The Elephants of Alabama just do not have the depth or the guard play to run up and down the court with the ‘Cats.”

Wildcat Blue Blog looks at the numbers: “Alabama had a 20 point lead against the Rebels at halftime, but was outscored by 27 points in the 2nd half to go on and lose by a score of 74-67. The Tide are in a slump, losing 6 of their last 8 games while the Wildcats have won 3 straight games since their only defeat of the season against the Gamecocks.”