John Clay's Sidelines

Tennessee

SEC links for Thursday:

• Scotty Hopson scores 18 to send Tennessee to NIT final, reports Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• LSU basketball whips Centenary 78-36, reports Scott Rabalais of The Advocate.
• John Pelphrey must overcome attedance apathy at Arkansas, says John Pennington of Mr. SEC.
• Mark Bradley of the AJC takes his annual look at Georgia and Georgia Tech fans.
• Ron Higgins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal gives thanks for a plate of SEC treats.
• Auburn is undefeated, and the underdog, writes Evan Woodbery of the Mobile Press-Register.
• Mississippi State leader has a vocal critic in his wife, writes Brandon Marcello of the Clarion-Ledger.
• Gus Malzahn’s main focus is perfecting the Auburn offense, reports Jay G. Tate of the Montgomery Advertiser.
• Florida quarterback visits his namesake baby in hospital, reports Rachel George of the Orlando Sentinel.

Continue reading ‘SEC: Vols play big in Big Apple; Pelphrey problems’

(H-L photo/David Perry)

Five quick thoughts about UK’s 84-67 loss to UConn in the Maui final:

• Calm down. Everything will be ok. This is a young team that was playing its third game in three days, and its fourth game in six days. Washington was an emotional game for this team. Seemed to take a lot out of it. Plus, it’s a young team that for two weeks has been told how good it looks. It doesn’t hurt a young team like that to get its butt kicked in its fifth game of the season. Opens ears.

• Brandon Knight did not have a good tournament. He turned the ball over eight times against Washington, was 4-of-15 from the floor against Oklahoma. He was 3-of-16 against UConn, and turned it over four more times. But you know what they say, travel is broadening. Knight is a terrific student. He will learn.

• Thing that did concern me going in was UConn’s Alex Oriakhi. Said so on the liveblog before the game. I was impressed with the way the 6-foot-9 sophomore played against Michigan State. And I haven’t been all that impressed with UK’s interior defense. Without Enes Kanter, this is a concern. I have no idea about Kanter’s defensive ability, but he would give a presence. Josh Harrellson played great against Washington. But he returned to earth against the Huskies. This could be something this team fights all year long.

• Going into the game, buzz all day was that DeAndre Liggins would shut down Kemba Walker. Didn’t happen. I had my doubts about Walker, too. The boys from Bristol fall in love easily, especially with someone in Hartford. But have to admit. Walker is good.

• Three games in Hawaii confirmed one of my beliefs. Terrence Jones is the key to the team. He sits most of the first half – I had no problem with that, by the way; team has to learn to play without T.J. – and Kentucky falls hopelessly behind. When Jones was on the floor, you could make the case he was the best player on the floor. Heard one broadcaster say that an NBA scout told him that Jones was the best prospect in Maui. I think that’s still true.

(AP photo)

Here’s my column before last year’s Kentucky-Connecticut game on the John Calipari-Jim Calhoun rivalry:

Posted on Wed, Dec. 09, 2009
No love lost between Calipari, Calhoun
By John Clay
Herald-Leader Sports Columnist

They have no relationship.

“None,” said Jim Calhoun. “I don’t have a relationship with John (Calipari).”

A relationship, no.

A history, yes.

When Kentucky plays Connecticut on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, it’s not only the showcase of the SEC/Big East Invitational, it also marks the renewal of a heated rivalry – Coach Cal vs. Coach Cal – that stretches back 20 years to the rocky coast of old New England.

Jim Calhoun was the coach at Connecticut.

John Calipari was the coach at Massachusetts.

“You’re fighting really for the same property,” Calhoun said.

Continue reading ‘Revisiting the Calipari-Calhoun rivalry’

After today’s practice, while riding a bike in the cardio room, UK’s Derrick Locke talked to his friends in the media. Locke said he was close to 90 percent for Saturday’s game. Said the bye week helped. Said he feels comfortable taking a hit with the ball in his right hand. He said he’s still trying for 1,000 yards on the season.

Here is Kentucky’s Joker Phillips after a cold, but loud Wednesday practice. The first part is a little difficult to hear. The coach said the team was focused on Tennessee, but looking forward to some off time after Thursday’s practice. He also talks about Tennessee’s defense (a good offense is a good defense), getting off to a good start in Knoxville.

(AP photo/Eugene Tanner)

Connecticut’s Kemba Walker has taken the Maui Invitational by storm, scoring a combined 61 points in wins over Wichita State and then No. 2 Michigan State.

Walker’s Huskies meet Kentucky in the Maui finals tonight at 10 on ESPN.

In the two games, Walker has made 18 of 35 shots from the floor, including five of 15 three-pointers. He has made 20 of 22 from the foul line. He scored 31 against Wichita, and 30 against the Spartans.

Mike Anthony of the Hartford Courant:

Then Walker answered with his fadeaway and UConn had the lead for good. ”We had Kemba Walker,” Calhoun said. “And Tom didn’t.” And Walker had help. Giffey grabbed the rebound of Walker’s missed free throw seconds before Walker hit his decisive shot. Napier hit the three at the end of the half, was disruptive defensively and handled the ball, which freed Walker.

Chad Ford of espn.com writes:

After scoring 29 in the second half against a good Wichita State team on Monday, Walker has now scored 59 points in the past three halves. Remarkable. Walker scored from everywhere in this one. He hit four 3-pointers, drove to the basket at will and was relentless in pushing the ball on the break. Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo threw a number of different defenders at Walker. No one, but Walker himself, could slow him down.

Continue reading ‘How good is UConn’s Kemba Walker?’

Marquis Teague

Good profile in the Indianpolis Star of Marquis Teague, that star prep point guard that spurned U of L and signed with Kentucky for next season.

An excerpt from Kyle Neddenriep’s in-depth story:

The Teague name is synonymous with basketball. Shawn Teague, Marquis’ father, was an Indianapolis Star Indiana All-Star at Anderson in 1980 and played at Boston University for Rick Pitino. Jeff Teague, his second son, was the 19th pick overall in the 2009 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks.

But the spotlight has been exponentially brighter on Marquis. In the digital age of intense recruiting coverage, he has been scrutinized, praised and everything in between since he was 14. At times, he has found himself caught up the hype of a top-five national ranking.

“I think it affects any kid who has that type of exposure,” Shawn Teague said. “There’s a lot of feedback out there. But you can’t let the rankings dictate who you are because when you reach No. 1, where do you go from there?”

Kentucky wide receivers coach Tee Martin talks about his trip back to Tennessee, where he led the Vols to a national title.

UK offensive coordinator Randy Sanders, himself a Tennessee grad, talks about trip back to Knoxville.