John Clay's Sidelines

Vanderbilt’s John Jenkins scored 32 points last year when the Commodores beat UK at Memorial Gym. But he has one fan on the Kentucky team in UK senior Darius Miller.

The two played together on a USA team this summer. Miller said before Friday’s practice that the two stay in touch. “I’m still pretty good friends with him,” said the UK forward, adding that with Jenkins knock-down shooting ability he was an easy player to set up for the shot and was a good teammate.

As for playing at Vanderbilt, Miller said the bench configurations make the place unusual, but for UK going on the road is always a different experience. “It’s normally a great atmosphere, and fun to play in, especially when you’re doing good.”

Miller said Vanderbilt plays well at home, but that hasn’t always been the case this year. The Commodores are 11-4 at home, with losses to Cleveland State, Indiana State, Xavier and Mississippi State.

Kentucky’s Darius Miller (13 points, three three-pointers) and Marquis Teague (four assists/one turnover) talk to the media after the Cats’ 74-50 win at LSU on Saturday.

Kentucky basketball players Darius Miller, Marquis Teague and Kyle Wiltjer from today’s media opportunity.

Miller talks about the difference between this year’s Cats and last year’s Cats as far as playing conference games on the road. Teague talks about his Saturday matchup with LSU freshman point guard Anthony Hickey. Wiltjer talks about how the coaches prepare the team for foes.

Continue reading ‘Video: Darius Miller, Marquis Teague and Kyle Wiltjer’

(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)

Kentucky basketball player notes:

Twany Beckham: Has played just five minutes in two SEC games. Still has not taken a shot this season.

Anthony Davis: His 11 points against Alabama is his lowest total since he scored 10 against Lamar on December 28. Davis has blocked 26 shots in five SEC games, including four against the Crimson Tide. He did have a career-high four steals on Saturday. His two field goals on Saturday is his lowest total since he went one-of-two against Penn State on November 19.

Missed his first seven shots against Alabama before a follow dunk off a Marquis Teague miss with 4:43 left gave UK a 29-24 lead. He end up one-of-nine from the floor in the first half. His dunk off a fast break with 14:50 left in the second half, making it 49-43 Kentucky, was his only credited shot of the second half. He blocked an Alabama shot with seven seconds left and made two important free throws with 4.5 seconds remaining. With 6:30 left in the first half, he had missed his only field goal attempt, was one-of-four from the foul line and had one rebound.

Continue reading ‘Updated Kentucky basketball player news and notes’

Darius Miller, Doron Lamb and Anthony Davis were the players made available for today’s UK basketball media opportunity. One thing to note, don’t ask UK players about upcoming opponents. They know nothing about them. Or even if they do know something about them, they are not going to admit to that. This is a John Calipari thing. He is more concerned about his own team than the team he is playing. He’s not alone. A fellow named Wooden had the same strategy.

We start with Davis, who said he did not watch last night’s Vandy-Alabama game. The most interesting  part of his interview concerned his offensive development — that he is getting up, at minimum, 500 shots before practice; that he is yelling for the basketball more now in the post, that he needs to “squeeze the ball” on his hook shots.

 
Next up is Lamb, who says the team wants to keep the momentum going from its stellar play in Tuesday’s easy win over Arkansas. He says that if the team listens to its coaches, and plays to its potential, “I think nobody can beat us.”

 
And here we have Miller, who, as Dan Rieffer of WTVQ points out to him, is the only player among the current Cats to experience losing at Rupp Arena. (Technically, that’s not quite right. Sophomore Jarod Polson’s West Jessamine High School team lost in the Boys’ State Tournament semifinals here. Ok, well, actually, Dan said to lose a home game here. But we digress.) Miller said he didn’t even remember UK’s last loss at home. The answer: It was that bad 90-85 loss to Georgia near the end of the Billy Gillispie Era. Actually, it was that loss that probably ended the Gillispie Era.

UK senior Darius Miller talking to the media after win over Arkansas.

(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)

Big Blue Links for Sunday:

• Saturday’s SEC-opening 79-64 opening-game win over South Carolina was a confidence-builder for Terrence Jones, reports Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader. Jones scored 20 points.
• Check out the Herald-Leader photo gallery from UK-USC.
• Kentucky capitalizes on South Carolina’s mistakes, reports Darryl Slater of the Charleston Post and Courier. Bruce Ellington was three-of-13 from the floor, including one-of-eight from three-point range for the Gamecocks.
• UK signees Alex Poythress and Alex Goodwin provided a peek at their potential, reports Mike Fields of the Herald-Leader. Poythress scored 42, Goodwin 37 at Lexington Catholic last night.
• Marquis Teague listens, learns and thrives, says my column from the South Carolina game. The freshman point guard scored a career-high 17 points.
• It was a return-to-form for Terrence Jones, writes Brian Rickerd of the State-Journal.
• Terrence Jones’ 20 points leads Kentucky to win, writes Michael Grant of the Courier-Journal. A late miss of a three-pointer was all that kept the sophomore from a perfect night from the field.
• A rapid rewind on Kentucky’s 15-point win, by Matt May of the Cats Pause. Anthony Davis turned in his ninth double-double in 16 games.
• Calipari says that’s the Terrence Jones he knows, writes Keith Taylor of the Winchester Sun.
• Jones and Teague led the way toward UK going 1-0 in the conference, reports Jon Hale of KY Forward. Calipari told Jones, “Now you work even harder.”

(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)

Post-game video of Darius Miller and Anthony Davis, who did a joint press conference in the crowded media room at Freedom Hall. Davis scored 22 points and claimed 16 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season. Miller joined the 1,000-point club at Kentucky while scoring 15 points as Kentucky improved to 14-1.

Continue reading ‘Video: Darius Miller, Anthony Davis post-game’

Kentucky senior Darius Miller talks to the media Friday about Saturday’s Cats-Cards showdown.

(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Louisville might put Kentucky point guard Marquis Teague to the test.
• To beat Kentucky, Rick Pitino says Louisville must do “everything.”
• Watch Kentucky targets Bennett and Randle in action tonight.
• Mike Krzyzewski was watching Shabazz Muhammad on Thursday.
• Sizing up the big battle between Kentucky and Louisville basketball.
• Kentucky’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is growing up fast.
• But Kidd-Gilchrist needs to avoid that early foul trouble he has been experiencing.
• U of L’s Chane Behanan battling history in game against Kentucky.
• A Kentucky basketball fan talks recruiting.
• Darius Miller says UK must avoid the hype and prepare for physical game.