John Clay’s Sidelines

This is Kentucky forward Josh Harrellson from UK’s media session on Thursday the 12th before UK’s opener with Morehead State on Friday the 13th:

A ten-spot from the Blue-White scrimmage:

• 1. This team is athletic. I know that’s obvious. But when was the last time we could truly say that about a Kentucky basketball team. Not that the Cats lacked athletes in the past few years. It’s just that they haven’t had this many athletes on one team since, when, 1996?

• 2. John Wall is ridiculous. But then you already knew that. As for the eligibility issue, John Calipari tried to play coy in the post-scrimmage press conference, answering Alan Cutler’s first question about Wall’s status as if it was another question entirely. But Wall was made available to the media afterward, where he didn’t have much to say about what was going on, or how he felt about what was going on. But at least we got the opportunity to ask.

• 3. Darnell Dodson will fill a key role on this team. The sophomore juco transfer was slighted on the publicity, what with Wall and DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Bledsoe, Daniel Orton, etc., being in the newcomer class. But Dodson’s outside shot is a needed asset on this team. He made four-of-11 threes on the night, and that after looking a bit nervous in the early going

• 4. Calipari claims that Wall and Bledsoe play better together than they do apart, and that may in fact be true. I’m not going to doubt the coach. So whatever happened to all those who said, before Bledsoe signed, that the two could not co-exist in the same backcourt. I’m with Cal. There’s no reason they can’t do better than that in the same backcourt.

• 5. The best move of the night was when Calipari pulled Joe B. Hall off the front row behind the bench and had him sit on the bench with him. That got a standing ovation from the Rupp crowd of 14,060, and deservedly so. I know, Joe has said all the right things about this Wildcat Coal Lodge controversy. And I have no doubt he understands the difficulties of raising funds for facility improvements, etc. But still, it’s the only thing on campus named in his honor, a former basketball coach who won a national championship and went to three Final Fours. And you’re going to tell me there’s anyone out there who loves the program more than Joe? Mitch Barnhart said the school will find another way to honor Joe. It better.

Continue reading ‘A 10-spot from the UK Blue-White scrimmage’

Morgan Newton

Update: H-L’s Chip Cosby is on WKYT on-line with ex-UK defensive back Leonard Burress. And Morgan Newton’s father is scheduled to be on at 9:40 a.m.

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader writes that coaches are mum on whether it will be Morgan Newton or Will Fidler at quarterback for UK on Saturday.
• I was on WVLK-590 in Lexington with Larry Glover last night, and caller swore that he knew for 100 percent fact that players have already been told that Newton is the guy. I should point out that it’s in the first 10 minutes or so of the podcast, I think.
• Ryan Alessi of the Herald-Leader reports on the $3 million Billy Gillispie agreement with UK.
• Both sides agree not to speak ill of the other.
• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader writes on DeAndre Liggins.
• Doron Lamb tells Zagsblog he will visit either UK or UConn on Oct. 23, but says UK, Oklahoma and Kansas are his top three.
• The H-L’s Jennifer Smith writes on Rebecca Gray’s second chance with UK hoops’ team.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal reports that Jake Lanefski could miss Auburn game.
• Mary Jo Perino of WLEX reports that Joker Phillips thinks the Cats are no joke.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Could Morgan Newton be the guy? UK isn’t saying’

Photo by Pablo Alcala.

Some UK player assessments after the 93-69 win over Appalachian State:

• Jodie Meeks: Billy Gillispie called his junior guard incredible after Meeks made 14 of 21 shots, including nine of 14 three-pointers and nine of 10 free throws. Meeks scored 24 points in the first half. It was the most points by a Cat in Freedom Hall, topping Mike Pratt’s 42. It was the sixth most points by an individual Cat in UK history. Meeks admitted his defense was not the best, but he sure was hot on the offensive end. In three career games at Freedom Hall, Meeks has made 20 of 35 shots, including 15 of 28 three-pointers.

• Patrick Patterson: He tied his season high of four blocked shots, but Gillispie was not crazy about Patterson’s defensive effort. Offensively, the sophomore scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Made just six of 13 shots, first time since going 4-for-10 against Delaware State that he has been under 50 percent from the floor. Patterson did make all seven of his free throws, his best accuracy showing as a Cat on that many attempts.

• A.J. Stewart: The sophomore played a season-high 15 minutes, scoring a season-high nine points. That’s his most minutes since 21 at Alabama back on Feb. 9 of last season. The nine points are Stewart’s most since scoring 10 against Liberty on Nov. 21, 2007. Gillispie’s only complaint was that Stewart made too many “not-thinking” plays.

• Ramon Harris: Good to see the junior back on the floor, even if it was for only nine minutes after that frightening collision with Michael Porter in Lamar game. Harris’ defense was such that Gillispie cracked that Appalachian State might not have scored in the first half if not for Harris. Ramon said it wasn’t a case of being rusty, just a case of him not focusing enough when in the game.

Continue reading ‘UK player notes after win over ASU’

UK individual player notes for basketball:

• 

  Photo by Pablo Alcala.

  Jared Carter: Played a season-high five minutes in win over Mississippi Valley on Sunday. Scored his first three points of the year.

• Kevin Galloway: Made his first start as a Wildcat on Sunday, but played just eight minutes. Three of those minutes came in the first half.

• Josh Harrellson: Played just 20 minutes in the two games. Did not make it off the bench in the second half against Miami. Made four of seven shots in the two games, but had had just one rebound.

• Ramon Harris: Wore a cervical collar around his neck on Saturday and Sunday. The date of his return is still up in the air.

• Mark Krebs: Played a season-high five minutes against Mississippi Valley.

• DeAndre Liggins: Was 0-for-10 on three-pointers over the weekend. Did have 10 assists and six turnovers in the two games.

• Jodie Meeks: After making just four of 17 shots against Miami, Meeks was 8-of-12 against Mississippi Valley from the floor. Scored 24 points in 22 minutes during Sunday’s win. Had just two rebounds in 56 minutes in the two games. Did not record an assist Sunday.

• Darius Miller: Played just 11 minutes and took just one shot against Mississippi Valley. Pulled down 10 rebounds against Miami, just one on Sunday.

• Patrick Patterson: Played 77 of a possible 80 minutes in the two games over the weekend. Made 16 of 24 shots for the two games, and had 26 rebounds. Dished seven assists while turning it over four times in the two games.

• Dwight Perry: Played two minutes against Mississippi Valley.

• Michael Porter: Played 35 minutes in the two games Played 51 minutes after suffering that nasty collision with Harris against Lamar. Played 34 minutes against Mississippi Valley Made just one of five three-point attempts and committed five turnovers in 18 minutes on Sunday.

• Landon Slone: Walk-on from Paintsville played a surprising 16 minutes on Sunday. That’s more time than A.J. Stewart has received in any game this year. Hit two of his three three-point attempts.

• Perry Stevenson: Played just 18 minutes, but grabbed 12 rebounds against Mississippi Valley. Made just three of 10 shots in loss to Miami.

• A.J. Stewart: Played eight minutes and scored six points against Mississippi Valley. Was the designated fouler against Miami, picking up three fouls, but his time on the floor did not total a minute.

Notes from Kentucky’s 71-42 win over Delaware State:

• The 42 points is the fewest allowed by Kentucky since 83-35 win over Texas Southern on Nov. 24, 2007.

• 

  Photo by Mark Cornelison.

  Delaware State averaged 0.651 points per possession, lowest against the Cats since Texas Southern’s 0.522.

• Delaware State made just one-of-nine three-pointers, fewest by a UK opponent since High Point made 1-of-15 on Nov. 29, 2005.

• UK opponents had made 21-of-44 threes in the first two games.

• Delaware State had just five assists, compared to 22 turnovers. That turnover ratio of -17 is the worst since Texas Southern’s -19 (four assists/23 turnovers).

• Kentucky turned it over a season-low 12 times. The Cats averaged a turnover every 5.47 possessions, best of the year. The avearge was 3.75 against VMI and 2.64 versus North Carolina.

• Kentucky averaged 1.081 points per possession, slightly behind its 1.100 against VMI.

• Kentucky made nine of 17 three-point attempts for 52.9 percent. That’s the best showing, percentage-wise, since the Cats made 10 of 18 against Florida in the regular-season finale last year for 55.6 percent.

• UK had 93.7 possessions versus VMI. The Cats had 65.7 possessions versus Delaware State. The figure was 74 at North Carolina.

Continue reading ‘UK-Delaware State post-game notes’

Audio from press conferences after UK’s 111-53 exhibition rout of Missouri-St. Louis

• UK coach Billy Gillispie talks about the win and how the team played. (12:53)

• Newcomer Josh Harrellson talks about his 21 points and team-high 12 rebounds. (2:02)

• Jodie Meeks talks about his game-high 27 points. (2:25)

• Patrick Patterson talks about the help he got from Harrellson, and how the team played. (4:17)

• Freshman Darius Miller talks about his 14 points in 17 minutes. (2:24)

If you’re looking for a box score, you can find it here.