John Clay’s Sidelines

(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader writes on UK’s growing pains: ” Daniel Orton had taken - and missed - only one three-pointer all season: against Cleveland State on Nov. 24. Inexplicably, he decided to launch an air ball from beyond the arc with Kentucky trailing by 11 midway through the first half at Tennessee. Moments earlier, John Wall spun 360 degrees in the air to elude a defender and make a layup. The oohing and aahing had not died down yet when Tennessee dunked five seconds later after UK failed to get back on defense.”

Mark Story of the H-L makes the Wall case: “The case for Wall. Can be summed up in six letters: C-L-U-T-C-H.”

Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger says Sunday will be Senior Day for Patrick Patterson: “There has been no official announcement that Patterson will be part of the Senior Day ceremony and Patterson has yet to confirm he will enter the NBA Draft when the season ends. But both are going to happen.”

Ron Higgins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal writes that Memphis fans are familiar with how Calipari spins losses: ” That’s right, University of Memphis fans. It’s John Calipari’s positive spin after a loss, designed to quiet the critics and to keep all “the miserables” on Negative Island. Kentucky coach Cal has been spinning like one of the Four Tops since Tennessee beat the No. 2 Wildcats, 74-65, on Saturday. The Vols played the same zone defense that used to give the U of M fits when Pearl played Calipari’s Tigers.”

Brett Dawson of the C-J writes about UK getting refocused: “‘I said before the game, I told my staff, ‘We’re going to have to lose one of these games before we finish the season,’ and they said, ‘Why?’?’ Calipari said Monday. ‘I said, ‘Because we think we can play how we want to play and then we’ll come back and finish them off at the end.’”

Tom Leach talks to Georgia radio voice Scott Howard.

David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press writes that Calipari is downplaying the zone: “Calipari credited Bruce Pearl’s Vols for being more aggressive out of the gate, which he said was as important as his team’s bad 3-point shooting. He said South Carolina played man-to-man during its upset of the Wildcats on Jan. 26, as did Vanderbilt on Feb. 20, when Kentucky prevailed 58-56 in Nashville. The first-year UK coach also admitted there are times when there are good losses.”

David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger on UK’s SEC Player of the Year candidates: “There should be no shortage of quality candidates when the Southeastern Conference coaches sit down to cast their votes for player of the year. Honestly, there’s plenty of them on the Kentucky roster alone. The Wildcats, who have been among the nation’s top teams all season, have three players who could garner consideration.”

Continue reading ‘BBL: Report says Patterson will be part of Senior Day’

(H-L photo/Charles Bertram)

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader writes on Devan Downey: ” After leading South Carolina to an unprecedented three straight victories over Kentucky, Devan Downey has a good idea of the bad reception he’ll receive in Rupp Arena on Thursday night. ‘I’m pretty sure I’m going to get a not-too-warm welcome,’ he said with comedic understatement on Tuesday. ‘I know it’s all in fun. But I’ve gotten my share of hate mail and Facebook messages from Kentucky fans.’”

My column about how UK is nationall ranked in several sports: “I mentioned in Monday’s column that UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart had gotten one right in hiring Matthew Mitchell to head the women’s basketball program after Mickie DeMoss’s surprising resignation. Also wrote, “And that’s not the only one.” I wasn’t kidding.”

Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News shows DeAndre Liggins some love: “Let’s hear it for Kentucky’s DeAndre Liggins, who began the season outside John Calipari’s good graces and is ending it as an essential member of a title contender.”

Tom Leach makes John Wall’s case: “Kentucky’s John Wall was the early favorite to win some or all of college basketball’s player-of-the-year awards but Ohio State’s Evan Turner is coming on strong. If you make your choice based on numbers, then Turner’s case is as strong or stronger than Wall’s. But if you base it on impact, that’s where I think Wall gets the edge and Saturday’s 58-56 win at Vanderbilt was a good example of why.”

Nick Craddock of the Kentucky Kernel on the bond shared by Matthew Mitchell and Pat Summitt: “The UK women’s basketball coaching staff is comprised of UK employees, but they all were Volunteers at one time. UK head coach Matthew Mitchell and his assistant coaches Kyra Elzy, Matt Insell and Shalon Pillow all share, in an ironic twist, a connection to one of UK’s most-hated rivals: the Tennessee Volunteers.”

Continue reading ‘BBL: UK men prepare for USC; UK women prepare for UT’

Videos from post-game press conference after Kentucky women completed its home season undefeated with a 71-50 win over visiting South Carolina. On top is UK coach Matthew Mitchell. In the middle is Victoria Dunlap, Amani Franklin and Lydia Watkins. At the bottom is a none-too-happy South Carolina coach Dawn Staley.

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.

Continue reading ‘BBL: A trip through the UK student ticket lottery’

(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

Paul Strelow of The State reports on Clemson’s poor bowl ticket sales: “In the week since the announced pairing, Clemson has sold 4,000 tickets - just more than half of its minimum 7,500 allotment per the ACC’s contract with the Music City Bowl. Kentucky has sold close to 16,000, rifling through its initial allotment of 12,000 within one day. Those figures don’t take into account the nearly 4,000 tickets the bowl sold in the four-day window before the selection was announced when media reports surfaced that the Wildcats were the likely choice.”

Jennifer Smith of the H-L on UK women’s unbeaten mark: “t sounds glamorous to say that Kentucky is just one win away from the best start in program history. It sounds exciting to say the 9-0 Cats can get to historic win No. 10 with a victory over in-state rival Louisville on Sunday. But you might as well be telling UK Coach Matthew Mitchell a bedtime story.”

Ian Ruder of the Oregonian on a UK basketball target who is only a sophomore: “His name is Jordan Tebbutt and while only the most die-hard high school fan may have heard of the 6-5 sophomore, college coaches are flocking to the 3A school’s campus to recruit him. Not small time programs either: Kentucky, Washington, Washington State, Oregon State and most of the rest of the Pac-10.” (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)

St. Petersburg Times has a UK football commitment: “Largo tight end/defensive end Mike Douglas put an end to the recruiting process by committing to Kentucky.”

Continue reading ‘BBL: Clemson bowl ticket sales running slow’

Update: Click here for Jennifer Smith’s game story.

Here is video from post-game press conference after Kentucky’s 92-58 win over Boston University to start the women’s basketball season.

First up is coach Matthew Mitchell, who says he was happy with his team’s effort and enthusiasm.

Continue reading ‘Video: Kentucky women after opening win over Boston U’

Photo by Matt Barton.

When a team shoots 31 percent from the floor, and that’s considered an improvement, well, that’s all you need to know about said team. Poor Matthew Mitchell. His Kentucky women’s basketball Wildcats just can’t shoot straight.

The UK women fell 66-57 at Western Kentucky last night in Bowling Green. That’s UK’s fourth loss in its last five meetings to the rival Lady Toppers. It’s also the Cats’ third loss in seven games this young season.

And after shooting 27.9 percent against Long Island in the finals of a New York tournament over the weekend, and 21 percent in a loss at Xavier on Tuesday, the UK women improved, a relative term, to 31 percent on Thursday.

To be fair, the Cats were without starting guard Carly Ormerod last night, but I think we’ve spotted an ice age:

• Victoria Dunlap has made six of 21 shots in her last three games.

• Brittany Edelen has made four of 14 shots in her last three games. She was 3-of-9 against the Toppers.

• Lydia Watkins has made four of 12 shots in her last three games.

• Amber Smith has made four of 23 shots in her last three games. She was 1-of-10 at Xavier; 1-of-7 at Western. She missed four of her five three-pointers last night. As a team, UK missed 13 of 16, shooting a frigid 18.8 percent behind the line.

• Amani Franklin has made 10 of 37 shots in her last three games. Franklin was 3-of-15 in Bowling Green.

Luckily Eleia Roddy, after missing all 10 of her field goal attempts at Xavier, connect on seven of 13 tries last night or things would have surely been worse.

And surely rubbing salt in the wounds, former UK signee Arnkia Brown contributed 12 points and 16 rebounds to the Western win. This despite the fact that Brown was indicted last month on counterfeiting charges. She plead not guilty.