Friday, 12 March 2010 18:15
NewmanJ
Guest Basketball
As has been the story so many times this season, this young group of Wildcats behind John Wall, and Patrick Patterson, erase an early deficit to rally and defeat Alabama 73-67 to advance to the semi-finals of the SEC tournament where they will face Tennessee.
John Calipari only hopes his young Kentucky Wildcats' first postseason game delivered the message he's been trying to send - tournament time requires more intensity and desire than the regular season.
John Wall had 23 points, including seven straight in the second half to give the Wildcats the lead for good, and No. 2 Kentucky overcame an 11-point deficit Friday in beating Alabama 73-67 in the Southeastern Conference tournament quarterfinals.
"I'm trying to convince this young team of 19-year-olds that either you want it more than they do or they want it more than you do," Calipari said.
The win gave Kentucky its 12th 30-win season - the most by any school - and the Wildcats' first since 2003 when they went 32-4. It's also the fifth straight such season for Calipari and seventh overall to tie him with Connecticut's Jim Calhoun for third-most among coaches.
Kentucky improved to 112-22 in this tournament and 9-1 in Nashville. The Wildcats now are 4-1 against Alabama in the quarterfinals, a program that ranks second to Kentucky in the number of tournament wins and titles in the league.
Kentucky has won 25 SEC tournament titles, but coach John Calipari isn't so much concerned with adding to that already impressive total this weekend.
With their coach eying a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, the second-ranked Wildcats take on Alabama in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament in Nashville on Friday.
Despite dominating the SEC tournament in previous years -- Alabama is second with only six titles -- Kentucky (29-2) last won it in 2004. While he recognizes the significance of winning the tournament, Calipari, in his first season at Kentucky, sees this weekend as more of a stepping stone to the NCAA tournament.
"Well if you're going to be in a tournament, you want to win it," Calipari said. "But our whole thing is that it's bigger and it's more important than winning. We've got to get ourselves prepared for that next weekend and that's what we'll do. Basically everything we do is based on how and where we finish the season."
The Wildcats closed the regular season with a 74-66 win over Florida on Sunday. The Gators cut an 18-point lead to three midway through the second half, but Kentucky held on. Eric Bledsoe and Darius Miller each scored 14 points to lead five players in double figures."
I am just glad that it is over. I just wanted it to end," Calipari said of the regular season. "I have never coached a team that worried about a conference championship or a tournament championship."
The Alabama Crimson Tide looks to avenge an earlier season loss as the face the Kentucky Wildcats in the second round of the SEC tournament. Behind double-doubles from John Wall and Demarcus Cousins, the Wildcats defeated the Tide 66-55 on February 9 in Rupp Arena. Alabama was led by Tony Mitchells 13 points that night.
Alabama made it to the second round of the SEC Tournament by defeating South Carolina 68-63. Down by 18 midway through the second half, the Alabama Crimson Tide locked down on defense to fuel a 25-6 run. Mikhail Torrance led the Tide with 17 points, and Justin Knox chipped in 16 points and 7 rebounds.
After facing the SEC leading scorer, now Bama's attention turns to the SEC player of the Year. Brett Dawson talked to the Crimson Tide in his latest piece for the Courier Journal. Here are some comments.
As the Tide surged, South Carolina and star point guard Devan Downey struggled. He finished with 21 points but shot just 7for21, including 3for13 in the second half.
It was the sort of defensive effort the Tide hopes to apply to John Wall and the Wildcats on Friday.
“That effort right there, we're going to have to play it the whole 40 minutes,” forward Justin Knox said. “You can't go out there slacking. You have to bring your ‘A' game against Kentucky
Click read more for more comments and insight about Friday's quarterfinal game from Brett's article.
Thursday, 11 March 2010 23:25
Derik Griffith
Guest Basketball
Bruce Pearl had some nice comments about UK today following Tennessee's win over a struggling LSU. Courtesy of ESPN.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl never hesitates to stoke the rivalry with Kentucky.
Both on and off the floor.
Following Tennessee’s woeful shooting performance in its 59-49 victory over LSU on Thursday in the first round of the SEC Tournament, Pearl found a way to bring the Wildcats into the conversation during his postgame radio show on the Vol Network.
Wayne Chism and Brian Williams combined for 10 offensive rebounds against LSU, prompting Pearl to chortle, “There were plenty of them to be had, way too many offensive rebounds to be had because we were 4-for-23 from 3, 17 percent from 3.
“We looked like Kentucky out there launching those things.”
Thursday, 11 March 2010 10:12
sg24
Guest Basketball
Consistency. It is something that every team strives for and every coach demands of his players. John Calipari has had the luxury of consistency from certain players all season long. Whether it was the tremendous gaurd play of Wall and Bledsoe, or the dominating inside game of Cousins and Patterson, Coach Cal knew what he was getting when he put them out on the court.
Yet there is one spot that has been an uncertainty for the Wildcats this season. John Clay looks at the importance of the play of Darius Miller and Darnell Dodson in his latest article for the Lexington Herald Leader. Both Miller and Dodson may be the X Factor as UK moves toward the goal of a NCAA Title. Here is a short exert from Clay's article.
Dodson suffered through a seven-game stretch in which he made just two of 21 three-pointers. The last two games, however, Dodson has made five of eight threes, and scored 21 points in 32 minutes.
Miller, the 2008 Mr. Basketball in Kentucky, had strung together 11 straight games of single-figure scoring outputs, and temporarily lost his starting job along the way. He did not shoot the ball well at Georgia last week, but did do a good job guarding the Bulldogs' athletic Travis Leslie. Sunday in Rupp, Miller did shoot well from outside, and even grabbed a rebound and threw down a jam inside.
More exerts of John Clay's article can be found by clicking read more below.
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 21:53
Derik Griffith
Guest Basketball
Objective
Sunday, the 'Cats look to take back The SEC Tournament Title.
My, my. Just how long has it been?
Kentucky has not won the tournament title since back-to-back wins in 2003 and 2004. Kentucky has 26 Conference Tournament Championships which ranks #1 in the NCAA. After a 6 year absence, it's hard to deny the importance of this tournament.
Wait, the Circus is going to be in Nashville, too.
The Wildcats could possibly meet Devan "One-man-circus-show" Downey for a third time this season, in their first tournament game on Friday. Should they get past Anthony Grant's Crimson Tide..
Downey ended the hopes of an undefeated season for the 'Cats and also recorded South Carolina's first win over a #1 ranked opponent. Downey's Gamecocks blitzed back to put Vanderbilt away (on their home floor) in their last outing of the regular season.
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 13:00
CB
Guest Basketball
'Tis the season for post-season awards, and Dick Vitale has come out with his own brand of All-American teams, labeled the 2010 All-Solid Gold Teams. Not surprisingly, Kentucky is fairly well represented, as they land two member on the first team.
John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins are joined on the first team by Jon Scheyer, Greivis Vasquez, Scottie Reynolds, Evan Turner, and Wes Johnson.
Somewhat surprisingly, Patrick Patterson does not make an appearance on Vitale's second team, which includes, Greg Monroe, Luke Harangody, James Anderson, Jimmer Fredette, Damion James, Cole Aldrich, and Sheron Collins. I'll leave it to you to debate the merits of their inclusion over Patterson.
In more good news for the Cats, Vitale tags John Wall as his national player of the year, citing his ability to make his teammates better and his ability to take and make shots in crunch time.
Jim Boeheim takes coach of the year honors, though Vitale acknowledges Calipari, Frank Martin, Gary Williams, and Steve Alford as other potential candidates.
As has been the story so many times this season, this young group of Wildcats behind John Wall, and Patrick Patterson, erase an early deficit to rally and defeat Alabama 73-67 to advance to the semi-finals of the SEC tournament where they will face Tennessee.
The Alabama Crimson Tide looks to avenge an earlier season loss as the face the Kentucky Wildcats in the second round of the SEC tournament. Behind double-doubles from John Wall and Demarcus Cousins, the Wildcats defeated the Tide 66-55 on February 9 in Rupp Arena. Alabama was led by Tony Mitchells 13 points that night. 
Finally it is gameday! Lets get this post season rolling...
Bruce Pearl had some nice comments about UK today following Tennessee's win over a struggling LSU. Courtesy of 
Consistency. It is something that every team strives for and every coach demands of his players. John Calipari has had the luxury of consistency from certain players all season long. Whether it was the tremendous gaurd play of Wall and Bledsoe, or the dominating inside game of Cousins and Patterson, Coach Cal knew what he was getting when he put them out on the court. 
Objective
'Tis the season for post-season awards, and Dick Vitale has come out with his own brand of All-American teams, labeled the 
