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Gillispie calls for better defense

Published by jtipton on January 21, 2008 in UK opponents, SEC and Injuries. 0 Comments

Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie called for better defense when the Cats play No. 3 Tennessee on Tuesday night.

UK’s defense figures to be much better against the Vols than at Florida on Saturday night. That’s the highest priority, even higher than combating Tennessee’s superior depth by slowing the tempo.

“If we don’t gaurd better than at Florida, it doesn’t matter what tempo we play,” Gillispie said at a Monday news conference. “I knew it was bad (at Florida). But once you see it on tape, it makes you want to throw up.”

In particular, Gillispie found UK’s defense on the ball handler and in helping beaten teammates sickening.

Rounding off, Tennessee has seven players averaging 7.0 points or better this season. The Vols have 12 players averaging double-digit minutes with no one logging more than Chris Lofton’s 28.3 minutes.

By contrast, UK has three players averaging more than 32 minutes (Patrick Patterson, Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley). Bradley has played every one of UK’s 135 minutes in Southeastern Conference play, and all 175 minutes of play for the Cats this month.

Gillispie dismissed fatigue as a factor. “I don’t buy it,” he said before suggesting that fighting fatigue is a battle of mind over matter. You get tired “if you allow your mind to allow you to get fatigued,” he said.

Meanwhile, Crawford saluted Tennessee, saying the Vols were “much better” than Florida. The rankings would support such a contention.

And Crawford said UK would want to slow the Vols, who favor a fast-breaking, pressing attack.

“I think we want to slow it down,”  Crawford said. “I don’t think we’re going to let them go to their strength.”

UK’s depth got help at Florida when Jodie Meeks and Derrick Jasper played. The pair had been nursing injuries. Meeks participated in much of practice Monday, Gillispie said. Jasper practiced on a more limited basis.

Good sign for Jasper and Meeks

Published by jtipton on January 19, 2008 in Injuries. 2 Comments

Kentucky’s injured guards, Derrick Jasper and Jodie Meeks, participated in pre-game warmups at Florida Saturday night. That’s a step forward from the Mississippi State and Vanderbilt games, when they merely watched.

Now we’ll have to see if they play.

Meanwhile, the presence of ESPN’s GameDay crew inspired sign-making by Florida fans. One sign read: “Our Billy is better than your Billy.” Another was directed at UK freshman Patrick Patterson, who signed with the Cats rather than Florida. “7-8,” the sign read in reference to Kentucky’s record, “good call, Patrick.”

Gillispie shrugs off historical storyline

Published by jtipton on January 18, 2008 in SEC. 2 Comments

Florida has beaten Kentucky six straight times. That makes the Gators the only Southeastern Conference program to make that claim againste the league’s flagship franchise.

If Florida wins Saturday’s game, a seventh straight victory would equal the record for any school. Notre Dame beat UK seven straight from 1936 through 1942.

UK Coach Billy Gillispie’s reaction: a shrug.

“I didn’t know about it till just now,” Gillispie said when asked about any motivation tied to ending the streak. “That should answer your question.”

UK has “unbelievable respect” for Florida, as it did for Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and all SEC opponents, Gillispie said.

Kentucky vs. Florida equals ‘ugly’ vs. pretty?

Published by jtipton on January 18, 2008 in SEC. 0 Comments

After Kentucky nearly won at Mississippi State, guard Joe Crawford said the Cats found an identity: play “ugly” basketball.

Coach Billy Gillispie did not embrace that term as a description for the best way for Kentucky to win games.  But in discussing Saturday’s game at Florida, he said nothing to dispute Crawford’s assessment.

“Every win I’ve been a part of has been beautiful,” Gillispie said at a Friday news conference. “It makes no difference how you go about it.”

Although he conceded that Florida is “much more skilled than we are,” the UK coach did not object to the possibility of having to outscore the Gators to win.

“I couldn’t care less,” he said. “As long as we get one more point than them.”

Yet when asked about how to combat a team that’s more skilled, Gillispie talked about the grinding, tough aspects of basketball, not the acrobatic finesse plays.

“Try to guard them,” he said. “Play them before they catch it. If you let them get in a game that’s all timing and all precision, that’s probably not going to be the best.”

Florida Coach Billy Donovan conceded on a Southeastern Conference teleconference on Thursday that  his Gators are vulnerable inside. Kentucky would seem to have the tools to exploit that weakness.

“We have a tool,” Gillispie corrected, meaning freshman Patrick Patterson. “We need to have some things in the plan and execute them. No matter the tools, you have to attack inside and also have great balance.”

Meeks, Jasper practice on ‘limited’ basis

Published by jtipton on January 18, 2008 in Injuries. 0 Comments

Injured guards Jodie Meeks and Derrick Jasper practiced a bit on Friday. But Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie did not sound optimistic about the two playing at Florida on Saturday.

Meeks and Jasper practiced on a “very, very limited” basis on Friday, the coach said. “A little bit. Not much.”

Gillispie said he had no idea if either or both could play against Gators. The coach spoke in terms of more time needed for Meeks and Jasper to be a big part of the team.

“I think we can be a force to be reckoned with when we get them back,” Gillispie said. “We’re looking at (their return) strictly as a bonus.

“I’m very proud of our team. They’re not dwelling on that.”

Gillispie: UK adjusts to Meeks/Jasper injuries

Published by jtipton on January 17, 2008 in Injuries. 0 Comments

During a SEC teleconference on Thursday, Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie noted again that his team had adjusted to playing without injured guards Jodie Meeks and Derrick Jasper.

“We’ve developed a mindset that no matter what happens, we’re going to compete,” he said.

That came a day after Gillispie noted on his weekly radio show that the team had learned to better handle the absences of Meeks and Jasper.

“At one point, they were probably thinking those guys will be back to bail us out,” the UK coach said. “Not they have figured (Meeks and Jasper) may not be back or, if so, on a limited basis, and ‘I’ll make it happen.’ ”

On both occasions, Gillispie said he had nothing new to report on the condition of Meeks and Jasper. “We go day to day,” he said.

Meeks  has played in only six of UK’s first 15 games. He sustained a stress fracture in the pelvis, then strained a hip flexor. He missed the Southeastern Conference games against Vanderbilt and Mississippi State because he aggravated the hip flexor injury.

Jasper underwent microfracture knee surgery on June 16. That delayed his season’s debut until Dec. 29. He strained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee against Vanderbilt and sat out the Mississippi State game.

State starts Charles Rhodes

Published by jtipton on January 15, 2008 in Game stories. 0 Comments

While Kentucky will play without Derrick Jasper and Jodie Meeks, Mississippi State will have at least one of its injured players in the starting lineup. State listed forward Charles Rhodes, nursing a sprained ankle, in its starting lineup.

Rhodes, who played only 12 minutes in tshe last four games while hobbled by the sprained ankle, averages 15 points and seven rebounds.

Meanwhile, Kentucky listed the same starters that began the Vanderbilt game: center Patrick Patterson, forwards Mark Coury and Ramon Harris and guards Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford.

Jasper, Meeks not warming up

Published by jtipton on January 15, 2008 in Game stories. 0 Comments

As Kentucky warms up, Derrick Jasper sits on the bench watching. Jodie Meeks stands on the sideline watching.

So it appears Kentucky will be shorthanded at Mississippi State Tuesday night.

The students are throwing barbs at UK players. Stuff like “Look out, it’s Gardner-Webb!? and “Where’s Tubby?” UK players smile and continue shooting.

Here’s my take on what’s to come:

Should be interesting. Miss State is much more athletic than Vandy. I get the feeling Kentucky will have more problems with athleticism (a la Houston). But we’ll see.
State has the nation’s best shot blocker (Jarvis Varnado, averaging more than 5 blocks a game). Guard Jamont Gordon is all-around threat.
If Varnado gets in foul trouble — and Gordon turns the ball over — Kentucky could be in business.

Meeks not playing at Miss State?

Published by jtipton on January 15, 2008 in Injuries. 0 Comments

For what it’s worth, ESPN commentator Jimmy Dykes told me shortly after our flight landed in Mississippi that he understands that sophomore guard Jodie Meeks will not play for Kentucky at Mississippi State Tuesday night.

Dykes is working the game. Meeks sat out Kentucky’s victory over then No. 13 Vanderbilt last Saturday after aggravating a hip flexor injury.

Several players on both sides are questionable for the Kentucky-Mississippi State game. Besides Meeks, there’s Derrick Jasper for Kentucky. He hurt the medial collateral ligament in his left knee against Vandy.

State might have to play without two starters: forward Charles Rhodes (ankle) and guard Ben Hansbrough (hand).

College GameDay at Florida on Saturday

Published by jtipton on January 15, 2008 in National news. 0 Comments

ESPN’s College GameDay, now in its fourth season, will make its season’s debut at Gainesville, Fla., on Saturday. Of course, that coincides with Kentucky’s game at Florida, so that figures to stoke up the Rowdy Reptitles even more.

College GameDay is two one-hour shows each Saturday, one beginning at 11 a.m. and the other at 8 p.m.  Rece Davis hosts with analysts Jay Bilas, Digger Phelps and Hubert Davis.

Bilas and play-by-play man Dan Shulman will work the UK-Florida game.

Other games ESPN plans for the College GameDay crew are Creighton at Southern Illinois on Jan. 26, Arizona at UCLA on Feb. 2, Georgetown at Louisville on Feb. 9, Michigan State at Indiana on Feb. 16, Tennessee at Memphis on Feb. 23, Kansas State at Kansas on March 1 and North Carolina at Duke on March 8.

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