Jerry Tipton on UK basketball

Freshman Patrick Patterson saw the Saturday game against No.1 North Carolina as a chance for Kentucky to make a statement.

“We can show the world Kentucky is still a contender,” Patterson said on Friday.

In Patterson’s estimation, Kentucky’s image remains battered in light of the upset loss t Gardner-Webb.

“After Gardner-Webb, I don’t think they saw us as anything at all,” Patterson said of how the basketball world views UK. “They probably think we’re one of the worse teams in the NCAA. That we lost our spark.”

Patterson acknowledged that he’s heard talk that Kentucky will be fortunate to simply avoid an embarrassing defeat.

“I hear it all the time,” he said. “I don’t listen. I believe we have a great team. I think we can win this game.”

To beat North Carolina, UK Coach Billy Gillispie noted the importance of rebounding and competing hard. He also hinted at the advantage UK could gain by a slower pace.

“If there are 200 shots — and you’re not the best rebounding team — compared to 99 shots, if you’re a percentage player, you’d rather have fewer shots taken,” he said.