UK Recruits on ESPN RISE Mr. Basketball List

The initial voting has been released for the award of ESPN RISE Mr. Basketball. The list is littered with Kentucky and Louisville recruits in the 2010 and 2011 Class.

What is ESPN RISE Mr. Basketball?

The 10-person Mr. Basketball selection committee will vote weekly by listing their top seven candidates regardless of class. The votes are tabulated on a 10-point scoring system, with a first-place vote equaling 10 points, a second-place vote equaling nine points and so on down to four points for a seventh-place vote.

At the end of the season, ESPN RISE will name a Mr. Basketball as simply the nation's top high school player. The voting will be based on this season's performance and not take into consideration recruiting status or other off-court considerations.

Voting Results of the First 2009-10 ESPN RISE Mr. Basketball Poll:

1. Harrison Barnes, Ames, 92 votes
2. Bradon Knight, St. Patrick, 75
3. Jared Sullinger, Northland, 62
4. Michael Gilcrest, St. Patrick, 58
5. Corey Joseph, Findlay Prep, 20
6. Terrence Jones, Jefferson, 19
7. Perry Jones, Duncanville, 18

Others of interest:

C.J. Leslie (Word of God Academy, Raleigh, N.C.) 14.
Quincy Miller (Quality Education, Winston-Salem, N.C.) 14
Tobias Harris (Half Hollow Hills West, Dix Hills, N.Y.) 6
Doron Lamb (Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson ,Va.) 6
Josh Selby (Lake Clifton, Baltimore, Md.) 6

Marquis Teague (Pike, Indianapolis, Ind.) 4

Complete Voting and Article

Calhoun on John Wall: "He is all of that. He’s no freshman"

Excerpt of article by Jason King of Yahoo Sports:

There really wasn’t any other way to describe the mood after Wall scored 25 points and made the game-winning basket in Kentucky’s 64-61 victory over Connecticut on Wednesday night. The projected No. 1 pick in next summer’s NBA draft, everyone knew that Wall was a talented basketball player.

But no one – not even his mother – knew he was this good.

“He’s all of that,” Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun said. “Whatever all of that is, he is all of that. He’s no freshman.”

Complete Article

Kentucky Basketball Improves to 9-"Ohhhhh! Ohhh!"

(4) Kentucky 64
(12) Connecticut 61

Final from 2009 DirectTV SEC/Big East Invitational in New York City

"Ohhhhh! Ohhhhh! Ohhh!"

- Dick Vitale following a tremendous drive by John Wall late in the game

Game Recap by AllKYHoops.com:

The Kentucky Wildcats are off to a 9-0 start on the season after once again showing enough grit to overcome adversity and get a difficult win. The Cats held on to defeat #12 Connecticut (6-2) by a score of 64-61 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Kentucky blazed out of the gates to take a 12-0 lead early. After UConn regrouped, the Huskies stormed back to take a 29-23 lead at the half.

Kentucky fought back to take a lead just before the second media timeout in the second half. They unable to pull away and had to rely heavily and freshman sensation John Wall late in the game. Wall scored 12 of Kentucky's final 15 points to lead them to a hard-fought 3-point victory.

Wall led all scorers with 25 points. He also added 2 assists and 6 steals, but had a disappointing 6 turnovers. Patrick Patterson, who appeared to tweak his ankle in the second half, gave Kentucky 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks. DeMarcus Cousins had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Connecticut was led by Jerome Dyson with 17 points and 5 rebounds. Gavin Edwards added 16 points and 8 rebounds off the bench. Kemba Walker had a solid game with 12 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists.

The Huskies were only 1-5 from the 3-point line for the game, but shot 23-50 overall for 46.0%. The Wildcats shot only 36.8% from the field, but managed to put up 18 more attempts - a result of forcing 21 UConn turnovers.

Kentucky returns to action on Saturday when they travel to Bloomington, Indiana to face the Hoosiers.

UK Basketball in New York; DeAndre Liggins in Lexington

UK guard DeAndre Liggins is not in New York with his Wildcat teammates.

Liggins, who has not played this year under John Calipari, was not at Kentucky's shootaround and sources say Liggins did not make the trip when the Wildcats face Connecticut Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Liggins played in 33 games last year under Billy Gillispie, starting one game. Liggins averaged 4.2 points a game last year.

Source: WKYT.com

My thoughts:

I look at this as one of three things, but there has been (nor should there be) any explanation from Kentucky head coach John Calipari.

1. End of the semester and Liggins will no longer be a Kentucky Wildcats
2. He has been punished all semester and this is the final piece of punishment
3. This is finals week and there's no reason for him to be in NYC if he is benched anyways; he is working hard to make good grades

I lean more towards 2 and 3 and I expect to see Liggins back with the team - and playing - soon.

Eastern Kentucky Shoots Past DII Foe Ohio Valley

Eastern Kentucky 74
Ohio Valley 58

Final from Richmond, Kentucky

Game recap from EKU:

The Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team poured in 13 three-pointers as the Colonels cruised past Division II foe Ohio Valley, 74-58, Wednesday night in McBrayer Arena. Senior Josh Taylor led EKU with 20 points on 5-of-8 (62.5 percent) shooting from deep.

Taylor knocked down all five of his three-pointers and scored 18 of his 20 points in the first half. Senior Papa Oppong and junior Justin Stommes contributed with 15 points apiece while junior Josh Daniel came off the bench to score 11 points.

EKU (7-2) shot 47.4 percent (27-of-57) from the field for the game and 50 percent (13-of-26) from behind the arc. The Colonels also committed a season-low four turnovers on the night.

Rodney Everage recorded a double-double for the Fighting Scots, scoring 16 points and collecting 10 rebounds. David White chipped in with 12 points.

OVU (1-5) nearly matched the Colonels’ hot shooting as the Fighting Scots went 46 percent (23-of-50) from the field and 42.9 percent (6-of-14) from the three-point range.

With EKU leading by only four, 29-24, at the 5:18 mark in the first half, the Colonels – sparked by three three-pointers by Taylor - went on a 14-2 run over the next three minutes to head into the locker room with a commanding 43-32 advantage.

Taylor led EKU with 18 points at the break on 5-of-6 shooting from deep. Oppong chipped in with nine points at the half.

The Colonels went into the locker room shooting 55 percent (16-of-29) from the field and 66.7 percent (8-of-12) from three-point range.

OVU, however, shot nearly as well in the first half as the Fighting Scots fired in 52 percent (12-of-23) from the field and 57 percent (4-of-7) from behind the arc.

White and Everage paced OVU at the half with nine points apiece.

The Colonels opened the second half with two quick threes from Stommes and senior Dayvon Ellis to give EKU a 15-point lead, 49-34. However, a fast break dunk by Tate Solomon with 13:20 showing on the clock brought OVU back to within 10 points, 57-47.

Three-pointers by Stommes and Oppong over the next five minutes pushed the Colonels’ lead back into the teens and clinched the victory for EKU.

This is only the second time in the last 45 years that the Colonels have tallied seven wins through the first nine games of the season.

EKU returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 12, when the Colonels travel to play ACC foe Maryland at 4:30 p.m.

NBA President Watching Kentucky Basketball Tonight

Rod Thorn, the president of the NBA's New Jersey Nets has an eye on John Wall and several others at Madison Square Garden tonight.

Excerpt of Article from ZagsBlog.com:

“I can’t talk about specific players, but you don’t know,” said Thorn, who also saw Wall play here in April in the Jordan Brand Classic. “It’s tough. I don’t care who you are, a young guy coming in the NBA.”

Kentucky features several players who could be drafted next year, Wall, junior forward Patrick Patterson and freshman big man DeMarcus Cousins.

“We’ve got a lot of pieces we’re looking for,” Thorn said.

Complete Article

Campbellsville Hoops Gets Win Over Spalding

Campbellsville 66
Spalding 52

Final from Campbellsville, Kentucky

Game recap by CU:

Despite a slow start, Campbellsville picked up its first intrastate victory of the season Wednesday, handling NCAA Division III opponent Spalding University, 66-52, in the Powell Athletic Center.

The result puts CU back in the win column after falling, 78-63, at No. 25 Olivet Nazarene University on Dec. 5, and it's brings CU's intrastate record to 1-1 on the year after a loss Nov. 14 to Mid-Continent University.

"This was a tough game because of where it's placed in our schedule. Hind sight being 20-20 you probably don't want to schedule during finals week, but it gets so difficult to schedule that you play when you can," CU head coach Keith Adkins said. "We played tonight mentally like it was the middle of finals week. Our focus was somewhere else, and I'm glad, with that said, we could come out of here with a win."

Spalding took a 7-3 lead to start the game, but the Tigers slowly chipped into the Golden Eagle lead to even the score, 10-10, on a three-point play by Nestor Colmenares. The preseason All-American was 0-for-4 in the game until he dropped he drew a basket and a foul with 9:46 to play in the opening half. While Colmenares was silent in the first 10 minutes of the game, he scored 13 the remainder of the half. His three-point play started a 24-4 run to enter halftime with a 33-14 lead.

Spalding had 14 turnovers in the first half and shot 22.7 percent, but a halftime talk from coach Kevin Gray appeared to reverse the Golden Eagles' shooting woes. Spalding shot 66.7 percent in the second half, but was unable to cut lead any closer than 14 points.

Colmenares led CU with 24 points and had nine rebounds, while Caleb Harris had 11. Brett Crittenden of Tribune, Kan., scored the Tigers' first five points of the game and finished with seven.

"We were slow getting started to say the least, but Brett gave us a spark. He's always going to give you a lift with his effort and with his defense. He hit some buckets early that woke everybody else up," Adkins said.

Spalding leading scorer DeWhon McAfee led the Golden Eagles with 16 points.

CU (8-3) travels to Cumberland University on Monday for an 8 p.m. game.

New Jersey Nets Didn't Twit on Terrence Williams After All

It now appears that the New Jersey Nets did not bench rookie Terrence Williams because of a series of negative posts on Twitter, after all.

It turns out that the ex-Louisville Cardinal actually missed the bus to the morning shootaround on Tuesday. That mistake sent Williams to the bench for Tuesday night's game.

In addition to missing the team bus, Williams also stayed out late Monday night and was asked to run steps at the United Center as punishment.

As if that was not enough, the Nets' first round draft pick then went to the social network tool Twitter to unload his frustration.

Head coach Kiki Vandeweghe chalked it up as "a rookie rough spot."

Source

UCONN Basketball Blog: Our Cal is Better Than Your Cal

TheUconnBlog.com says their Cal (Jim Calhoun) is greater than Kentucky's Cal (John Calipari). Here are a few excerpts from their game preview for tonight's showdown at Madison Square Garden:

UConn’s probably going to lose tonight. Kentucky has returned to their place in the college hoops elite, and they’re doing it with one of the most impressive group of athletes I’ve seen since the 2006 UConn team.

Their coach may be a no-good dirty squid who would use smiling schoolchildren as bait if it let him bring in Godzilla to play the 5, but damn if the man can’t get his record wiped clean by the NCAA after leaving a program assemble a team to run his offense.

John Wall and Patrick Patterson scare the living hell out of me. UConn appears to be a ridiculously flawed team that deserves to be nowhere near the top 20 at the moment.

It theoretically should add up to the Wildcats opening a can of whoop-ass on UConn tonight at the World’s Most Famous Arena.

While it could get that bad, ultimately I think Kentucky ends up winning by 5-10 points. Anything above that is gravy and most likely a big step forward for this team as it awaits the return of Ater Majok. At the very least, it means UConn fans (and hopefully players) can head into tonight’s game feeling no pressure.

My cardinal rule in life: if you have expectations of failure, then you’ll always be 1) correct or 2) successful. I can be happy either way.

Complete Article

Maurice Harkless Commits to Connecticut

As expected (and reported by the guys at RecruitingChronicles.com earlier in the week), 2011 forward Maurice Harkless has committed to the Connecticut Huskies.

His final list contained UConn, Seton Hall, Kentucky, St. Johns and Fordham.

I heard someone pretty close to the situation state that Harkless did not have an offer from Kentucky.

Harkless does plan to attend the Connecticut/Kentucky game at Madison Square Garden tonight.

Article from ZagsBlog.com about the commitment

Kentucky and U of L are After JUCO Star Ricardo Ratliffe

I had a nice conversation with Ricardo Ratliffe, the top-rated JUCO basketball player in the nation by Rivals.com, this morning about basketball and the ever-increasing interest he is earning from high-major NCAA DI schools. Ratliffe is a powerful big man at Central Florida Community College in Ocala, Florida.

We sat down for a Q&A:

Ricardo, thank you for taking the time to speak with me this morning. Sometimes it can be difficult to find specific information on JUCO players. If you don't mind, tell me a little about your game and list some of your strengths on the court.

My game is aggressive. I like to bang around inside and I like contact. I feel that my strengths are going to my left, offensive rebounding, good positioning and outside shooting. I also have the ability to dribble in the open court, if needed.

In researching you, I discovered that you are earning some big-time DI interest. How is the recruiting process going for you? Do you have a list of favorites at this point?

The whole recruiting process is kind of hectic at time. I receive lots of different calls each day and sometimes it's hard trying to figure out which schools are real and which ones are kind of filling me full of bull. As of right now, my final list includes Missouri, Louisville, Clemson, Cincinnati, Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma and LSU.

There has been a rumor floating around here locally that you are being recruited by Kentucky. Is that the case or is that completely false?

Yeah, they have recently started recruiting me. I don't know much about them, yet.

Do you plan to setup visits before you make a decision? How will you proceed as we approach Spring?

As of now, I'm planning to take 5 visits in the spring time. I'll do all 5 back-to-back.

So, you are planning to make a decision and sign in the Spring?

Uh, as of now, yes, but that can change.

You will have 2 years of eligibility remaining?

Yes sir.

I noticed that I looked over several profiles of you and each had different measurements for your height and weight. I have found you listed everywhere from 6-7 to 6-10. Can you set the record straight on that for me?

I know, I guess some people just go by old stuff or just estimate. The real numbers are 6-8 1/2 exactly and 238 pounds.

Do you only play power forward or do you play other positions, as well?

I played both forward positions last year, but this season I am just playing power forward. I feel like I can do whatever using my versatility.

Do you feel that you can come into the high-major level - let's say the SEC, Big East or Big 12 - and have an immediate impact?

Of course (he chuckles). I have confidence in my game that I can play anywhere and if I need to change things to adjust to the big-time levels, then I that's what I will do to have success.

Ricardo, where are you from originally and where did you play high school basketball?

I am from Hampton, Virginia and I played at Kecoughtan High School in Hampton.

What is Ricardo Ratliffe looking for in a college home for the next 2 seasons?

I am searching for a good relationship with my coaches, a nice campus and I want a place where I can make an immediate impact because I only have 2 years left.

Tell me something interesting about you that the readers may not know.

I am also a sketch artist and I want to play in the NBA.

Ricardo, it has been a pleasure speaking to you and I look forward to following your basketball career. Best wishes for the remainder of the season.

Thank you very much and thank you for the opportunity.

Hilltopper Fans Should Be Excited About Brandon Peters

Want a glimpse of what Western Kentucky basketball fans will be exposed to next season when Brandon "Snap" Peters comes to town? Peters and his Yates High School team is off to a dazzling 4-0 start and have only been held under 140 (not a misprint) points in one game - last night's 88-76 victory over Katy Seven Lakes.

Here is the first play of the game last night:

Brandon Peters aka Snap slam dunk on Streetball.

Morehead State Basketball Loses Two Scholarship Players

The Morehead State Eagles will have a slightly thinner roster during the second semester. Several players will no longer be with the Eagles following the break.

Two scholarship players are included in the departures:

- Junior shooting guard John Lamb is gone due to institutional policy

- JUCO transfer David Terrell has left the program due to personal reasons

- A pair of walk-ons will also pursue other options

The Eagles are off this week for finals and will return to action on Tuesday against St. Catharine College.

High-Flying Basketball Recruits for 2010 and 2011

Here is an excellent mixtape that illustrates some of the "high-flyers" in the 2010 and 2011 recruiting classes. You will notice several Kentucky and Louisville recruits in the video:

Forget About LeBron, John Wall is Coming to MSG

#12 Connecticut (6-1) vs. #4 Kentucky (8-0)

DirecTV SEC/Big East Invitational

Summary:

Two of the most successful coaches in college basketball square off in historic Madison Square Garden in the DirecTV SEC/Big East Invitational. UK's John Calipari ranks fourth among active coaches with a .764 winning percentage while UConn's Jim Calhoun ranks second among active coaches in wins (811).

The Wildcats claimed a 68-66 win over Nov. 10 North Carolina in their most recent outing led by Patrick Patterson's 19 points and John Wall's seven assists.

Kentucky used a 28-2 run in the first half to take a 19-point lead. UK then held off a furious Carolina rally for win. UK hit 7-of-8 free-throws down the stretch, including a 5-for-6 effort from

Basketball Revenge is Sweet for WKU Hilltoppers

Western Kentucky 63
Evansville 57

Final from Bowling Green, Kentucky

Game recap by WKU:

Western Kentucky University (4-3) turned up the defensive intensity in the second half, and behind a crucial 15-5 run, rallied from a nine-point half deficit to hand the University of Evansville (4-3) a 63-57 loss on Tuesday night at E.A. Diddle Arena. The victory avenges the Hilltoppers worst loss of last season, a 32-point setback at Roberts Stadium.

Steffphon Pettigrew and Jeremy Evans each registered double doubles, becoming the first Hilltopper duo to accomplish that feat since Anthony Winchester (25 points, 11 rebounds) and Elgrace Wilborn (10 points, 10 rebounds) on February 24, 2005 in an 85-83 overtime home win over rival Middle Tennessee, a span of 145 games.

Pettigrew poured in a team-high 18 points to go with a career-best 13 rebounds, his second career double double. Evans contributed 10 points and 11 boards for his 10th career double double while Sergio Kerusch chipped in 14 points off the bench.

Evans converted a turnaround hook off an inbounds pass from AJ Slaughter 1:26 into the final frame to cut the halftime hole to 37-30, but Colt Ryan countered with one of his four three-pointers on the night, quickly pushing the bulge to the largest of the game, 40-30, with 18:21 to play. Ryan led all scorers with 23 points on 9-of-19 shooting.

As WKU began to chip away at the lead, first on a free throw from Kerusch and then a fastbreak bucket from Nemanja Milosevic, Slaughter really ramped up the surge with a slashing lay-up with 16:52 remaining. It was the first points of the game for the senior guard and resulted in a quick timeout by Evansville.

The Purple Aces got a bucket from Ned Cox with 15:53 on the clock, but Kerusch's three from the top of the key followed by a Jameson Tipping steal and pass ahead for a Kerusch lay-up capped off a 10-2 run and pulled the Toppers with a basket at 42-40 with 15:20 to play. After committing just two first half turnovers, Evansville made four miscues in the opening five minutes of the final stanza, fueling the Hilltopper comeback.

A Pettigrew three with 12:15 remaining tied the game at 45-45, and a Slaughter triple at the 9:32 mark gave WKU its first lead since 9:51 of the first half. As a team, WKU attempted a season-high 26 threes, converting nine. Slaughter finished with five points to go with four assists in 36 minutes, snapping his streak of consecutive games scoring in double figures at 24.

The lead seesawed back and forth over the next three minutes until a pair of Evans' free throws gave WKU the lead for good at 52-51 with 7:00 to play. Pettigrew's steal and slam on the ensuing possession made it a three-point edge while an Evans dunk at 5:22 increased it to 56-51.
Evansville pulled within one at 56-55 with 3:12 to play, but a big Kerusch three followed by 2-of-2 free throw shooting performances from Anthony Sally and Evans inside the final 14 seconds sealed the 63-57 win.

In the first half, trailing 19-17, the Purple Aces rattled off 10-straight points to take command 27-19 on a three-point play from Ryan with 5:50 left until half. The key play in the spurt was a three-pointer from the wing by Ryan, against double-team coverage and an expiring shot clock, to give Evansville the lead 22-19.

WKU shot just 41.1 percent, including 7-of-26 from long range (26.9 percent), but won the battle of the boards 43-34 and committed only five second half turnovers. Evansville shot 32.0 percent in the second half, finishing 23-of-60 for the game (38.3 percent).

WKU will travel to Nashville, Tenn. on Friday, December 11 to take on 24th-ranked Vanderbilt at the Sommet Center at 8:30 PM, part of the 2009 Sun Belt Classic. The Sommet Center is the site of the Toppers 68-54 upset of #3 Louisville last November.

Complete Recap

Georgetown Tigers Are Not "Happy"

Excerpt of article from GeorgetownNews.com:

The Tigers, following an 80-61 victory over Edward Waters in the consolation game of the Jim Reid Classic Saturday, are not where GC coach Happy Osborne wants them to be.

“There is a lot we have got to do,” the veteran coach said. “We aren’t close to touching what we can be. When (Maurice Pearson) was there we were getting ready to roll. Now we are recovering from that.”

Pearson injured his knee Nov. 11 against Ohio Dominican and right now Osborne is just trying to get him healthy. The senior does not practice and only plays sparingly, something the veteran coach hopes a 20-day break for the holiday will help to change.

Complete Article

Illness Costs Ex-EKU PG Jason McLeish His Job

Former Eastern Kentucky standout point guard Jason McLeish has lost his job with the PBL's Halifax Rainmen after an extended illness.

Excerpt of article from MetroNews.ca:

McLeish is a former NCAA Division I standout with the Eastern Kentucky Colonels and most recently played in the now-defunct Continental Basketball Association with the East Kentucky Miners, averaging 18.6 points and 3.8 assists last season.

“It was nothing off the court, it was just a mixture of him getting sick – he was extremely sick … and then he just came back and had no energy,” Levingston said, adding the team will now be out to find a replacement for him.

“He just didn’t look like he was ready to play basketball. I know that may not be a fair assessment, but he just didn’t have a good camp. He wasn’t the same kid we saw in the summer.”

Complete Article

Kentucky Wesleyan Enters NCAA DII Top 25

Kentucky Wesleyan cracked the national rankings for the first time this season as the Panthers received a No. 25 spot in the third weekly National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II Top 25 men's basketball poll today.

This marks the 295th time, a Division II national record, KWC have been in the Top 25 since ratings started in 1961. Other GLVC teams in the poll are No. 11 Drury and No. 20 Southern Indiana.

The Panthers (8-1), riding an eight-game win streak, will host Asbury on Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. CT and Midwest Region foe Lake Erie on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 7:30.

Press Release from KWC

NABC/Division II Coaches Poll (Dec. 8, 2009 – Regular season poll #3)

1. Central Missouri (8 first place votes) 6-0
2. Valdosta State, Ga. 8-0
3. Florida Southern 6-0
4. Augusta State, Ga. 6-0
5. Indiana, Pa. 4-0
6. Bentley, Mass. 5-1
7. BYU-Hawaii 4-1
8. Kutztown, Pa. 4-0
9. Rollins, Fla. 6-0
10. Arkansas Tech 7-0
11. Drury, Mo. 6-0 12. Seattle Pacific, Wash. 6-0 13. Southwest Baptist, Mo. 8-2 14. Minnesota State 7-0 15. Metropolitan State, Colo. 5-1 16. Cal Poly Pomona 3-1 17. Winona State, Minn. 6-1
18. Georgia College & State 5-0 19. Midwestern State, Texas 8-0 20. Southern Indiana 6-0 21. Southwest Minnesota State 4-1 22. Fort Hays State, Kan. 5-1 23. Western Washington 9-1 24. West Liberty, W.Va. 6-0 25. Kentucky Wesleyan 7-1

Receiving Votes: Bellarmine, Montevallo, St. Cloud State, Augustana (SD), Grand Valley State, Stonehill, , Barton, Fort Lewis, Mesa State, Queens (NC), Quincy, West Chester, Adelphi, Columbus State and Francis Marion.

JUCO Basketball Star Ricardo Ratliffe Talks Recruiting

Ricard Ratliffe, Central Florida Community College

- Rated #1 JUCO player overall by Rivals.com

Note: Pay attention to Ricardo Ratliffe; his high-major interest is increasing significantly and there are several local schools involved.

Terrence Williams is Raising Eyebrows with His Tweets

Several weeks ago, Terrence Williams vowed to not post on Twitter again until the New Jersey Nets won another basketball game. The former Louisville Cardinal and his teammates suffered through an NBA record 19-consecutive losses to start the season and Williams followed through on his promise.

He did not post on Twitter until the Nets earned a 97-91 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats. Now, @therealtwill is back to Tweeting, but some fans, particularly those close to the New Jersey organization, are not exactly pleased.

Here is an excerpt of posts that Williams has made on Twitter recently:

@MMEIZINGER send me the story where I said I play like lebron,btw you look like nothing – 20 hours ago

Up early to the gym before practice to practice before practice, because NOW practice is my games. Welp that’s life – 10 hours ago

How would it be if Mr. Stern called my name 10 min earlier #9 or 5 min later #12 hmmmmmmmmm to bad I can’t live off what ifs – 10 hours ago

Don’t get me WRONG I thank GOD everyday for where I’am and I love it, hardest working when others aint watching an imma get MY game back – 10 hours ago

@jphoyt you’re beyond terrible so what’s the difference – 7 hours ago

Its funny u fake fans an fake coaches take what I say the wrong way, I love my team an team mates we are human an hate losing point blank – 7 hours ago

Here is an article from NetsAreScorching.com that discusses these comments and the reaction they are receiving.

How Much for a Billy Gillispie Signed Basketball?

I was searching for a piece of weight-lifting equipment on Craigslist and came across this rare nugget of University of Kentucky basketball history:

KENTUCKY SIGNED BILLY GILLISPIE BASKETBALL W/COA/PROOF - $150

FOR SALE IS AN AUTOGRAPHED BASKETBALL BY BILLY GILLISPIE. SHORTEST CAREER AS UK'S COACH EVER!!!! UK COLLECTIBLES COA INCLUDED PLUS A SNAPSHOT OF HIM SIGNING.

GUARANTEED AUTHENTIC, DOES NOT COME WITH THE DISPLAY CASE SHOW. ASKING $150 CASH OR TRADE AND MAY SELL TO THE HIGHEST OFFER. Dxxxx 859-xxx-xxxx

Now, I have no problems at all with selling an autographed piece of sports memorabilia - I have done so myself and as long as it's authentic, I think it's a great idea. I am curious to see who would pay $150 for a Billy Gillispie autograph. I guess it is possible that the basketball and display case costed $145.

A quick search of eBay shows that one can purchase an autographed Tom Brady NFL Pro Bowl jersey for $102.50 or a Derek Jeter signed baseball card for $100.00. No disrespect to Gillispie, but I have to think that there would be a higher demand for Brady and Jeter autographs.

If you would like to purchase this item, however, here is the link

The Basketball Return of Derrick Caracter?

It is possible that former Louisville Cardinal big man Derrick Caracter will be returning to college basketball soon. Caracter, now at UTEP, awaits a ruling on his academic progress. If everything checks out, he will be making his official return to the basketball court.

Excerpt of article by Jeff Goodman, FoxSports.com:

Tony Barbee may also be the one coach with the most to gain. On Saturday, the Miners head man will learn the fate of talented, yet enigmatic big man Derrick Caracter.

"That’s when they’re going to certify his grades,” Barbee said. "We’ll know then whether he’s made it or not.”

If Caracter’s academics check out, the former AAU legend will return to college basketball Sunday against New Mexico State.

"He’s done what he’s supposed to have done to this point,” Barbee said. "Finals are this week and he’s got to finish off strong.”

Complete Article

Kent Sterling: "Indiana University will beat Kentucky"

Another week, another plea for attention from Kent Sterling at ESPN1070 the Crap in Indianapolis. Here are a few excerpts from Sterling's latest garbage:

Opening paragraph (might as well lose all credibility up front):

Indiana University will beat Kentucky. There it is. I say it, and I mean it. How in the world would anyone in his right mind pick Indiana to beat that supposedly special group of freshmen?

After losing credibility, we might as well try to stir the pot of controversy:

Kentucky is overhyped and likely overpaid - at least Calipari is. College athletics is one of the few places in education where a coach can be openly acknowledged as - at the minimum - shady, and continue to get jobs where the money gets bigger and bigger.

Calipari is the Bernie Madoff of college basketball. He has delivered everywhere he's gone - wins and shame in equal doses. He'll deliver the players needed to compete at Kentucky, and then he'll look to all the world like he's coaching as the kids outplay most teams on their schedule with their sheer athleticism and individual excellence. Don't try to coach too much, or you wind up with a Joe B. Hall scenario.

Then, of course, let's sprinkle in a lie or two:

Derrick Hord, Charles Hurt, Sam Bowie, Melvin Turpin, Dickie Beal, Dirk Minniefield, and Jim Master were together for three years ('81-'83), and what did they get for all of Hall's leadership? Zero. In '81, UK lost to UAB. In '82, they lost 50-44 to Middle Tennessee State. I was there that night in Nashville, and enjoyed the result but hated UK for costing friends of mine and I the bounty that scalped UK vs. U of L tickets would have fetched. In '83, they lost in OT to Louisville in the first meeting between those two teams in a generation. I had tickets to that game in Knoxville, and got $65 for a guy at the Hyatt. We spent our money on expense beers at the Fabulous Sunsphere.

And, the grand finale:

Indiana will slow it down, frustrate Wall with physical play, and prevail 62-59 in another sad chapter of Kentucky's checkered basketball history. Potential Untapped, Chapter 2.

My Thoughts: Kent Sterling, you are an absolute joke. If you are the man, I want to see you lay $100 on the Hoosiers to win straight up Saturday. Please post proof that you made the bet on your garbage blog for the world to see. Will you be man enough to do that? Of course not. You know that you're just trying to stir the pot. You don't actually think Indiana will beat Kentucky Saturday.

Boston University? George Mason?

Here is Kent Sterling's "Article"

Ex-Cat Joe Crawford and Teammates Distribute Turkeys

Former Kentucky Wildcat Joe Crawford distributes turkeys in Los Angeles

On Saturday, November 22, the Los Angeles D-Fenders took part in a community initiative to provide nearly 2,000 families from inner-city Los Angeles with Thanksgiving dinner. D-Fenders players, Ryan Forehan-Kelly, Joe Crawford and Longar Longar, along with Head Coach Chucky Brown gathered to help distribute the turkeys just in time for the holiday season.

Approximately, 1,800 frozen turkeys were distributed in the courtyard of the Los Angeles Dream Center. Members of these families began waiting in line at 2pm the day prior to the event, to ensure that they would receive a turkey before they ran out. In feeding numerous needy families in the inner cities of Los Angeles, the second annual Turkey Giveaway was said to be a huge success.

Poverty in Los Angeles is overwhelming, and many hard workers have been laid off of their jobs. The D-Fenders, in partnership with the Dream Center understands that there are many people who simply cannot afford to celebrate Thanksgiving and are doing their part to help. With the help of the Dream Center and volunteers like the D-Fenders, these families were able to enjoy a holiday feast that they deserve. (Source: NBA.com)

Murray State Climbs Three Spots in Mid-Major Poll

Murray State has climbed three spots to #13 in the latest Mid Major Top 25 by CollegeInsider.com. Western Kentucky dropped nine spots to #18. Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky each received a single vote.

MID MAJOR TOP 25-COLLEGEINSIDER.COM

Record Points Previous

1. Butler (18) 6-2 754 2
2. Gonzaga (11) 6-2 736 1
3. Northern Iowa (1) 5-1 671 4
4. Illinois State 7-0 609 5
5. Cornell 7-2 582 10
6. VCU 5-2 577 6
7. Old Dominion 5-3 518 7
8. St. Mary's (1) 6-1 506 13
9. Siena 5-3 505 8
10. Portland 5-3 463 3
11. Niagara 6-3 372 15 12. Rider 6-3 351 14 13. Murray State 7-1 345 16 14. Wright State 5-2 316 20 15. Western Carolina 7-1 294 25 16. Akron 4-3 261 11 17. Detroit 6-2 241 22 18. Western Kentucky 3-3 233 9 19. Long Beach State 4-3 202 19 20. William & Mary 6-2 195 NR 21. Missouri State 7-0 171 NR 22. Northern Colorado 8-1 153 23 23. Bradley 5-2 128 24 24. George Mason 4-4 123 12 25. Wisconsin Green Bay 8-2 71 NR

Union College Basketball Receives Votes in NAIA Poll

Union College garnered three votes in the second regular-season edition of the 2009-10 NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 poll, the NAIA announced Monday.

The Bulldogs (5-6 overall, 3-1 Appalachian Athletic Conference) are tied for 35th with Central Christian (Kan.) College. Union received only one vote in last week's poll.

With a perfect 10-0 record, defending national champion Oklahoma Wesleyan holds as the No. 1 team in the NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 poll. The Eagles notched all 14 first-place votes and 374 total points. Recently, Oklahoma Wesleyan broke the all-time NAIA Division II record with its 28th straight win against Hillsdale Free Will Baptist on Dec. 4. The Eagles have not lost in almost a year dating back to January, 2009.

Through 10 games, Oklahoma Wesleyan leads the country in 3-pointers made (13.1 pg) and is fourth in scoring offense (93.8 ppg). The Eagles have hit 95-plus points on four occasions.

Off to its best start since the 1997-98 season, No. 2 Walsh (Ohio) moves up one spot. The Cavs are 8-0 on the year and earned 361 total points. Ranked No. 1 in the NAIA in scoring offense (109.3 ppg), Walsh has notched 100-plus points in four games including a school record 154 points (Dec. 4).

Next in line is No. 3 Northwood (Fla.), No. 4 Bethel (Ind.) and No. 5 Oregon Tech.

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and independents. The third regular season Top 25 poll will be announced on Monday, Dec. 14.

Union returns to action Saturday at Cincinnati Christian (Ohio) University at 3 p.m.

Press Release by Union College

Complete Poll

Pikeville College Moves Into NAIA Basketball Top 10

The Pikeville College Bears, who are off to a tremendous 8-1 start, have been rewarded for their excellent early-season play with the #9 spot in this week's NAIA DI basketball poll.

"This is a great honor for the hard work that has been put in during the last three years, as well as this year," head coach Kelly Wells stated about the new ranking.

Moving forward, Wells explained, "We are proud of where we're at, but this will only add motivation to out team for the rest of the season."

He admitted that reaching a higher level of play has taken more than just the team and coaching staff.

"It is really a credit to the hard work from everyone in our program, the school and the community of Pikeville."

The Bears are joined in the top 25 this week by #11 University of the Cumberlands and #19 Georgetown College. Campbellsville University and St. Catharine College each received votes in the new poll.

2009-2010 NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll

(Rating #1 – Dec. 7)

1. Mountain State University (W.Va.) 12-0

2. Concordia University (Calif.) 10-0

3. Oklahoma Baptist University 8-0

4. Oklahoma Christian University 9-0

5. Biola Universtiy (Calif.) 6-0

6. Lindenwood University (Mo.) 8-2

7. Louisiana State University-Shreveport 9-0

8. Fresno Pacific University (Calif.) 7-1

9. Pikeville College (Ky.) 8-1

10. Union University (Tenn.) 8-3

11. University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) 8-2

19. Georgetown College (Ky.) 7-2

Complete Rankings

SEC Basketball: It's a Wall World After All

Kentucky's John Wall has captured his third consecutive Southeastern Conference Freshman Player of the Week honor.

Excerpt of Article from WTVQ.com:

The honor was the third straight SEC Freshman of the Week honor for Wall. The Wildcats have won all four weekly freshman honors from the conference office this season, beginning with Eric Bledsoe in the first week and Wall the last three weeks. Junior Patrick Patterson was also named the league’s Player of the Week in week two, giving the Wildcats five SEC Player/Freshman of the week awards this season.

Additionally, Dick Vitale named Wall his “Diaper Dandy of the Week” and named Kentucky as his “Team of the Week”. It’s the second national weekly honor for Wall after he was named National Player of the Week by ESPN.com earlier this season.

Survey Says: Kentucky Wildcats are #4

The new college basketball polls have been released and the Kentucky Wildcats have moved up a spot in both polls to #4. The Louisville Cardinals have dropped out of the rankings following a disappointing 22-point loss to Charlotte.

AP Top 25

1. Kansas (62) 7-0 1,621
2. Texas (1) 6-0 1,514
3. Villanova (1) 8-0 1,460
4. Kentucky 8-0 1,417
5. Purdue 7-0 1,409
6. West Virginia 5-0 1,272
7. Syracuse (1) 8-0 1,270
8. Duke 7-1 1,058
9. Tennessee 6-1 1,047
10. Florida 8-0 1,024
11. North Carolina 7-2 985 12. Michigan State 6-2 876 13. Ohio State 7-1 806 14. Connecticut 6-1 787 15. Georgetown 6-0 723 16. Texas A&M 7-1 512 17. Washington 6-1 495 18. UNLV 7-0 429 19. Cincinnati 5-1 334 20. Wisconsin 6-1 298 21. Gonzaga 6-2 279 22. Butler 6-2 221 23. Texas Tech 8-0 219 24. Georgia Tech 6-1 171 25. Mississippi 7-1 127

ESPN/USA Today Poll

1. Kansas (31) 7-0 775
2. Texas 6-0 732
3. Villanova 8-0 699
4. Kentucky 8-0 672
5. Purdue 7-0 650
6. Syracuse 8-0 623
8. West Virginia 5-0 600
8. Duke 7-1 542
9. Tennessee 6-1 483
10. North Carolina 7-2 441
11. Florida 8-0 418 12. Connecticut 6-1 413 13. Georgetown 6-0 393 14. Michigan State 6-2 386
15. Ohio State 7-1 365 16. Washington 6-1 276 17. UNLV 7-0 253 18. Texas A&M 7-1 216 19. Cincinnati 5-1 177 20. Butler 6-2 150 21. Georgia Tech 6-1 128 22. Gonzaga 6-2 126 23. Wisconsin 6-1 104 24. Vanderbilt 6-1 67 24. Clemson 7-2 67

Both Polls on ESPN.com

Kentucky Basketball: Making National Headlines Again

The weekend victory over nationally-ranked North Carolina was somewhat of a coming out party for the Kentucky basketball program under the direction of new head coach John Calipari. The Wildcats, which dominated the national news for the majority of the summer, find themselves creating the most media buzz again as we enter the week.

Jay Bilas of ESPN.com says that Kentucky/North Carolina was the best basketball game of the weekend and Patrick Patterson was the best player:

Best Game: North Carolina at Kentucky may not have been perfectly played, but it was exciting and gave us plenty to ponder. Eye-opening talent combined with the inconsistency of youth made for a delicious treat to watch. The Wildcats will be great theater all season long. It will be fun to watch this group develop.

Best Player: Patrick Patterson, Kentucky. The Wildcats' incredible talent was on display in Lexington, but without the experienced play of Patterson, UK would not have been able to hold on for a great win. Patterson was a man out there and has really improved his overall game. Nobody was better this weekend. The freshmen are getting the headlines, but Patterson was and is outstanding.

Complete Article (subscription)

SlamOnline.com says that Kentucky fans better "Enjoy it Wall it Lasts":

On Saturday, amidst cramping brought on by eating too little beforehand, John Wall scored 16 points, hauled in seven rebounds and handed out seven assists in his seventh game, a 68-66 Kentucky win over #11 North Carolina. Wildcats head coach John Calipari has said that the freshman phenom is further along at this point than either Rose or Evans were - in this game it was clear to see why.

Complete Article

John Wall is a one-man highlight reel:




"Oh my goodness! John Wall...a rack attack!"

WKU Basketball Reaches Milestone with Win Over Tulane

Western Kentucky 62
Tulane 48

Final from Bowling Green, Kentucky

Game Recap by WKU:

Western Kentucky University (3-3) shook up its starting line-up on Sunday afternoon against Tulane (3-5), resulting in a strong defensive outing in downing the Green Wave 62-48. It was the 500th win in the 47-year-history of E.A. Diddle Arena as the Hilltoppers improve to 30-2 in their last 32 home games. WKU has now won four-straight against Conference USA members at Diddle Arena.

Steffphon Pettigrew and Jeremy Evans each turned in season-highs with 19 and 14 points respectively. Pettigrew scored 15 in the first frame to go with seven rebounds while Evans had an impressive game on both ends of the floor with nine rebounds (seven offensive) to go with five blocked shots.

Facing a 35-28 halftime deficit, Tulane scored the first six points to start the second half, holding the Toppers scoreless until Jeremy Evans' tip-in of a Jordan Swing missed shot with 15:56 to play made it 37-34. Tulane never tied or took the lead in the game.

Still a three-point game with 13:12 to play, Kris Richard, the team's leading scorer, missed two free throws that could have pulled the Green Wave back within 41-40, but instead, following the misses, AJ Slaughter dialed up long distance off an Anthony Sally feed to start what would be the decisive run of the game. WKU closed the final 12:56 on a 21-7 run minus a Kevin Sims cosmetic three-pointer with 24 ticks remaining.

Richard, who averaged 13.7 ppg, finished with five. But Sims was impressive scoring a career-high 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting including 4-of-5 from the field and 4-of-4 at the line. After 17 first-half points, however, Sergio Kerusch's defense was a key reason he had just seven after the break, three coming on the long distance shot at the end of the game.

Aside from Sims, the rest of the Green Wave were just 1-of-10 from long range and shot 36.0 percent from the field for the game. WKU dominated the glass 35-25.

In the first half, WKU connected on their first four shots to grab a 9-5 edge early on a Slaughter bucket. The senior guard finished with 13 points to go with five asists and a career-high-tying four steals, extending his double figure scoring streak to 24-straight games.

Sims kept Tulane close scoring nine of the team's first 12 points to pull within 13-12 at the under 12 media timeout.

Pettigrew knocked down his second three-pointer of the opening stanza with 9:59 on the clock to increase the spread to 18-12. After searching for his three-point shot through five games, going 0-of-12, Pettigrew was a perfect 2-of-2 in the game.

The Green Wave got a lay-up from Aaron Holmes with 3:28 left in the half to make it 27-23, but a Pettigrew basket and an Evans slam with 2:26 remaining pushed the lead back to eight at 31-23. It was Evans' fourth offensive rebound of the first half, as he finished with six boards and eight points in the opening 20 minutes.

Kerusch added 10 points and eight rebounds, all but two of each coming in the final frame. Freshman Jameson Tipping and Caden Dickerson each made their first career start for the Toppers while Sally chipped in four assists and two rebounds in 13 minutes off the bench.

WKU host the University of Evansville on Tuesday, December 8 at 7:00 PM in E.A. Diddle Arena. The Hilltoppers own a 39-20 edge in the all-time series with the Purple Aces, including a 21-6 record in Bowling Green, but the two teams have split their last six meetings.

Need a Reason to Watch UK vs. Drexel/Long Beach State?

How about 2,000 reasons?

If the Kentucky Wildcats take care of business during their next three games, they will be playing for their 2,000th all-time victory in Rupp Arena on December 21 against Drexel.

Even if the Wildcats stumble in one of the upcoming games - Connecticut would seemingly be the only team with a true chance of making that happen - they will be going for number 2,000 on December 23 against Long Beach State. That game is also in Rupp Arena.

So, barring a disaster, the Kentucky Wildcats will earn their 2,000th win in front of 24,000 members of the Big Blue Nation.

Kentucky Wildcats' Basketball - Upcoming Schedule:

Dec. 9 vs. #13 Connecticut 9:30 p.m (Madison Square Garden)

Dec. 12 @ Indiana 12:00 p.m.

Dec. 19 Austin Peay 4:00 p.m.

Dec. 21 Drexel 7:00 p.m.

Dec. 23 Long Beach State 1:00 p.m.

Dec. 29 Hartford 7:00 p.m.

NOTE: The Wildcats currently have 1,996 all-time wins

Injuries a Problem, but Not "The" Problem for Louisville

Following Louisville's embarrassing 22-point loss to UNC-Charlotte, Rick Bozich of the Louisville Courier-Journal points out that Louisville's problems run a little deeper than the recent assortment of injuries to key players:

“Coach said he couldn't even yell at us, he was so embarrassed,” guard Edgar Sosa said. “Discouraged? I don't think any of us are. Embarrassed? Most definitely.”

“He said he was disappointed, and he should be,” Smith said. “There wasn't any effort out there. There wasn't any heart. Nobody was playing with a sense of urgency.”

Urgency is often reflected on the backboard. Charlotte played with urgency. The Cards played as if they needed those 6:15a.m. running sessions dialed back to 4 a.m.

Behind 47-32, UofL figured to be extremely urgent to begin the second half. Not so. The 49ers scored the first three baskets, one on an offensive rebound and two on layups. Samardo Samuels, who managed only four rebounds, was summoned to the bench 92 seconds into the half.

“They outplayed us in every phase of the game,” Pitino said.

Here is the scariest statistic: Charlotte had more offensive rebounds (20) than UofL had on the same defensive glass (18).

Here is the runner-up in the scariest statistic category: UofL managed only nine assists, just two more than Charlotte point guard DiJuan Harris.

Complete Article

My Thoughts: Oh, to be a fly on the wall at practice this week...

DeCourcy: "Wall is the Greatest Point Guard Athlete...ever"

Here is an excerpt of an article by Mike DeCourcry at SportingNews.com:

1. John Wall is the greatest point guard athlete ... ever

In 25 years, if you are a fan of college basketball, you will be seeing highlights of the time Wall drove on a fast break, got himself too deep under the backboard, and solved that problem by gliding to the opposite side and scooping in a layup past Carolina's Marcus Ginyard. This will be a little different because Julius Erving's swoop past Mark Landsberger was in the NBA Finals, but Wall's play stirred echoes of Dr. J's brilliance.

"It was just instinct," Wall said. "I was just going to go up for a regular layup, but I saw how the defense was trying to cut me off. I had to go up and under. I saw Ginyard coming, so I just tried to reach my body across. I tried to get it to the rim, and luckily it went in."

Two years ago, I wrote that Derrick Rose was the greatest athlete to play the position: the most imposing combination of size, strength, speed, quickness and leaping ability. So it may appear as though I'll write that about every jock-y point guard that comes along. Not so.

To rewrite that declaration so soon required an almost miraculous advancement of those essential qualities. And Wall is blessed with all of it. He is not as strong as Rose, but he is longer, a shade taller, perhaps even faster end-to-end and even better at elevating and controlling his body once in the air.

He also offers some other thoughts on Kentucky's victory over North Carolina.

Check it out here

Kentucky Wesleyan Cruises Past #6 Bellarmine

Kentucky Wesleyan 81
Bellarmine 65

Final from Owensboro, Kentucky

Game summary from Courier-Journal.com:

The Bellarmine University men's basketball team was outscored 46-32 in the second half en route to a 81-65 loss to Kentucky Wesleyan on Saturday night.

Jeremy Kendle led the Knights (4-2, 0-2 Great Lakes Valley Conference), No. 6 in NCAA Division II, with 14 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

Luke Sprague and Justin Benedetti rounded out Bellarmine's double-digit scorers with 11 apiece. Braydon Hobbs added nine points and six rebounds.

The Knights shot 61 percent in the first half and led by 11 midway through the half but cooled to 45 percent shooting in the second.

Desmond Stephens hit 7of10 shots and scored 23 for Kentucky Wesleyan (7-1, 1-0), which outrebounded Bellarmine 32-26.

Georgetown Tigers Rebound with Win at Jim Reid Classic

Georgetown 80
Edward Waters 61

Final from Jim Reid Classic at Georgetown, Kentucky

Game summary from GeorgetownNews.com:

Georgetown College men's and women's basketball teams picked up wins on the second day of the Jim Reid Classic.

The men handed Edward Waters a 80-61 defeat behind Vic Moses 32 points and 13 rebounds in the consolation game Saturday at Alumni Gym. GC coach Happy Osborne knows his team can be a lot better and there is more work to be done, but was pleased with the win and the performances of guards Eddie Gray and Johonne Hamilton.

The Tigers (7-2) will be back in action Wednesday against Asbury College.

EKU Basketball Earns Conference Road Victory

Eastern Kentucky 85
UT-Martin 74

Final from Martin, Tennessee

Game Recap from EKUSports.com:

The Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team shot a season-high 64.3 percent from the field in the 85-74 victory over host UT Martin Saturday night in the Elam Center. The Colonels (6-2, 1-1 OVC) never trailed against the Skyhawks (1-5, 0-2).

Four of the five EKU starters posted double figures led by senior Papa Oppong’s 18 tallies. Fellow senior Josh Taylor added 16 points. Oppong and Taylor combined to shoot 68.4 percent (13-of-19) from the floor.

UT Martin forward Benzor Simmons led all players in points (29) and rebounds (11) for his second double-double of the season.

The Colonels hit their first four shots of the game, including trifectas from sophomore Joshua Jones, Oppong and Taylor, to quickly build an 11-3 lead. Nine straight points by EKU later in the period, capped by another Oppong three-pointer, put the Colonels ahead by 15 points, 40-25.

Six different Eastern Kentucky players netted a three-pointer in the first half as the Colonels went 9-for-12 (75 percent) from behind the arc on the way to a 45-33 advantage at intermission.

EKU twice stretched the lead to 19 points in the second half only to see UT Martin fight back. Back-to-back three-pointers from Reuben Clayton allowed the Skyhawks to close the gap to nine points, 66-57, with 6:02 remaining. However, Jones responded on Eastern’s ensuing possession with his second three-pointer to end the UTM run and put the Colonels back up by 12 points.

Eastern then held off the Skyhawks down the stretch by hitting 11-of-12 (91.7 percent) free throws in the last two minutes of play.

The Colonels now return to non-conference action this Wednesday, Dec. 9 when EKU hosts Division II foe Ohio Valley. Tip time is set for 7 p.m.

Maurice Harkless Down to 5; Kentucky Makes the Cut

Excerpt of article from BoxofMess.com (Hat tip: Aaron's UK Blog):

Maurice Harkless, a 6-foot-7 junior wing from Forest Hills High School, will announce his college choice on December 9th. Harkless has a 7-2 wingspan and is ranked number 50 in the Class of 2011. He is also said to have an A- average in school. Despite the rumors that Harkless would commit to UConn, the rumors were not true. In this interview, he talks recruiting, the upcoming season, and the big day!

He states in the article that he has trimmed his list to five: St. Johns, Seton Hall, Fordham, Kentucky, and Connecticut

Source

RecruitingChronicles.com (subscription) states that they have a source that knows which school Harkless has chosen

Green-Out: Louisville Cardinals Fall Hard to Charlotte

Charlotte 87
Louisville 65

Final from Louisville

Game Recap by AP:

Derrio Green had a career-high 20 points to lead Charlotte past No. 20 Louisville 87-65 on Saturday night, the Cardinals' worst home loss under coach Rick Pitino.

Freshman forward Chris Braswell added 21 points and 14 rebounds while Shamarr Bowden had 17 points for 49ers (6-1).

Samardo Samuels led Louisville (5-2) with 14 points and Mike Marra scored 11, but the Cardinals struggled to keep up with the hot-shooting 49ers while playing without injured guards Jerry Smith, Peyton Siva and Preston Knowles.

Charlotte made 10 of 24 3-pointers, outrebounded Louisville 49-35 and had little trouble holding off a pair of mild second-half surges by the Cardinals.

The win was Charlotte's first over a ranked team since knocking off Xavier last season and Louisville's worst home defeat since losing to the 49ers by 34 in February, 2001, back when both teams were in Conference USA.

That defeat came in Denny Crum's final year on the sidelines for the Cardinals. Pitino took over shortly thereafter and has turned the program into a Big East power.

Louisville didn't look like one, however, against the 49ers. With Siva and Smith watching from the bench in street clothes and Knowles available only in case of emergency, the Cardinals struggled to defend the perimeter.

Green and Bowden made them pay for it. The duo combined to make 9 of 20 3-pointers, including a couple in the second half that turned back Louisville's last real push.

By then Pitino had run out of timeouts and out of patience.

Forced to experiment liberally with his lineups because of the injuries, he couldn't seem to find a combination that would make the Cardinals effective on both ends of the floor.

Considering the way Green and company where shooting, it might not have mattered if Smith, Siva and Knowles had played.

Charlotte wasted little time getting going as Green knocked down three straight 3-pointers in the opening minutes to give the 49ers a quick 17-6 lead.

Pitino said before the game he was concerned about slowing down Charlotte star Sharami Spears, but the junior forward was held to nine points, 12 under his average coming in--and nine rebounds.

Instead it was the play of Charlotte's backcourt that slowed the Cardinals.

Charlotte frustrated Samuels on the inside and Louisville couldn't match the 49ers shot for shot on the outside. Charlotte took a 47-32 lead into the half as Green buried another deep 3-pointer just before the buzzer, turning to the crowd and making the "3-point sign" as he raced back down the floor.

AUDIO: Head Coach Rick Pitino

Murray State Sends Message to Ohio Valley Conference

Murray State 86
Morehead State 56

Final from Murray, Kentucky

Game recap from Morehead State:

An 18-2 scoring run midway through the first half broke open a close game and allowed the host Murray State Racers to pull away for an 86-56 win over the Morehead State Eagles Saturday night at Murray’s Regional Special Events Center.

The Eagles fell to 2-4 and 1-1 in the Ohio Valley Conference, while the Racers upped their record to 7-1 and 2-0 in the league.

The Racers never looked back after breaking the game open the first half. Murray State finished the game shooting 57 percent, including hitting 11-of-24 from three-point range. The Eagles tried to zone the host Racers on defense, but Murray State, which ranks fourth in the nation field goal percentage, wasn’t fazed.

"Going into this game the plan was to make them take threes," said Eagle head coach Donnie Tyndall. "They only had one game where they had made five and they hit 11 tonight."

Kenneth Faried posted his fifth double-double of the season for the Eagles with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Demonte Harper also reached double figures with a team high 15 points. The Eagles committed 18 turnovers and had just seven assists.

Murray State was led by Danero Thomas with 18 points. BJ Jenkins scored 17, and Ivan Aska totaled 10.

"They are the best team in our league and when they shoot it like that they're tough to beat," said Tyndall. "We've got a long way to go. We are not where we need to be."

The game remained tight throughout much of the first half. The Eagles led 5-3 on two Les Simmons free throws. An Aska layup for the Racers set the score at 7-5 Murray State with 14:37 left, and Morehead State was not able to re-gain the lead.

With the game tied at 21 at the 6:52 mark, the Racers went on the 18-2 run to push their lead to its largest of the opening half, 39-23, at the 2:15 mark. The Eagles turned the ball over four times during that span and went 1-for-6 from the field. Meanwhile, Murray State didn’t miss a shot in that four-minute span. The Racers built a 43-28 halftime margin in their favor.

The Racers connected on 60 percent (15-of-25) in the opening half. The Eagles shot 39 percent but turned the ball over nine times. Murray took advantage, scoring 13 points off Eagle miscues. The Eagles out-rebounded the Racers 16-8 in the opening 20 minutes, but MSU was only able to convert five second chance points.

Murray State built its lead to as much as 32 in the second half. The Eagles finished the contest shooting 41 percent overall.

Morehead State has next week idle for final exams and then returns to action at home at Dec. 15 against St. Catharine’s College at Noon. The early tip time is to accommodate the attendance of the local area elementary schools.

Campbellsville Basketball Falls to Ranked Opponent

Olivet Nazarene 78
Campbellsville 63

Final from Bourbonnais, Illinois

Game recap from Campbellsville:

Campbellsville, playing its fourth Top-25-ranked team of the young season, was unable to make it three out of four as Olivet Nazarene University defeated the Tigers, 78-63, Saturday in Bourbonnais, Ill.

"We were never really in the game," said coach Keith Adkins by phone after the game. "They got us down early and never let up."

Campbellsville (7-3) made several runs at Olivet (5-3), Adkins said, but every run was met with an answer from the 25th-ranked team. The Tigers managed to cut the deficit to six or seven in the second half after trailing 48-34 at intermission.

"Every time we made a run they'd do something," said Adkins. "I don't think we were ready to play for whatever reason. We didn't have a lot of energy. Seemed like we had to manufacture every shot. Nothing came easy."

Campbellsville was led in scoring by Nestor Colmenares' 28 points, which tied him for game-high scoring honors with Olivet's Josh Bronke. Colmenares was the only Tiger in double figures.

Adkins' squad was out-rebounded 35-30, but made one (9) more free throw than their opponent.

The Tigers return home for a Wednesday matchup with Spalding at 7:30 p.m.

Source: 2011 Star Quincy Miller "Loves Kentucky"

I will have more details on this after his visit ends, but all preliminary indications are that 2011 forward Quincy Miller has enjoyed a great visit to Lexington.

A good source tells me, "He absolutely loves Kentucky and Rupp..."

Kentucky could not have provided a better atmosphere for a good first impression than today's game against North Carolina. It was a Rupp Arena record attendance figure and the crowd was really into the game throughout. Add in a good game between two top 10 teams and the top two programs in college basketball history and it just doesn't get any better.

Miller made this statement earlier today on Twitter:

qmillertime What about those Cats? Haha hanging with J.wall right now! He got off..thanx to Carolina! Kentucky! ;)

A full day's work for Mr. Wall - he seals the victory over UNC with free throws and he's working overtime to seal the future.

Quincy Miller is a 6-8 forward in the 2011 Class. He ranks #3 on the Rivals150 List and would be a huge addition for Kentucky.

Miller's Rivals.com Profile

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John Calipari Has One Million Reasons to Love Twitter

Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari now has over 1,000,000 followers on the social networking site known as Twitter.

He has stated that he is planning something special to celebrate the accomplishment. If you are not already, you can follow Coach Calipari here.

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Pelphrey Defeats Woods in Battle of Unforgettables

A pair of former Kentucky Wildcats that will forever be linked to one of UK's most famous teams coached against each other today as Arkansas hosted Mississippi Valley State. Arkansas is coached by John Pelphrey and the Delta Devils are under the direction of Sean Woods. The former Cats were teammates at Kentucky as members of "The Unforgettables."

Game recap from AP:

Arkansas used a balanced attack to snap a four-game losing streak Saturday, defeating Mississippi Valley State 91-54.

The Razorbacks (3-5) had lost consecutive home games to Morgan State, East Tennessee State and South Alabama, and a road game at Oklahoma before Saturday. But against the Delta Devils (1-7), Arkansas had little problems, shooting 51.6 percent from the floor while outrebounding Mississippi Valley State, 45-28.

Nine Razorback players scored, led by Jemal Farmer with 18 points. Stefan Welsh came off the bench to add 15.

Saturday's game pitted former college teammates John Pelphrey and Sean Woods against one another on the bench. Pelphrey and Woods were members of Kentucky's team tabbed as "The Unforgettables" and both have their jerseys retired in Rupp Arena.

Asbury Eagles Dismantle Warren Wilson

Asbury College 100
Warren Wilson 65

Final from Roland Wierwille Classic in Berea, Kentucky

Game Recap from Asbury:

Justin Jones (Hazard, Ky.) led four Eagles in double figures as Asbury rolled over the Owls of Warren Wilson College 100-65 in the Roland Wierwille Classic at Berea College. Jones notched career highs with 20 points and 16 rebounds.

Asbury (8-3) bounced back after a surprising loss to Temple Baptist on Friday night and jumped all over Warren Wilson from the get go Saturday, taking a 49-34 halftime lead. The Eagles shot much better from three point range, knocking down 15-of-41 from downtown. Brock Hurtle (North Vernon, Ind.) hit a career high six treys and finished with 20 points off the bench.

Leading scorer Phillip Morrison (Louisville, Ky.) finished with 18 points on seven-of-17 shooting, he also hit three threes. Cory Britt (Cynthiana, Ky.) scored 16 points and had a team best six assists, Morrison also had five assists.

Asbury shot 46% from the floor compared to 42% for the Owls but the Eagles took 27 more shots thanks in large part to 23 Warren Wilson turnovers. Asbury had 15 steals led by Justin Jones' four. The Eagles also pulled down 20 offensive rebounds, and won the battle on the boards 44-41.

Starting forward Brian Johnson did not play due to an ankle injury, and senior Daniel Drury made his first start of the season scoring six points on two three-pointers.

Asbury's next game will be a clash with NAIA Division I Georgetown College in Georgetown on Wednesday December 9th at 7:30 pm. The Tigers were ranked #7 in the NAIA pre-season poll.

Ed Davender's Attorney Withdraws at the Last Minute

Excerpt of article from Kentucky.com:

The attorney for a former University of Kentucky men's basketball player accused of running a ticket scam totaling more than $70,000 withdrew from the case Friday moments before court proceedings.

Ed Davender's attorney, Stephen McFayden, has been replaced by Steve Romines, a Louisville attorney who represented Shane Ragland in Ragland's murder trial.

Complete Article

Kentucky Head Coach John Calipari Talks After Game

First, he sends a joke to Seth Davis:



Then, he speaks to the media (courtesy John Clay, Lexington Herald-Leader):

Kentucky Wildcats Ruin Robert Ferringo's Day

Remember Robert Ferringo? He is the "professional" handicapper that released an article earlier in the week proclaiming the Kentucky Wildcats to be the nation's most overrated team. As a refresher, here is an excerpt of his article:

Well, I'm going to go out on what I feel is a very sturdy limb and say that Kentucky is by far the most overrated college basketball team in the nation.

The Wildcats suck. And I'm not kidding. They are completely and totally overrated as a Top 5 team and I, personally, think that if you stripped the name off the jersey this would be an NIT team. They don't suck like a Big West bottom feeder, but if we're grading them based on how they relate to the other BCS conference teams I can unequivocally say that this is not a really good basketball team.

And, his comments on Patrick Patterson (the same Patterson that led Kentucky with 19 points today):

Then there is Patrick Patterson. For some reason people think that this guy is an All-American talent. I don't see it. He has no face up game, he doesn't pass or handle the ball, and he basically is just one of those guys that's just freakishly more athletic than his opponents. He couldn't take this team to the NCAA Tournament last year so now I'm supposed to believe that he's going to get them to Indianapolis? Child, please.

Oh yeah, what was that he said about John Wall:

John Wall leads the team with 19 points per game, but I've yet to watch the game in which I found myself saying, "Wow, that guy is just dominating and is clearly the best player on the floor."

Yes Robert, Wall and Patterson are clearly average players. Kentucky obviously sucks and they are definitely overrated. I have already purchased my NIT tickets.

You're a professional handicapper? Child, please.

Related article from earlier in the week

"Overrated" Wildcats Issue Statement to Basketball World

Kentucky 68
North Carolina 66

Final from Lexington, Kentucky

Game recap by AllKYHoops.com:

The fifth-ranked Kentucky Wildcats (8-0), who had been labelled as overrated following close victories over Miami (OH) and Stanford, held off a second half surge from tenth-ranked North Carolina to defeat the Tar Heels 68-66.

Patrick Patterson led Kentucky with 19 points and 7 rebounds. Freshman sensation John Wall overcame a leg injury to score 16 points, including two decisive free throws with four seconds remaining.

Deon Thompson led North Carolina (7-2) with 14 points and Will Graves added 13, but the Tar Heels were unable to overcome the talented Wildcats.

The game was played in front of a Rupp Arena record crowd of 24,468.

The victory inched Kentucky closer to becoming the first team to ever reach 2,000 wins. The Wildcats have 1,996, while North Carolina has 1,991.

Kentucky Wildcats Have First Half e-Rupp-tion

Great stuff from ESPN's Andy Katz:

The early part of the game lived up to the hype. North Carolina jumped out early, with its size and experience (yes even though the Tar Heels are young too) to a 9-2 lead. And then Kentucky freshman John Wall -- and let’s not fool ourselves the top pick in the June NBA draft -- took over for a 16-0 run that included two game-changing plays. Wall flushed a dunk and then came down with a reverse, contorted layup in traffic.

Wall fed Darius Miller for 3s, pushed tempo, and ensured the Wildcats got back in the game and elevated the crowd.

Had Larry Drew II not made a soft baseline jumper the Wildcats may have gone on a Kansas-like run (36-0? No, I kid on that one, this is hardly Alcorn). It was spinning out of control for Carolina during a 28-2 UK run over a few-minute span.

Complete article from ESPN.com

My halftime thoughts:

- If there were any questions about the Kentucky Wildcats, they have been answered
- John Wall is unbelievably good
- Kentucky is knocking down outside jumpers, which was supposedly their only weak spot
- There has been talk of UK being overrated; did the Cats have another gear?
- There's still 20 minutes of basketball remaining; there can't be any letdowns or UNC will win the game
- The atmosphere at Rupp Arena is tremendous

Asbury Basketball Suffers Heartbreaking Loss

Temple Basptist 89
Asbury College 88

Final from Roland Wierwille Classic in Berea, Kentucky

Game recap from Asbury:

Phillip Morrison (Louisville, Ky.) scored a career high 37 points but it wasn't enough as Asbury fell to Temple Baptist College 88-89 on Friday night at the Seabury Center at Berea College.

Asbury (7-3) snapped a four game winning streak overall and lost to Temple Baptist for the first time in 15 meetings. The Eagles struggled from the three point line all night long, hitting only eight-of-29 from beyond the arc. The Rams were nine-of-23 from three point range. Asbury shot 44% for the game while Temple Baptist shot only 40% but the Rams pulled down 21 offensive rebounds and won the battle on the boards 59-43 for the game.

Morrison topped 30 points for the third time this season, the first time in a losing effort. He was 12-of-28 from the floor but like the rest of the team struggled from the three point line, shooting only one-of-nine. Morrison did go to the free throw line 14 times and knocked down 12. He scored 34 points when the two teams met two weeks ago.

Adam Delph (Louisville, Ky.) was poured in a career high 20 points for the Eagles on eight-of-15 shooting including two-of-four from behind the three point line. He was the only other Eagle to go to the free throw line knocking down both attempts.

The Eagles only complied 10 assists on 33 made field goals, Morrison led the way with four and Delph added three. Morrison and Delph also pulled down a season high eight and six rebounds respectively. Justin Jones (Hazard, Ky.) led the team with nine, he also added six blocks.

Temple Baptist was led by Ron Nelson and Kendell Cunningham who each scored 23 points and pulled down double-digit rebounds with 12 and 15 respectively. Nelson also had seven assists.

Asbury will face Warren Wilson on Saturday December 5th at 2:00 pm in the second day of the Roland Wierwille Classic at Berea College.

Racial Bias on AP All-America Team?

First, a disclaimer - I'm not buying this at all but I feel it is relevant to allow readers to check the article out. Here is an excerpt from an article on Eog.com:

AP EXPOSED AGAIN.....

The Associated Press last month named its preseason college basketball All-American team. The AP All-American first team included Sherron Collins (Kansas), Patrick Patterson (Kentucky) and three American-born white players: Luke Harangody (Notre Dame), Kyle Singler (Duke) and Cole Aldrich (Kansas).

At best, the first-team members were a poor choice; at worst, the AP voting smacked of racial bias.

The selection of Luke Harangody was a colossal mistake. There are at least 50, let alone five, collegiate players better than Harangody. His game has improved only marginally since his freshman season in 2006. His skill set works well against overmatched foes, but when challenged by more talented players, Harangody's weaknesses are exposed. Harangody's inability to dribble and his lack of explosiveness limit his potential growth. Nothing Harangody does at Notre Dame translates to the NBA level.

In a sport dominated by African-American athletes, how did three white players make the AP starting five?

The Associated Press selection process involved the polling of 71 college basketball writers. The vast majority of voters (approximately 80%) are white.

It's fair to assume white voters, showing bias, selected white players.

Five years ago, Associated Press withdrew its participation from the Bowl Championship Series to avoid any scandals involved with the highly-controversial selection process.

Similarly, Associated Press should disqualify itself from the college basketball voting process. If not, the news source should publish an investigative report on a flawed voting process within its organization.

Source

My thoughts: I'm not seeing anything but the best five players in the country making the first team. What do you think?

UConn's Stanley Robinson Says Cousins is "Too Cocky"

Connecticut big man Stanley Robinson says he is looking forward to competing against Kentucky next week. He also had some interesting comments on Kentucky freshman, and fellow Birmingham native, DeMarcus Cousins:

"He's so cocky," Robinson said of Cousins. "He's just too cocky for his own good. I'm just ready to play him. He's a freshman, so I'm ready to play him."

Bad blood?

"No, no, he just jokes too much," Robinson said. "I told him, 'Stop playing around so much.' So he jokes too much, but he's a great dude, overall."

Source

Joe Crawford Makes Official Return to NBA D-League

Press Release from the NBA D-League's Los Angeles D-Fenders:

The Los Angeles D-Fenders announced today the team has acquired returning player, Joe Crawford. In an effort to make room for Crawford on the roster, the D-Fenders have released Christopher Hayes.

Shooting guard, Joe Crawford was selected by the Lakers in the second round (58th pick overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft. Crawford participated in the 2008 Lakers training camp. He played in 3 exhibition games with the Lakers, where he averaged 2.7 points. The Lakers then assigned Crawford to the D-Fenders in 2008. Crawford played 43 games for the D-Fenders last season, averaging 20.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Of the 43 games, Crawford scored double figures in 42 of them. In March 2009, Crawford signed with the New York Knicks and became the 18th Gatorade Call-Up of the NBA D-League season. Crawford participated in the 2009 NBA training camp with the New York Knicks, prior to returning to the D-Fenders.

“We are happy to get Joe back on the court. He is a player that we know we can count on when we need a basket and are really excited to have him back,” said Head Coach Chucky Brown.

Kentucky Basketball Fans are Crazy (In a Good Way)

WYMT.com reports:

The excitement surrounding Saturday's big basketball game between UK and North Carolina is building!

Fans are already pitching tents and prepping for the tip off at 12:30 at Rupp Arena.

Dozens of Cats fans are camped out, hoping to get the best spot in the Eruption Zone.

Doors to Rupp Arena open at 11, Saturday morning.

Some of them say they have been camped out along High Street since Wednesday.

Despite the chilly weather they say it will all be worth it tomorrow when they've got great views of the game.

Kentucky Wildcats Basketball

My Thoughts: Best fans in the world...no contest. C-A-T-S, Cats, Cats, Cats!

Will the North Carolina Tar Heels Use Ginyard on Wall?

Mike DeCourcy of the SportingNews.com feels that the most intriguing element of tomorrows' Kentucky/North Carolina game will be the Tar Heels' defense against John Wall. Here is an excerpt of DeCourcy's article:

The most intriguing element of Saturday's North Carolina vs. Kentucky matchup is how the Tar Heels will choose to defend super freshman John Wall. Simply put: Will Marcus Ginyard get the call on Wall?

With help from his teammates, Ginyard unsettled All-American candidate Evan Turner of Ohio State, who committed 10 turnovers. Against Michigan State, Ginyard took turns shutting down Durrell Summers and Kalin Lucas.

Wall would be his most severe test. Wall is the most dynamic athlete at point guard since—well, only since Derrick Rose. But the two of them are the best athletes ever to play the position.

It'd be surprising, though, if Ginyard starts on Wall. If the Heels make such a major matchup change and it doesn't work early, that would throw their entire game plan out of whack.

Complete Article

Kentucky Wildcats Basketball

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Louisville Cardinals Are Fighting Injuries

When the Louisville Cardinals host Charlotte Saturday, they will be forced to play without three key players.

Preston Knowles (thumb injury) and Peyton Siva (sprained wrist) were already scheduled to miss the game. Now, the Cardinals will also be without senior guard Jerry Smith, who suffered a strained Achilles' tendon in practice.

Knowles and Smith are both starters and Siva is a key contributor off the bench for head coach Rick Pitino. Sophomore George Goode will likely get his first career start in place of Smith.

Rick Pitino's comments from Courier-Journal.com:

“You’re going to see a lot of interesting lineups to say the least,” Pitino said. “We’re going to have to rely a lot on (walk-on guard) Chris Brickley. Having two starters and our first sub out depletes our backcourt, so we’re going to have to be smart in this game.”

Related article from C-J

Louisville Cardinals Basketball

Basketball Ticket Scam: Davender Pleads Not Guilty

Former Kentucky Wildcat guard Ed Davender has given a "not guilty" plea in an alleged basketball ticket scam.

Excerpt of article from Kentucky.com:

The attorney for a former University of Kentucky men's basketball player accused of running a ticket scam totaling more than $70,000 withdrew from the case Friday moments before court proceedings.

Ed Davender's attorney, Stephen McFayden, has been replaced by Steve Romines, a Louisville attorney who represented Shane Ragland in Ragland's murder trial.

Davender, 43, of Georgetown has been indicted on 23 counts of theft by deception.

Complete Article

Kentucky Wildcats Basketball

NCAA Basketball's Top Mid-Majors for Past Decade

StormingTheFloor.net has released a list of the decade's top 10 mid-major college basketball programs.

The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers make the list at #8:

8. Western Kentucky: 223-95, 5, 5 (5 auto), 3-5 The money's always greener in the Big Six, but the grass usually isn't for a mid-major coach. Dennis Felton found that out after taking the Hilltoppers to three tourney berths in the early part of the decade, and parlaying that into a disappointing tenure at Georgia. Seriously, it took a tornado to get his Dawgs into the Big Dance. Darrin Horn presided over the Sweet 16 run in 2008, and decamped for... the SEC. Hm. Anyway, some great players passed through the program, a legendary shot was made, and Big Red is still awesome. That's a great program, right there.

The Decade's Top Mid-Major Programs

1. Memphis

2. Gonzaga

3. Butler

4. Southern Illinois

5. Xavier

6. George Mason

7. Creighton

8. Western Kentucky

9. Davidson

10. Nevada

10a. Winthrop

Complete Article

Tremendous Basketball Article: Kentucky's John Wall

You want to know the real John Wall?

Here is an excerpt of a tremendous article about Kentucky's John Wall by Jason King of Yahoo Sports:

A 6-foot-4 point guard, Wall will almost surely turn pro after just one season at Kentucky. Most NBA analysts say he would’ve been the top overall selection in last year’s draft had he been eligible to submit his name straight out of high school.

Still, Wall hardly fits the stereotype of an arrogant, one-and-done player who views college as an annoying pit stop en route to the NBA. If anything, he’s just the opposite.

“It’s nice to be known as a good player,” Wall says. “But I want to be known as a good person, too.”

It may be awhile before Wall gets that reputation nationally. In Lexington, though, it’s already established.

When he’s not at practice or in the weight room, Wall spends a large chunk of his free time roaming the halls of university’s athletic offices, hobnobbing with administrators 20 and 30 years his elder – or plopping down in a chair to read a basketball magazine.

Hardly the habits of a prima donna.

Highly Recommended: Complete Article

Photo: Clay Jackson; http://www.claysdaze.com/

Kenneth Faried: "Best Rebounder in the Country, Period"

SlamOnline.com states that Morehead State's Kenneth Faried is a name to remember this season. Here is an excerpt about Faried:

Faried is the best rebounder in the country, period. He can lay claim to being one of the best rebounders this decade. Since arriving on the scene at Morehead State three years ago, his has never averaged fewer than 15.6 rebounds per-40 minutes - of course all of this has been done in obscurity. At 6-8 he is a little undersized for the pro level but is an absolute machine against college players. Through five games he is averaging over 19 points and 12 rebounds per game, with per-40 minute averages of 24 and nearly 16. So keep this name in mind for Bracket Buster Weekend later in the season and impress your friends when you can call out Morehead State’s ball hawk.

Complete Article

My Thoughts: I enjoy watching Kenneth Faried play basketball as much as anyone I can remember. He plays hard on every play and he goes after the ball. A wise entrepreneur could make an intructional video on how to rebound using game clips of Faried.

A quick check on NCAA stats: Faried currently ranks 3rd in rebounding average in the nation at 12.5 RPG; he has 4 consecutive double-doubles and his stats figure to improve in OVC play

John Wall Named One of Sports Top Future Superstars

Kentucky's John Wall has been named one of the top 10 future sports superstars by BleacherReport.com. Wall ranks #4 on the list behind Brandon Jennings (NBA), Chris Johnson (NFL) and Stephen Strasburg (MLB). Thoughts on Wall:

4. John Wall - University of Kentucky (NCAA Men's Basketball)

Get used to the name, basketball fans. John Wall to many is considered the next Derrick Rose, and is already considered to be the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. Keep crossing your fingers, Nets fans, you never know, a backcourt with Wall and Devin Harris might bring you back to contention in the Eastern Conference.

Complete List

Kentucky Wildcats Basketball

Kentucky Basketball Recruit Quincy Miller Visiting Today

Quincy Miller, a talented 6-8 forward in the 2011 class, will be visiting Kentucky today and tomorrow.

He posted this on Twitter this morning:

qmillertime Excited as hell for the UK game 2mar! Let's get money big bro J.Wall!!

Miller ranks #3 on the Rivals150 List for 2011.

Get to know Quincy Miller:

Faried Leads Morehead State to Conference Road Win

Morehead State 74
UT-Martin 66

Final from Martin, Tennessee

Game recap by AllKYHoops.com

Morehead State (2-3, 1-0 OVC) held off a late surge from the homestanding Skyhawks to start the OVC season out with a tough road victory. The Eagles, who led by as many as 13 in the second half, were challenged late but held on for the 74-66 win.

Kenneth Faried illustrated why he was named preseason favorite to win OVC Player of the Year as he went for 19 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Eagles. After the game, Faried noted how focused the Eagles are heading into conference play.

"We are hungry again," Faried stated. "We picked up the road win against a really good UT-Martin team. They played a great game and Simmons has really improved."

I jokingly asked the Morehead State big man, who had been shooting 82% from the free throw line on the season, what happened late in the second half when he missed the rim on a free throw attempt.

"Uh, you know, I had just injured my hand on the play before," he said while laughing.

MSU point guard Brandon Shingles dished out 9 assists in the contest, one short of the career high he established in the Eagles' last game. Les Simmons and Demonte Harper each added 15 points for Morehead State.

Benzor Simmons led all scorers with 22 points for UT-Martin.

“Benzor Simmons might be the most improved player in our league,” Tyndall said. “They really spread the floor with their quick guards they have.”

The Eagles shot 45.8% from the field and held UT-Martin to only 32.8% shooting. Morehead State was seemingly solid in every facet of the game except for turnovers. The Skyhawks forced 17 Eagle turnovers which ultimately kept the game close.

“The one thing that concerns me is the 17 turnovers, but we defended so well that we were able to overcome that,” Tyndall said.

Morehead State travels to Murray State on Saturday for an early matchup of preseason OVC co-favorites.