Ex-Cat Jodie Meeks Reaches Double-Figures

Former Kentucky Wildcat All-American Jodie Meeks scored double figures in his second NBA pre-season game. Meeks went for 10 points on 4-12 shooting in over 22 minutes of action. He was 2-4 from three-point land for the game.

- Ex-Cat Tayshaun Prince scored 2 points in 18 minutes tonight for the Pistons

- Former UK big man Randolph Morris scored 2 points in limited action for the Hawks

Alice Lloyd Basketball to Hold Midnight Madness

Press Release from Alice Lloyd:

The annual basketball Midnight Madness will be held on Thursday, October 8th, at 8:00 pm. This will be a great opportunity to meet the 2009-2010 version of the ALC Lady Eagles and Eagles.

Lady Eagles coach Betty Noble-Acevedo and Eagles coach JR Hammond will introduce their respective teams, as will cheerleading coach, Kristi Crum.

There will be many fun activities including: shooting competitions, a slam dunk competition, and competitions involving the fans. A special giveaway will award 2 tickets to one lucky fan to see the Altered Minds Tour on November 5th.

We invite everyone to come to the Grady Nutt Athletic Center for a night filled with excitement! Let's welcome the 2009-2010 editions of the Lady Eagles and Eagles basketball squads!

Pre-Season All-America? John Wall is THAT Good

CBSSports.com has named its NCAA pre-season All-America Team and sitting on top of the list is Kentucky freshman point guard John Wall. Wall has not dribbled a ball during a college game, but he is listed as First Team Pre-Season All-America by CBS Sports. Why?

"The guy is that gifted, " says Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com.

John Wall is considered a Durant/Beasley-type freshman. On his chances at being named NCAA Player of the Year, Kentucky head coach John Calipari says:

"He's chasing it. He's absolutely chasing it."

John Wall is going to be something special to watch, folks. And, believe it or not, basketball season is right around the corner!

CBSSports.com Pre-Season All-America Teams

First Team:

Guard: John Wall, Kentucky

Guard: Willie Warren, Oklahoma

Forward: Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest

Forward: Luke Harangody, Notre Dame

Center: Cole Aldrich, Kansas

Second Team:

Guard: Sherron Collins, Kansas

Guard: Avery Bradley, Texas

Forward: Kyle Singler, Duke

Forward: Patrick Patterson, Kentucky

Forward: Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech

Other Players Under Consideration:

- DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky

- Samardo Samuels, Louisville

Source

Tickets on Sale for Louisville vs. Georgetown College

Announcement from Georgetown:

Tickets are now on sale for the Georgetown College at University of Louisville men's basketball exhibition game on Oct. 28. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are $32 each and are available to the campus community and general public at the campus bookstore until Oct. 14 or when they are sold out. The store hours are 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Freedom Hall.

Bellarmine Chosen Pre-Season #1 Team in Nation

Some of the top-level NCAA DII basketball in the country will be played right here in the Bluegrass State in 2009-10. Bellarmine has been selected as the pre-season #1 team in the nation by The Sporting News. In addition, Northern Kentucky is listed as a "Possible Breakthrough" on the list. Add Kentucky Wesleyan to the group and there is no question that this will be an exciting season for DII basketball in Kentucky.

The Sporting News
NCAA Division II Preview

Top 10:

1. Bellarmine
2. BYU-Hawaii
3. Central Missouri
4. Valdosta State
5. Bentley
6. Indiana (Pa.)
7. Grand Valley State
8. Humboldt State
9. Cal Poly Pomona
10. St. Cloud State

Possible Breakthroughs:

Adelphia, Arkansas Tech, Augusta State, Barton, Bridgeport, Cal State-San Bernardino, Central Oklahoma, Central Washington, Christian Brothers, Dallas Baptist, Findlay, Florida Southern, Johnson C. Smith, Kutztown, LeMoyne, Massachusetts-Lowell, Merrimack, Metropolitan State, Minnesota State-Mankato, Northern Kentucky, Philadelphia, Saint Anselm, Seattle Pacific, Southern Indiana, Southwest Baptist, Southwest Minnesota State, Tarleton State, Tusculum, Virginia Union, West Liberty State, Western Washington and Winona State.

Source: The Sporting News

NKU's Maguire Named Pre-Season All-America Candidate

Northern Kentucky University’s Dustin Maguire has been selected as a preseason All-America candidate by The Sporting News in its NCAA Division II college basketball preview.

Maguire, a 6-foot-5 junior guard, averaged a team-leading 15.0 points per game last season and helped NKU win the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament championship. Maguire finished No. 1 nationally among NCAA Division II players in free-throw shooting at 93.6 percent and was 76-for-191 from 3-point range.

Bellarmine is ranked No. 1 nationally in The Sporting News preseason poll, while NKU was listed as a possible breakthrough team.

Source: NKUNorse.com

NBA Pre-Season and International Updates

- Ex-Kentucky Wildcat Gerald Fitch led all scorers with 22 points in Fuenlabrada's 86-80 loss to Khimky in pre-season Spanish ACB action.

- Former Murray State Racer Deteri Mayes led all players with 25 points as his Gmunden squad toppled Kapfenberg by a score of 85-82 in Austria's A Budesliga league.

- Ex-Western Kentucky Hilltopper Pop Thornton scored 20 points in Sayago's 85-65 loss to Olimpia. Sayago competes in Uruguay's LUB league.

- Ex-Cat Nazr Mohammed (pictured) spent the summer in the gym in hopes of resurrecting his NBA career and his hard works seems to be paying dividends. Mohammed was 5-7 from the field in scoring 10 points and pulling down 8 rebounds for the Charlotte Bobcats tonight.

- Keith Bogans made his pre-season debut with the San Antonio Spurs. The former UK star was scoreless in 16 minutes against the Rockets. Another ex-Cat, Chuck Hayes, scored 2 points and grabbed 4 rebounds for Houston.

Sources: ESPN.com, EuroBasket.com, LatinBasket.com

Ex-Cat Derrick Jasper Named Newcomer of the Year

Former Kentucky point guard Derrick Jasper, who transferred to UNLV during Billy Gillispie's tenure as head coach, has been named Newcomer of the Year for the Mountain West Conference (hat tip to TrueBlueKentucky.com). Here is an excerpt from the article:

Preseason Newcomer of the Year

Derrick Jasper (6-6, 215, Jr., G, UNLV) - Sat out the 2008-09 season after transferring to UNLV from the University of Kentucky. As a true freshman in 2006-07, he played in 34 games for the Wildcats, starting the final 27. He was second on the team and third among SEC freshmen with 2.9 assists per game while shooting 61 percent from the field. Jasper missed 11 games during his sophomore season (10 while rehabilitating from offseason knee surgery), but finished the year shooting 46 percent from 3-point range and averaging 5.5 rebounds per game.

Complete Article from KSL.com

2010 Star C.J. Leslie to Kentucky?

I was told this morning that Kentucky is in a good position to possibly pick up a commitment from 6'8" forward C.J. Leslie following Big Blue Madness. I was reluctant in giving out the name, but several other sites are now reporting Leslie's name, so the "Cat" is out of the bag (pun intended).

Leslie is an athletic forward that is ranked #14 on the Rivals150 List for 2010. He plays for Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh (NC) and was a high school teammate of Kentucky freshman point guard John Wall.

If Leslie does indeed commit, he will join Stacey Poole in Kentucky's 2010 recruiting class.

Louisville Gives Offer to 2010 SG Jesse Morgan

Jesse Morgan, a 6-foot-4, 180-pound shooting guard known as “The Takeover,” has picked up offers from Louisville and Rutgers and will tentatively visit Seton Hall this weekend.

“[Rick] Pitino and Fred Hill were in yesterday [Monday]. They both offered yesterday,” said South Kent (Conn.) coach Kelvin Jefferson.

“Right now Louisville and Rutgers both want him up the same weekend, the weekend of the 16th so I don’t know what Jesse’s going to do.”

Complete Article from ZagsBlog.com

Update on Shelby Valley's Elisha Justice

I talked to someone close to Shelby Valley point guard sensation Elisha Justice this morning and learned that Justice picked up an offer from Eastern Kentucky University during the past week.

Eastern joins Jacksonville University on Justice's lists of offers. Coaches from Radford, Marshall, Navy and Morehead State have been to Shelby Valley to watch Justice in open gym.

Louisville assistant and former UK star Walter McCarty will be visiting Pike County this week for open gym. The Cardinals have expressed interest in bringing Justice in as a walk-on during the first year with an opportunity to earn a scholarship the following season.

From all that I've heard about Justice's play this summer, my guess is that his list of offers will increase dramatically during his senior season.

Pikeville College to Introduce Team Oct. 13

Pikeville College Bears

Basketball Blast-Off

- “Homecoming Week”
- Tuesday, October 13th @ PC Gym
- Immediately following 7:00 volleyball vs. Campbellsville
- Free/Open to Public

http://www.pc.edu/homecoming/2009.aspx

Gerald Fitch Playing Well Early in Spain

Former Kentucky guard Gerald Fitch is fully recovered from a hand injury he suffered several weeks ago. For the second consecutive game, Fitch has scored double figures for Fuenlabrada in Spain's top-level ACB League. Fitch scored 15 points in a 79-75 victory over Estudiantes.

Fuenlabrada begins regular season play on October 10 against Unicaja.

Other International News:

- Former Western Kentucky Hilltopper Japeth Aguilar led all scorers with 24 points in a benefit game in the Phillipines.

- Former Hilltopper Elgrace Wilborn continues to dominate post play in Uruguay. In an 81-76 loss to Trouville, Wilborn led his Atenas team with 22 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks.

- Ex-Morehead State Eagle star Ricky Minard put in 14 points in Lottomatica Roma's 75-73 loss to Montegranaro in the Vito Lepore pre-season tournament.

Source: EuroBasket.com

Western Kentucky's Hilltopper Hysteria Announced

Western Kentucky's basketball teams will be introduced during Hilltopper Hysteria on October 16, following a volleyball match.

The basketball event is scheduled to kick off around 9:00 p.m.

Source: WKUSports.com

UK Will Host All-Student Practice at Memorial Coliseum

There have been rumors circulating that many students were upset that they waited in line for Big Blue Madness tickets, only to discover that their efforts produced no tickets. What will UK do to resolve the situation? How about hosting a "student only" practice at Memorial Coliseum on October 23?

Announcement from UKAthletics.com:

The University of Kentucky men's basketball team will be hosting a “student only” practice sponsored by Joe Craft and Friends of Coal, on Friday, October 23 in Memorial Coliseum at a time to be announced.

The only way to be admitted into the special practice is with both a UK student ID and a blue “MEMBER OF THE BIG BLUE NATION” wristband. A few ways students can obtain the necessary wristband is as follows:

The first 500 UK students at the following events will receive a wristband (must show valid UK student ID). Admission is free for UK students at the following events:

- Men's Soccer vs. Tulsa 7 p.m., Wed., Oct. 7 at UK Soccer Complex (gates open at 6:00 pm)
- Women's Soccer vs. LSU7 p.m., Fri., Oct. 9 at UK Soccer Complex (gates open at 6:00 pm)
- Volleyball vs. Tennessee7 p.m., Wed., Oct. 21 at Memorial Coliseum (doors open at 5:30 pm)

UK's Josh Harrellson Discusses Life on the Throne

There is a nice article by Jerry Tipton on Kentucky.com today that focuses on Kentucky big man Josh Harrellson. Here are some excerpts from Tipton's article:

Harrellson on feeling comfortable heading into the season:

"Because I've been through the battles," he said.

On being sent to the bathroom stall during halftime at Vanderbilt last season by former head coach Billy Gillispie:

The bathroom was connected," Harrellson said in trying to downplay the significance of incident. "I still listened to the game plan. I still watched what he (Gillispie) was doing."

Harrellson acknowledged feeling humiliated "a little bit," but added that the banishment inflicted no lasting damage.

"I didn't take it any way," he said. "I just knew he (Gillispie) was frustrated because of what was going on. Nobody playing hard or good at the time."

On Gillispie forcing him to ride an equipment truck back home from Nashville after the Vanderbilt loss:

"That's because I had a class at eight in the morning, supposedly," Harrellson said. "Because the equipment truck was faster. Something like that."

When asked if that explanation should be believed, Harrellson said, "Nope."

On being singled out by Gillispie:

"I'm not sure," he said. "I'm still trying to figure it out myself. I don't think anybody knows."

On his relationship with Gillispie:

"We had a really good relationship," he said of Gillispie. "Getting to know him while he was recruiting me, I liked him a lot. We built a good relationship. He liked me as a player and he liked me as a person. I think he wanted the best for me. I didn't play the way he wanted me to play."

UK head coach John Calipari describes Harrellson as finding a "diamond in the rough":

"There are games you just need a big guy, just be big, just get in there and be big," Calipari said. "He can do that. He's in a nine- or 10-man rotation. You've got another guy with that size. How many teams do?"

Check out the complete article

UK Named Top All-Time Program, Forde's Head Explodes

The ESPN/Sagarin All-Time Rankings have been released and the University of Kentucky Wildcats top the list of the nation's all-time best basketball programs. Kentucky scored an 89.81 ranking, which was two full points better than UCLA, Kansas, North Carolina and Indiana.

The Louisville Cardinals were ranked a very respectable 11th on the list and Western Kentucky made the top 50 at #44. Other Kentucky schools include Murray State at #99, Eastern Kentucky at #136 and Morehead State at #159.

Binghamton, which can't seem to catch a break these days, holds the dubious distinction of being #330 (aka the bottom of the list).

Kentucky coach John Calipari had a difficult time expressing what this means to him.

"To be a part of this program, with this storied history, it humbles you," Calipari said of his new school's top ranking. "Once I traveled the state, I understood the importance to all of Kentucky."

Of course, Kentucky's new arch nemesis Pat Forde, who happens to be a native of Kentucky, quickly wrote an article to discredit Sagarin's rankings. Here is an excerpt from Forde's piece:

And then there is No. 1.

Sagarin says the all-time kingpin of college basketball is Kentucky, and he says it's not close. By his rating formula, the Wildcats are farther ahead of No. 2 UCLA than the Bruins are ahead of No. 7 Duke. The 2.24-point gap is the largest between any two teams in the entire 330-team ranking.

It's worth noting that Sagarin's formula counts NCAA tournament wins as double, but does not give any additional bonus for national titles, thus negating UCLA's advantage in that category. (The Bruins have four more national titles than the Wildcats, but trail 100-99 in overall tournament wins.)

And there's no question UK has a lot to brag about: the most wins in NCAA history; seven national championships; 13 Final Four appearances; a record 50 NCAA tournament bids; a record 43 Southeastern Conference championships; national titles won under four difference coaches; and the most ardent fan base in America.

But Kentucky should not be No. 1. No computer takes into account a program's NCAA rap sheet, and the Wildcats have a long history of problems. They were given the de facto first death penalty, forbidden from intercollegiate play for the 1953-54 season. There was a point-shaving scandal. There have been multiple NCAA probations.

Kentucky also thrived for decades in an all-white league while African-Americans were taking over the game elsewhere. It's probably not coincidence that Adolph Rupp's long era of domination started waning as black players began to make their impact on the sport in the late 1950s and 1960s. Rupp's last national title came in 1958, and his last Final Four ended in defeat in the famous game against all-black Texas Western in 1966.

Forde argues that the top 5 should be: UCLA, North Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana and Kansas. He also masterfully finds a way to work Louisville up to #7. Does Forde have a problem with John Calipari or is it just me?

ESPN/Sagarin Rankings

Forde's Rebuttal

Andy Katz's Take

Billy Gillispie's DUI Trial Dates are Set

Article from KentuckyKernel.com:

A final pretrial date of Nov. 2 and trial date of Feb. 10. has been set in former UK men’s basketball coach Billy Gillispie’s drunken driving case.

In what could best be described as a scheduling date at the Anderson County Courthouse at 9 a.m. on Monday, the next two dates were set for Gillispie’s case involving his DUI charge in Anderson County on Aug. 27.

Gillispie was offered a plea bargain by Anderson County attorney Bobbi Jo Lewis on Sept. 23. Nothing has since stemmed from that bargain.

It was the third time Gillispie had been arrested on alcohol-related driving charges, though he has never been convicted of DUI.

Gillispie has since checked into an alcohol rehab clinic in Houston.

Former Louisville Duo Joins Forces Again in Spain

Former Louisville Cardinal teammates Juan Palacios and David Padgett has joined forces again as they now play for U.B. La Palma in Spain's second-level LEB Gold League.

In the first game of the new season, Palacios led the team to a 74-69 victory over Clinicas Rincon Axarquia as he scored 17 points and pulled down 4 rebounds. Padgett added 13 points and 5 rebounds in the victory.

Other International News:

- Former Murray State Racer Duane Virgil opened played in Spain's third-level LEB Silver League by scoring 21 points and pulling down 6 rebounds. Virgil's Alcazar club defeated Illescas 78-76.

- Yet another former Western Kentucky player has discovered an international basketball career. Former Hilltopper Boris Siakam has found a home with Issa Town in Bahrain's Premier League.

Source: EuroBasket.com

Meeks, Williams Make NBA Pre-Season Debuts

Former University of Louisville forward Terrence Williams opened the NBA pre-season by scoring 11 points and pulling down 7 rebounds in New Jersey's 115-107 loss to the New York Knicks.

Ex-Kentucky Wildcat Joe Crawford scored 3 points for the Knicks in 6 minutes of action.

Former Wildcat Jodie Meeks also made his pre-season debut tonight as the Bucks lost to the Timberwolves by a score of 117-113. Meeks is off to a good start as he scored 7 points in 12 minutes of action.

Source: ESPN.com

Ex-Cat Miller Adds to Statewide List of Charges

Former Kentucky Wildcat Derrick Miller used to rack up three-pointers on the hardwood. Now, he's racking up something else - criminal charges. Here is the latest article from LEX18.com that discusses Miller's case:

There's more trouble for former UK basketball star Derrick Miller.

The Maysville Ledger Independent reports a grand jury will determine Monday whether to indict Miller after investigators say he sold fake UK season tickets to two people in Fleming County.

Miller already faces similar charges in Fayette and Clark counties.

Hundreds of Dollars to Watch a Glorified UK Practice?

This screen shot saddens me a bit. This is an actual screenshot from eBay, the nation's most highly regarded auction site, after doing a search for "Kentucky Big Blue Madness." This troubles me for several reasons:

- There are many people that worked hard to get those tickets the right way, but were turned away empty-handed. It troubles me that many folks worked hard to get these tickets so they could make a buck.

- I know it is a staple of Kentucky basketball, but Big Blue Madness is really nothing more than a light practice. It bothers me for some reason that people are able to make $500 and up on tickets to a glorified practice. I saw tickets to the Super Bowl in February that were around $500. Think about that...

Now, after stating those two points, let me look at this from another angle.

- John Calipari mentioned having a Big Blue Madness at Commonwealth Stadium one of these days. As crazy as that sounded to some, I have no doubts that the stadium would be sold out - for a practice.

- As disturbing as that screenshot is, I sure hope some potential UK recruits happen upon this post. If you are a top recruit that is considering the Kentucky Wildcats as your destination, here's some food for thought - your potential 24,000-seat arena has been sold out...for a practice. There is an online auction for 4 tickets to a practice that has been bid on 14 times and currently sits at $588.89. Your potential head coach camped out with hundreds of Kentucky fans Friday night. There were almost 500 tents outside of the ticket window and some had been there for days. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that compares to the Big Blue Nation in terms of fan support and passion. Think about that...

Big Blue Madness Sells Out in 45 Minutes

Release from UKAthletics.com:

Once again, Kentucky fans have demonstrated their insatiable appetite for basketball. All tickets to the 2009 Big Blue Madness were snapped up in the first 45 minutes of availability Saturday morning.

Thousands of fans were present at UK's Memorial Coliseum ticket office Saturday at 6 a.m. when the distribution of free tickets began. Others obtained their tickets via the school's Website, UKathletics.com and ticketmaster.com.

Despite the fact that fans were limited to two tickets per person at UK's Memorial Coliseum ticket office and two per household online, this year's Big Blue Madness event sold out in 45 minutes.

Big Blue Madness, the first practice opportunity for Kentucky's 2009-10 men's and women's basketball teams, is Friday, Oct.16, at 7:30 p.m. Fans will be allowed to enter Rupp Arena beginning at 6 p.m. the night of Big Blue Madness.

This will be the fifth time Madness has been held at Rupp Arena.

Ex-Cat Ramel Bradley Drops 30 in First Game of Season

Former Kentucky Wildcat guard Ramel Bradley, who is widely considered one of the more popular recent Cats, opened the season in France in a big way. Bradley started and exploded for 30 points and 4 assists in JDA Dijon Bourgogne's 81-75 victory over Asvel Lyon-Villeurbanne Basket.

Bradley's team competes in France's top-level ProA League.

Other International News:

- Former Western Kentucky Hilltopper Orlando Mendez-Valdez had 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in Halcones UV Xalapa's 88-71 victory over Libertadores De Queretaro. Mendez-Valdez and his teammates are off to an impressive 7-0 start in Mexico's LNBP League.

- Former Western Kentucky Hilltopper Pop Thornton had 15 points, 4 rebounds and 3 blocks in Sayago's 84-82 win over Tabare in Uruguay's LUB League.

Recommended Fun: Devine's Corn Maze in Harrodsburg

The family and I took a trip to Devine's Corn Maze in Harrodsburg tonight and we had so much fun that I felt I should pass it along to my readers. If you are anywhere near Mercer County, this is a very enjoyable attraction to visit.

Complete with a petting zoo, authentic hay ride to the pumpkin patch, various kid's maze's and other activities, a huge barrel slide, a kid's train ride, a concession stand and a very challenging full-field corn maze (see image at top); Devine's offers something for the entire family.

I highly recommend that you head to Mercer County and check this place out!

Andy Katz Article on Edgar Sosa of Louisville

Francisco Garcia had to check out Edgar Sosa's game, find out about this fellow Dominican who apparently had game back in New York.

So he went to Sosa's Senior Night game at Rice High in Harlem. Garcia was already in the NBA, a year removed from leading Louisville to the Final Four.

How many NBA players would do that?

Sure, there is a connection between high school players and the NBA that is tighter now than it's ever been because the players entering the league can be only a year or two removed from their high school prom. Still, the kinship that Garcia felt with Sosa is unique.

They shared a love for their native island and a comfort in their native Spanish language. They were a pair of transplanted New Yorkers with a connection to Louisville. Garcia had played for Rick Pitino's Cardinals. Sosa was about to do the same. Who else could prepare Sosa for what he was about to face?

"I committed [to Louisville] and he gave me a call one day," said Sosa, who is about to start his senior season as the leader of a team that has high aspirations again in 2009 after a clean sweep of the two conference titles (regular season and tournament) in '08.

"We just start talking about Louisville, about what it's like going to be playing for Coach P," Sosa said. "He said I could keep calling him for advice."

Sosa said the conversations took place about once a week. And then, on Senior Night, Sosa met Garcia in person...

Read the Rest of the Article from ESPN.com

Calipari to Camp Out with UK Fans?

The word out of Lexington is that Kentucky head coach John Calipari will spend the night the UK fans that are camping out for Big Blue Madness tickets at Memorial Coliseum. Calipari hinted at this possibility last night during his speech in Garrard County. Tonight, it appears that he will follow through.

If John Calipari does indeed campout with the Kentucky fans, this may go down as the most memorable example of a UK coach doing exactly what the Big Blue Nation wants out of its coach.

Times Announced for Cancun Challenge

Article from WKYT.com:

Times for the 2009 Cancun Challenge games in Cancun have been set as announced by tournament organizers on Friday.

The Wildcats will take on the Cleveland State Vikings at 4:30 p.m. ET in Cancun on Nov. 24. The winner of the Kentucky-Cleveland State game will take on the winner of the Stanford-Virginia game on Nov. 25 at 9:30 p.m. ET. The losers will play prior to that at 7:00 p.m. ET. All games will be played at the Moon Palace Resort in Cancun.

The tournament schedule for games in Cancun is as follows:

Nov. 24

Florida A&M vs Rider, 11:00 AM ET
Oral Roberts vs. Sam Houston State, 1:30 PM ET
Kentucky vs. Cleveland State, 4:30 PM ET
Virginia vs. Stanford, 7:00 PM ET

Nov. 25

Florida A&M-Rider loser vs.Oral Roberts-Sam Houston State loser, 1:30 PM ET
Florida A&M-Rider winner vs. Oral Roberts-Sam Houston State winner, 4:00 PM ET
Kentucky-Cleveland St. loser vs. Virginia-Stanford loser, 7:00 PM ET
Kentucky-Cleveland St. winner vs. Virginia-Stanford winner, 9:30 PM ET

Seating is limited for this exclusive event, and all fans must book travel packages through Triple Crown Sports or a designated travel agency for admission into games in Cancun. Games in Cancun will be played November 24 and 25. For travel packages and information, contact Melissa Koza at 970.672.0567 or Melissa@triplecrownsports.com or visit the website at www.cancunchallenge.net.

2011 SF Angel Nunez to Visit Big Blue Madness

Article from ZagsBlog.com:

Angel Nunez is the latest high-profile recruit planning to visit Kentucky for Big Blue Madness Oct. 16.

“I spoke to [Kentucky assistant] Orlando [Antigua] and I’m supposed to be going down there,” Nunez said by phone. “Chances are, yes.”

Eric Martinez, Nunez’s mentor, said nothing was definite and plans still had to be worked out.

The 6-foot-7 Nunez, a New York native, is a junior wing at the Winchendon (Mass.) School. He has offers from Louisville, Arizona, UConn, Rutgers, St. John’s, West Virginia, Arkansas, Indiana and Virginia. He is the No. 11 small forward in the Class of 2011.

Kentucky has interest, but has yet to offer. Nunez said Kentucky coach John Calipari or one of his assistants was planning to come to Winchendon next week.

“I don’t have a real favorite,” Nunez said.

Other high-profile recruits headed to Kentucky that weekend include C.J. Leslie, Tobias Harris, Kyrie Irving, Brandon Knight, Achraf Yacoubou and others.

Source

Butler and Shelvin Mack are on the National Radar

Yahoo Sports lists the Butler Bulldogs one of the top programs in the nation from non-Big Six conferences. Lexington native Shelvin Mack, who has already made a splash for Butler, is mentioned as one of Butler's top players in the article. Here is what the article says about Butler and Mack:

Butler – The Bulldogs won 26 games last season with three freshman starters, so it’s no surprise that expectations are high entering the 2009-10 campaign. Forward Matt Howard provides a strong post presence for a squad that features a pair of standout perimeter shooters in Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack. Freshman Andrew Smith, a center, will see significant action for a team that should enter the season ranked in the top 15.

The other non-Big Six schools to watch out for are Dayton, Siena, Tulsa, Xavier, Northern Iowa, Gonzaga, Memphis, Creighton and BYU.

Complete Article from Yahoo Sports

John Calipari Kills at Farm-City Banquet in Lancaster

Excitement was in the air when a friend and I arrived at Garrard County High School tonight for the local Chamber of Commerce's Farm-City Banquet event. It was more like the atmosphere of an energetic pep rally than that of of Chamber Banquet. That, of course, is not meant as an insult to any Chamber of Commerce group, but this evening, Garrard County raised the bar. The guest of honor at tonight's event was non-other than University of Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari.

I think the first clue that tonight's event was a little different was the fact that it was held in a high school gymnasium. The second? How about the 50 or so members of the Garrard County High School pep band that were anxiously awaiting the UK coach's arrival, instruments in hand. The final clue was unveiled when the local fire department began preparations to clear the helicopter landing pad that sits a football field's length away from the school.

As a rumbling crowd gathered outside, the bright red helicopter of the one-and-only R.J. Corman was spotted in the distance. As flash bulbs illuminated the air, the helicopter came to rest and John Calipari (and a few friends) sat foot in Lancaster.

My first thought was that surely Calipari would avoid the crazy members of Big Blue Nation that anxiously awaited the opportunity to interact with him in front of the building. Rather than running the other way, he actually headed straight to the tunnel formed by the band and the roughly 100 people that screamed greetings and snapped photos. The band played a nice rendition of the UK fight song as Calipari entered the building.

As Calipari entered the dinner portion of the event, I thought to myself that he will surely head straight to his table and interact with the persons seated at the "key sponsors" table. What did he do? He started on the right side of the room and zig-zagged back-and-forth until he had basically interacted with every person in the room that was willing to speak to him. He shook hands. He exchanged greetings. He signed autographs. He happily took a picture and shook hands with a guy that said, "Coach, I was wondering if we could take a picture for my AllKYHoops.com website?"

As the dinner concluded, the masses gathered in the gymnasium for the keynote address that Coach Calipari would soon deliver. In all honesty, it felt more like attending an early season game at a neutral site than a speech. The band was gathered in its regular section and the majority of both sides of the gym was speckled with blue and white. It reminded me very much of a Maui Invitational or Preseason NIT game during the Rick Pitino or Tubby Smith eras. The thought crossed my mind of an announcer admitting, "This is a very pro-Kentucky crowd considering we're in Maui..."

Calipari entered the gym to the familiar sound of the UK fight song and a clapping Big Blue Nation. It was announced that the order of the program would change because there were some recruits in Lexington tonight and Calipari had to return as soon as possible. That, in itself, was enough to create a bit of a buzz in the arena. After the national anthem, the Kentucky coach took the mic.

He opened by describing the craziness that is the Big Blue Nation.

"We have 800,000 followers on Twitter. You people are crazy.

"Have any of you been to CoachCal.com? About 80 countries have visited that site. You now where the most hits come from? China...and they're not even allowed to be on it!"

Calipari then explained his love for the Kentucky Wildcats and what it means to him that he is now the head coach of, "The greatest basketball program in the country."

"I am humbled to be your coach and I am honored."

He then explained how fate led him to Kentucky, "You know, it's funny. Isn't it funny how fate intervenes throughout life? Fate has intervened many times in my life. I worked a camp at Kansas some 22 years ago. I drove there from West Virginia. I met my wife there and we have been together for almost 23 years now. It's funny how fate intervenes. "

He continued, "Two years ago, I really wanted to be your coach. I would call my wife over and over and ask her if the phone has rang yet. The realization finally hit me that the phone wasn't going to ring. I was disappointed and mad. I said 'schedule those guys!' The two years I stayed at Memphis were the most rewarding of my life. Those players needed me to be their coach. Besides, I would have had to follow Tubby Smith and you can say what you want, but people loved Tubby. He won 27 games a year. Now, two years later, you all need me!"

At this point, the crowd erupted in laughter and applause.

He added, "Truth be told, I needed you, too."

Calipari then talked about his current team.

"Right now, I've got a team...we're overrated right now. We have six new players that think they poop ice cream. We have six returning players that think 'it's my turn.' My job is to get this team together. Not only do I have to get them together, but I have to teach this team the dribble-drive and defense. You know how long I have to do this? About 45 days.

"We are trying to get these guys to think like they're 12 again. A 12-year old thinks that there's 'no holding me back.'"

Intentionally or not, Calipari took an indirect shot at former Kentucky head coach Billy Gillispie.

"When you've been beaten down consistently, you don't think you can achieve. I have to make these players forget everything..."

He specifically mentioned several players.

"Patrick Patterson looks great. I am going to be playing him like a guard...when the game is on the line, Patrick will be under the basket. Darius Miller looks terrific. John Wall is really fast. I asked Eric Bledsoe how fast he is and he said 'Coach, he's really fast.' I asked him if he is faster than anyone he's ever played against and he said that he is. I asked him 'is he faster than you?' He responded 'Coach, I'm not going there.'"

Calipari said he is very happy with what he has observed in the classroom this summer.

"Patrick Patterson is going to graduate in three years. All of our freshmen took two classes each and we only had one 'C'. John Wall took two classes and had two 'A's"

He mentioned the 230 or so odd tents that are currently camped out at Memorial Coliseum for Big Blue Madness tickets.

"I thought about camping out with those fans tonight but I don't know. My ears were a little cold when I was out there this morning."

After another loud applause, Calipari introduced Rick Corman to the audience. He asked Corman, who was wearing a bright-red jacket, to stand for the audience.

"No one near me is allowed to wear red except for Rick Corman!"

Calipari then opened the floor for questions.

Who will be the starting five?

"I got to start Richie! Other than that, I don't know. We're going to try to play 10 guys. Early, there will be a lot of turnovers and a lot of bad shots. We don't throw 5 passes before we shoot (immediately following that statement, someone behind me could be heard blurting out, "Amen!"). But, we don't set screens. It's different and it'll be ugly early.

Would you like to schedule a home-and-home with Duke?

"I'd like to play Duke in Atlanta at the football stadium in front of 70,000. I'd also like to play Kansas at the football stadium in St. Louis in front of 70,000."

Who is the best player you've ever coached?

"I was an NBA coach for awhile. You do know that I was fired in the NBA don't you?" After another round of laughter, he continued, "Marcus Camby...you know he was 6-3 as a sophomore and he grew to 6-9 as a junior. By the time he was senior, he was 6'11. Tyreke Evans. Lou Roe was a heck of a player. Derrick Rose. I'm hoping to have a few guys on this year's team that can join this group..."

How are your wife and kids doing?

"Well, if it tells you anything, my wife is still mad at people that kept us from getting this job two years ago!"

What is the toughest game on the schedule this season?

"I would probably say North Carolina."

In closing, Calipari ended with, "I'm having fun!"

Not Your "Average" Garrard Co. Chamber Meeting

Calipari Mingles with the Fans in Garrard County

Coach Calipari Arrives in Lancaster

Ex-Cat Gerald Fitch Returns from Injury; Scores 14

Former Kentucky Wildcat Gerald Fitch, who was forced to miss some pre-season action due to a hand injury, returned to lead Fuenlabrada with 14 points in a 65-59 loss to Real Madrid.

This was the fourth pre-season game for Fuenlabrada, which competes in Spain's top-level ACB League.

Other International News:

- Former Morehead State star Ricky Minard scored 6 points in limited action during a lop-sided game. Minard's Lottomatica Roma defeated Martos Napoli 95-53 in a pre-season game for Italy's top-level SerieA League.

- Former Western Kentucky Hilltopper Elgrace Wilborn put in 14 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks as his Atenas team defeated Hebraica 88-73 in Uruguay's top-level LUB League. Atenas improved to 4-0 on the young season.

Source: EuroBasket.com

Cardinals to Hold Red-White Scrimmage on Oct. 25

Announcement from Louisville:

University of Louisville men's basketball fans will have an opportunity for a preseason look at the 2009-10 Cardinals when the team plays a Red-White intrasquad scrimmage on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 3 p.m. in Freedom Hall.

Tickets for the event are $5 and will go on sale beginning at 9 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 2 at both U of L Ticket Offices, located on the third floor of the Swain Student Activities Center or in the new location across the street from Papa John's Cardinal Stadium at 2799 South Floyd Street. Both locations are open weekdays from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tickets will also be sold before and during the Cardinals' next two home football games against Pittsburgh on Oct. 2 and Southern Mississippi on Oct. 10.

Cardinal fans may also purchase tickets by visiting www.ticketmaster.com online, calling (502) 361-3100 or by visiting any Ticketmaster Ticket Center, including statewide Kroger locations. Convenience fees are applied with Ticketmaster orders. Further information can be obtained by calling the U of L ticket office at (502) 852-5863.

Ticket Info for UK's Blue-White Scrimmage

Press Release from UKAthletics.com:

Tickets for the men's basketball Blue-White scrimmage go on sale beginning Tuesday, Oct. 6.

Scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 28, tickets are available by visiting the UK Ticket Office between the hours of 9:00 – 4:00 p.m. ET or by calling 1.800.928.2287. Fans can also obtain tickets by calling the Rupp Arena Box Office (859.233.3535) or by going online to UKathletics.com and TicketMaster.com or Ticketmaster outlets statewide. For outlet locations, go to www.Ticketmaster.com.

The cost of the tickets will be $10 and all seating is reserved. Partial proceeds go to local charities.

The first exhibition game of the season is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 2 against Campbellsville, followed by the second exhibition on Fri., Nov. 6 against Clarion. The season opener is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 13 against Morehead State. Tickets for those three home games will go on sale Oct. 21 and are available from the same ticket outlets.

The Cats will kickoff the 2009-10 season on Friday, Oct. 16 with Big Blue Madness at Rupp Arena.

Morehead State Lands 2010 PG Kevin Gray

Article from MSU Eagle Nation:

Coach Donnie Tyndall and his staff are on fire! Having recently picked up a verbal commitment from 6′6 Nashville senior Robert Wade, the Eagles just got a verbal commitment from Reynoldsburg, OH combo guard Kevin Gray.

Gray is 6′ 178 lbs. As a junior, he put up some impressive numbers, averaging 14 points, 4 assists and 3 steals while making the transition from shooting guard to point guard. He also put up some really good numbers this summer playing for the All-Ohio AAU team (which won the 17U nation championship this year). There’s a video, as well as several articles on Gray on his rivals.com profile. He’s not yet rated by Rivals, Scout rates him at one star, and ESPN’s Scouts Inc. gives him a rating of 82. Scouts Inc. had this to say about Gray in their evaluation of him in July:

Gray is a dead eye three point shooter off the catch. He sprints ahead in transition for spot ups and spaces to the open area on the side of dribble penetration. Gray comes off screens with excellent shot preparation and understands the importance of feeding the post and relocating for open shots. Gray is very confident in his shot and does not hesitate to pull the trigger when open. He has decent strength for his size but to take his game to the next level he must work to improve his ball handling and ability to score off the dribble. Gray is a shooting guard in a point guards body and can break the game open with his ability knock down shots in bunches. He will keep the defenses attention especially when playing against zone. Gray has the potential to be a specialist from behind the arc.

Its unclear at this point as to whether Gray will be a PG or a SG at MSU. We wont know what coach Tyndall’s intentions are until after Gray has signed in November and coach is able to talk about him.

AllKYHoops.com Meets UK Head Coach John Calipari

"AllKYHoops.com...meet Kentucky head coach John Calipari. John Calipari...meet AllKYHoops.com..."

I attended the Garrard County Chamber of Commerce event tonight and as expected, John Calipari was large and in charge. He is on fire for Kentucky basketball and my early prediction is that this season will be the introduction of the "We're Back Cats."

I will have a complete article and many other pictures coming soon. Stay tuned!

Does Gilchrist See the UK Light at the End of the Tunnel?

Does sensational 2011 small forward Michael Gilchrist already possess a one-way ticket to Lexington?

That seems to be the prevailing thought in some recruiting circles.

This morning on Twitter, John Clay of the Lexington Herald Leader posted his daily Big Blue Links on his blog. The title of today's edition: "Is Michael Gilchrist destined for UK?"

Clay then posted a link to his blog on Twitter as follows:

Is Michael Gilchrist destined for Kentucky? http://bit.ly/27z6N2

A few moments later, Evan Daniels of Scout.com posted the following answer:

Simple answer. Yes. RT @johnclayiv Is Michael Gilchrist destined for Kentucky? http://bit.ly/27z6N2

That is an interesting transaction between Clay and Daniels and hopefully a sign of things to come in 2011.

2011 PG Marquis Teague Will Visit Big Blue Madness

Marc Maggard at TrueBlueKentucky.com reported yesterday that 2011 superstar point guard Marquis Teague will be at Kentucky's Big Blue Madness on October 16. Teague, an intelligent 6-2 guard, has most commonly been referred to as a slight Louisville lean.

He has picked up offers from a nice list that includes: Kentucky, Louisville, Cincinnati, Indiana, Ohio State, Purdue and Wake Forest.

Related News:

- 2010 forward C.J. Leslie enjoyed a recent in-home visit with Seton Hall head coach Bobby Gonzalez; Leslie still lists Seton Hall, Kentucky, Florida, Maryland and North Carolina (Source: ZagsBlog.com)

- 2010 forward Tobias Harris, fresh off an official visit to Syracuse, will visit Tennessee next. He has not released dates at this time, but he also plans official visits to Kentucky, Louisville, West Virginia, Georgia Tech and Maryland. (source: ZagsBlog.com)

John Calipari Makes a Surprise Visit

Kentucky fans that are camping out for Big Blue Madness tickets were surprised when non other than Kentucky head coach John Calipari himself showed up to greet them. Calipari and several players have visited with the Wildcat fans that are camped out around Memorial Coliseum.

(Hat tip to John Clay of the Lexington Herald-Leader for posting a link to this image on Twitter; Clay is one of the best - make sure to follow him on Twitter for daily UK updates)

NOTE: I will be making a trip to Lexington on Friday evening to do some interviews, take some pictures and hand out some AllKyHoops.com gear.

Maysville Native Michael Jones is Enjoying Life at Brevard

Maysville native Michael Jones is entering his 11th year as head coach at Brevard College, an NCAA Division II school in western North Carolina. Jones enjoyed stops at Eastern Kentucky University and Lee's Junior College (Hazard Community College) before finding his way to Brevard.

I chatted to Coach Jones this week about his life since leaving Maysville, his job and basketball. Here is my interview with Michael Jones, head coach of Brevard College:

Mike, tell me a little about your background in the state of Kentucky

I grew up in Maysville KY. Graduated from Maysville Saint Patrick in ’85. Upon graduating, I went to the University of Louisville for 2 years before transferring to Eastern Kentucky University. I received my Bachelor and Master’s degrees from EKU. I began working with the basketball team at EKU in 1992. After 4 years with EKU, I went to work in Jackson KY at Hazard Community College-Lees College Campus and stayed there for 3 years.

You were a graduate assistant at Eastern Kentucky for several years. Had you made the decision to pursue a career in coaching before your time at Eastern or did your time with the Colonels help lead you into the coaching profession?

I was one semester from graduating with a business degree from Eastern Kentucky, when I needed to fill an elective class; I took a Theories of Coaching Basketball class. The class was taught by the head basketball coach at the time Mike Pollio. After class one day, I went to his office and asked about helping out with the team. Coach Pollio directed me to one of his assistant coaches, Mike Calhoun, about working camp. As a senior in high school, I had sent some letters out about being interested in playing at EKU. Coach Calhoun claimed to have remembered me and graciously allowed me to get on the camp staff that summer. As I started to develop a rapport with Coach Calhoun, Coach Pollio made the announcement that he was leaving coaching to join the Athletic Department at the University of Louisville. Coach Calhoun was named the Head Coach at EKU a short time later. I continued to talk and ask advice from Coach Calhoun, at which time I made the decision to stay in school for another year, change my major and pick up a minor as I now found what I wanted to do…coach. There is no question that I owe my start in college coaching and my career to Mike Calhoun.

You’ve been at Brevard College since 1999. Tell the readers a little about your program and the school.

Brevard is a small Liberal Arts college in the western part of North Carolina. We are 25 miles southwest of Asheville. It is easily one of the most beautiful parts of the country. We have over 100 waterfalls in our county and Brevard has one of the entrances to Pisgah National Forest about 3 miles from campus.

Brevard College was a very well known and successful Junior College for many years. In the late 90’s the administration decided to make the change to 4-year degrees. I was hired in 1999 as the first 4-year basketball coach to lead the program through the transition from 2-year competition to 4-year. We began competing in the NAIA and made the transition to NCAA DII status in 2006.

I have been very fortunate here at Brevard to have been a part of some very special and successful teams. We have been to two National Tournaments and have two Conference Titles.

We have had some great players here. There have been 8 players that have had the opportunity to play for money after graduating; two played in the NBDL. We have had a hand full from Kentucky and three finished their careers here: Mario Hall-Owensboro, Travis Williams-Bowling Green, and David Evans-Franklin County. Evans was the Conference Player of the Year and an All-American

When reading your online bio, this statement jumped out at me: “Most impressive for the Men’s Basketball team is the 98% graduation rate since Coach Jones took over the reins.” Is that accurate? That is a very impressive number. Tell me a little about your devotion to academics and some of the methods you use to keep these kids focused on their academic success.

The 98% graduation rate is correct. In my 10 years, we have only had one player that finished his eligibility with us not receive his degree. When he left he was 3 credit hours short. However, he found a very good job and is doing well in life. We take a lot of pride in our academics. We make it clear to prospective student athletes and their families that we want them to graduate and will provide them with the necessary resources to do that. We have very strict rules regarding class attendance and Brevard College has a great Academic Enrichment Center, where the players with under 2.5 GPAs go for study hall and tutoring help. I firmly believe that success breeds success, both on the court and in the classroom. Our players GPAs have become an area that they are very competitive amongst each other and with other teams. We have not had the highest team GPA on campus yet, but we have been close.

I am assuming that last season was kind of a transition season for your program as you made the jump to NCAA Division II and also joined the South Atlantic Conference. Discuss that transition and some of the obstacles you have faced during this change.

Our transition actually began in 2006. We had to go through two years of provisional membership before being declared a full NCAA member last year. Our administration has done a fantastic job with getting us to full membership in record breaking time. It is normally a 4-year process. The jump to the NCAA has not come without its growing pains. There are completely different rules, paperwork, compliance procedures, etc. However, it has been completely worth it in every way. The NCAA and the SAC have been such a great experience for us. The NAIA is not as strong in the southeast. It is nice to go into a recruit's house and not have to explain what the NAIA is. People know NCAA DII and they know the SAC. The South Atlantic Conference has a long history of being a very strong basketball conference with teams that have performed very well on the national level. Every team we play in the conference is good.

What impact has the change to DII had on your scholarship numbers? What are some of the positive gains you have enjoyed as a result of moving to a higher level of basketball?

Both men's and women's basketball are the only sports at Brevard College that are not at the South Atlantic Conference's scholarship limits. So we are somewhat behind the other SAC teams. But we have gotten more scholarships every year and are closing the gap. We have also had the opportunity to play at the University of Alaska-Anchorage as well as having an arrangement with the Charlotte Bobcats where we play the first game of a double-header in the Bobcat's Arena. This season we will play prior to their game with the Boston Celtics.

Coach, tell me about your 2009-10 team. What are you expecting out of your team and what will your goals be in your second season of SAC play?

When we found out we were transitioning to the NCAA and were going to have go through our provisional membership time when we were not going to have our games count towards any type of post season, we made the decision to build for this year. We brought in a lot of freshman four years ago, knowing that we would take our lumps early, but that since we would be provisional, we felt that was the time to do it. So this season we have seven seniors. We have great leadership. Players that have been through the hard times early and have grown. We had more SAC wins last year than any of the team sports at Brevard. With the addition of some key transfers, we feel that this may be one of our most talented and deep teams we have had. One of our key seniors is Jonathan Whitson. John is already Brevard College's leading scorer and rebounder. John was also named to the All-SAC first team and All-Region team last year. Our main team goal this year, is to be even more competitive this year in the SAC in the hopes to host an opening round game in the conference tournament.

Let me throw you a bit of a curveball. How often do you get back home to visit? Do you still follow any basketball in Kentucky?

I do not get back to Kentucky nearly as much as I would like. My wife and I try to make at least one trip usually around the spring Keeneland meet. I still have many friends in Kentucky both in coaching and out. So I definitely keep tabs on high school basketball in Kentucky. We continue to recruit players from Kentucky so I do get to get back to see some games from time to time.

Let me also say this. I feel very fortunate to have found myself in what must be considered the two best basketball states in the nation. Basketball is obviously a big thing in North Carolina. Everyone is aware of the North Carolina-Duke rivalry and the emotions that stir. However, I am still constantly trying to explain what basketball is in the state of Kentucky. People still have a hard time understanding the passion that people have for the University of Kentucky basketball team, or what the Kentucky State Basketball Tournament is like, or the gyms and sellout crowds for a regular season game in eastern Kentucky. There is nothing that compares to those things.

Wildcats or Cardinals?

Tough question. Obviously I attended the University of Louisville out of high school, which by the way, was in 1986. Can you say, Milt Wagner, Billy Thompson, Herb Crook, Jeff Hall and Pervis Ellison. However, I do enjoy watching UK and the quality of players they have had. Not to mention that I am a big Darius Miller fan, being from Maysville. So I will plead the fifth.

Any thoughts on new Kentucky head coach John Calipari?

I think that Coach Calipari is one of the best recruiters in college basketball. The talent pool that he will attract to UK will be scary. I will be interested to see the very passionate UK faithful's reaction to having so many players leave early for the NBA year after year. But they will definitely be loaded with some of the best young players every season.

Coach Jones, it has been great talking to you and I wish you the best of luck in the upcoming season. I’ll touch base with your as we get into the swing of basketball season and see how things are going for Brevard.

Thanks so much for the opportunity. I really enjoyed it!

Check Out Brevard College Basketball