Bleacher Report - Articles by Justin Fiehrer

How Kentucky Wildcats Fans' Impatience Has Led to the Program's Downfall

Justin Fiehrer — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 02:28:13 -0400

Is it official?

Louisville, Kentucky's news station WHAS has reported that Billy Gillispie will not be returning next season as the head coach.

UK spokesman released a comment saying no decision has been made yet and that these sources are not true. But do you honestly believe they're not true?

They way that this University, and the way that these fans have acted, it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that Gillispie would be fired by year's end.

One thing I know I'm certain of is it seems this program is spiraling into a deep black hole that not even the title of "best ever" can escape. It's truly a shame. This university has been spoiled ever since the day Pitino left. It seemed nothing would ever be good enough. Now twelve years removed from that fateful day Pitino left for the pros still nothing has been good enough.

In the years Rick Pitino spent at Kentucky, the fans were spoiled with greatness. From 1992 to 1997 the Wildcats made the Elite Eight every year but one. It was this rise to prominence that has now led to the Big Blue downfall.

Unreal expectations have become too much. New coach Tubby Smith was treated with open arms, but that was until he won a national championship. Multiple ten-loss seasons and early tournament exits became too much for the fans to take.

A bad season here or there is not bad, but in the Bluegrass it's a mortal sin. One bad season becomes a downhill roller coaster: The roller coaster that never comes back up.

Orlando "Tubby" Smith began to feel the heat. Fans became irritable and Smith felt the pressure to perform. Eventually this disease was inescapable. Tubby had to get out. So yes, he left on his own terms, but it was caused by unreal expectations at a University where championships matter.

Bad became worse.

Tubby Smith was accused of leaving the program dry, and there were no good players to work with. Although probably Smith's fault, the passion to recruit no longer was in a man that felt unwanted.

Enter Billy Gillispie.

Billy Gillispie was seen as a savior the day he entered Kentucky. Not much known of the 40 some year old man from Texas it seemed as if anyone would be happy with anyone at the helm beside Smith.

That celebration ended not too long after it started. The Cats lost their second game under Gillispie to Gardner Webb. Fans became disgruntled. Yes, two games in some felt the choice was a bad one.

The season was eventually turned around, and for the moment a tragedy was avoided. But you knew the tension was there.

More expectations in year two became too much. Billy G. was treading water by mid season. After a 5-0 SEC start it seemed Gillispie was saved by floatation devices to keep him afloat.

Not too long the floats were punchered, and BCG began to grasp for air. The only thing saving him from drowning was the NIT. The Cats lost and it seems as if Gillispie is gone for good.

Bad relations with the media has quickly become the reason that Gillispie will not be coaching here next season.

In the past coaches have started bad and there was no commotion. In Joe B. Hall's second season the Cats went 13-13. This was the same team minus one player who won 20 games in year one and exited the tournament in round two.

Even after Rupp left the expectations back then are not what they are today, and it's a shame.

Two years is not enough my friends. It's not enough.

Unfortunately because of these unreal expectations BCG has found himself way in over his head. Not the fault of Gillispie, but rather the fault of the fans who allowed this winning to overtake them.

The question marks are still there with Gillispie, but like I said, "It's still year two."

If Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks truly do appreciate Gillispie, and they leave if BCG is fired worse will become destruction. The new coach will be face with a task with zero players who can score.

Let's just hope there a coach in American that's still insane. Because there isn't a sane human being who would take this job. Two years ago I thought people would chomp at the bit to grab the head coaching job.

Now two years later I'm not so sure.

UNC-Radford Preview: Is This the Year of the 16-Over-1 Upset?

Justin Fiehrer — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:57:14 -0400

Surprisingly enough, this game may be the best chance for a 16-seed to beat a one-seed. Although North Carolina may have the most talent in the NCAA, as they return a whole team that went to the Final Four a year ago, the Tar Heels are still vulnerable.

So will the Tar Heels be the first No. 1 team to fall?

(1) North Carolina Tar Heels vs. (16) Radford Highlanders

The Highlanders are the only 16-seed who actually won both their conference's regular season and tournament titles, so we know they can play. They don't have much of a bench, but they do have four players that score in double figures.

They beat Virginia Military Institute, one of the most electric offenses in America, twice. So at least they'll know what hit them when the Tar Heels score. Kenny Thomas can hit threes when he's on. Let's just say he's got to be on.

Their inside presence should be able to contain Hansbrough enough to prevent him from taking over the game. The good news down low is that Radford rebounds at a clip of just over 41 rebounds per game.

The fact of the matter is North Carolina is probably the most talented team in the nation. The chances of them getting upset, even if they play poorly are pretty much nil.

But this season is the season of slim possibilities, and the Highlanders will be praying for a miracle. Besides, Tar Heels point guard and ACC Player of the Year Ty Lawson will most likely miss this first-round game because of a toe injury.

Any logical human being would not predict a 16-seed to beat a one-seed. It's the most basic rule of March Madness to take the top seeds to at least the second round.

But I'm not logical, and I've got a certain "madness" when it comes to prediction.

The odds of nailing this are stacked overwhelmingly against me, and I'm going to get heat for this, but ladies and gentleman, you heard it from me.

I mean, there's no point in predicting a close win for the one-seed, so you gotta have some imagination.

Final Score

Radford 88, UNC 87

No. 1 UConn vs. No. 16 Chattanooga: Could This Finally Be the Year?

Justin Fiehrer — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 04:20:38 -0400

Going into the first round of the big dance, Connecticut still has some questions to be answered. Injured player Jerome Dyson is gone for good, and the Huskies have struggled so far in trying to replace him.

Connecticut was the last No. 1 seed to experience a scare from a No. 16 seed. In 2006 the No. 1 Huskies trailed the Albany Great Danes by as much as 12 points midway through the second half. In fact, Albany still led by two with six-and-a-half minutes left before Connecticut tied and then took the lead for good, winning by 13.

Will this year be the same?

(1) Connecticut Huskies vs. (16) UT-Chattanooga Moccasins

Connecticut comes into this game having lost three of its last six games, mostly because of injured player Jerome Dyson. Chattanooga gives up the three at an alarming rate, but with A.J. Price as the Huskies' only outside threat since the departure of Dyson, the Mocs hope they can defend the three better.

Chattanooga can shoot the three as much as they give it up. Senior Stephen McDowell is second in the nation in three-pointers made.

However, the inside presence of Hasheem Thabeet may be too much for the Mocs to overcome. Forwards Nicchaeus Doaks, Kevin Goffney, and Khalil Hartwell lead the team in rebounding and must hold their own down low if the Mocs want to keep it close.

The best thing going for Chattanooga is their experience. Five of the six leading scorers for the Mocs are seniors. Since the 2006 season, they are 6-3 in postseason play in the Southern Conference tournament.

On Connecticut's side, this team is much older than it has been the past two seasons, but the Huskies have yet to win a postseason game of any type since their Elite Eight run in 2006. Since then they are 0-1 in the NCAA Tournament and 0-3 in the Big East Tournament.

But, Connecticut is a much better team and is obviously more talented. They score 77 points per game, and Chattanooga gives up just as much as they score; however, anything can happen.

The Mocs have played three ranked teams this season as well as Davidson twice. They played well in two of those five matchups, but this matchup may be too much. It will be closer than the Louisville-Morehead State game, but not close enough.

Final Score: Connecticut 79, UT-Chattanooga 59

Louisville-Morehead State Preview: Is This the Year of the 16-Over-1 Upset?

Justin Fiehrer — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 03:24:04 -0400

In the two days remaining before the NCAA Tournament, I will be previewing the 1- vs. 16-seed matchups and determining if any of the underdogs have a chance.

Since the field has expanded to 64 teams (and now 65), 16 seeds are 0-98. However, there's always a possibility, no matter how slim. There have been close games in the past and maybe, just maybe, we'll see a real surprise this year.

Here we go:

(1) Louisville Cardinals vs. (16) Morehead State Eagles

This game could be considered a rematch, as the two teams met in late December. In that contest, Louisville trounced the Eagles by 38, winning 79-41.

Since struggling late in non-conference play, the Cardinals have been possibly the hottest team in the country; they won the Big East regular-season title as well as the conference title.

Things look good for Louisville as they go into this year's tournament. Pitino's zone-oriented defense has frustrated a lot of teams this season, and big men down low, Earl Clark and Samardio Samuels, have been especially effective.

Morehead State comes into this game after winning the play-in game vs. Alabama State. In that bout, the Eagles used their own daunting defense to hold the Hornets to just 43 points.

The Eagles have just one senior on their roster, Leon Buchanan; he's their leading scorer.

Big man Kenneth Faried will look to be the leading rebounder against the Cardinals. He's recorded an outstanding 24 double-doubles and has 20-plus rebounds in three games this season, including the Tuesday night showdown.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, only six men get the majority of playing time. They are really going to have to execute in every category if they want to compete with the Cardinals.

When teams can't put up a lot of points against Louisville, the Cardinals generally have their way.

Well, Morehead State doesn't score all that often, so this probably won't be too pretty for the the Eagles.

In the past, teams who have participated in the play-in game do not fare too well in their next matchup. But then again, who does do well against one seeds?

Final Score

Louisville 81, Morehead State 52

Good Morning Selection Sunday

Justin Fiehrer — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 08:42:12 -0400

As the sun rises in the east of the U.S. in the middle of March, every waking soul knows the importance of today's date. Today is Selection Sunday.

Practically a holiday in the world of sports, selection Sunday has become a day of reckoning for most around the country. Many questions are usually still to be answered.

Who will be the one seeds? Who will sneak in the field of 65, and who will be left out? What region will we be playing in? Are we playing Thursday or Friday?

For the majority of teams today is a day of relaxation. Most teams fates are already determined. Those teams just want to know when they play next. But for a handful of teams the waining moments leading up to the unveiling of the brackets can be the most nervous moments.

Yes, the proverbial bubble as most people call it, is once again the talk of the tourney as most people wait for the brackets to be released.

Some will be left complaining about teams that were left out that should be in, and others complaining about teams that got in that shouldn't be.

Over the past week, many teams have waved bye-bye to the tourney courtesy to the teams that win their conference tournament that weren't supposed to.

So now teams like Penn State, Minnesota, South Carolina, Auburn, Arizona, San Diego State, Maryland, Creighton, and St. Mary's, must wait out the closing moments before they realize if they're going dancing, or if they're NIT bound.

Teams will whine like they always do, but the fact of the matter is all teams who get left out always had a chance to play their way in but fail to do so. So all bubble teams can only blame themselves.

The second most-talked about topic on selection Sunday is the No. 1 seeds. This tournament may be the most interesting however. For several weeks toward the end of the season, four teams were stabilized at the top of the rankings: North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, and Oklahoma.

But then Oklahoma started struggling. OU, Pittsburgh, and UConn all failed to even make it to the semifinals in their respective conference tourneys. North Carolina failed to make it to the finals.

Now Louisville, who surprisingly beat out Pitt and UConn for the regular season Big East Title, appears it will now receive a one seed after winning their first ever Big East Conference Championship.

Memphis is also now pushing for a top seed as they again whipped on Conference USA for yet another season. The Tigers haven't lost a game in conference since Mar. 2, 2006.

The remaining two seeds are still up in the air. They will likely go to North Carolina and one of the top Big East teams. Duke would like a say in the top seeds though as they play for the ACC Championship Sunday afternoon.

Four automatic bids are still to be given out today.

Duke faces off against Florida State in the ACC Championship, as the Seminoles look to upset Duke for their first ACC Title.

Stephen F. Austin looks to claim the Southland Title over Texas-San Antonio.

Mississippi State takes on Tennessee in Tampa for the SEC Championship. Mississippi State hopes to be spoiler as they try and win an automatic bid to the dance and burst another team's bubble.

The last game of the day just before the brackets are released includes Ohio State, who played their way off the bubble and into the tournament by reaching the Big Ten Championship, where they will face Purdue for the Title.

By the time the sun sets in the East, everyone should know the full bracket. Office pools will begin to open, and the amount of brackets filled out will start to climb. Talk of this year's Cinderella team will start to fill the air, just as people declare who their final four is.

It's a great day in sports. Yes, ladies and gentleman, it's Selection Sunday.

Syracuse-UConn: Orange Win in Six Overtimes, Soak in the Meaning of March

Justin Fiehrer — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:51:18 -0400

After one of the most amazing games in NCAA Basketball history, March Madness is now in full swing with the tournament less than a week away.

March has always been filled with heroic performances, both individually and collectively. Epic games are played that are always remembered for years to come. And once again, this year is no different.

After Mike Singletary's magical performance Wednesday night against Texas A&M, in which Singletary single-handedly brought his team back from a 21 point second half deficit by scoring 29 straight points by himself, we have been graced with even more greatness.

Thursday's play started off with a bang when top seeds around the country fell to lesser teams. Top seeds in the Big XII, Oklahoma and Kansas, both fell early in their conference tourneys at the hands of Oklahoma State and Baylor.

Not to be out done, on the east coast, the Big East was heating up. In Madison Square Garden, possibly the greatest arena there is in sports, Thursday day and night showed why college basketball is possibly the greatest sport of them all.

Pittsburgh, a team on a tear late in the season was pushing for a No. 1 seed come next week. However, the Mountaineers of West Virginia had other plans. Now Pittsburgh will have to wait a week to play again, and West Virginia will play the winner in one of the best college basketball games I have ever witnessed.

A game that lasted 70 minutes, six OTs, and late into the night, up at MSG Friday morning, provided some of the most heart pounding, gut-wrenching plays that a sports fan can watch. A game that included 244 points, six double doubles, 124 rebounds, and a whopping 93 attempted free throws, kept everyone in suspense.

If your a college basketball fan or not, or if your a Syracuse fan or a UConn fan, one has to recognize the greatness that emits from this game.

In an age where this country is at war, and currently in its worst economic crisis since the early 20th century, there are things that make life better.

In an age where sports is questioned in its legitimacy because of steroid use and various cheating scandals, a glimmer of hope shins through.

The kids on both squads for UConn and Syracuse late Thursday night reminded us all why it's so great to be a sports fan. To witness the courage, the heart, and the guts of each one of these athletes almost gives you goosebumps.

To witness the will to win of each of these players, shows why college athletes are the greatest athletes of them all.

Sure athletes get scholarships, and sometimes there are cheating scandals where college recruits get paid sums of money. But no one has ever questioned the way the athletes play the game. College athletes play to win. They don't do it for the money, nor for the spotlight, but rather for a small three letter word that can make your day.

Unfortunately a team eventually loses. Someone must go home, but it's the fight someone puts up when they go down that really makes you feel great to witness some of the things these college athletes do.

So take a step back. Forget about the confusion that this country is currently in, and just for one month, the greatest month of all, watch these kids do heroic things. Relish the competition that this month brings. Feel the triumph the winner feels, and feel the heartbreak of defeat, and just for one month know what it means to never quit.

This is just conference play folks, the tournament that starts next week should bring more fireworks.

Kentucky Loss to Georgia Shows They Deserve the NIT

Justin Fiehrer — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:09:40 -0500

It was supposed to happen sooner or later. Everyone has gone through it. Kentucky has gone through it before and this probably won't be the last time either.

Every top college basketball in the program rarely misses the prestigious NCAA Tournament, but every team every now and then does miss.

This season for the Kentucky Wildcats is just one of those seasons. The NCAA Tournament streak is over. It's been a great run since the early 1990s but unless Kentucky wins the SEC Tournament the likely hood of another bid is almost zero to none.

But why has Kentucky been playing so poorly of late? Isn't this the team that was a buzzer beater away from defeating Louisville?

Isn't this the team that started the SEC 5-0 and has beaten Tennessee twice by large margins? Yes, that is Kentucky. And yes, at times this season Kentucky team has looked stellar. But that's just sometimes. Most of the time however they look nothing close to a tournament team.

However, Kentucky fans continue to rip on Billy Gillispie. These ignorant fans continue to stick their noses in BCG's business—saying he needs to go even when he hasn't completed his second season of coaching.

The real reason is not the coach. It's the players.

Over the last three games I have watched this team with close intent. I have examined their play and the way they have played has really caught my eye as to why they have wilted so much these last few games.

No heart. No intelligence. No leadership. No effort.

A team must possess all four of these qualities game in and game out if they want to win. Just because you have possibly the two best players in the SEC means nothing. Kentucky's talent is through the roof.

Jodie Meeks is one of the most talented players in the country.

Patrick Patterson is one of the strongest.

Darius Miller is starting to blossom and has been one of the best freshman in the SEC.

Perry Stevenson plays great defense. He makes good cuts for open dunks and can hit the jump shot when open for the opportunity.

Josh Harrelson possesses a blue collar toughness no one else on the team has.

Kevin Galloway is one of the most athletic players on the team that does a lot.

Michael Porter at times can show toughness, but overall he does a good job of trying to possess leadership.

Ramon Harris, who has had a tough season health wise, is maybe our best defender. He's quiet but gets the job done.

DeAndre Liggins displays selflessness, and is a fantastic passer when he wants to be.

A.J. Stewart has always wanted to play and at times when given the opportunity plays well.

Those players are the players that will play on a nightly basis.

The qualities that those players possess are things that every team wants. Those talents and elements are lethal when all put together. But each of the players must give over 100 percent to reach that level.

Most of the time, when a coach says play 110 percent a player thinks its just a cliche.

We'll it's not.

When a player plays 100 percent they exhibit some skills and are huffing and puffing when a game is over. But the remaining 10 percent comes from the heart, intelligence, leadership, and effort in the game.

None of the players on the Kentucky Wildcats current roster, especially the players mentioned, have possessed any of these four qualities throughout the season. NOT ONE.

Fortunately for Kentucky, there is more of a chance Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks will stay next season. On paper and at first glance these two are outstanding. However, when watched closely you will understand why these two still have many flaws. So I will start with these two criticism wise.

Jodie Meeks is great. But he's not the best. There are reasons. Although he is a scoring threat to any team in the nation, of late he has not played with the same tenacity he had earlier in the season.

Jodie Meeks turns the ball over too frequently. Too often he tries too hard to put his team back in the game and he makes poor decisions. He doesn't yell enough on the basketball court to help a player out.

Recently in the past few games Jodie doesn't run hard enough and because of it a player will blow by him and he will have commited a foul due to his lack of effort. He may be ready to play in the NBA where trying doesn't matter. But he is no way ready for the NCAA Tournament where heart matters.

Patrick Patterson is great, as well. However his lack of knowledge on the court may be his greatest weakness.

He's strong, but he's not a monster. There have been too many times this season where he is double teamed and he still goes up for the shot. Instead of passing the ball back out he decides to shoot an impossible shot that 75 percent of the time gets blocked.

He also catches the ball way too low which is a huge disadvantage when going up for a shot. His rebounding needs to improve as he needs more boxing out.

Patterson plays best when away from the basket. He turns and shoots. He must stop catching then dribbling down low. That doesn't work.

Once again he may be good enough in the NBA where rebounding and being smart don't matter. But he also isn't ready for the NCAA Tournament where intelligence matters.

Perry Stevenson is next because he is supposed to do the third most. He plays best when shooting an open jumper from the free throw line. Or when he cuts down low for an easy dunk.

When he posts up and tries to make a move for the basket he fails. Mainly because unlike Patterson he is not strong. He is strictly finesse. When he plays finesse he excels. When he doesn't he fails.

These three are probably criticized most on the team mostly because they are expected to do the most. They are expected to be the core of this team. Even when playing at 90 percent these three are better than almost everyone on the court.

But that's the problem when you play 90 or 100 percent—it looks like you may be tired but you MUST play harder. So when fans question why Gillispie sits Meeks and Patterson for five straight minutes or why Meeks doesn't play most of the second half—you have your answer.

This game has become too related to winning.

Yes, winning is the greatest feeling there is. I love winning more than almost any human being. If Kentucky would have won by one over Georgia I would have been in a great mood.

But that's the problem. That's the problem with all fans and players.

Playing these two gives Kentucky a better chance to win the basketball game. But in the long run who cares? These two need to sit on the bench when they don't play their hardest.

At this point, it's do or die. When you lose to Georgia your dead. So you may feel they need to play. But who cares? All your doing is adding fuel to the fire that is worthlessness.

No one on the team learns anything if you win by default. Making mistakes is good, and if it's the NIT this team needs then fine.

This team has more talent than last season. But you are what your record is. And right now Kentucky is 8-7 in a depleted SEC league.

Last season a team that is not as good as this years was 12-4. The reason are the four qualities that are the remaining 10 percent to the key of winning. Last season those were present. This season they aren't.

Last season when push came to shove the seniors in Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford had what it took to become champions. Maybe not NCAA champions, but champions on the court.

They learned what it truly meant to become a leader. Maybe it takes until someone's senior season until they learn what it is to have heart as well.

Before Joe and Ramel's final season they possessed none of these four. In fact, some fans thought they were huge underachievers in their first three seasons.

But come last year with the help of new coach Billy Gillispie they learned what it meant to play hard. With courage. With heart.

They learned how to play with their backs against the wall. E

ven when Patterson went down last season they still flourished because they gave 110 percent. They had experience.

When Joe Crawford is playing so hard and playing with guts, and his legs are cramping up because he's playing so hard, that's when you know you have a special player. A simple hands on your head look for the players this season isn't good enough.

Kentucky has no experience. Talent comes up short when there's no one with experience that shows leadership. LSU may not have the most talented team in the SEC, but they have the best because of senior heart, leadership, and knowledge.

They have three players from the 2006 Final Four team. South Carolina has a senior in Devan Downey who can lead his team no matter in what situation. He ignites his team.

Just because Gillispie is the coach doesn't mean he is responsible for the motivational factor. He's not. The motivational factor comes from your peers. Gillispie tries to make a difference in motivation. He tries to show his team heart.

He knows what it is seeing as he has lived a long life. But kids aren't going to listen to an old man even if he is their coach. They'll listen to his strategy planning, and they'll listen to the scouting reports.

But these are kids. They don't know the meaning of living. They haven't experienced life to its fullest. These kids are 19, 20, and 21 years old. Do you really think they have an attention span to learn enough to be a great team? No.

Talented teams only go so far. Sit down and watch the tournament this season. Most of the mid major surprises are lead by teams with seniors.

Most teams who win a national championship have seniors on their roster. Kansas and Memphis both had two starting seniors.

Both Kansas and Memphis this season are young. They have overachieved mainly due to an over abundance of talent. But just watch. Talent only goes so far.

Many people say Duke will once again play poorly in the tournament because they have in recent years. Well, past years they didn't have senior leadership. This season they have leadership.

So later this month just watch them thrive. Just watch UNC thrive. Surprisingly, you may watch LSU thrive. Just watch the teams with senior leadership.

The one's with heart, intelligence, leadership, and effort will prevail. Kentucky may learn in the SEC tournament, but if they don't, don't be surprised.

If they lose Saturday—don't be surprised. If they lose early this March—don't be surprised.

For these players have yet to learn the fab four. The four things that separate great and dominant.

The four things that keep people from learning what it means to play the game.

Kentucky Wildcats In Free Fall: Lose Third Straight

Justin Fiehrer — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:16:08 -0500

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

That's the motto Kentucky must take from this game because, for the second straight year, the Kentucky Wildcats failed to do much of anything against a less-than-stellar Mississippi State team.

Most of the time when I write articles, I like to write about game analysis, but frankly there isn't much analysis to take from this game. As Billy Gillispie likes to say, "We got whipped."

Yes, you sure did coach. Now what are you going to do about it?

For the third straight game Kentucky has looked lost. They've looked confused. They've looked everything except good. And now after winning their opening five SEC conference games and entering the AP top-25, this team sits right back on the bubble. Why?

Well, mostly because they sit back and refuse to play with anything remotely close to real effort.

For the first time in my life, I am disappointed to be a Kentucky Wildcat fan. Even last year when the depths couldn't get any lower and the 'Cats were 7-9, at least I knew they were playing their hardest. At least I knew they really weren't "that" good.

But this team?

This team is better than that. This team is a top-25 team. They've played like a top-25 team. Unfortunately they do not deserve to be in the top-25. Nor does this team deserve to even be considered for an NCAA tourney bid.

They may be one of the top-64 teams in the nation, but you gotta earn it. The NCAA Tournament, year-in and year-out, is about heart. It's about grit and determination.

Do you have the will to win? When your backs are against the wall and you know this could be the last game of your lives, are you going to step up? This team doesn't have that will or determination. They may find those qualities, but right now they are non-existent.

Too many times I saw freebies on three-pointers. Too many times I witnessed a Bulldog guard blowing by Kentucky defenders because they weren't giving it their all. The players can defend themselves all they want by saying they're in a slump.

They can say they're giving it their all, but until they reach the end of the game and feel the pain from giving it everything they have, they won't deserve anything.

Jarvis Varnado is the best shot-blocker in the nation, yet because of Kentucky's lack of knowledge and basketball smarts, they continued to drive the lane at Varnardo and continued to get blocked.

So there you have it. Just because a team may have the talent, and they may have played good games in the past, doesn't mean they are worthy of recognition.

If you aren't smart enough to play basketball, and you don't have the will power to do what you need to do on the court, then you don't deserve to play.

I hope the next practice is a living hell for the Wildcat players. You have one week to prepare for Florida. One week. You better change your attitude before then, or you're gonna get blown out of the water again.

You better hope you have a parachute to slow down this free-fall.

Jodie Meeks' Off Night Not the Reason for Kentucky's Loss to Ole Miss

Justin Fiehrer — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 02:00:57 -0500

After the Wildcats' unfortunate loss to Ole Miss on Tuesday night, many questions were raised. Why did they lose? Was it because Jodie Meeks had an off night? Well, many of you think that must be the reason, seeing that he normally shoots over 50 percent from the field.

Well, the fact of the matter is, Meeks' rare poor shooting performance was definitely shadowed by many other factors that led to the upset of the Rebels over the Wildcats. Many people have been saying that if Meeks struggles they lose, but this loss could have easily been avoided even if Jodie Meeks did have an off night.

The Cats still managed to score 80 points, just over their season average, and managed to just commit 10 turnovers, which is a rarity, but the primary problem was on the defensive end.

The Kentucky Wildcats came into this game with one of the top five defenses in the nation relating to the opposition's field goal percentage. Ole Miss made 43 percent of their shots and scored a rare 85 points on the Cats, which is the most points they've allowed since the first game of the season.

The Kentucky Wildcats failed to box out and get rebounds. Ole Miss outrebounded the Cats by a large margin. On the defensive end they were too lazy fighting for the ball. They didn't fight around picks, and they didn't run to the man who always had the open jumper. The Cats are a fast team and are conditioned well, but they didn't show much enthusiasm on either end of the court.

As far as Meeks goes, when your top scorer is shooting poorly, other people must step up. This game could have been won if the Kentucky players played to their strengths.

Darius Miller is a 19 percent three-point shooter, but was taking three-pointers. Perry Stevenson makes jumpers near the foul line and gets back door cuts for open dunks, but for some reason last night he tried too many times to post up down low. Stevenson is too weak of a player to be a post-up player; please leave that to Patrick Patterson.

But to say if Meeks plays poorly, the Cats lose is ridiculous. The Cats lose when the Cats play poorly, not just when Jodie Meeks does. When any team loses, 90 percent of the time everyone plays poorly. Patterson had 24 points, but on defense he obviously struggled to stop people on the defensive end.

Meeks has played poorly in the past and Kentucky has still won. He went 3-11 from the field and the Cats still beat West Virginia. Meeks went 5-12 against Indiana and only had 13 points, but the game was over before the first TV timeout.

In the game vs. West Virginia, the Cats shot 38 percent like they did against Ole Miss. Meeks struggled against West Virginia like he did against Ole Miss, but Kentucky won because they held West Virginia to 30 percent shooting and outrebounded them.

When Kentucky plays good defense, they win. When they rebound, they win.

This is a team effort, not Meeks' effort.

UCLA's High Ranking a Classic Example of How Bad Poll Voting Really Is

Justin Fiehrer — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 03:36:59 -0500

For yet another week I sat and watched college basketball. For yet another week I saw UCLA struggle. And yet for another week I've seen poll voters in both the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll barely penalize the Bruins. But the question you ask is, why is UCLA ranked so high?

Well, there are three simple answers for that, and none of them deal with good play.

First and foremost is their name. UCLA has made three straight Final Fours, and people feel their prominent name deserves recognition.

Second is the Preseason Polls. Because the Bruins made three straight Final Fours, people were compelled to vote the Bruins fourth in both polls even though no games had been played in this season.

Thirdly, teams who are ranked so far down at the beginning of the season have a harder time climbing up the polls come conference play, causing these teams to be labeled as "Bubble Teams." A classic example of one of these teams is Florida State.

Florida State is 16-4 overall and 3-2 in ACC play but received just minimal votes in the AP and ZERO votes in the Coaches. The main reason? Not poor play, but instead because the Seminoles received zero votes in both polls at the beginning of the season.

I thought I would go more in depth with both teams and compare both teams' résumés.

UCLA: 15-4 (5-2) RPI 39 SOS 81

Record vs. RPI top 25: 0-1
Record vs. RPI top 50: 1-4
Record vs. RPI top 100: 3-4

Best Wins: Miami (OH), USC, Arizona, Washington St.
Losses: Arizona St., Washington, Texas, Michigan

Florida State: 16-4 (3-2) RPI 17 SOS 30

Record vs. RPI top 25: 0-2
Record vs. RPI top 50: 2-4
Record vs. RPI top 100: 6-4

Best Wins: Florida, California, Cincinnati, Maryland, Western Kentucky
Losses: Duke, Pittsburgh, Miami (FL), Northwestern

The ACC, as we all know, is much more superior than the Pac-10. Four of the five wins UCLA currently has against the Pac-10 are against the four bottom cellar teams in the league.

Now with these simple facts provided, please tell me how a team like UCLA is so much higher in the rankings than Florida State. It makes no sense whatsoever. Florida State has wins over three teams who look like they will easily make the NCAA Tournament, while UCLA has ZERO. Florida State has multiple good wins, while UCLA has ZERO.

UCLA's best win to date was a five-point victory over Miami (OH) who is currently at 10-7 and will not make the tournament unless they win their conference championship.

So how does a team like Florida St. receive zero votes in one poll and still sit in a vulnerable position wondering if they'll make the tournament? How does a team like UCLA, who currently is beaten in every category by Florida State, still rank as high as 16th? Maybe you should ask the voters.

But the thing is, how can the voters really know how good a team is? The coaches who vote are too focused on their games during the week and the weekend that they can't possibly watch and evaluate every team to determine how much a team should rise or fall. So they fill out their polls at the last second and these things happen.

So I beg and I plead to the NCAA Tournament Committee come March not to make the same mistake the voters make week in and week out and don't look at the name, but rather look at the play of the team, because the fact of the matter is, Florida State isn't the only team deserving more recognition, and UCLA isn't the only team way overrated.

The two main polls that are the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll should be in a poll themselves ranking how good poll voting is. When the season ends, the polls with the most votes become the primary polls the following season.

And as far as I'm concerned, the AP Poll and Coaches' Poll sit on "The Bubble" and are receiving zero votes.

SEC's Inconsistent Play Reason for Downfall

Justin Fiehrer — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:29:54 -0500

Like politicians and their flip-flops, and Jekyll and Hyde itself, basketball in SEC is always changing. Only this change isn't very good change. The SEC this season has been by far the most confusing conference in all of college basketball.

Now, there is no question that the SEC does have some good teams, and there is some very good talent worthy of All-Americans, but when it comes to teams as a whole, no one can find consistency. After the Gators' loss Wednesday night, the longest winning streak is four games. How's that for inconsistency?

Every mid-week and every weekend game has people wondering and thinking, who is the next up and coming team? Who's going to take over the reins next? Nobody knows, and the reason for that is simple.

Every time a team puts up a halfway decent win and thinks they are proving skeptics wrong, they go and blow it with a loss. Not just a loss, but a bad loss. Week by week, game by game, teams continue to shuffle.

Take the past couple weeks for example. Just two weeks ago Tennessee seemed to be the favorite in the league, followed by Arkansas and Florida, then Kentucky and a few others. Suddenly, however, Tennessee got spanked by the Kentucky Wildcats, and Arkansas has questionably lost three straight games.

So people began to think Kentucky and Florida were now the top two. Could these two lead the way? Mississippi St. began to make some noise in the West with a 3-0 start to conference play, but then fell shamefully by 24 points to a now hot out of nowhere LSU team. Then Florida lost to South Carolina on the road, who seemed to be struggling but now has everyone scratching their heads as to how they won.

So it seems the Wildcats are the top of the SEC. Did you forget about the Tennessee Volunteers? Yeah, so did I. Well, they just won on the road with ease at Vanderbilt, which is always a hard place to play no matter how bad they are. So suddenly falling from the top to the middle of the pack and back up again, the team from Knoxville is going back to good—it's just a matter of time before they fall again.

So for now the Wildcats remain as the only team that refuses to lose, although they played average at best in a win over Auburn. But the puzzling question is, who's next? Next to be second, or next to flip-flop on how they are playing.

So who's second best, you ask? Well, that LSU team who's now hot with three in a row, they've got Xavier next.

Florida Ranked In Latest AP Poll: But Is Kentucky More Deserving SEC Team?

Justin Fiehrer — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 17:19:45 -0500

In this week's latest AP poll the Florida Gators kept the streak going for the SEC after Tennessee dropped out of the top 25. Florida is now the only team representing the SEC in the latest poll, but questions arise: Is Kentucky more deserving of the ranking than the Gators?

There's no question that Florida has won 10 games in a row and are playing well, but the only way a team should deserve national attention is to get a win or play someone deserving of national attention.

Polls have always been a hot topic in debates and how someone should really rank a team. Some people say the whole profile of a team, or how that team is playing RIGHT NOW is how a team should be ranked.

So I took a look at the two teams since Florida's 10 game winning streak that has gained so much attention and compared the teams. Here is how both have been playing the last 10 games:

The Gators are on a 10 winning streak since their loss to Florida State and have played noticeably well since early December. They have beaten NC State from the ACC and beat Arkansas who had been playing well. Florida is 16-2 and 3-0 in the SEC. But that's all Florida has played the last ten games.

In the last 10 games the Cats have won nine games with their lone loss coming AT Louisville. They are 3-0 in the SEC and have won two straight road games in the SEC by dominating margins. They have beaten their SEC opponents by an average of just over 17 points a game while UF is beating SEC opponents by just nine a game. They have played three road games in their 10 game stretch.

The Cats lost to Louisville by just three points on the road. In the last 10 games Florida has played no one relatively close to how good Louisville is. In the last 10 games the Cats have won two road games, both of them being in dominating fashion over Tennessee and Georgia. The lone road game Florida has had they struggled to win by three points over Auburn.

Now Kentucky may not be deserved to be ranked in the top 25 as of now, but if he voters are going to go strictly on how the two teams are playing as of right now, how can they justify that Kentucky isn't playing just as good if not better than Florida? There is no argument.

Florida can't help that their schedule is weak. The season has already started. They will be a tournament team come March, but for right now until they beat someone of relative importance, or play somewhat well on the road, they are not one of the best 25 teams in the country.

Kentucky Proving They Are Top 25 Worthy: Statistics Show How Good They Are

Justin Fiehrer — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:00:50 -0500

After yet another slow start to the college basketball season the Kentucky Wildcats are on a surge again, but this time they're better.

After the multiple shots heard round the world by Jodie Meeks, and the 90-72 blasting the Cats gave the Tennessee Volunteers Tuesday night, the Kentucky Wildcats are finally starting to prove that they are top 25 worthy. Not only the better play of late by the Cats, but from a statistical standpoint as well, Kentucky is up there.

Starting offensively for Kentucky, the Cats rank eighth nationally in points per game, while they rank fifth in field-goal percentage. 303 of Kentucky's points this season have come off free throws, and that's because nationally Kentucky is third in free throw percentage. And although Kentucky has a concern from the turnover department, the Cats are improving and actually rank 10th in assists per game in the nation.

Not only is Kentucky becoming a threat offensively, but they are an intimidating factor defensively. The Cats are ranked 11th nationally in field goal percentage defense. That's the reason why they rank fourth in defensive rebounds. Kentucky is also an incredible third in blocked shots per game, and they rank in at 20th in scoring margin, a category they struggled with in the SEC last season hanging on to every victory late in games.

To go along with the stats as a team, Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks for Kentucky are putting up national numbers themselves worthy of All-Americans. The last time the Cats had an All-American they went to the elite eight.

The stats are there in front of them, showing how good they really are. Now the wins are starting to come and prove those stats. Now the last national ranking is the team overall itself. Shouldn't be too long.

Tennessee No Longer Best in the SEC

Justin Fiehrer — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 02:12:12 -0500

After an 18 point defeat at home to the Kentucky Wildcats, it seems as though the Tennessee Volunteers are losing their grip on the SEC stranglehold. Granite Jodie Meeks had 54 of Kentucky's 90 points Tuesday night, but it seems that the Volunteers are not the team everyone thinks they were.

Give credit to the UT defenders who guarded Meeks fairly well and he continued to make shots; however, there are other things in the game that are quite disturbing to Tennessee.

First, Tennessee is thought to have one of the best inbound pressure teams in the nation, but as soon as a team gets the ball inbounds the pressure is non-existent. The key is, get the ball in and you'er free. Time and time again Tuesday, Kentucky got the ball into Michael Porter or Kevin Galloway and Tennessee disappeared. They dropped back and jogged back to the other end of the court.

Secondly, mentally, the players of Tennessee are not all there. The Volunteers may have more talent than most teams in the league, but the lack of basketball knowledge continues to kill them. Time after time Tennessee took an ill-advised shot, not open, not smart, not good. And time and time again they missed.

Thirdly, the defense of Tennessee is long gone. For the fourth time this season a player has scored a career high against the Vols. To let it happen on your home court is unacceptable.

As soon as the game started Tuesday night against Kentucky the fans of Tennessee, like the players, were there physically, but not mentally. The cheers were faint early on and the turnovers for the Wildcats were as well.

It appears Tennessee is losing its luster as the top of the SEC. Kentucky may not be number one now, but that spot sure doesn't belong to the Vols.

Kentucky Gets Signature Victory: Cruises Past Vols Behind Meeks' 54 Points

Justin Fiehrer — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:52:26 -0500

All week long, players, coaches, and ESPN analysts have been saying for Kentucky to beat Tennessee two things need to happen: Control the ball and find a third scorer.

Well, Kentucky fortunately controlled the ball well, but didn't need a third scorer. No. 23 for the Cats, Jodie Meeks, set two records for the most winning team in College Basketball history. That my friends is enough. Meeks recorded 10 three-pointers in a game where he couldn't miss and broke all-time great Dan Issel's single game record, by scoring 54 points.

The Cats started off the game fairly well, only falling behind by five. Then Meeks went on a tear. Three after three fell in as Tennessee tried to guard the shooting guard, but everytime a hand was in his face, he still didn't miss.

The all around game by Meeks against the Volunteers is what propelled Kentucky to their 90-72 cruise of SEC favorite Tennessee. The loss snapped Tennessee's 16 game SEC home winning streak, and shot Kentucky back in to the national spotlight at least for one night.

Even when the Vols twice came back in the second half to close within single digits, Meeks answered. Leading 71-64 with Perry Stevenson fouled out, Meeks took his team on his shoulders and proceeded to score the next nine points for the Cats.

A place where Kentucky has struggled to win the last two years may finally have given Kentucky the hope and confidence they needed to go on a run.

Simple math: Don't turn the ball over and you get more shots. Get more shots, and you score more points. That's what Kentucky did. This is what they needed. 54 or no 54, Kentucky is back.

SEC Basketball: Who's the Favorite to Win the Conference?

Justin Fiehrer — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 04:20:19 -0500

As the first set of games is finishing up and week two begins in the SEC, many questions still remain in this league. Which team is the favorite? Who will withstand grueling conference games to make it come March?

When the season began, many college basketball analysts knew that the SEC was going to be in yet another transition year. The league would have a few ranked teams and have a repeat performance of last season, but no one thought this bad.

Tennessee appeared to be the favorite as usual in the SEC, with Florida coming in at a hard-fought second. The Kentucky Wildcats were still rebuilding and were thought to finish third, but things have changed since mid-November.

So where does everyone rank? Here's a list of rankings for the best six teams, who all have tournament implications come March.

6. LSU Tigers 12-3 (0-1)

The LSU Tigers started the season off with a run of victories. The Tigers were receiving votes in both polls and were thought to have been competing for an SEC title. However, the Tigers have shown you must compete on the road to prove your excellence. The Tigers are 0-3 on the road, which includes a 30-point drubbing to Utah.

5. Florida Gators 14-2 (1-0)

The Gators have won eight straight games, including their SEC opener. Florida has not earned a résumé victory yet. The Gators' two hardest games of the season have been defeats to Florida State and Syracuse. By the middle of the SEC schedule, the Gators should have a better understanding of how they stand with other teams.

4. Kentucky Wildcats 12-4 (1-0)

The Wildcats have slowly started to redeem themselves since their 0-2 start in November. Although the Wildcats have a win over West Virginia on a neutral court, the Wildcats have only played two road games all season. With cheering crowds on the road, comes more pressure. Kentucky has struggled to control the ball this season. The game on Tuesday at Tennessee should show a little more of where the Wildcats stand in the SEC.

3. Tennessee Volunteers 10-4 (1-0)

Tennessee has some very quality wins this season. Because of these wins, which include wins over Georgetown and Marquette on neutral courts, the Volunteers are in no way in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament. However, they are starting to lose their grip as the SEC bully.

With quality wins, comes inconsistency with Tennessee. The Volunteers have followed quality wins with questionable defeats. Twice this season, Tennessee has lost two of three games. After two losses to Gonzaga and a loss to Temple by 16, Tennessee is still finding themselves. Their next two games against Kentucky and South Carolina should tell if the Volunteers can stay on track.

2. South Carolina 12-2 (1-0)

Maybe the biggest surprise thus far, South Carolina started the season with a crushing loss in overtime to Charleston. That's a loss you want to get away from, but since that game in late November the Gamecocks have proven to be the most consistent team in the SEC. They have won eight of their last nine games, with the lone loss to an undefeated team in Clemson.

South Carolina is 2-1 on the road, including a huge one point win at Baylor. After beating Auburn to open conference play, South Carolina must continue to show it can play on the road with two big games at LSU and Tennessee.

1. Arkansas 12-2 (0-1)

After starting the season 2-1 and having an unfortunate loss to Missouri State, Arkansas has gone on a flurry. The Razorbacks have won two games against Top 10 schools. The wins over Oklahoma and Texas have given them national exposure.

The latest loss to Mississippi State has brought Arkansas back to reality a little, but no one else has proven themselves with two bigger wins than Arkansas has gotten. Two road games against Mississippi and Florida will show if Arkansas is truly the favorite.

North Carolina: One Of The Best Teams Ever?

Justin Fiehrer — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 18:24:14 -0500

Now I know everyone has already heard a million different things already on North Carolina, but I was thinking: Is this years North Carolina Tar Heels Basketball teams one of the best teams of all time.

Now I know this season is only eight games in, but one has to ask themselves; Is this the best start to a season I've seen any team perform? I know so far I have been amazed at the ability and the talent that this team has. North Carolina has the potential to play any ranked team no matter who it may be and make it a blow out.

The starting five this year for the Tar Heels are Tyler Hansbrough. Ty Lawson, Dwayne Ellington, Deon Thompson, and Danny Green. Amazingly all five of these starters are averaging 13.5 points per game and up. This team is fast, strong, and one year more mature from last season. So you ask, what are the weaknesses of this team?

So far I have not found any the first eight games. Last season the only weakness on this team was the inability to play defense. They gave up too many points. So far, this has been fixed. Allowing just 66 points per game, averaging 12 steals and six blocks is remarkable, and beating up on each and every team they have played have so far proved this team is elite.

All eight opponents of North Carolina have not come closer than 15 points at games end. Granite Notre Dame was playing with a sick Luke Harangody, but at one point North Carolina was putting a beat down special leading by 23 points in the second half.

Whether it be a 35 point rout of the 12th ranked team in the nation, or a 68 point shalacking of UNC-Asheville, this Tar Heel team is showing no signs of letting up. So is there depth on this team you ask?

One may argue after North Carolina's starting five who will lead this team if another injury occurs if Tyler Zeller in fact will not return. Well, freshman Ed Davis has been showing his skills in over 20 minutes a game. If Davis can limit his turnovers he can be a go to guy on the bench. A returning healthy Marcus Ginyard will just and to the dominance on this team. A healthy starting five may be unstoppable come March.

Upsets happen but with five outstanding experienced leaders this team can reach milestones. Even if a team wants to run to try and tire one of the starting five, they will all be well rested. Not one of their starters is averaging 30 minutes of playing time, yet all are scoring at will.

I just feel the experience, the incredible coach, and health come March just makes a recipe for greatness. Tyler Hansbrough will not settle for less. He deserves nothing less. He has returned after three years of disappointment in the NCAA tournament. He will expect nothing less.

Texas Coach Mack Brown Addresses The Media As Mike Gundy: Discusses BCS

Justin Fiehrer — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:21:22 -0500

Wednesday night Texas coach Mack Brown sounded very upset in his weekly news conference with the media. Although there was supposed to be no Wednesday news conference this week due to the Longhorns not having a game, Mack Brown found it necessary to call an immediate meeting with the media.

Surprisingly to everyone, Texas coach Mack Brown sounded eerily similar to Oklahoma State's coach Mike Gundy when he had his media rant just one season ago.

Mack Brown felt very emotional when talking about his team's latest number three seed in this week's BCS rankings. Here is what Brown had to say:

"I want to talk about this week's BCS rankings. These rankings were brought to me by an assistant coach with a computer. I think these rankings are worth looking at. Three-fourths of these rankings are inaccurate. They're fiction. And these rankings embarrass me to be involved with college football, tremendously."

"And these rankings had to have been decided by people who don't have a team. And has never had a team WHO'S HAD THEIR DREAMS BROKEN, and came to practice upset. And never had to deal with their team when they are upset. And drop a team down in the rankings."

"Here's all this Texas team did: They go to class, they win every Saturday, they beat OKLAHOMA, and they are good kids. This team isn't a professional team, and they don't deserve to be dropped when there's no playoffs."

"If you have a team someday, you'll understand how it feels. But you obviously don't have a team; I do. If you have a team and they lose on the road on the last play of the GAME, and they come to practice crying to their coach, you'd understand."

"If you wanna drop a team in the rankings. One of MY TEAMS!! You drop the team that loses on Saturday. You don't drop a team because they do everything right and may not score 60 points like Oklahoma. You let us make that decision. That's why I don't pay attention to the BCS rankings. BECAUSE IT'S GARBAGE. AND THE COMPUTER THAT LET IT OUT IS GARBAGE."

"Dropping a college football team in the rankings for winning every Saturday. Are you kidding me? Where are we at in socitey today? GO AFTER THE SOONERS! THEY LOST US! WE SCORED OVER 40! WE DIDN'T LOSE. Drop them. Don't drop a Longhorns team who's had their dreams broken."

"And to say that Texas doesn't score enough points. THAT AIN'T TRUE. And to say that Oklahoma's better because they've scored 60 points the past three weeks. THAT'S NOT TRUE. So get your facts straight."

"And I hope someday you have a team and someone drops them in the rankings and they miss the National Championship, and you have to look at your players and say, you know what? It's ok. You still get to play in the Fiesta Bowl."

"Who's the kid here? Who's the kid here? Are you kidding me? That's all I got to say. Makes me wanna puke."

Texas coach Mack Brown was criticized heavily after his rant on national television for yelling at a computer.

Texas Athletic Director James Vilade could not be reached for comment. However the commissioner of the NCAA is considering this rant a serious matter. The NCAA's reasons were that college campus' don't take kindly to plagiarism, and they want to set a good example for future coaches. Because a case like this is very rare the NCAA is handling the situation with care.

Texas coach Mack Brown is currently being succeeded by his assistant coach due to Brown's latest fragile mental state. Sources say Brown was overheard saying he would hurl himself off of a helicopter into shark-infested waters if Oklahoma beat Missouri this week. Brown's family could not be reached for comment.

After the conference on Wednesday Police officials found pictures of Bob Stoops all over Mack Brown's office. The pictures were reported to have been filled with darts. Brown could face federal charges.

This story just breaks my heart to hear. So please I beg you. Get rid of the BCS rankings. Institute a playoff system, before you continue to ruin people's lives.

DeAndre Liggins Proves Himself, Michael Porter and Ramon Harris Injured

Justin Fiehrer — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:19:55 -0500

With the Kentucky Wildcats leading by 12 and the game just six-and-a-half minutes in, Michael Porter and Ramon Harris butted heads. Unfortunately, it was physically, and not figuratively. Two of Kentucky's key players, who both play a decent amount of minutes, ran into each other during a loose ball on Lamar's side of the court.

As the fans stood and watched in complete silence for a good 10 minutes, Porter rose by himself and was taken to the locker room, where he was treated above his left eye with 10 stitches.

That was the good news.

The bad news was that Kentucky forward Ramon Harris laid on the ground for several minutes unable to move. The conscious Harris had to be carried off on a stretcher and was taken to a nearby hospital.

Fortunately, it was later reported that Harris was awake and moving in the hospital, and everything now seems to be fine.

More good news is that the rest of Rupp Arena was fine as well. The Wildcats blasted the Cardinals the rest of the way on a 103-61 rout of Lamar. Led by Patterson's career high 31 points, the Cats had three other players in double figures.

One of these players for Kentucky was DeAndre Liggins. Redemption. Just five days removed from a little controversy in Las Vegas, where Liggins refused to go in the second half, No. 34 finally proved why Gillispie should consider starting the young man.

Following an inspiring second half where Liggins led Kentucky to a comeback victory over West Virginia, the Kentucky player was nearly flawless tonight. Going six for six from the floor and scoring his career high of 16 points, Liggins' performance was fantastic.

Adding to his 16 points was his outstanding guard play in which he only gave up two turnovers while dishing out four assists and grabbing seven rebounds.

This game may have been against Lamar, but you have to take what you can get, and Liggins took a lot. Hopefully, this game will be a confidence builder for Liggins and the rest of the team. Maybe, just maybe, this team is getting better.

Maybe, just maybe, DeAndre Liggins is maturing.

Hopefully What Happened In Vegas Doesn't Stay In Vegas

Justin Fiehrer — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 17:35:02 -0500

Over the weekend on Friday and Saturday night, the Kentucky Wildcats basketball team finally proved they can win a game when it means something.

Despite committing more turnovers than lever pulls at a Vegas slot machine, the Kentucky Wildcats somehow found a way to win this weekend's Vegas Invitational.

In game one of two, the Kentucky Wildcats were Jekyll and Hyde. While Kentucky looked so fantastic releasing the ball, shooting an astonishing 69 percent from the field, the men in blue were just as bad from a ball handling perspective.

Committing 31 turnovers and giving up a 17-point second half lead could have made any Lexington native's blood pressure sky rocket. However, Kentucky escaped 74-72 and moved on to play the Mountaineers of West Virginia.

Turnover-wise, the 'Cats produced more of the same. Like throwing $500 chips away at a blackjack table, the Wildcats just couldn't hold onto the ball, committing 13 first half turnovers and trailing by 10 at the break. From a shooting perspective, Kentucky wasn't as fortunate in act two of this Las Vegas show.

Kentucky managed to shoot just 38 percent from the field, while going just one for five from the three-point line.

Somehow, some way, however, the Wildcats in blue managed to pull away with another courageous victory.

With 15:02 to go in the game, Kentucky had just fallen behind 32-20. But although Kentucky struggled from the field, the Wildcats' intimidating defense suffocated the Mountaineers offense to just two more field goals the remaining 15 minutes, while scoring just 11 more points.

Not only was Kentucky's defense terrific down the stretch, but every 'Cat on the floor seemed to start to gel well together and limit their mistakes. Not only did the Wildcats handle adversity late, but they also put away West Virginia from the charity stripe.

Like accepting a free buffet at the Bellagio Hotel, Kentucky took every free-throw they received. Devouring 23 of 25 free-throws and 8 of 8 for dessert the final two minutes, the Kentucky Wildcats basketball team finally gave their fans something to cheer for: A 54-43 win in the championship game.

Not only did the Wildcats come out of Nevada unscathed, but they came out with a little spring in their step and a little more confidence moving forward. And a much improved 4-2 record.

The mistakes still may seem to be noticeable and the inexperience large, but Kentucky is finding ways to win.

This Kentucky Wildcats team may not have went all-in over the weekend and hit the jackpot, but they sure did cash in a few of their chips.

Let's just hope they weren't bluffing.

Another Early Season Shocker for Kentucky: Don't Jump to Conclusions

Justin Fiehrer — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:51:04 -0500

"Here we go again." These are the words that are being uttered by college basketball fans all around the country.

Just like the start of the '07-08 season, the highly anticipated '08-09 season has started the same: with another shocking loss by Kentucky. But what fans have to ask themselves is, "Are the two losses to Gardner-Webb and VMI similar?"

Some Kentucky fans and other basketball fans may say the loss just three days ago to VMI was worse. Billy Gillispie's second year as head coach was supposed to be more comfortable, and the much more injury-free team this season wasn't supposed to suffer losses like this.

However, are there any positives someone can take from this game, or not be worried about a loss like this?

That answer is yes. The loss last season to Gardner-Webb had no positives. No one played well in the loss last season, and Kentucky was dominated through and through. Every aspect of the Gardner-Webb game made one think poor shooting, poor rebounding—can any of these things be fixed?

On the contrary, this shocking loss to VMI had many more things to look highly on. The question of whether or not we could replace our scorers was answered. The play on offense by Meeks, Stevenson, Harris, and Miller was superb. The eight points by Patterson was not, however. We know he is a true All-American.

The rebounding was dominant in the fact we almost doubled VMI's total. Also unlike last season, the Cats fought back and made it a game instead of folding and settling for a 16-point defeat to Gardner Webb.

The true reason why the Wildcats couldn't defeat the Keydets was guard play. Sure, Kentucky left some open threes on defense and allowed too many wide-open shots, but 25 turnovers against a subpar team is unacceptable.

When the Wildcats do find a point guard who can control the ball and distribute the ball to the correct places, that problem will be fixed. The biggest question of all will be fixed.

So wait for the game Tuesday night versus North Carolina and see how Kentucky corrects their mistakes. Just wait to see when the point guard problem will be fixed.

Just don't jump to conclusions. Not yet.

Will the Real Jared Carter Please Stand Up?

Justin Fiehrer — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:50:39 -0500

If you're a Kentucky fan, you know who this Kentucky kid is. You have been waiting for this 7'2" giant to finally be the player he was supposed to be. Will this be the year?

Jared Carter was ranked the ninth-best center in the nation in the class of 2005 and is entering his senior season as a Wildcat. He spent his first three years nursing a shoulder injury that has limited his play to just over 30 games in three years, scoring just 30 points. The big man was born and raised in Kentucky and has always been a fan-favorite when he steps on the court despite his lack of playing time.

In recent pick-up games and practices, other Kentucky Wildcat fans and even Billy Gillispie himself has noticed how well the 277-pound hulk has improved.

"He's finally starting to show the hunger he needs to play with to be what he can be," said Gillispie, who likened Carter to where Perry Stevenson was a year ago.

If Carter can step up and give Kentucky another fresh pair of legs down low this season, it could really be a huge step for this team, which is already is showing signs of a better season than last. If Carter can prove he can play this year, he may convince the Wildcats to keep him around another year if he can get be redshirted.

Nonetheless, Carter is much better than what his stats show. So please, Jared, be the center and the big man we know you can be. Please, Jared, please stand up.

Patrick Patterson and the Kentucky Wildcats No Pushover for Tyler Hansbrough

Justin Fiehrer — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:16:33 -0400

There is one thing that I myself cannot deny. The North Carolina Tar Heels have handed the Kentucky Wildcats a loss each of the first three years Tyler Hansbrough has been a Tar Heel. But there is something else beneath those games that one cannot ignore and that is Hansbrough's inability to dominate the Wildcats.

In Hansbrough's first three years in North Carolina he has only recorded five games in which he did not score more than ten points. Two of them have been against Kentucky.

Surprisingly enough Hansbrough has scored just 27 points in three games against Kentucky and is a whopping 5-23 from the field. That's just 21 percent, while in comparison Hansbrough's career statistics have him shooting over 50 percent.

He's failed to record more than two made shots in any of the three games he has played against the Cats. Whether it be Randolph Morris or Patrick Patterson, each game the Kentucky player has successfully stopped the big man and outscored him each time.

Unfortunately each year the Wildcats have stopped Hansbrough, another Tar Heel has killed the Cats from outside and shot them down. The Wildcats most stop the Tar Heel's all around game.

Whether or not North Carolina wins come this November 18th I know one thing is for sure: There's a good chance the returning player of the year will have his hands full down low Tuesday night by a sophomore, whether or not someone thinks it sounds crazy.