Football Spring Practice Photo Gallery - March 31 The Kentucky Wildcats suited up for their first practice of the spring on
Wednesday afternoon in chilly, rainy conditions in Lexington. Browse through this photo gallery from the practice.
UK players know what to expect University of Kentucky football coach Rich Brooks has his eye on developing a workable offensive line rotation and determining the status of the
quarterback position as spring practice starts today.
Football Cats improve fitness across the board It's much, much too early to speculate if the Kentucky football team will be any better next fall than
it was a year ago, but Coach Rich Brooks knows one thing for sure: the players definitely look better.
Optimism Reigns Supreme Head Coach Rich Brooks On the opening of spring practice on
Wednesday... “I’m excited to get back on the field tomorrow with this group of players that have worked very hard in the off season. We have made tremendous gains with the returning players in their lifting ability, strength, speed and vertical jumps. All of those things, basically
across the board on our returning players, are much more impressive than they were at this time a year ago. We’re in much better condition, as a football team, overall than we were last year. I’m excited about it. We have a lot of questions, some of which will be answered this spring, but we have
some that won’t be answered until we get into the season next year.”
Basketball
Some UC, UK players going to Final FourTwo University of Kentucky basketball players, two from the University of
Cincinnati and one from Xavier University will be competing at the Final Four in San Antonio.
Baseball
Cats Outscore Colonels 18-2 In Doubleheader The Kentucky softball team exploded for 18 runs on 25 hits to
sweep the Eastern Kentucky Colonels 9-0 and 9-2 Wednesday in Richmond, Ky. UK had 12 players register base hits during the doubleheader while the Cats’ pitching staff held EKU to a mere seven combined hits.
(03-30-04)
Football
Spring brings defensive hopeNINE RETURNERS EXPECTED 'TO GO OUT AND STOP SOMEBODY' Here are 10 key
questions surrounding the University of Kentucky football team as Rich Brooks and his staff prepare to open their second spring practice Wednesday:
Basketball
UK's season better than expectedKentucky's Wildcats. Two-and-out. UK fans who predicted 27-5 before
the season, raise your hands. Hmmm.
(03-29-04)
Basketball
UKIT still appeals to Smith
If Tubby Smith had his way, his 2004-2005 schedule would include a revival of the once popular University of Kentucky Invitational Tournament.
Now that Hawkin' Cliff Hawkins has left the jewelry selling to Tom Shane, we're left to debate the bigger issue: After four years of watching the money go everywhere but his own pocket, is it surprising that a college basketball player was trying to cash in?
Football
Recruiters like Smith, Turner Neither one is ready to start narrowing his college focus, but Boyle County's Brandon Smith and Danville's Kelvin Turner are
certainly going to have plenty of options.
'QB OF FUTURE' TAKES REINS AS A SENIOR It's been nearly three years since then-Kentucky football coach Guy Morriss declared Shane Boyd as UK's "quarterback of
the future."
ncaa should adopt 'other' arc For the second straight year, an ill-timed charging call ushered Kentucky toward the NCAA Tournament exit. Antwain Barbour's charge
blunted a UK rally against Marquette last season. Last weekend, a charge by Kelenna Azubuike radically changed the final two minutes against Alabama-Birmingham.
Football
Cats have wrong kind of holes on O-line
Heads were spinning last spring as Ron Hudson dropped a new scheme with new plays and new terminology in the laps of Kentucky's offensive personnel.
(03-27-04)
Baseball
Mirror image on display at UK
John Cohen has learned baseball strategy
and philosophy from Pat McMahon. But Cohen learned something almost as valuable while playing under McMahon at Mississippi State and working under him at Florida.
Kentucky Drops Series Opener to No. 14 Florida, 8-4 Florida’s Matt LaPorta launched a three-run home run as part
of a four-run seventh inning to lead the Gators to an 8-4 win over Kentucky on Friday night at Cliff Hagan Stadium. The game was the first of a three-game Southeastern Conference series between the two schools. The Wildcats were unable to figure out Florida starting pitcher Justin Hoyman, who limited UK
to four runs, two earned, on six hits over 8 2/3 innings.
(03-26-04)
Basketball
Hawkins' SEC ring not for saleCliff Hawkins' 2003 Southeastern Conference championship ring isn't for sale, as it turns out.
Guard takes SEC ring off eBay After briefly attempting to cash in on the spoils of Kentucky basketball victories, former point guard Cliff Hawkins decided he'd rather
remain in The Fellowship of the Ring.
Kentucky hoops, the big pictureSOME FANS PREFER NEGATIVE VIEW What I know: My Tuesday column -- which
pointed out Kentucky and Tubby Smith need to return to the Final Four soon -- didn't exactly bring out the best in the fans who responded.
Alabama earns first Elite Eight showdown TIDE'S 19-5 RUN DOWN STRETCH DETHRONES SYRACUSE Sit down, Syracuse. Join top-seeded Stanford on the sidelines. The Tide is on some kind of roll. Alabama, a No. 8 seed, beat the defending national champions 80-71 in the Phoenix Regional semifinals
last night, five days after stunning No. 1-ranked Stanford.
Baseball
Kentucky's new coach seeks maximum passion It's five minutes before the first pitch of the University of Kentucky's baseball game Wednesday night, and first-year coach John
Cohen stands in front of a television camera doing a live interview with a local station.
2004 Spring Lookahead What needs working on ... Everything. Kentucky football used to be above-average at best as an SEC program, but at least it was exciting with a high-octane offense. The
defense still doesn't work and now the offense has become stagnant as well. Rich Brooks and his staff must get the team to be better in tight games and needs to have something to hang its hat on. There isn't any one thing the team does better than anyone else.
(03-25-04)
Basketball
Richardson: There was no anti-Cat conspiracyEX-HOG COACH ROOTED FOR UAB
The first two letters of UAB are UA. Just a coincidence? Some people may not think so. Former University of Arkansas Coach Nolan Richardson acknowledged rooting for Alabama-Birmingham to beat Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday. One of his former players and long-time assistant, Mike
Anderson, coaches UAB.
Baseball
Kentucky Bats Go Quiet in 6-2 Loss to Marshall
No. 16 Kentucky
earned its fifth-consecutive victory Wednesday with a 7-0 shutout of Butler at UK’s Boone Tennis Complex. The Cats chalk up their seventh shutout of the season and improve to 11-4.
Herd's big inning dooms Bat Cats Kentucky could not find its offense yesterday, and the Wildcats fell to visiting Marshall 6-2. Marshall took a 2-1 lead into the
eighth inning, when it blew open the game. The Herd started the inning with three singles wrapped around a line out for a 3-1 lead. After an error loaded the bases, Joe Glevenyak doubled to the gap in left center for a 6-1 lead.
(03-24-04)
Basketball
Cats will 'find a way to be good' University of Kentucky forward Chuck Hayes had just finished answering a series of questions about the team's
departing seniors on Sunday when he finally said, "But life goes on."
UAB making life 'Hell' in NCAAs The biggest upset of the NCAA Tournament was in the bag. Brackets were in tatters nationwide. In the stricken commonwealth
of Kentucky, much bourbon was being poured.
Defense let down Kentucky They didn't want to cut down the nets after winning their 25th Southeastern Conference Tournament championship in
Atlanta's Georgia Dome. That nylon had become too pedestrian for the University of Kentucky basketball players. This team entered the NCAA Tournament on a nine-game winning streak and planned to break out the scissors in San Antonio, site of this year's Final Four.
UK seniors will go on farewell tour The five seniors on the University of Kentucky basketball team will embark on a barnstorming tour
starting April 12 with a 7 p.m. game at Harrodsburg High School. The tour will stop in Northern Kentucky on April 13 with a 7:30 p.m. game at Ryle High School.
LOSSES LIKE SUNDAY'S MAKE NCAA MAGICAL The fun of the NCAA Tournament is the upsets, until it is your team that gets upset. The nice lady who runs the car line
at my youngest child's school was bummed out. She said she doesn't even care now who wins.
Smith says 'sky is limit' for UK future EXPECT BETTER DEPTH, SIZE, SHOOTING IN '04-05 Players come. Players go. But as Led Zeppelin once noted, the song remains the same. Despite the loss of five seniors, four of whom were among the top six players this season, Kentucky will enter 2004-05
expecting to keep on keeping on.
CATS' FIVE SENIORS TIP OFF BARNSTORMING TOUR APRIL 2
Kentucky basketball seniors Antwain Barbour, Erik Daniels, Gerald Fitch, Cliff Hawkins and Matt Heissenbuttel will begin the annual Barnstorming Tour on Friday, April 2, with an autograph session at Man O' War Ford in Lexington. The group will play at least 14 games and hold additional autograph sessions
throughout the tri-state area the next two months.
Football
Kentucky Spring Football Notebook Mabry Signs With Kentucky: Mikhail Mabry, an all-state linebacker from
Mililani, Hawaii, has signed to play football at Kentucky, Coach Rich Brooks has announced.
Mabry was described as a "6-foot-2, 225-pound mentally focused tank"by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and was a first-team all-state pick as a senior at Mililani HS. He is the 28th signee of Kentucky's 2004 recruiting class.
Kentucky dismisses linebacker Holts The University of Kentucky football program suffered a blow heading into the start of spring practice next week when the school
announced yesterday that linebacker Deion Holts has been dismissed from the team for a violation of team rules.
Holts kicked off Wildcats for violating team rules Linebacker Deion Holts, a former walk-on who worked his way into the starting lineup, has been dismissed from the
University of Kentucky football team for violation of team rules, the school announced yesterday.
(03-23-04)
Basketball
No panic yet for Cat fans
Either the Big Blue Nation has learned to accept losing in the NCAA Tournament or Kentucky fans really did understand how many things had to go right for this year's Wildcats to win 27 games.
Sweet 16 has some feeling a little sour So, let's do a quick count as to how many of us had Nevada, Alabama-Birmingham, Xavier and Vanderbilt as part of our Sweet 16 field a
week ago ...
Pools no day at the beach At least the Kentucky Wildcats and Stanford Cardinal basketball players didn't have to go to work Monday morning and face being knocked out of
the March Madness office pool so early.
Dancing days are over After four years of clutch shots for the Cats, Gerald Fitch stood poised to deliver a March miracle for UK.
Parity left area teams behind this season Two Sweet 16 teams from Alabama. Two more from Pennsylvania. One from Georgia, another from Tennessee, another from Texas.
UK needs to find new core of leaders Kentucky's Chuck Hayes on Sunday described the pain of another wasted No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed as "a dark cloud hanging over this
locker room, this team."
Kentucky basketball seniors Antwain
Barbour, Erik Daniels, Gerald Fitch, Cliff Hawkins and Matt Heissenbuttel will begin the annual Barnstorming Tour next Friday, April 2 with an autograph session at Man O’ War Ford in Lexington
When UAB's Mo Finley made the go-ahead shot with 12.2 seconds left, Kentucky guard Gerald Fitch could be heard offering words of encouragement to his teammates.
Quick exit stuns Wildcats Nobody saw this coming, not even the green-clad Alabama Birmingham players, whose own shock and surprise was written all
over their faces.
Cats need Final Four return soonTUBBY'S TEAMS TOO GOOD TO BE PERENNIAL DOWNERS In the college basketball capital of America -- Alabama
-- giddiness reigns. Jim Rome and CNN Headline News were on the phone for Alabama-Birmingham Coach Mike Anderson yesterday, one day after the formerly anonymous Anderson saw his team break Kentucky's massive heart.
Smith to add walk-ons and form JV team Smith to add walk-ons and form JV team Depth doesn't figure to be a problem for Kentucky next season. Coach Tubby Smith plans to revive UK's junior varsity team.
Baseball
Kentucky to Host Marshall On Wednesday
The Kentucky baseball team is set to welcome the Thundering Herd from Marshall University to Lexington on Wednesday. The Wildcats most recently took two-of-three games at Auburn this past weekend and
stand in a four-way tie for first place in the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division with a 2-1 record. Overall on the season UK holds a 14-6 record.
Kentucky sophomore pitcher Kalen Gibson has been named the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week, the conference announced on Monday. The Slaughters, Ky., native earned the honor after throwing 8
2/3 shutout innings, allowing just one hit, in an 8-0 victory at Auburn on Friday, March 19.
(03-22-04)
Basketball
Any Given Sunday On any given Sunday, 8 teams were sent tickets to the Regional finals and 8 more teams
were sent back to their respective campus.
Alabama spits out top seeds Blazers follow Tides' ouster of Stanford with
shocking upset of Wildcats, NCAA's overall No. 1 team
History repeats itself for Blazers First, Mo Finley brought the baddest basketball team in the
bracket, the loudest, proudest basketball program in the land, to its knees. All with a sweet whisper of a jump shot with 12 seconds left
Missed opportunities Ladies and gentlemen, your two SEC Sweet 16 participants are ... Alabama and
Vanderbilt?
Blazers scorch Wildcats The University of Alabama at Birmingham's brand of basketball is called "forty
minutes of hell."
Surprise ending for UK Champions live charmed lives, and so one comes to expect Kentucky's last-second shots to fall.
Finley changes the brackets Alabama-Birmingham guard Mo Finley knew he would make it onto the 11 p.m. SportsCenter. And it
would be replayed over and over.
Cinderfellas are busting NCAA brackets Anybody out there have a Nevada-Vanderbilt championship game in their Final Four? How about
Alabama-Birmingham and Xavier?
(9) UAB 76, (1) Kentucky 75 Some players stared in disbelief while others blinked back tears in Kentucky's somber locker room.
UAB deals 'mighty blow' Set aside education or jobs for the moment. The state of Alabama apparently has made turning
your NCAA brackets into kindling its current top priority.
Cats out of NCAA Tournament
Morris Finley's jumper with 12.2 seconds left provided the winning points in UAB's 76-75 upset over the Wildcats, who came into the NCAA Tournament as the top overall seed.
Cats stung by misses at buzzer The basketball left Gerald Fitch's
fingertips and spun through the tension-drenched air in Nationwide Arena, seemingly in a slow-motion arc toward the basket.
No. 1 Kentucky sent to sideline
Forty minutes
of hell boiled down to a 12-second possession for the University of Kentucky. With their NCAA Tournament and national championship hopes hanging in the balance, the top-seeded Wildcats turned to their Mr. Clutch, senior
guard Gerald Fitch. If you had to pick one of UK's platoon of five players averaging in double figures to take the final shot, Fitch would easily be the best bet.
Beating UK 'like a dream' for Blazers Mo Finley cried tears of joy. Nolan
Richardson cheered like a proud papa. Mike Anderson beamed in the thrill of victory. And Chris Giles turned out to be right.
Blazing end to No. 1 Kentucky's run
Pressure beat pedigree. And so it was that the mighty Kentucky Wildcats, seeded No. 1 overall in the NCAA Tournament, suddenly find themselves out of the running and languishing in their own little version of hell — even
worse than the so-called "40 minutes of hell" applied by the end-to-end defenders of Alabama-Birmingham on Sunday.
40 MINUTES OF &@%!! A heavenly season ended in 40 minutes of hell. Or maybe
it was four seconds, or whatever heartbreaking time it took for Gerald Fitch's open three-point shot for the win to instead bounce off the rim. Or for Kentucky's futile attempts at a desperation tip-in to come up empty,
before the clock struck triple zeroes on a terrific season.
'AFTERTHOUGHTS' AS GRITTY AS CATS COME Gerald Fitch sat on the scorer's
table, his face registering disbelief. Antwain Barbour slowly walked off the Nationwide Arena court, looking only at the floor.
Big Blue out in twoUAB makes plays at
crunch time Kentucky had been synonymous with close-game victories this season. So imagine the surprise when a nail-biter left UK on the sidelines in this year's NCAA Tournament.
Moss crucial to Cats' rally Though Alabama-Birmingham won the game 76-75
last night, walk-on Ravi Moss continued the Kentucky tradition of stepping up to fill a need.
(03-21-04)
Basketball
UAB Upsets Kentucky, 76-75
Gerald Fitch's jumper with time winding down hit the back of the rim and Kentucky's run in the NCAA Tournament was halted by the No. 9 seed UAB Sunday at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
This might be a case of déjà vuKentucky (27-4) takes the
next step in what it hopes will be a title run this afternoon against Alabama Birmingham in a second-round NCAA Tournament game.
Cats can exorcise C-USA demon You go 54-6 over your last 60 games, and you simply
don't have many scores to settle. But the University of Kentucky has another opportunity today to advance its spring cleaning.
Blazers assistant also sees history repeating Don't tell Alabama Birmingham
assistant men's basketball coach Chris Giles that the Blazers can't beat the University of Kentucky today.
Notebook- Hawkins offended by Rattler's mouth University of Kentucky guard Cliff
Hawkins declined to shake hands with Florida A&M's players after their NCAA Tournament first-round game Friday night, but Hawkins said he had a good reason.
'40 minutes of hell' Part IIUK has to contend
with UAB, coached by Richardson protege Teacher and pupil agree to disagree about what to call UAB's style. "I call it Part II," former Arkansas Coach Nolan Richardson said. "He calls it the 'Fastest
40 in town.' "
Cats helped put UAB on mapBLAZERS WON NATIONAL
ACCLAIM WITH 1981 NCAA UPSET OF KENTUCKY It was a different world in 1981. Tubby Smith was in Richmond, Va., an assistant basketball coach at Virginia Commonwealth. Mike Anderson was in Oklahoma,
playing for Nolan Richardson at Tulsa. UAB was in way over its head.
Hawkins must cool competitive zealWILDCATS SUFFER WHEN POINT GUARD ALLOWS STRENGTH TO BECOME WEAKNESS The engine in Cliff Hawkins burns on competitive zeal. It runs molten hot -- and that is good.
That revved-up motor helps make Hawkins as relentless an on-the-ball defender as has ever worn Kentucky blue.
The bench connection Kentucky-UAB will pit friend against friend and mentor
against protege. Twenty years ago, former Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson was a mentor to up-and-coming young black coaches like Tubby Smith and Mike Anderson. Now Smith and Anderson match wits in the NCAA Tournament second
round as coaches of Kentucky and UAB, respectively.
Riley finds good in 'great nightmare' All-American. One of the most successful
coaches in NBA history. A kid who couldn't talk his parents into buying him a hot rod and now collects them.
(03-20-04)
Basketball
Kentucky 96, Florida A & M 76Staying in the luxury hotel was an unexpected perk, and getting a police escort to the arena was another surprise for Florida A&M.
Kentucky ends Florida & M's dream with a thud Florida A&M's basketball players, skinny and
youthful, resembled water boys compared to Kentucky's Wildcats, whose chiseled, muscular frames should have been as intimidating as their fluid shooting.
DEFENSES RESTED IN WILD 1ST HALF
We went to the first-round game of the NCAA Tournament last night and and an NBA All-Star game broke out. Talk about Showtime. There were three-pointers, and dunks, and more three-pointers, and nifty passes, and more
three-pointers, and fast breaks and even more three-pointers.
CATS SURVIVE RATTLER ATTACKUK finally subdues
FAMU in 2nd half After one of the highest-scoring first halves in Kentucky basketball history came one of the Cats' lowest feelings of this season.
RATTLERS' SHOCK FALLS SHORT Who knew middle Ohio was the location of a modern day
... ... Fantasy Island? Last night, for an improbable 22:26 of NCAA Tournament play, it had everything but a vertically-challenged man shouting at a plane.
Hayes nearly a triple threat Until Chuck Hayes plays again, it's still safe to say
there's only been one Kentucky player to record a triple-double. One of Hayes' buddies, walk-on Ravi Moss, attributed the triple-double rarity to an over-abundance of stellar players. Not a scarcity.
(03-19-04)
Basketball
Kentucky Advances - Defeat Rattlers 96-76
Five Kentucky players scored in double figures, led by Gerald Fitch's 26 points, as the Wildcats defeated the Florida A&M Rattlers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 96-76 Friday night at Nationwide Arena in
Columbus, Ohio.
NCAA Game Summary - Florida A&M vs. Kentucky Gerald Fitch scored 26 points and Erik Daniels added 18,
as Kentucky needed a big second-half run to pull away for a 96-76 victory over a pesky Florida A&M squad in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Nationwide Arena.
Kentucky 96 Florida A&M 76 Florida A&M showed it had more than a famous band before Kentucky finally
showed its Bluegrass pedigree.
Cats ready for Rattlers' confidence Confidence could be the key word going into
tonight's NCAA Tournament game between Kentucky and Florida A&M.
Bilas liked UK's chances early, and he likes them now Long before most other
college basketball analysts were on the University of Kentucky bandwagon, Jay Bilas was touting the Wildcats as one of the nation's best teams.
It will be haves vs. have-nots Today's matchup between the
University of Kentucky, the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, and Florida A&M, which had to win a play-in game just to participate in the first round, highlights the differences between the haves and have-nots of the
college basketball landscape.
Kentucky goes its own way The starting lineup of Kentucky's basketball team is definitely not the kind
that would be expected for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament field.
Kentucky starting off at top Kentucky is not only a No. 1 seed but the
No. 1 seed. And the Wildcats begin their antithesis-of-Cinderella journey Friday against the NCAA tournament's only losing team, Florida A&M (15-16). The Wildcats are the first team to officially be deemed by the NCAA selection committee as the top overall seed, a move largely the result of last season's bracket controversy. However, working out Thursday in Columbus,
Ohio, was a team clearly at ease with itself.
Rattlers not of the doubting mindset After Thursday's games, there are 48 teams still playing
for basketball's national championship. That Florida A&M is one of them will not scare the other 47.
UK Nation keeps March circled in red Kentucky has won 58 games the past two seasons, the most in the
nation, and secured consecutive No. 1 NCAA Tournament seeds. Which logically leads to this recent letter to the editor in UK's fan weekly, The Cats' Pause: "I am fed up with the direction the program has taken under Tubby Smith. The team has fallen from grace over the last five years. ... I had been hoping the team was just going through a slump, but I don't think this
downward spiral will end until Tubby is gone." Welcome to the lunatic fringe.
Experts' views on Wildcats are mixed The University of Kentucky might have been
granted the No. 1 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament, but national media predictions of how the Wildcats will fare have been widely divergent.
UK primed for a long tourney run
Before the question was
completed, University of Kentucky freshman Bobby Perry responded with certainty. Any chance the Wildcats will look past Florida A&M? "There's no chance at all," Perry said. "We treat them the same as every other team." It's
UK's ability to focus that has the Wildcats primed for a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
Rattlers try to join parity partyBut Cats don't
expect history to be made today Not that Kentucky takes tonight's victory for granted, but forward Chuck Hayes only watched a snippet of Florida A&M's victory over Lehigh earlier this week.
Azubuike's jam sessionCat picks up his game
just in time That poor net. Don't you feel sorry for the net? Hanging there, all silky and smooth, a nice piece of nylon, bothering no one. Only to be ripped.
Accommodations awe A&M players Kentucky against Florida A&M fits the NCAA Tournament first-round profile: All-powerful traditional steamroller versus lovable peanut.
FAMU stalks giantsFlorida A&M men's
basketball coach Mike Gillespie saw something Thursday he hasn't seen much of the past two weeks - his entire team practicing.
No respect from ESPN pundits ESPN college
basket analyst Digger Phelps' breakdown of tonight's NCAA Tournament first round game between the No. 16 seed Florida A&M Rattlers and the No.1 seed Kentucky Wildcats may have been short, but it didn't go unnoticed.
(03-18-04)
Basketball
Fitch found his niche at UK
The party school had no
chance. Ruby Fitch didn't want her youngest son, Gerald, attending Florida State, a university known for being one of the best party schools in the country. She had worked hard to keep him from getting sucked into a gang in
their hometown of Macon, Ga., and she didn't want him to forget why he was at college: to forge a better life.
Cats' Barbour 'Mr. March' If not for postseason tournaments, the basketball
world might not know about Kentucky swingman Antwain Barbour.
Rattlers prepare for wild night The thought of playing the Kentucky Wildcats might be intimidating for some
schools, but for Florida A&M it's a way to pay the bills.
Wildcats certain of Final Four seat He was standing there in middle of the Blue Nation,
holding up a sign during the Southeastern Conference title game Sunday afternoon.
Thomas smooths out the wrinkles Thanks to freshman Sheray Thomas and his improved
benchmates, Kentucky now views foul trouble as foul inconvenience. The Southeastern Conference Tournament proved UK has made marked progress in its season-long goal of developing bench strength. In the semifinals and
finals, the Cats had to play long stretches without either Chuck Hayes (semifinals) or Erik Daniels (finals).
In Tubby they trust"That's what makes them great. Give Tubby
credit and the players credit because they trust him." South Carolina coach Dave Odom said.
Even Smith marvels at his club's defense University of Kentucky basketball coach
Tubby Smith used to lose sleep fruitlessly comparing this season's team with last season's team.
Smith upbeat about UK's chances If Tubby Smith has any major worries going into the NCAA Tournament, he's
certainly hiding them well.
Erik Daniels is key for Kentucky The NCAA madness begins in earnest Thursday. The experts
have spoken, but predicting the road to the Final Four remains a puzzle. USA TODAY's MaryJo Sylwester and Scott Boeck analyzed statistics for the 65 teams for a glimpse at the players and teams to watch. The top players
were identified using an index that ranked each starter in four categories. The players then were ranked within their region. Team rankings were based on Jeff Sagarin's ratings
SEC needs to make statement
For the sixth consecutive year
the Southeastern Conference got six teams invited to the NCAA Tournament. That's 36 teams in six years that have earned their way into the Big Dance. That's something to be proud of, right?
Rattlers earn shot at No. 1 Kentucky
Moses White still
remembers the first two times he played against current teammate Terrence Woods. White, a 5-foot-11 senior point guard for Florida A&M, was a freshman at Georgia, and Woods, the Rattlers' 6-3 leading scorer, was a freshman
at Tennessee. "When we went to Tennessee, he came in and hit some big threes -- and that really stuck with me in my mind," White said Tuesday night.
Tubby Smith NCAA Press Conference Quotes On preparation for the NCAA
Tournament… “We haven’t practiced since we returned from the SEC Tournament. I gave our players a day off yesterday to take some time to enjoy the day. We’ll get started again this afternoon. They got a lift in this
morning, and for the most part they are healthy.. It’s always difficult to prepare for a game not knowing who you’re going to play. We’re excited about being in the tournament, being in this region, and our guys are focused
and ready to play.”
Kentucky is the favorite at post time
Summer had turned into fall in Bluegrass country, where thoroughbred horses and college basketball players are king. And folks were upset.
It's not pressure now; it's pleasure If the Cats (26-4), the top seed
in the NCAA Tournament, don't make it to San Antonio for the Final Four in the next three weeks, Coach Tubby Smith won't let it tarnish what has been an otherwise stellar season.
Tubby keeps Cats out of the heatCOACH DOESN'T
APPLY MORE PRESSURE DURING TOURNAMENT Pressure? What pressure? Kentucky Coach Tubby Smith shrugged at the suggestion that he might feel pressure to validate his team's regular-season success with a
long run in the NCAA Tournament.
FAMU STILL CLIMBING AFTER BAD START From lower than "whale doo-doo" to facing
Kentucky with a can-do spirit. That's the road traveled this season by Florida A&M, which gained the presumably dubious honor of playing UK on Friday by beating Lehigh 72-57 last night in the NCAA Tournament's opening-round
game.
(03-16-04)
Basketball
UK's playing style served up in a dish Basketball cognoscenti have gushed lately about Kentucky's
unselfishness. What they may not know is that this fancy passing isn't a passing fancy - or even optional.
Consider it a job well done by Tubby Tubby Smith won't collect all the hardware he won
last season when 10 organizations named him the national Coach of the Year.
Wildcats set sights on San Antonio He was standing there in
middle of the Blue Nation, holding up a sign during the Souteastern Conference title game Sunday afternoon.
Kentucky looms large in midwest Some of the country's best stories
are stacked up in the Midwest region, from gritty little Gonzaga to red-hot Nevada, from the rapidly maturing underclassmen at Boston College to the thoroughly tested Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Cats happy to be No. 1 overall seed The Kentucky Wildcats secured their second
straight No. 1 overall seed after winning the 25th Southeastern Conference tournament on Sunday.
Kentucky stuck with the No. 1 bull's eye Kentucky, the No. 1 team in the country? Please. Sure, the
Wildcats may be the hottest team in the land, but if you take only one out of three against Georgia -- a school that's been looking forward to spring football since New Year's Day -- there's no way you can be the overall
top seed in the tournament.
Cats' passing their key to success
The Wildcats are the best passing team in the country, South Carolina basketball coach Dave Odom said.
Duke, Kentucky Are Favored to Win NCAA Men's Basketball Title Although Duke and
Kentucky are the early favorites in this year's National Collegiate Athletic Association men's basketball tournament, Las Vegas oddsmakers say there's no consensus choice to win the title.
In Tubby the Cats trust, and vice versa FITCH, BARBOUR ACCEPT SMITH'S JUGGLING ACT -- BECAUSE IT WORKS
Contrary to the cliche, starting does matter. South Carolina Coach Dave Odom saw great significance in Kentucky's lineup juggling at the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
Florida A&M enters tourney with losing record
LEADING SCORER TERRENCE WOODS, AN EX-VOL, QUESTIONABLE FOR LEHIGH BUT DETERMINED TO PLAY A 1-10 start is a bad sign for teams hoping to play in the NCAA Tournament. But even a losing record wasn't
enough to keep Florida A&M out of this post-season.
Tardy fans will have to meet Cats in St. Louis Public tickets are sold out
for the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Columbus, Ohio, but are still available for the regional games in St. Louis, NCAA officials said yesterday.
SEC Champs Are `Dangerous, Experienced And ... Confident' The postgame schedule handed out Sunday morning forbade
the cutting down of nets after the Southeastern Conference Tournament final.
The ladders beneath each basket after No. 8 Kentucky's 89-73 win against Florida suggested Georgia Dome officials had relaxed their rules.
Fitch named MVP; Hayes, Azubuike honored University of Kentucky guard Gerald Fitch
was named the Southeastern Conference Tournament's MVP, while teammates Chuck Hayes and Kelenna Azubuike were named to the all-tournament team.
Kentucky will open against play-in winner Kentucky knows it will open NCAA
Tournament play in Columbus, Ohio, Friday, but the Wildcats still don't know who they will be playing.
Cruisin' Cats After the Kentucky Wildcats finished running over, around,
and through the Florida basketball team Sunday, the Gators insisted they were a team that still had enough character to be a force in the NCAA tournament.
NCAA tickets on sale Tickets are still available for the NCAA Tournament St.
Louis Regional games March 26 and 28 at the Edward Jones Dome.
Field of 65 is set, so let the Madness begin The NCAA Tournament selection committee had an
especially difficult job this year -- and it did a phenomenal job overall in choosing this year's field of 65. The committee rewarded mid-majors for great seasons. Remember, every year deserving teams will be left out.
Here's my take on Selection Sunday ... and let March Madness begin!
Kentucky overpowers Florida for SEC tournament title His team having once again
separated the men from the boys of ol' Florida -- and the other SEC pretenders -- Tubby Smith was asked where he'd care to spend the rest of the month.
'Cats' coach among best in the game The reason Kentucky rules the SEC isn't its tradition or
its fans or even its players. The reason Kentucky rules is that it has the best coach in this league and maybe any league.
Wildcats get top billing
Kentucky enters the tournament with the top overall seed; will begin Friday in Columbus, Ohio, against winner of Lehigh-Florida A&M play-in game
UK gets some help to grab overall No. 1 seed
If there was
any doubt that the University of Kentucky basketball team deserved to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, senior forward Erik Daniels says the Wildcats answered it with an 89-73 victory Sunday against Florida to win the
Southeastern Conference Tournament.
We're at center of hoops universe
We speak today with
reinforced authority. Our city is, after all, the center of the basketball universe, bracketologically speaking.
Cats deliver Hayes-makerForward flirts with
rare triple-double Don't let anyone tell you differently. Close counts in hand grenades, first dates and triple-doubles. Chuck Hayes' flirtation with a triple-double was plenty good enough to power
Kentucky to an 89-73 victory over Florida and another Southeastern Conference Tournament championship yesterday.
Kentucky's Hayes stands tall against Florida The
biggest contribution Chuck Hayes made in Kentucky's 78-63 win over South Carolina in the semifinals on Saturday of the Southeastern Conference Tournament was to tell the coaching staff about which plays might work against
the Gamecocks.
Fitch gets off to fast start as Kentucky rolls It
took just six seconds for Gerald Fitch to get his game going on Sunday in the championship game of the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
Counting down to San AntonioCONFIDENT — BUT NOT
COCKY — CATS NEED 'SIX MORE' FOR TITLE
Anyone. Anywhere. Any time. Kentucky brought that attitude into Selection Sunday. So the particulars -- overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament with an opening-round game on Friday in nearby Columbus, Ohio -- barely
rippled UK's water.
Cats show their talent when it counts OK, OK, we've finally figured this thing
out. It took four months and 30 games and an SEC Tournament Championship, and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament -- No. 1 overall -- but hey, we're slow learners.
Barnhart: Go easy on Walsh Regarding fan treatment of Florida star Matt
Walsh, Kentucky Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart backed up his letter of apology with action yesterday.
(03-14-04)
Basketball
Cats Earn #1 Seed in St. Louis Region
By virtue of their SEC Tournament title, the Kentucky Wildcats earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament beginning later this week. The Cats earned a #1 seed in the St. Louis bracket and will face either Florida A&M or
Lehigh in the first round of the tournament on Friday, March 19.
Wildcats dismantle Florida
Nothing to get excited about. Just
another Southeastern Conference championship.
Final Score- (8) Kentucky 89, Florida 73 Chuck Hayes posted career-highs
with 23 points and eight assists and eighth-ranked Kentucky won the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship with an 89-73 victory over Florida at the Georgia Dome.
SEC CHAMPS, AGAIN Kentucky forward Chuck Hayes flirted with only the second triple-double in school
history yesterday. He also broke long-suffering Florida's heart by leading UK to the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship.
No laugher, but Cats are grinning
The No. 8-ranked Wildcats (25-4) didn't rest easy until they pulled away from South Carolina (23-10) at the end, but even in moments that could have turned tense, UK's players maintained a businesslike approach.
Wildcats proving they are real deal The Southeastern Conference will not present the
championship hardware for its basketball tournament until this afternoon. But I have not found a reason to wait another dribble to make these three statements about the University of Kentucky men's basketball team:
Fitch says not starting 'never did bother me' University of Kentucky guard Gerald
Fitch learned just a few minutes before yesterday's Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinal game against South Carolina that he wouldn't be starting.
Kentucky has a No. 1 seed to lose Stanford was the first to slip, on the very last step. Then St.
Joseph's took a hard fall with a Thursday thud. By Friday night, Mississippi State had joined the out crowd.
Gators face Wildcats in league final The unpredictable Florida Gators are one win away from a Southeastern
Conference championship after destroying Vanderbilt 91-69 in the SEC semifinals Saturday.
All familiar territory for Kentucky They tease opponents with opportunity and taunt them into
believing in the possibility of vulnerability.
Kentucky right at home in SEC final South Carolina coach Dave Odom was trying to explain what
happened to his team in the Southeastern Conference semifinals.
Game offers relief from off-court pain Ruby Fitch does not care about basketball. The fact
that her son happens to be one of the SEC's elite players does not change this.
Gators try to break 'Cats' spell Last Sunday in Lexington, Ky., a beefy male cheerleader
hoisted Ashley Judd and her injured, encasted ankle upon his shoulder. The actress and 'Cats fanatic became the celebrity "Y" in the traditional second-half spelling of K-E-N-T-U-C-K-Y.
Another SEC final for Kentucky There's an inevitability about it all. Kentucky's annual,
inexorable March march leaves carcasses strewn about the Georgia Dome floor. If it's mid-March, much of the SEC is suffering from a seasonal case of the Blues.
Experts believe 'Cats likely to be top seed Readying to play its third game in three
days, Kentucky isn't spending much time worrying about whether it will draw a No. 1 or 2 NCAA Tournament seed. That may be because the difference is indecipherable.
UK able to make all the right moves Tubby Smith and Gerald Fitch stayed behind a moment as Kentucky
broke from its locker room for Saturday's game. The coach had pulled Fitch from the starting lineup, and he readied an explanation for his senior guard.
South Carolina-kentucky Notes Kentucky's defense usually takes center stage in
victories. Co-stars generally are intangibles like experience and a knack for clutch play.
Surmising SeedsGators stand in way of Cats and a No. 1 Stanford was the first to slip, on the very last step. Then St. Joseph's took a hard fall with a Thursday thud. By
Friday night, Mississippi State had joined the out crowd.
Cats got game, now get GatorsFitch comes
off bench to score 24 An interesting thing happened as Gerald Fitch put an exclamation point on Kentucky's 78-63 victory over South Carolina yesterday. He punctuated UK's advancement to today's
Southeastern Conference Tournament finals by dunking ... left-handed.
Crowd control takes center stage Kentucky fan chants directed at Florida's
Matt Walsh last weekend prompted more than an apology from UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart. The taunts further fueled Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive's interest in the issue of crowd control.
UK men's 1,000-point club Erik Daniels yesterday became the 51st Cat to
score 1,000 career points. The club: The top 10 1. Dan Issel 2,138 2. Kenny Walker 2,080
Cats' win a thing of the pass Kentucky's defense usually takes center stage
in victories. Co-stars generally are intangibles like experience and a knack for clutch play.
(03-13-04)
Basketball
Cats Shoot Past South Carolina make it to
Championship Game Fitch came off the bench to score 24 points and Daniels added 21 and the eighth-ranked Wildcats beat South Carolina 78-63 Saturday for a chance to win their 25th Southeastern
Conference tournament title.
Kentucky ends Gamecocks SEC run, 78 - 63 Gerald Fitch and Erik Daniels have Kentucky on the brink of another Southeastern Conference crown. Fitch
scored 24 points and Daniels added 21 as the eighth-ranked Wildcats rolled to a 78-63 victory over South Carolina in the SEC tournament semifinals.
Fitch, Daniels lead Cats to SEC finals Gerald Fitch scored 19 of his game-high 24 points in the
second half, leading eighth-ranked Kentucky to a 78-63 victory over South Carolina in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament at the Georgia Dome.
Hawkins shows 'Cats the way The self-appointed D.O.C. -- Dead on the Catch -- was determined not
to let the Wildcats lose to Georgia for the third time this season.
Wildcats hold off Bulldogs After losing to Georgia twice this year, the eighth-ranked
University of Kentucky Wildcats had heard, seen and read enough reports about their perceived lack of toughness.
Carolina to face Kentucky in the SEC Tournament Semi-Finals Saturday South Carolina, 23-9 and
8-8 in the SEC, defeated Arkansas 91-81 in the First Round and then LSU 84-65 in the Second Round of the SEC Tournament and will now face Kentucky in the semi-finals of the Tournament on Saturday at 1:15 pm. The game will
be televised on Jefferson-Pilot.
Bulldogs performance against Kentucky may help them Some time on Saturday or Sunday, 10 members of
the NCAA tournament selection committee will convene inside a top-floor Indianapolis hotel suite and decide whether to grant an invitation to Georgia or cast the Bulldogs out with the remains of their room-service
breakfasts.
No. 8 Kentucky Edges Past Georgia 69-60
The eighth-ranked Kentucky Wildcats eliminated their nemesis from the Southeastern Conference tournament, getting 23 points from Cliff Hawkins and using a late run to put away Georgia 69-60 Friday.
S. Carolina has score to settle Kentucky was a team possessed Friday, determined to avoid
losing three times to the same team. Now it faces a squad on a similar crusade.
Hawkins' fight guides Wildcats Cliff Hawkins began the game Friday with tissue plugging his
left nostril. The Kentucky senior had bloodied his nose with an accidental pregame punch.
Hawkins helps Cats get revengeUniversity of Kentucky senior
guard Cliff Hawkins stepped into a late-game huddle yesterday and took over.
PRIDE PREVAILSUK avenges two of its
losses Sophomore guard Kelenna Azubuike captured yesterday's third installment of the Kentucky-Georgia basketball drama. "It was a thing of pride," he said.
Dawgs almost hit the trifectaFELTON & CO.
FINALLY FALL BUT FORCE UK TO BRING ITS BEST GAME It was as inevitable as the blue hue that filled the lower bowl of the Georgia Dome. "I knew I couldn't be undefeated against him," Dennis Felton
said, smiling through the cascade of laughter that promptly followed. "I was already bucking the odds, right?"
Goal: Keep Cats close After being routed by Kentucky barely a week earlier,
South Carolina could guess at UK's reaction to a rematch in today's Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals.
Vandy upsets Mississippi St. in OT Mississippi State went to overtime one
too many times. Vanderbilt stunned the fourth-ranked Bulldogs in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament, pulling off a 74-70 upset and most likely denying Mississippi State (25-3) any chance of landing
a top seed in the NCAAs.
(03-12-04)
Basketball
Third Time's a Charm: Hawkins Leads Cats Past
Dawgs Cliff Hawkins scored 23 points and the No. 8 Wildcats took control with a 12-3 run late in the game, beating Georgia 69-60 in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament on
Friday.
Kentucky Avenges Georgia Losses In a late flash, Kentucky's Wildcats finally broke the spell that had
been cast on them this season by the Georgia Bulldogs.
On hardwood, Kentucky finally shines At Kentucky, they used to have this December get together
called the UKIT -- the University of Kentucky Invitational Tournament.
No. 8 Kentucky Edges
Past Georgia 69-60 The eighth-ranked Kentucky Wildcats eliminated their nemesis from the Southeastern Conference tournament, getting 23 points from Cliff
Hawkins and using a late run to put away Georgia 69-60 Friday.
It's Cats vs. Dawgs, Round 3 The Bulldogs, who twice beat UK during the
regular season, thumped Auburn 73-59 yesterday in the first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament, setting up today's quarterfinal matchup against the Wildcats.
Matchup for the agesAFTER TWO LOSSES, UK GETS
REMATCH WITH GEORGIA Round Three of this season's delicious Kentucky-Georgia rivalry continues a matchup made in hoop heaven. Kentucky is relatively small and lacks depth. Ditto Georgia.
Bulldogs don't take tourney play for granted When Georgia declared its team
ineligible for post-season play last year, forward Chris Daniels retreated to the solitude of his Albany, Ga., home.
Beating UK three times isn't easy Only once in the last 84 years has an opponent
beaten Kentucky three times in a season. Yet for all their exceptional quality, Tennessee's three victories over UK in 1979 seem a forgotten footnote in hoop history.
It's Kentucky vs. the SEC SEC basketball is divided
into two parts: There's Kentucky, and there's everybody else. Note the theme of this section: "Is Kentucky Vulnerable?" (And this after a regular season in which the Wildcats weren't the league's overall champ.)
It's shakeout time in SEC About a
millisecond after Sunday's loss at Kentucky, Florida Coach Billy Donovan offered something unexpectedly presidential.
Wildcats Cruise Into CAT-lanta for Postseason
Play After wrapping up regular-season play with a 20-point Senior Day victory over Florida, Kentucky now turns its attention to the postseason and the SEC Tournament in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome
In SEC, it's Cats, Dogs and other 10 Judging by the success of the University of Kentucky and Mississippi State men's basketball teams in the regular season, the Southeastern Conference might as well fast forward to Sunday's tournament championship game
between the top-10 teams.
No. 1 or No. 2? Top seed has its advantages It does matter. The numbers say it
matters. No. 2 might try harder, but it's far better to be No. 1. Mississippi State and Kentucky enter the SEC Tournament, which starts today in Atlanta, possibly competing for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Barnhart apologizes to Gators After hearing fan taunts directed at
Florida player Matt Walsh, Kentucky Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart sent a letter of apology to Gator Coach Billy Donovan.
At Home in the Dome Kentucky is 13-2 all-time
in Georgia Dome, including a 10-2 record in five SEC Tournament appearances.
Wildcats Cruise Into CAT-lanta for Postseason Play
After wrapping up regular-season play with a 20-point Senior Day victory over Florida, Kentucky now turns its attention to the postseason and the SEC Tournament in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome.
Cats free from distractionTHERE'S NO LONG WIN
STREAK TO WORRY ABOUT Kentucky brought a 20-game winning streak and a record of historic achievement into last year's Southeastern Conference Tournament. The Cats had freshly minted only the second unbeaten regular-season league championship
since 1956.
Coaches' All-SEC team First team Player School Pos Ht Cl Kennedy Winston Alabama F
6-6 So. Anthony Roberson Florida G 6-1 So. Erik Daniels Kentucky F 6-8 Sr.
Barnhart apologizes to Gators After hearing fan taunts directed at Florida
player Matt Walsh, Kentucky Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart sent a letter of apology to Gator Coach Billy Donovan.
(03-10-04)
Basketball
Balance UK's strength
Four University of Kentucky players are on the Associated Press all-Southeastern Conference basketball team announced Tuesday, the
most of any team.
All-Southeastern Conference team
The Associated Press All-Southeastern Conference men's basketball team released Tuesday, with name, school, position, height and
class:
Wildcats dominate All-SEC team despite exclusion
from first team Even though his team did not have a player named to the Associated Press all-Southeastern Conference first team, Kentucky coach Tubby Smith had no complaints because four of his
starters were named to the second and third teams.
Sprained finger, a twist of fate
FITCH INJURY SPARKS BARBOUR, ADDS SIXTH-MAN DIMENSION Among the many factors to cite in explaining Kentucky's late-season charge is this: the fickle finger of fate. To be exact, the index finger
on Gerald Fitch's right hand. When he sprained it at Florida on Feb. 3, the cosmic tumblers began clicking into place. Angst-ridden as a reserve, Antwain Barbour became relatively more relaxed and productive as a starter.
And when Fitch returned, he became the long-desired weapon off the bench.
In trying first season, DeMoss learned to
value small victoriesFOR UK WOMEN'S COACH, PATIENCE KEY VIRTUE Kentucky Coach Mickie DeMoss used to reprimand former boss Pat Summitt for her lack of patience. But DeMoss found herself
turning to the Tennessee head coach for advice many times during her first season at UK.
Cats absent from All-SEC first team
Though prominent in the regular-season race, Kentucky was non-existent on The Associated Press All-Southeastern Conference first team.
Kentucky Offense Continues to Surge With 18-6 Beating of Western Kentucky The Kentucky offense enjoyed another big day, scoring 18 runs on 16 hits in an 18-6 win over the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
on Wed. in Bowling Green. Caleb Stewart and Jesse Barber both continued their hot hitting, racking up three hits and three RBI a piece, while Mike Breyman posted a three-hit afternoon as well, including a grand slam home
run.
(03-09-04)
Basketball
Wild ride ahead as MSU, Kentucky teams to beat The 2004 SEC Men's Basketball
Tournament opens Thursday in Atlanta with familiar favorites Mississippi State and Kentucky the obvious teams to beat.
Georgia Dome not built for basketball League coaches are taking several different approaches to help their
teams adjust to some of the shooting difficulties that might come with playing basketball in a dome built primarily for football.
State, Kentucky appear primed for SEC tourney showdown The sweat was barely dry from Mississippi State's
miraculous 82-81 overtime victory at Alabama last Saturday when the Bulldogs started fielding questions about this week's Southeastern Conference Tournament.
UK rooting for rematch with Georgia Despite getting whipped physically
and on the scoreboard twice in the regular season, Kentucky wants to play Georgia on Friday in the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
Experienced Cats play like No. 1 With 18:36 remaining in the second half, Florida sophomore guard Anthony
Roberson nailed a 3-pointer to cut the UK lead to 35-29.
Second season at hand Since the SEC renewed its conference tournament in 1979, no one has
dominated the event like Kentucky.
Cats Looking Forward to SEC Tournament
Head Coach Tubby Smith and selected players spoke to the media Tuesday about the upcoming SEC Tournament. Click to read their press conference quotes.
Wildcats Land Four Players on Associated Press All-SEC Teams
Four Kentucky players were honored Tuesday as The Associated Press released its 2004 All-Southeastern Conference teams. Gerald Fitch and Erik Daniels were named to the second team, while Chuck Hayes and Cliff Hawkins were
honored on the third team. Daniels and Fitch were also named All-District 4 by United States Basketball Writers Association
SEC may land two No. 1s in NCAAs
For a few weeks now,
Mississippi State head coach Rick Stansbury has listened and read discussions about whether his No. 4 Bulldogs (25-2, 14-2 Southeastern Conference) or No. 8 University of Kentucky (23-4, 13-3) should get a No. 1 seed in the
NCAA Tournament.
Smith- Tournament a momentum builder A necessity for teams looking to improve their chances for
an at-large NCAA tournament bid, the SEC tournament presents a risk for those whose postseason destiny appears set.
SEC hoping for seven teams in NCAA When the familiar face of former Arkansas-Little
Rock basketball coach Wimp Sanderson appeared, it was enough to halt the steady tapping on the down arrow of the remote.
UK's Daniels- Bring on Georgia
It took several minutes
and several questions, but Erik Daniels finally conceded what is only natural.
Hayes' 'nice line' helps Cats win He's not a senior, but junior Chuck Hayes had
as much to do with Kentucky's Senior Day win as any of his older teammates.
Bearcats, Wildcats pad resumes Cincinnati and Kentucky are in. For them, this week's conference
tournaments can only enhance - or hurt - their NCAA Tournament seeds.
love is the answerCats have no size, no star,
but they have togetherness It had one of those year-end party feels, with tunes and tears and dunks all around. Celebrate, celebrate, dunk to the music. Florida had headbands. Kentucky had the hoops
-- Senior Day, and otherwise.
UK STAGES SENIOR CLASSIC SENIOR MISSION ACCOMPLISHED Kentucky being Kentucky, the
standard for judging Senior Day fulfillment is sky high. Yet this 39th victory in UK's last 40 home finales seemed as well done as Charlize Theron on the Oscar red carpet.
Foul plays are major culprit in UF defeat
For those seeking indication of just how delicate the Florida Gators' fortunes have become, Sunday delivered the season's most striking gauge.
BLUEGRASS BLOWOUT The book hasn’t changed. For all the talk of being
more physical, for all the weights lifted during the offseason, Florida was exposed as the same team it was when last season ended
Walsh stars in role of villain again Gerald Fitch got in his face. Josh Carrier --
Josh Carrier? -- shoved him out of bounds. The crowd questioned his sexuality and lustily booed each time he touched the ball.
Cats are too tough to handle The No. 9-ranked Wildcats saved the
sentimentality until after they had manhandled Florida at Rupp Arena in an overwhelming 82-62 win.
Florida no longer in UK's league Applications are currently being accepted at
Southeastern Conference headquarters for a new Marquee Rivalry.
Former Apollo, UK star adjusting to ex-athlete image Four years removed
from his basketball playing days, Rex is finding not being identified as an athlete anymore "a tough pill to swallow," but he's making the best of it as a scout for the Phoenix Suns.
(03-07-04)
Basketball
No. 9 Kentucky 82, Florida 62 Just in time for the postseason, Kentucky is
making more 3-point shots and routing opponents.
Kentucky 82 Florida 62 Back in the starting lineup, Gerald Fitch gave a strong farewell performance at Rupp
Arena.
Seniors Go Out in Style With Rout of Florida
Gerald Fitch scored 21 points and Erik Daniels added 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists to lead No. 9 Kentucky past Florida 82-62 on Sunday.
Streaming Video of Senior Day Tribute For those of you not attending the game today, WKYTV has made
available a streming video presentation of the senior tribute.
Kentucky vs. Florida Post-Game QuotesKentucky Head Coach Tubby Smith Opening
statement....“It was a good way to finish the season. I am so happy for our seniors that they could go out as winners, as people and as players. Obviously we have a great group of fans that always show their support. I know
the players appreciate that. We showed our appreciation by staying out there and singing our alma mater; I thought that was a good thing on our players’ part. A good all-around game, good balance; obviously we dominated the
boards, which is a great key for us. I thought our assists were good. I thought our turnovers were too high. They gave us problems in the zone. We weren’t making shots in the first half, I think we were only 4-for-18 for
threes, and we just decided to settle for the outside shot. We needed to find a way to get it inside to Chuck, and kind of open up some things on the outside. We had good energy coming back at the beginning if the second
half, and that’s so important.”
These Cats love wrestlin' GatorsUniversity of Kentucky
forward Chuck Hayes has a videotape that he watches every time he goes home.
If it's UF-UK, it has to mean something You
could call it the big rematch or Florida's second chance at redemption, but quite frankly there's no need to overhype this one.
Florida adds fuel to UK players Kentucky forward Chuck Hayes has a good reason why he routinely
watches the game film of last season's Florida game in Lexington - the memories are positive.
senior day high-five hereCats quintet won,
matured through some tough times
Today's honorees at Kentucky's Senior Day have been on teams that won two Southeastern Conference regular-season championships, two SEC Tournament titles and four Eastern Division crowns. The victory at South Carolina on
Wednesday was No. 100 for these seniors.
Cats in Gators' heads?Five straight wins over
Florida offer evidence Although the chance for a 43rd league championship slipped away yesterday, Kentucky still has some routine business to attend to today: Beating Florida.
Seniors surpassed analysts' expectations
Two days before the 1999 November signing period began, Cliff Hawkins unburdened his mind in the office of Oak Hill Academy Coach Steve Smith.
Barbour hitting stride in college homestretch The problem with an ultra-tight
close-up is that it can obscure the big picture. If you look at the two-year University of Kentucky basketball career of Antwain Barbour only through a basketball-sized prism, it's tempting to turn Churchill-ian (as in
Winston).
FITCH, GARCIA MAKE FINALIST CUT FOR WOODEN AWARD Kentucky's Gerald Fitch and
Louisville's Francisco Garcia are among 20 finalists for the John R. Wooden Award as college basketball's player of the year.
Daniels puts unorthodox stamp on his UK career He introduced Kentucky basketball
to fur hats, the motor scooter, an afro-or-corn rows debate and a head-to-foot lime green outfit. The latter, one observer noted, made him look like a Skittle.
In the end, Heissenbuttel happy to have stayed home One question accompanied Matt
Heissenbuttel throughout his four Kentucky seasons: Would he be happier playing, perhaps starring, at a more modest level rather than sitting at UK?
Once 'a challenge,' Fitch now prized asset Gerald Fitch is unique, even in the
storied annals of Kentucky basketball, where diverse personalities have passed through that Senior Day hoop. Gerald Fitch has stepped into the dark side, and come out the other side.
Baseball
UK SPORTSBat Cats rally in ninth, then split with Wright State. Kentucky and Wright State split a doubleheader yesterday
at Cliff Hagan Stadium. The Wildcats won the first game 7-6, and the Raiders took the nightcap 7-4.
Florida finds harmony after free fallSINCE
DREJER'S DEPARTURE, GATORS DISCOVERING SENSE OF TEAM Florida at Kentucky When: Noon TV: CBS-27 March 11-14 in Atlanta After Christian Drejer abandoned Florida three weeks ago, Anthony Roberson wrote
the phrase "We All We Got" on his sneakers.
An assist for the home teamWhen Gerald Fitch plays his
final home game tomorrow against Florida, the Rupp Arena video screen will flash highlights of the cold-blooded clutch shooting and the slashing drives that have made him one of the school's top 30 scorers.
Kentucky vs. Florida UK coach Tubby Smith said he plans to start all five seniors in honor of senior
day. The five seniors, excluding junior-college transfer Antwain Barbour, have a 100-28 record thus far. Barbour of Elizabethtown, Ky., and walk-on Matt Heissenbuttel, of Lexington, Ky., are the only two seniors from
Kentucky. -- UK is 2-0 against Florida on senior day. -- The Wildcats have won 48 of their last 53 games. -- In its last five games, UK has outrebounded every opponent.
'Cats to wrestle Gators Three days ago, the University of Kentucky men's basketball team zapped the
joy out of the University of South Carolina's senior-day festivities by playing one of its best games of the season.
Wildcats are peaking as tourney time nears Every college basketball
team tries to hit its stride at the end of the season, and the University of Kentucky's players think they're going into March in a full gallop.
Wildcats' SEC Fate Undecided as Florida Visits on Senior Day
Kentucky enters the final regular season weekend aiming for its 43rd Southeastern Conference title. A Mississippi State loss at Alabama Saturday, coupled with a UK win over Florida, would give the Wildcats a share of the
2004 league crown.
Men's Basketball Press Conference Quotes - Florida Pre-GameHead Coach Tubby Smith On Senior
Day… “Senior day is always a special time here at Kentucky. I think it is the most seniors we’ve had since I’ve been here. They have been a part of an excellent four years of basketball. I think they can leave here knowing
they’ve contributed a lot to the success of Kentucky basketball during their four years. We’ve been trying to emphasize to them that they need to limit their distractions and focus on the game. We know they have a lot of
relatives, but most of them have had relatives come to most of our games over the years. I don’t think it will be as much of a distraction to them as much as it is to someone who doesn’t have their parents here on a regular
basis.”
Fitch wants to be remembered for title While he knows Senior Day will be
emotional for him and his teammates, Gerald Fitch really isn't ready to focus on the end of his career at the University of Kentucky.
Wildcats on roll headed into postseason
Several factors made
Cliff Hawkins uneasy about the University of Kentucky's game at South Carolina on Wednesday night.
Senior Day closes another chapter for Barbour
Barring a national championship celebration, Antwain Barbour will step on the Rupp Arena floor for the final time on Sunday for Senior Day at Kentucky.
SEC suddenly a 2-team showCATS, BULLDOGS
DECLARED TOURNAMENT CO-FAVORITES The standings say Mississippi State and Kentucky should be favorites to win next week's Southeastern Conference Tournament. The league coaches say so, too.
Cats make early exit Going into the Southeastern Conference Tournament,
Kentucky Coach Mickie DeMoss said her team would have to turn in one of its best performances to have a chance against Vanderbilt.
Finishing with a bang Before you look ahead to next week's SEC Tournament,
don't look past the end of the regular season.
Gators ready for Wildcats It has been a reversal of fortune for the UF men’s basketball
team, but on Sunday at noon Kentucky will have a lot to say about the re-emergence of the Gators and how far they’ve really come.
Cold Shooting Dooms UK in SEC Tournament Opener
Abi Ramsey scored 14 points, and No. 21 Vanderbilt downed Kentucky 60-41 Thursday night in the opening round of the Southeastern Conference tournament.
Hawkins finds his shot, lifts UK University of Kentucky guard Cliff
Hawkins set career highs with five three-pointers and 21 points to lead the Wildcats to an 84-65 win at South Carolina last night.
Hawkins directs Wildcat romp
The wise University of South
Carolina fans left with a little more than 10 minutes remaining in the game.
Cats match Bulldogs' overwhelming win
This is apparently our Cats' close-out-the-season mantra: Anything they can do, we can do better. So fifth-ranked and SEC West champ Mississippi State played like a monster on Tuesday night, rolling over visiting Auburn
105-91 in Starkville.
Cats spoil the party South Carolina had Senior Night. Kentucky had Ashley Judd.
And Cliff Hawkins. What a mismatch. With their No. 1 celebrity fan and Broadway/Hollywood star in attendance for the first time this season, and No. 1 on the floor playing as well as he has all season (if not his career),
Kentucky buried host South Carolina 84-65 last night before the largest crowd (18,000) ever to see a college basketball game in the state of South Carolina.
Cats' top scorer makes All-SEC second team The new coaching staff came in and
issued some serious challenges to individual players. Sara Potts likes a good challenge. The junior has led Kentucky in scoring in 13 games this season, including nine of the last 12 and has posted double figures in all but
two games this season.
(03-03-04)
Basketball
Cats Sprint Past Gamecocks 84-65Cliff Hawkins scored a career-high 21 points and tied his personal best with 11 assists to lead No. 9 Kentucky to an 84-65 victory over South Carolina on Wednesday night.
UK is most versatile team in SEC Dave Odom knows the knock on No. 9 Kentucky is
that it cannot play physical basketball. However, the South Carolina coach thinks that is the wrong perception.
Brown ready to fill in for Howell Kerbrell Brown arrived at South
Carolina as a spare part, a player the Gamecocks scrambled to recruit late after an SEC rule prevented Tim Pickett from enrolling.
Time to elevate their game
At practice Monday, University
of Kentucky basketball coach Tubby Smith noticed that several of his seniors were a bit more vocal in firing up their teammates.
High I.Q. shows in Cats' playExperience enables UK to
solve opposition His defender, a freshman, aggressively followed him toward the three-point line on the last possession. So Antwain Barbour faked toward the arc, cut backdoor to the basket and scored
on a three-point play.
Kentucky at South Carolina When: 8 Records: UK 21-4, 11-3 SEC; South Carolina,
21-7, 8-6 Series: UK leads 32-5 Last meeting: UK won 65-64 in Rupp Arena on Feb. 7
Smith: Big man's loss not a big loss For a second straight game, Kentucky faces an
opponent reeling from the abrupt loss of its best big man. South Carolina lost power forward Rolando Howell last weekend when he broke his left wrist against Georgia.
Cats improvise when necessary By this time in the college basketball
season, teams harbor few secrets. Opponents know the offensive plays about as well as the team running them. Adjustments are a must, often right in the middle of a play.
Baseball
Cats Give Up Five in the Ninth, Lose to East Tennessee State, 12-7
East Tennessee State scored five runs in the top of the ninth inning to beat Kentucky, 12-7, on Wed. at Cliff Hagan Stadium. Kentucky had fought from behind to tie the game at 7-7 going into the last frame, but could not hold on to the lead as the Wildcats fell to 7-3 on the season.
(03-02-04)
Basketball
SEC East Champion Wildcats Face Tough
Gamecocks With its fifth-straight SEC Eastern Division title assured, ninth-ranked Kentucky (21-4, 11-3 SEC) travels to Columbia, S.C., for its final regular-season road game against South Carolina
(21-7, 8-6 SEC). Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Wednesday and the game till be televised by JP Sports.
Men's Basketball Press Conference - South Carolina Pre-GameHead Coach Tubby Smith “As we get ready
to play South Carolina we are trying to make sure our guys are staying healthy. Erik (Daniels) has been our biggest concern of late with his groin pull, but he is getting treatment. We didn’t let him practice yesterday, so
he should be fine. South Carolina had a good win over a good Georgia team who has beaten us twice, so we need to play one of our better games. South Carolina’s quickness and athleticism gives everyone problems. Rolando
Howell had been playing well and they have a lot of weapons. They have a lot of different people who can beat you different ways even without Rolando. Looking at their roster, we know very well how they can shoot the ball,
get on a roll and create a lot of problems. John Chappell plays pretty well, although he hasn’t played much. He is their leading field goal shooter and I’m sure they’ll be looking for him to give them a lot of interior size
and bulk. He was impressive in the second half against Georgia.”
Cats Prepare For SEC Tournament The Kentucky
women’s basketball team received the No. 11 seed and is preparing to square off with sixth-seeded Vanderbilt in Thursday’s first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament. Game time is slated for 9:30 p.m. ET at the
Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tenn. The game will be carried live on Fox Sports Net South and WLXG Sports Radio 1300 with Chris Cross.
Barbour has no regrets
If the boos have soured him on
University of Kentucky basketball fans, if their once crude and insulting remarks -- ones he diplomatically keeps to himself -- have battered his psyche, Antwain Barbour is too classy to lash out.
Designers selected for practice facility
The University of Kentucky Athletics Department is moving forward on two major projects. Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said at the UK Athletics Association board meeting yesterday that the new basketball practice
facility, to be built next to Memorial Coliseum, is in the design phase.
Gamecocks Host Kentucky in Sold-Out The Colonial Center South Carolina, 21-7 and 8-6 in the
SEC, will host Kentucky in the last regular season game of the year at the Colonial Center on Wednesday, March 3 at 8:07 pm. The game will be televised on Jefferson-Pilot. The first meeting between the two schools resulted
in a 65-64 win by Kentucky with USC missing a last second shot for the win.
Baseball
Kentucky to Play Host to East Tennessee State
The Kentucky baseball
team will play host to East Tennessee State on Wednesday afternoon at Cliff Hagan Stadium. The Wildcats enter the contest on a four-game winning streak, including a sweep of last weekend’s Service Academy Tournament in Millington, Tenn
UK clinches SEC East, but has bigger fish to fry
Five
games ago, University of Kentucky head coach Tubby Smith was disappointed in his team's toughness after getting beaten and beaten up by Georgia for the second time this season.
Tubby puts trust in Hawkins It's hard to pick just
one thing that Kentucky senior guard Cliff Hawkins does best.
Fitch provides Cats with finishing touch
The victory clinched the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division title, marking the 11th time in 14 seasons the Cats (21-4, 11-3) have won the East since the league went to the divisional format.
Nobody 'just wins' quite like Wildcats The temptation is to look at the
University of Kentucky's 70-64 escape against Louisiana State yesterday and arch an eyebrow. Shouldn't the Wildcats have beaten a team playing without its star center, powerful Jaime Lloreda, more easily than that?
Big Blue defies old Brown magic LSU specifically picked yesterday's Kentucky game
to honor Dale Brown, its winningest coach and a purple-and-gold patron saint for lost causes. During his 25-year coaching career, Brown shamelessly tried every psychological trick, often against UK, to pull off an
improbable victory.
sec's new sixth man stunningCats' Fitch looks
super as sub The bottom line in yesterday's Kentucky-LSU battle inside the Deaf Dome involved dressing for success. Kentucky's best player was in blue shorts. LSU's best player was in blue jeans.
Finesse fine-tunes defense If Kentucky's defense was a baseball pitcher, it would
not be an overpowering fastballer. It would be a crafty junkballer who gets batters out by changing speeds and precise location.
Georgia repels Wildcats' rally, 73-62
When it looked like Kentucky might overtake No. 19 Georgia, the Lady Dogs turned to an old warrior. For six minutes of the second half, it was like old times for oft-injured Ebony Felder.
No. 19 Georgia tops UK, 73-62
Sherill Baker scored 19 points, but it was Ebony Felder's spark that helped host Georgia fight off a UK comeback for a 73-62 victory yesterday.
Baseball
Kentucky Beats Memphis, 2-1, in 12 Innings; Finishes Sweep of Service Academy Tournament
Kentucky’s pitching tandem of Kalen Gibson and Matt Scott combined to hold Memphis to one run, scattering 11 hits, as the Wildcats defeated the Tigers, 2-1, in 12 innings on Sunday. The win gave Kentucky the championship of the 16th Service Academy Tournament and moved the
Wildcats to 7-2 on the season.
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