UK falls flat in second half against Vols
Tennessee did all it could do Saturday, but it probably wasn't enough to land the Volunteers in the Southeastern Conference title game.
The University of Kentucky's football players, especially the seniors, thought this Tennessee game might be
Abney gets historic yard, finishes game in cast By the second half of the University of Kentucky's 20-7 season-ending loss to Tennessee yesterday, Derek Abney had a
walking cast on his injured left foot and gingerly made his way along the sideline.
Things could get even more frustrating for UK There were about 14 minutes to play in your basic University of Kentucky football loss to Tennessee, and it had long been apparent
the Wildcats were not going to score another touchdown until Sept.4, 2004.
Basketball
Kentucky Thunders into Queen City Kentucky will travel north to Cincinnati on Monday for its annual neutral-site
game at U.S. Bank Arena. The Cats take on the Marshall Thundering Herd, in their first year under head coach Ron Jirsa, a former Tubby Smith assistant at Tulsa and Georgia.
UK Women Fall To San Francisco in Odwalla Classic Championship Senior center SeSe Helm charted her 10th career and second season
double-double, with 23 points and 10 rebounds but it wouldn't be enough as the Kentucky women's basketball team fell to host San Francisco 67-59 in the championship game of the Odwalla Classic Championship on Saturday night.
Vol's Dominating D Overcomes Cats
Kentucky senior Derek Abney returned a first-quarter punt 33 yards, making him the first player in NCAA Division I-A history to record at least 2,000 receiving yards, 2,000 kickoff return yards and 1,000 punt return yards in his career.
Kentucky vs. Tennessee Post-Game QuotesHead Coach Rich Brooks On injuries… “It was a tough game for us. Physically, we were in the worst shape we’ve been in
going into a game, with Antonio (Hall) being out already and (Derek) Abney really playing on guts alone.
For the final time in 2003, the University of Kentucky's football players gathered tightly in the middle of the practice field Thursday and shouted, "Beat Tennessee." It's a post-practice ritual for the Wildcats, who substitute the name of the opponent each week.
Joe Crawford attends UK-Tenn Tech game Among those in attendance last night was high school recruit Joe Crawford. Crawford, who took his official visit to UK during
Midnight Madness weekend in October, sat with his parents and two brothers in the front row behind one of the baskets.
Fitch fixes shot and scores 36 Gerald Fitch was so disgusted with his shot in the University of Kentucky's season-opening game against Winthrop, his only explanation was
that it was "broke."
BARBOUR STRUGGLES IN HIS DEBUT
Although Kentucky never trailed, and won by 27 points, the victory over Tennessee Tech last night was not without an anxious moment.
Wildcats ride hot shooting past Dukes
SeSe Helm tied a career high with 26 points and freshman Angela Phillips added a career-high 19 to lead the Kentucky women's basketball team past Duquesne 90-83 in the first round of the Odwalla Classic in San Francisco yesterday.
His NFL stock likely would rise if the pounds dropped Despite a rocket left arm and gaudy statistics, Lorenzen's professional football future, which will come into
focus after his final game tomorrow against Tennessee, remains more of a curiosity than a sure-fire thing.
Lorenzen says he will play for Morriss in all-star game
University of Kentucky quarterback Jared Lorenzen said he plans on playing in the Blue Gray All-Star Classic on Christmas Day in Troy, Ala., even though he has expressed reservations about playing for his former coaches again.
Basketball
Fitch's 36 Points Propel Cats Past Tennessee Tech Gerald Fitch poured in a career-high 36 points and
Kentucky's starters fueled a 26-4 run to lead the 10th-ranked Cats past Tennessee Tech 108-81 Friday night.
Kentucky Takes First Game of Odwalla Classic SeSe Helm tied a career-high 26 points and freshman Angela
Phillips added a career-high 19 points to lead the Kentucky women’s basketball team over Duquesne 90-83 in the first round of the odwalla Classic in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday
Sutton Brings Tennessee Tech to Take on Cats Kentucky will look for its first 2-0 start since the 1999-00
season as former UK assistant Mike Sutton brings his Tennessee Tech squad to Lexington on Friday for a post-Turkey Day battle in Rupp Arena.
Barbour's last chance to sparkle starts now As University of Kentucky guard Cliff Hawkins walked to the locker room after last Friday's
season-opening basketball victory over Winthrop, Antwain Barbour skipped up beside him.
'Cats unhappy with 24 turnovers Following Kentucky's victory against Winthrop last Friday, Wildcats head coach Tubby Smith popped in a
video tape and had each of his players study how the team racked up 24 turnovers, two more than the most they had last season.
UK will face mirror image Kentucky forward Chuck Hayes said the Wildcats' matchup with Tennessee Tech today will bear an eerie resemblance to a typical practice.
Tech coach was with 'Cats For 40 minutes, Tennessee Tech head coach Mike Sutton will be the enemy and he
knows it.
Careless Cats look to reduce turnovers AFTER 24 MISCUES IN OPENER, UK TO TAKE TECH SERIOUSLY Kentucky's 24 turnovers against Winthrop were more than a UK team has committed in almost three years and the fourth-highest total in Tubby Smith's seven seasons as coach.
Wildcats invited to All-Star game
Four Kentucky players have been invited to play for their former coach, Guy Morriss, in the Blue-Gray All-Star Football Classic on Christmas Day.
Big Kat wishing for a big day against Vols It would almost be too good of a story if it were true, but Kentucky guard Sylvester "Big Kat" Miller didn't receive his nickname while
playing football for the Wildcats.
Wildcat finds calling at center Nick Seitze has played a little bit of everything during his football career - defensive tackle, guard, linebacker, tight end, defensive end,
fullback, offensive tackle and even a little quarterback.
You can always lend a helping hand' You can find Kentucky Wildcats sophomore Antoine Huffman on the football field at cornerback and nickelback. But that's just on the football field.
Basketball
UK Women Travel To San Francisco Tournament The Cats will spend the Thanksgiving Holiday in the City By The
Bay when they battle Atlantic 10 opponent Duquesne in the first round of the odwalla Classic on Nov. 28 at 9 p.m. ET.
Tech's Sutton faces his mentor's Cats
Tennessee Tech, a mid-major basketball program with NCAA Tournament hopes, needed a game against a high-caliber opponent, so coach Mike Sutton lobbed a request to his old boss Tubby Smith. As a result, Tech will visit the University of Kentucky tomorrow night in Lexington's Rupp Arena.
Brooks: UK win would offset negative press
While a win over Tennessee wouldn't necessarily help Kentucky's recruiting, UK coach Rich Brooks knows it would do one thing.
Vincent "Sweet Pea" Burns Chosen All-SEC by Atlanta Journal-Constitution ... Antoine Huffman Featured on ESPN.com ... UK Superfan Jim Brown Featured on History Channel ... Montgomery Gentry to Sing National Anthem ... more
Kentucky Wildcats ReportBrooks disappointed with season University of Kentucky coach Rich Brooks called himself his toughest critic, but he couldn't
resist taking a jab at those who have covered the Wildcats this season.
Tennessee vs. Kentucky preview As long as Jared Lorenzen has lit up Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Ky., his Wildcats have simply been unable to win a huge game against a big-name SEC opponent.
Time after time after time, J-Lo has been left at the altar by—no, not Ben Affleck; wrong J-Lo—cruel twists of fate and ill-timed mistakes.
Tippy-toeing irks Vols' McCorvey Instead of "Pounding the Rock," Tennessee's running backs have been getting pounded in the past two games.
Barbour returns Friday Tubby Smith knows that senior Antwain Barbour is anxious to play after missing Kentucky's two exhibition games and first regular season game
because of a team suspension.
UK's rebirth not without growing pains NORTH CAROLINA SHOWS WHAT KENTUCKY'S FUTURE MIGHT BE LIKE WITH DEMOSS There will be nights like this. Nights when the first 14 shots miss. Nights when nine are blocked. Nights when one minute they are hanging, down three to a superior team,
and in two blinks of an eye, they are down 18.
Kentucky vs. North Carolina Post-Game QuotesHead Coach Mickie DeMoss On the loss… “We shot the
ball miserably tonight, that was no secret. We played a very, very good and athletic North Carolina team. We just didn’t come out and put shots down early. That shook our confidence a bit on the offensive end. We did some good things tonight. We focused on the rebounding because they had been killing
everyone on the boards. They only out-rebounded us by one.
Barbour welcomed back It has been almost eight months since University of Kentucky senior Antwain Barbour played in an actual game
for the Wildcats.
Wildcats welcome softer scheduleUK coach Tubby Smith has nothing against tipping off the season in Hawaii, but he prefers the Wildcats' schedule this
season — even if there is a chance of snow on Friday, when they play host to Tennessee Tech
Kentucky Football Notebook
Unclaimed tickets from the UK student allotment for the Tennessee game are now available to the general public ... Senior wide receiver/kick returner Derek Abney going for milestone Saturday ... Burress, VanSickel named game captains for the Tennessee game.
Lorenzen helped create opportunities for others He's set school and conference passing records, become nationally known almost as much for his weight as his playing ability,
and been part of two quarterback controversies during his career at Kentucky.
Cats Prepare for Tennessee Tech Kentucky will look for its first 2-0 start since the 1999-00 season as former
UK assistant Mike Sutton brings his Tennessee Tech squad to Lexington on Friday for a post-Turkey Day battle in Rupp Arena.
Seniors Get One Last Shot at Tennessee
The 2003 Kentucky football season will come to a close on Saturday afternoon at Commonwealth Stadium when the Wildcats take on Tennessee at 12:30 p.m. Kentucky will honor 16 seniors in pre-game Senior Day festivities.
Vols worry Brooks Kentucky coach Rich Brooks didn't like what he saw when he watched game tape Sunday.
Speed is UK's No. 1 weapon If you're looking for a tool to gauge the potential of this season's University of Kentucky Wildcats, you would do
better with a stopwatch than a measuring tape. This will be a small team, perhaps uncomfortably so. But it will move quickly and assertively enough that size might not become a huge issue.
Basketball
UK Women Play Host To No. 13 North Carolina At Rupp Arena The Kentucky women's basketball
team will play host to No. 14/13 North Carolina on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. in Rupp Arena. Tickets are available at ukathletics.com or by calling the UK ticket office at 859-257-1818 or 800-928-CATS. Tickets are $5 for adults, $2 for senior citizens and children ages 18 and under. UK students,
faculty and staff are admitted free with valid ID.
SeSe Helm Named SEC Player of the Week Senior center SeSe Helm was named the Southeastern Conference Player of
the Week for her back-to-back 20-point performances and a combined 19 rebounds in Kentucky's first two games.
UK women top Northwestern 67-60 The University of Kentucky women's basketball team overcame a 13-point first-half deficit to defeat visiting
Northwestern 67-60 yesterday.
Stockton, Moss earn more playing time Ravi Moss and Brandon Stockton have been working hard, and payday finally came Friday night. They surely
hope it isn't the last one.
UK tricks fail to stop Georgia
Billy Bennett kicked three field goals to become the Southeastern Conference's all-time scoring leader and David Greene threw for 289 yards to lead No. 6 Georgia past Kentucky 30-10 Saturday.
Lorenzen's day begins with sick feeling
For a guy who's had plenty of success against Georgia, Jared Lorenzen's final road trip to Athens couldn't have gotten off to a worse start.
Basketball
Kentucky vs. Northwestern Post-Game Quotes Coach Mickie DeMoss “I thought we really fought hard after we got down 13 (points). We didn’t
fold, we fought hard and came back. We made a good run at them and extended the lead in the second half. I don’t know if we got a little relaxed, but that team did not go away. We made some mistakes defensively and put them at the line too much at the end. Overall, I was proud of what we did and how we
fought back. We found a way to win. I’m not sure that our wins are going to be real pretty, but I’ll take them. I’m real happy for this team.”
Kentucky Wins the Battle of the Wildcats The University of Kentucky women’s basketball
team overcame a 13-point deficit in the first half to defeat Big 10 opponent Northwestern, 67-60, Sunday in Memorial Coliseum. With their second win in three days, the Cats move to 2-0 on the season.
Dawgs Take a Bite Out of Cats
Billy Bennett kicked three field goals to become the Southeastern Conference's all-time scoring leader and David Greene threw for 289 yards to lead No. 6 Georgia past Kentucky 30-10 Saturday.
University of Kentucky quarterback Jared Lorenzen is listed at 260 pounds but probably is heavier. And with a helmet that appears too small and his shirttail often flapping in the breeze, he's not taken all that seriously at times.
Bulldogs will put bite on Kentucky For some strange reason, Kentucky's football team usually gives Georgia fits. The Wildcats normally don't win, but they have scared the Bulldogs
enough to last a lifetime.
Bulldogs focused on beating Kentucky The last time will feel like old times at Georgia's Sanford Stadium today. Vince Dooley will be there. So will
Herschel Walker.
Moore-Losing upsets players Ellery Moore knows University of Kentucky football fans are not happy with how the Wildcats played in last week's loss at Vanderbilt.
The University of Kentucky football team's final two games could propel the Wildcats into the off-season filled with optimism or send them home with the holiday blues.
Wildcats win with tough defense The University of Kentucky men's basketball team will have a week to watch
film and evaluate what it needs to work on before its next game.
Defense carries Wildcats to win The coach knew what to expect. So in an attempt to simulate Kentucky's defensive pressure, Winthrop coach Gregg Marshall asked
his offense to practice against six defenders prior to Friday's game against the No. 10-ranked Wildcats.
Azubuike credits faith for strength When sophomore guard Kelenna makes his first career start tonight against Winthrop, he’ll put away a summer of distraction.
Cats stifle Winthrop 65-44The University of Kentucky men's basketball team opened the 2003-04 season the way it
played most of last season.
Helm's 20 propel UK to opening win, 79-59 Senior center SeSe Helm had 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead the University of Kentucky women's
basketball team to a 79-59 victory over Indiana-Purdue at Fort Wayne in the season opener for both last night in Memorial Coliseum.
Burress earns back UK starting job
Leonard Burress thought the most painful chapter of his University of Kentucky football career ended last year. But the hernia turned out to be nothing compared with what Burress faced this season.
Wildcats' Miller ready for homestretch
It would almost be too good of a story if it were true, but Kentucky guard Sylvester "Big Kat" Miller didn't receive his nickname while playing football for the Wildcats.
Wildcats Whip Winthrop 65-44 Erik Daniels scored 15 points and No. 10 Kentucky opened the second half with a 16-3 run for a 65-44
victory over Winthrop on Friday in the season opener for both teams
Kentucky vs. Winthrop Post-Game QuotesHead Coach Tubby Smith “I want to compliment Winthrop because I was very impressed with their tenaciousness, their
toughness and aggressiveness. They are going to win a lot of games. I have always been impressed with Greg Marshall’s teams. They execute extremely well at both ends. We have an athletic team and an experienced team, and if we don’t come up with a great defensive effort tonight, they come away with a
win.”
Lady Cats Defeat IPFW In Season-Opener Senior center SeSe Helm earned her ninth career
double-double and helped Mickie DeMoss earn her first win as the head coach at Kentucky as the Wildcats downed IPFW, 79-59, on Friday in Memorial Coliseum.
Kentucky vs. IPFW Post-Game Quotes
UK Head Coach Mickie DeMoss
"I thought we executed well at times. We got some really good looks at the basket, but we didn't knock down some of our shots that I think we're capable of making. We played hard and forced them into a few turnovers, especially in the first half. I was real proud of the way we played. I
thought we played hard and executed for the most part."
Fitch assuming new role -- team leader During his Kentucky career, Gerald Fitch has overcome the death of family members, multiple suspensions, a magical season ending in disappointment and missing
a chance to possibly represent his country in international competition.
Guard's mind in 7-1 body No matter how much University of Kentucky head coach Tubby Smith wants freshman center Lukasz Obrzut to play
more like Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal and less like Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki, there are times Obrzut longs for the days when he was still allowed to step out and shoot three-pointers.
Cats ready to gallop out of gateThe No.11-ranked Wildcats were about a third of the way into their schedule last season before they hit
stride.
Hayes epitomizes the good in hoopsFrom the Mississippi River flood plains in the west to the craggy hollers in the east, the commonwealth will emotionally wed
itself to the University of Kentucky basketball team.
Big Blue Thoughts with Mitch Barnhart
November and December are two of the busiest months in a collegiate athletic department. All of the fall sports are winding down while the winter programs are getting started. This makes for exciting (and challenging) days.
Kentucky's Mitch Barnhart to Speak with UGA Students on Friday
Mitch Barnhart, the Director of Athletics at the University of Kentucky, will speak to Georgia's graduate and undergraduate sport management students on Fri., Nov. 21, at 2 p.m. in the Rankin M. Smith, Sr. Student-Athlete Academic Center.
Football
Daniel Hopewell has no regrets about UK career
This will be Daniel Hopewell's second time to play at Georgia but no matter what happens Saturday, he'll always remember his first trip because that's where he made his first collegiate catch.
Bulldogs report- Strategy and personnel Kentucky at Georgia, Saturday, Nov. 22 -- Georgia's biggest opponent in this game will be the team in the mirror. Kentucky might rebound from its
Vanderbilt loss with renewed fervor, or it might be ready to pack it in.
UGA-Little Big Men in the secondary Auburn tried. The Tigers saw Georgia stacking the line of scrimmage to stop the running game and saw the Bulldogs' not-so-tall cornerbacks in single coverage against their
6-foot-something wide receivers, and they tried to go deep. At least three times last week, Auburn threw deep balls that could have changed the complexion of the game.
UK's lowered goals are mighty highJared Lorenzen has two games left to accomplish two goals that have eluded him in his four years as the University of
Kentucky quarterback.
Basketball
Ready and Waiting for Winthrop
Kentucky will begin the second century of basketball in the Bluegrass when the season opens against Winthrop on Nov. 21.
2004 Cats- The Facts This team has the ability to be just as good. The chances of going undefeated in the SEC again are unlikely, but
UK has its sights set on another conference crown and a run at the national title.
Q and A with the coach University of Kentucky coach Tubby Smith discussed the coming season with The
Courier-Journal's Michael Smith:
DeMoss Era Begins with Three Straight Home Games The Kentucky women’s
basketball team will open its 29th season of varsity basketball with three straight homes games in five days. The Wildcats begin their three-game homestand against first-time opponent IPFW on Friday, Nov. 21 at 6 p.m. ET in Memorial Coliseum.
Winthrop trying to establish itself as giant killer Four games into coach Gregg Marshall's first season at Winthrop University, he took his
basketball team to Minnesota for what figured to be another 30-point whipping and a tidy check.
Past UK games worry Georgia coach
Georgia coach Mark Richt must not know that Kentucky has not beaten a top 10 team since 1977, which just happens to be the same year that the Wildcats last won at Georgia.
Unclaimed tickets from the UK student allotment are now available to the general public for the Tennessee at Kentucky football game on Nov. 29. Click for the rest of Wednesday's football notebook.
University of Kentucky sophomore tailback Arliss Beach was watching from the sideline with an injured knee against Arkansas while his starting job went to Alexis Bwenge.
Injury won't 'stop' Azubuike It will be awkward, but Kelenna Azubuike says a torn tendon in the pinky finger on his left hand will not impact his play.
Men's Basketball Tickets on Sale for games in Cincinnati and Louisville Tickets to Kentucky’s Dec. 1 men’s basketball game in Cincinnati
against Marshall and Dec. 31 game in Louisville against Austin Peay are now on sale and can be purchased at the Memorial Coliseum ticket office - 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Tickets may also be purchased online at ukathletics.com by clicking the Tickets link at the top of the page or via
phone at 859-257-1818 or 800-928-CATS.
UK Women’s Basketball Tickets Available Kentucky women’s basketball tickets vs. North Carolina and Louisville at Rupp Arena are available
at the Rupp Arena ticket office or any local TicketMaster outlet. Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for senior citizens and children ages 18 and under. UK students and faculty/staff are admitted free with a valid ID.
'Cats from scratch
Just call her DeBoss.
From the first time new University of Kentucky women's basketball coach Mickie DeMoss gathered her players and told them they needed to develop a winning attitude, it was clear she would demand nothing but the best from her new pupils.
Cats hope to develop some depth If the University of Kentucky basketball team's starting five represents the known, the Wildcats' bench represents the unknown.
Burns, Williams Continue to Lead SEC Williams, Burns Leading SEC Defensive Statistics:
Junior defensive end Vincent “Sweet Pea” Burns and sophomore linebacker Dustin Williams continue to lead individual defensive categories in the Southeastern Conference.
UK's uninspired
play sickening * That Kentucky lost to Vanderbilt is sad. That Kentucky seemed lost on the field - playing largely uninspired and unaggressive - is sickening.
Head Coach Rich Brooks --On what he would tell discouraged Kentucky
fans… “I’m confident that this program is going to head in the right direction. I just believe that we’ve played some good football this year. We had an ugly loss last week, but we’ve played some good games against some of the better teams in the conference, where we’ve had an opportunity to win or
were leading in the fourth quarter.
The University of Kentucky insists that football season is not over. It's just that a few of the players might need reminders after Saturday's 28-17 loss at Vanderbilt.
Ready and Waiting for Winthrop Coach Tubby Smith and the Wildcats are closing in the first night of the 2003-04 basketball season.
They talked to the media on Tuesday about their first opponent, Winthop, and how the team is progressing.
Cats in good hands with DeMossMickie DeMoss was the nice one. Whenever Pat Summitt would drop one of her trademark glares, DeMoss was there
to smooth things over and supply the shoulder for some Lady Volunteer to lean on. Some might even have called it the Knoxville version of "good cop, bad cop."
Sizing up UK- Don't sell 'Cats short If you're looking for a tool to gauge the potential of this season's Kentucky Wildcats, you would do better with a
stopwatch than a measuring tape. This will be a small team, perhaps uncomfortably so. But it will move quickly and assertively enough that size might not become a huge issue.
Tickets Remain for First Three Home Basketball Games Unused student tickets for Kentucky's first three
regular-season men's basketball games – Nov. 21 vs. Winthrop, Nov. 28 vs. Tennessee Tech and Dec. 23 vs. Eastern Kentucky - are now on sale to the public.
(11-17-03)
Football
Cats Look to Rebound Against No. 6 Georgia After a tough loss to Vanderbilt,
Coach Rich Brooks will take his Wildcats to Athens, Ga., to take on the sixth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs. Brooks and selected players held their weekly news conference today at Commonwealth Stadium and spoke about the upcoming game.
Rich Brooks doesn't think his football team is ready to call it quits, not with games left against top 10 foes Georgia and
Tennessee.
Five questions for Bulldogs With its 26-7 victory against Auburn on Saturday, the Georgia football team moved a step closer to defending its conference championship in the Dec. 6 SEC
Championship Game in the Georgia Dome.
Georgia Turns to Kentucky Georgia is second in the country in scoring defense and total defense and coming off another formidable defensive effort. Kentucky is coming off a loss to Vanderbilt
Cats' lethargy has Brooks concerned
University of Kentucky football coach Rich Brooks just doesn't get it. A week earlier his Wildcats were lauded for their heart and courage after fighting valiantly to the end of a 71-63 seven-overtime loss to Arkansas.
UK recruit cancels announcement
At the urging of his parents, University of Kentucky recruit Joe Crawford has
cancelled his press conference originally scheduled for 5:30 p.m. today. Crawford, a 6-foot-4 senior guard at Detroit Renaissance High School, intended to announce which college he would be attending in the fall of 2004.
The Cats (4-6, 1-5 SEC) need to win their final two games against No.7-ranked Georgia and No.9 Tennessee to make their way to the postseason.
Kentucky didn't take its fight on the road It was one of those afternoons that tells you everything about the soul of a football team. An afternoon that tells you if the players
still are buying the motivational mojo the coaching staff is selling or if they already have dialed their minds ahead to semester break, next season or the rest of their lives.
Was that Brooks on the sideline, or Curry? CATS' DISMAL PERFORMANCE BRINGS TO MIND VANDERBILT DEBACLES OF YESTERYEAR At least, the locale was appropriate. Right here in Music City, Kentucky football gave us the ultimate "Wayback Weekend." Yes, The Throwback To Bill Curry Tour
featured all the retro mis-hits.
Basketball
THE FACE OF UK His two immediate predecessors described Kentucky Basketball in splendiferous terms. The Roman Empire of college
basketball, Rick Pitino pronounced. And, in the convenient shadow of 1984, Eddie Sutton said he led Big Brother.
Coach: Mickie DeMoss (first year at UK, 549-76 in 18 years as Tennessee...
Coach: Mickie DeMoss (first year at UK, 549-76 in 18 years as Tennessee assistant; 45-68 in four years as head coach at Florida). Last season: Kentucky finished 11-16 (4-10 in the Southeastern Conference) under Coach Bernadette Mattox, who resigned in March.
Unfinished businessMany of the University of Kentucky players couldn't bear to watch Carmelo Anthony and his
Syracuse teammates cut down the nets after last season's NCAA Tournament championship game. Those nets belonged to the Wildcats. Or so they thought.
Five keys for the Wildcats 1. Gerald Fitch must shoot close to 50 percent from the field and 40 percent on three-pointers. Without him this team doesn't have a
legitimate go-to scorer.
'Classic' rivalry? UK-Duke a possibility
Kentucky-Duke, anyone? Isn't that like offering filet mignon to a meat eater? Some day relatively soon, the delicious idea of a Kentucky-Duke series may be more than a college basketball fan's dream.
Commodores Overcome Cats 28-17 Jay Cutler threw four touchdown passes to help Vanderbilt snap the
nation's longest conference losing streak at 23 with a 28-17 victory over Kentucky on Saturday.
UK football head coach Rich Brooks first scouted Bobby Johnson’s coaching abilities five years ago.
Cats looking to get back on track
It's hard for Vanderbilt not to focus on Kentucky quarterback Jared Lorenzen, even
though Commodores coach Bobby Johnson points out the Wildcats are geared to run the ball and play tough defense.
Vandy defends dismal recordAs if enough pain and suffering didn't come Jay Cutler's way last week against Florida, he spent time this week
pinching himself.
UK tailback straightforward guy
The University of Kentucky's new starting tailback speaks French at home, soon will
begin work toward a master's degree, often quotes movie character Austin Powers and rarely had watched football until he started playing the game.
Today's 2 p.m. EST game at Vanderbilt very well could come down to turnovers. And if that's the case, the Wildcats, a 6-1/2-point favorite, like their chances against the Commodores.
Cats Down Premier Players in Final Exhibition Sharpshooter Sara Potts blitzed the nets for 25 points while SeSe Helm
and Jennifer Humphrey added 17 and 13 points, respectively to lead the Kentucky women’s basketball to a 88-59 victory over the Premier All-Stars on Saturday in Memorial Coliseum.
Begley honored University of Kentucky sophomore placekicker Taylor Begley has been named to the Academic All-District IV first team by the College Sports Information Directors
of America.
University of Kentucky football coach Rich Brooks laughed when he thought about what he had just said.
An atypical tailback
Kentucky's new starting tailback speaks French at home, soon will begin work toward a master's degree, often quotes movie character Austin Powers and rarely had watched football until he started playing the game.
Cats Meet Premier All-Stars In Final Exhibition Kentucky women's basketball will play
host to the Premier All-Stars in its final preseason exhibition game on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m. in Memorial Coliseum. The game will be open to the public with no charge for admission. Free UK Hoops posters will be given away.
Smith says recruits 'fit' Kentucky's needs Kentucky coach Tubby Smith says guards Ramel Bradley of New York
and Adam Williams of St. Albans, W.Va., are perfect fits for his basketball team.
Hawkins, Fitch create problems for UK foes Even though he's only seen Cliff Hawkins and Gerald Fitch play once in
person, Mazz Trakh has a warning for upcoming University of Kentucky opponents.
Begley Advances to National Ballot for Academic All-America
Kicker Taylor Begley was named to the first team and running back Alexis Bwenge and linebacker Justin Haydock were named second-team Academic All-District IV by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Brooks Encourages Fans to Bleed Blue Coach Rich Brooks gave the ceremonial first pint of
blood at a news conference for the 16th Annual “Big Blue Crush” blood drive Thursday morning at the Central Kentucky Blood Center.
Lorenzen a weighty problem for Vandy Bobby Johnson was asked if Kentucky's Jared Lorenzen, would carry
as much weight in the NFL as he has in college.
UK football team gets commitment Recruiting contacts that Kentucky assistant coach Joker Phillips have in Georgia have paid off for Kentucky.
UK, Vandy coaches to cross paths again Coach Rich Brooks never has coached against Vanderbilt's Bobby Johnson, but their paths crossed when
Brooks worked in the NFL.
Roddy Signs With Kentucky Women’s Basketball Eleia Roddy (pronounced ah-LEE-ah), a 6-3
post player from Independence High School in Columbus, Ohio, has signed to play basketball for the Kentucky women’s basketball team, Coach Mickie DeMoss announced today. Roddy is the fifth signee for DeMoss in the 2004 recruiting class.
Recruiting Class Expected to Make a Difference Next Year
Coach Mickie DeMoss held a news conference Thusday afternoon to discuss the signing of five top-ranked players. The recruits make up what is regarded as the No. 8 class in the country.
Wildcat dream comes true for SA’s Williams His dream came true on Wednesday — a dream that he had visualized pretty clearly because of his
upbringing behind a successful coach and another outstanding high school player.
Kentucky vs. EA Sports Post-Game Quotes Head Coach Tubby Smith: “I thought tonight was a
tale of two different halves. In the first half, EA Sports was trying to control the tempo on their end of the court and they broke us down with penetration. It is a good learning experience for our guys.”
Cats look familiar during late 20-0 run For a few moments Wednesday, Kentucky's basketball team reminded coach Tubby Smith of the Wildcats' tremendous
success of last season.
SECOND-HALF SLAM Gerald Fitch scored 22 points and No. 11 Kentucky beat EA Sports 94-61 Wednesday night in an exhibition game.
Traditional powerhouse shows no signs Tubby Smith was talking to his Kentucky basketball team about replacing All-American Keith Bogans when he said: "No
one person is bigger than the program. ... Put your hand in a bucket of water. When you take it out, do you see any water missing?"
Williams doesn't doubt he's UK caliber
Adam Williams won't put on a University of Kentucky basketball jersey for almost another year, but he already understands the pressure of playing for the Wildcats.
Smith not chasing the prized recruits What do you think of the way University of Kentucky coach Tubby Smith continues to ignore the chirping of recruiting
gurus and signs guys that he believes can play?
New UK coach DeMoss gathers top recruits Mickie DeMoss, in her first season as the University of Kentucky women's basketball coach after serving
as an assistant to Pat Summitt at Tennessee for 18 years, has quickly made her mark.
UK signs pair of guards IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) point guard Ramel Bradley signed his national letter
of intent to attend the University of Kentucky on Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period, and faxed it to the UK men's basketball office.
UK defense steals the show The suffocating 'Cats are back. For one game, at least and what University of
Kentucky head coach Tubby Smith hopes will be for the rest of this season.
Sophomore running back Alexis Bwenge and
junior nose tackle Ellery Moore have been named game captains this week, joining permanent captains Vincent “Sweet Pea” Burns and Jared Lorenzen ... Brooks to kick off “Big Blue Crush” at news conference on Thursday ... Vanderbilt tickets still available.
Wildcats Cruise in Final 2003-04 Season Tuneup Gerald Fitch had 22 points while Erik Daniels and Kelenna Azubuike
chipped in 21 apiece as Kentucky ran away with a 94-61 win over EA Sports on Wednesday night to give the No. 11 Wildcats a perfect 2-0 record during the exhibition season.
UK Women Sign Nation’s Eighth-Ranked Recruiting Class Women's basketball head coachh Mickie DeMoss announced
Wednesday the signing of four of the nation’s top recruits to a national letter-of-intent, including three who rank in the top 40 nationally
Azubuike is UK starter – for now As far as University of Kentucky men's basketball coach Tubby Smith is concerned, sophomore Kelenna Azubuike is his starting small
forward.
UK Basketball Notes Kentucky's small lineup excelled in the first exhibition game. But the Cats need contributions from the
freshman 7-footers to excel in March, Coach Tubby Smith said yesterday.
Kentucky vs. EA Sports Pre-Game Press Conference Quotes Head Coach Tubby Smith On practices… “I have been impressed with
their effort and intensity, but we know tomorrow night will be a real test for us. EA Sports is a talented team –they have some pretty talented people in their lineup. They will give us a game that we will have to execute. They will challenge us defensively.”
Azubuike ready to cash in on chance OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS WITH EXHIBITION-FINALE START TONIGHT Kelenna Azubuike is living proof that one player's misfortune is another's opportunity. Kentucky teammate Antwain Barbour serves out a suspension. Azubuike moves into the starting lineup.
Kentucky Faces EA Sports in 2nd Exhibition
Head Coach
Tubby Smith leads the Cats closer to the start of the 2003-04 season with the second and final exhibition game Wednesday night vs. EA Sports at Rupp Arena. Game time is 7:30 p.m. ET.
Dustin Williams Leads SEC in Tackles Per Game
Sophomore linebacker Dustin Williams leads the
Southeastern Conference in tackles per game according to defensive statistics released by the league office. Click for the rest of the football notebook including the "Big Blue Crush" blood drive, Cheerleading accolades, Vandy tickets still available.
Redshirt year makes Tamme better player Because Jacob Tamme usually works with the scout team against Kentucky's first-team defense, starting
quarterback Jared Lorenzen doesn't get to watch the freshman receiver often.
Head Coach Rich Brooks
On the Vanderbilt game… “I’m anxious to get back on the field. I think we’re a lot healthier team. Pretty much everyone should practice today. The players have had three days off, so they should be ready to start preparation. This is a game that is pretty evenly matched. If you look at the statistics in the conference,
Vanderbilt and Kentucky are usually one or two spots ahead of the other, with only a couple of exceptions.
When University of Kentucky center Nick Seitze watched Arkansas' football team take apart South Carolina last
week, he was more impressed at how quickly the Razorbacks recovered mentally than physically after a draining seven-overtime win over UK just days earlier.
Bradley, a 6-foot-2 guard from the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., had said for more than a
month that he favored the Wildcats and had teetered on the brink of a commitment even before his official visit to UK on Nov. 1-2.
Ramel Bradley couldn't keep the news to himself any longer and finally announced Monday that he would sign a
basketball scholarship with the University of Kentucky this week.
The University of Kentucky, which was ranked No. 1 in the final AP poll last season,
will start at No.11. A year ago the Wildcats started No. 17. The University of Louisville is 16th.
Showdown in Nashville After a week off, the Kentucky football team will head down to Nashville this
weekend to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores. Wildcats head coach Rich Brooks spoke today at the weekly news conference about the upcoming game. Read what he and selected players had to say.
Kentucky Football Notebook - Georgia Game Picked Up By TV The Kentucky at Georgia game on Nov. 22 has been selected by Jefferson-Pilot Sports for a live regional telecast. Game time will be 12:30 p.m. in Athens ... Tickets available for Vandy game in Nashville.
For UK's 'Coach Mac,' football in his blood "Keep Coach Mac, keep Coach Mac," the crowd shouted as then-Utah football coach Ron McBride rode
off the field on the shoulders of his players. The Utes had defeated archrival Brigham Young to end last season at 5-6, just the third losing record in McBride's 13 years.
Basketball won't be Azubuike's only concernThis could be the year Kelenna Azubuike makes his mark
in college basketball by becoming a consistent contributor on what could be a national title contending team at Kentucky.
Fitch, former coach support Smith's ranking Tubby Smith recently was picked as the nation's top coach by CBS Sportsline.com. Writer Gregg Doyel indicated it
was easy for him to pick Smith as the nation's best coach.
Top guard Bradley selects Wildcats Top 100 guard Ramel Bradley of Brooklyn-Park West, NY/Mt. Zion Academy, Va/Bradenton-IMG Academy, Fla., is headed to Kentucky over Boston College,
Georgia, Clemson and Miami-Florida.
Kentucky Dominance Expected To Continue Kentucky reign, it seems, keeps falling down on the Southeastern Conference. So don't expect anything different this
basketball season.
Final Four Flashback- Alamodome 1998 The final: Kentucky rallied from a 12-point second-half deficit to defeat Utah 78-69 and claim its seventh NCAA men's
basketball title in front of 40,509 at the Alamodome. The Wildcats came from behind to win their last three games in the tournament.
Bennett's fall is sad and hard to explain Winston Bennett had it all — and I'm not talking about the titanium shoulders, flawless footwork or crushing resolve
that had the basketball world breathless from the first dribble of his freshman season at Male High School.
(11-07-03)
Football
Daughter defends Kentucky coach Rich Brooks knows better than to scan Internet message boards to see what fans are saying about him, or his University
of Kentucky football team.
Cats prefer to run UK players like small lineup If Tubby Smith let his players vote on a starting lineup, 7-foot freshmen Shagari Alleyne and Lukasz Obrzut might not
ever break into the first five.
Watch the Cats Fight the 'Dores in Nashville
Tickets are available for the Kentucky/Vanderbilt game taking place Nov. 15 in Nashville, Tenn. The Cats defeated Vandy 41-21 last year in Lexington thanks in part to a 95-yard kickoff return TD by Derek Abney.
In conference race, it's now U of L ahead of UK
We'll be ready for another round of conference realignments before every question is answered about the juice the University of Louisville gains from its upgrade to the Big East from Conference USA. But when you discuss sports in this area, one question always headlines the list:
Football
Fullback Bwenge 'is a different cat'
Alexis Bwenge's teammates might find it interesting that he credited his best performance in two seasons as a University of Kentucky running back to "not thinking so much."
Where was Boyd against Arkansas- Why you could almost count on one hand the number of times Kentucky backup
quarterback Shane Boyd played an offensive down against Arkansas this past weekend is mind-boggling.
Basketball
UK Women’s Basketball Ticket Sales Top 1,000 Kentucky women’s basketball fans have shown their
eagerness for the upcoming season. More than two weeks before the season-opener on Friday, Nov. 21, UK has sold 1,036 season tickets, surpassing last year’s total of 140
UK proves it has plenty of potential Was it really just a year ago that there was so much pessimism about the University of Kentucky
basketball program?
DeMoss and Cats Ready to Start a New Era Women's
basketball head coach Mickie DeMoss held the annual media day Wednesday afternoon at Memorial Coliseum. Read quotes from her and selected players about the upcoming season.
Kentucky vs. Team Nike Post-Game Quotes Kentucky Coach Tubby Smith
"I thought we did some things well tonight. I'm a little disappointed in our defense because we gave up too many layups, but I thought we shot the ball well. I was glad to see us make open jump shots. That is going to be a big plus for us. Overall, I thought it was a fairly good game. We still have a
lot of work to do and it is a work in progress."
Azubuike plays under control
Those who saw the University of Kentucky's Kelenna Azubuike
leaping through the air for an alley-oop dunk in a 107-89 victory against Team Nike at Rupp Arena on Tuesday night probably thought: same old Kelenna.
Recruit close to picking UK Point guard Ramel Bradley of the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., said yesterday that he might announce his commitment
to the University of Kentucky this week.
UK small lineup plays big as Team Nike falls 107-89 The versatility of the University of Kentucky men's basketball team was
evident from the beginning of last night's 107-89 exhibition victory over Team Nike.
UK's off week can make it or break it
Getting gored by the Razorbacks in the seventh overtime last Saturday hurt Kentucky physically, mentally, and emotionally - but mostly emotionally. And thanks to having an off date this week, the players will have to wait - way too long, in their hearts and minds - until they have the opportunity to
expel their frustrations upon the Commodores in Nashville on Nov 15.
Stockton doesn't let size stand in his way Most of us would agree being 5-9 and weighing only 167 pounds are not the credentials of a
typical Kentucky basketball player. However, sophomore Brandon Stockton makes these credentials work for him.
Profile: Mickie DeMoss
Strolling through the concourses of Commonwealth Stadium, you can read many a banner extolling the history of football at the University of Kentucky, but this season, there is a banner prepping attendees for the upcoming hoops campaign. Sure, Tubby Smith guided the UK men’s basketball
team to great heights a year ago. But this banner introduces Cats fans to the newest addition to the hoops family."DeMand. DeSire. DeMoss."
Late start no problem for Obrzut The first time he picked up a basketball he was about 5 years old, but the first time he got serious about
basketball was when he was 15.
Barbour again ready for another big finish Elizabethtown High School hadn't made it to the state tournament in 14 years before Antwain Barbour's
senior season, and there's no telling how much different Barbour's life might have been if they hadn't made it that year.
Cats Open Exhibition Play Against Team Nike Coach Tubby Smith On the starting
five… “I feel if we had to start five today, we would start Cliff at the point, Gerald at the two, Chuck and Erik, and I’m still not certain on who the fifth guy is right now.
'Cats want to start season fast
The University of Kentucky's loss to Nike Elite last
season didn't count as an "official" loss because it came in an exhibition, but the fact that the Wildcats lost to a traveling team usually composed of a bunch of former college has-beens has given the team more incentive not to let it happen again.
Fitch will play despite loss of grandmother
Despite the death of his maternal grandmother,
Vera Pugh, in Macon, Ga., on Sunday, UK senior guard Gerald Fitch has opted to play in tonight's exhibition against Nike Elite at Rupp Arena.
Tubby goes small in exhibition opener
Although the opposition features a 7-footer, Kentucky Coach Tubby Smith decided to go small in tonight's exhibition game. "I just want to play the guys I feel comfortable with and are ready to play right now," he said after practice yesterday. Then he added, "and will give us the best chance. (And) I
want to reward the guys for what they've been doing in practice."
Mashburn to miss 6-8 weeks after surgery KNICKS, HAWKS SCORE FIRST WINS OF SEASON New Orleans Hornets forward Jamal Mashburn will be out six to eight weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee yesterday.
Cats glad to play — and to sleep in For many UK players, the 7:30p.m. game against Team Nike has a higher meaning than just being their first
game. It marks the end of 6 a.m. practices.
(11-03-03)
Football
Kentucky Football Notebook
Vanderbilt Game to be a Delay Telecast: The Kentucky at Vanderbilt game on Nov. 15 was not selected for live network television but will be shown on a delayed basis on the UKTV Network.
He might not get on the field often, but when he does Andrew Hopewell has the same knack for making big plays at the University of Kentucky that he did at Danville.
Defense failed in overtime After limiting Arkansas to just three points in the second half and forcing two turnovers, Kentucky's defense was confident it could stop the Razorbacks in
overtime.
This loss, a record-tying seven-overtime football marathon that resulted in a 71-63 setback to Arkansas on Saturday, didn't elicit the same emotions as many of the others.
Only Bear can help cursed Wildcats It was a spectacular game stuffed with adventure. But in the end one team had to lose — and you know which team that had to
be.
Cats Open Exhibition Play Against Nike Elite Kentucky Head Coach Tubby Smith leads the
Wildcats into the 2003-04 season with their first exhibition game Tuesday night against Nike Elite. Read what they had to say about the upcoming campaign.
Ramel Bradley A Future Cat- "Outstanding point guard Ramel Bradley committed to Coach Tubby Smith's Kentucky Wildcats during his visit this past weekend."
Around Kentuckiana- UK women win in basketball coach DeMoss' debut
The University of Kentucky women rallied
from a 10-point deficit late in the first half to beat visiting Athletes in Action 73-64 in an exhibition game yesterday as Mickie DeMoss made her debut as basketball coach of the Wildcats.
Seventh no heaven for UK Arkansas, the pre-eminent veteran of college football overtime games, outlasted the
University of Kentucky 71-63 last night at Commonwealth Stadium in a game that lasted seven overtimes and one minute shy of five hours.
UK Women Top Athletes in Action in Exhibition Game
The Mickie DeMoss era of Kentucky women’s basketball officially began on Sunday, Nov. 2, when the Wildcats took a thrilling 73-64 victory over Athletes in Action in Memorial Coliseum. The win marked the first for DeMoss at UK and an exhibition record of 1,012 fans witnessed the defeat.
On the overall play of her team…“I thought we were playing against a pretty good team today. We’ve only been practicing together as a team for two weeks, so I thought we were a little shaky early.
Hogs Vs. Kentucky Head-To-Head Arkansas needed receiver DeCori Birmingham and linebacker Brandon Holmes to carry the load against Ole Miss, but lost Holmes to a
knee injury in the second quarter. The Razorbacks turned in their lowest rushing performance of the season in the 19-7 loss and haven't cracked the 200-yard mark the past three games.
DeCori Birmingham will start, but Arkansas coach Houston Nutt believes both Cedric Cobbs and De’Arrius Howard will play some tailback for the Razorbacks in Saturday’s 6 p.m. ESPN2 televised game at Kentucky.
Four is better than three for UK d-line The UK coaching staff may not have drawn it up that way, but UK’s defensive line enjoys the switch to more four-man fronts.
Abney receives special treatment Derek Abney gave advice he didn’t particularly like. "Do what teams have been doing, avoid our return game," he said, telling how he would play his
team, the Kentucky Wildcats.
Position-by-position analysis OFFENSE Running backs Arkansas ’ De’Arrius Howard (ankle) returns after missing one game, but Cedric Cobbs (hamstring) is questionable. Neither is 100
percent. Howard seemed to be finding a groove, averaging 5.5 yards against Auburn, before he sprained his ankle against Florida two weeks ago.
Kentucky, Arkansas desperate for a win Will the return of its top two tailbacks, even if only in a supporting role, be enough for Arkansas to snap a three-game losing
streak? Can Kentucky start offensively where it ended last week, when it scored 42 points in 35 minutes?
Is Nutt Playing The Guessing Game- Trick or treat? It's been hard to tell this week if Arkansas coach Houston Nutt and company have been tossing smoke bombs our way or
if all those practice passes to starting quarterback Matt Jones say it all.
CBS Sports Names Tubby Smith as Best Coach in AmericaNo player for Kentucky made the Top 10 at any position, and the same
would have happened last preseason -- yet the Wildcats were the best team in the country for much of last season, and they will be ranked in the Top 10 at some point in 2003-04.
SEC missing some hoop star power
No offense to Charles Tatum (Arkansas) and Branden Vincent
(Mississippi State), but the collection of players assembled at the Southeastern Conference's media day this week in Birmingham, Ala, left even the most veteran sportswriters wondering where were the superstars?
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