Barnhart salvages surprising victory More rancorous
than Crossfire, more sour than mash, the 2004 Kentucky football season
produced fewer winners than a fixed lottery.
Basketball
Women
Wildcats Face Northwestern in Big 10/SEC Battle
Coming off a 1-2 finish in the Paradise Jam that
included three hard-fought and competitive games, the Kentucky women’s
basketball team looks to get back on the winning track when it travels to
Evanston, Ill., to face Big 10 opponent Northwestern Wednesday, Dec. 1 at 6
p.m. EST
UK Hoops Face Louisville in Annual “Battle of the Bluegrass”The Kentucky women’s basketball team will take on intrastate rival
Louisville on Sunday, Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. ET in Freedom Hall in the annual
“Battle of the Bluegrass.” Kids under 18 get in FREE. For ticket
information, call the UL ticket office at 502-852-5151.
Men
UK 92 -- TTU 63
(Final)
Kentucky vs. Tennessee Tech Pre-Game Press Conference Quotes
Head Coach Tubby Smith On the Georgia State game… “We’re
trying to make the necessary adjustments after the game the other night. I
thought there were a lot of things we needed to address. Guarding the
three-point shot is something we’ve tried to work hard on and something
we’ll have to do a better job with against a good Tennessee Tech team. In
the game against Georgia State, Michael Perry and his staff did a good job
of running things at us we hadn’t seen. They gave us some looks to work on
and exposed some of the areas we needed to improve in, like taking care of
the basketball. After being very good with our ball handling in the first
half, the second half, we were pretty shaky with our turnovers.
Saul knows what to expect from dad's team Saul Smith,
now in his first season as an assistant coach at Tennessee Tech, will return
to Rupp Arena tonight for the first time as the visitor, and he figures to
be taking a lot more than he dishes out.
Dewalt to participate in drills this week
After their conversation yesterday, football freshman Lonnell Dewalt and
Kentucky Coach Tubby Smith will explore the possibility of the player
joining the basketball team.
Wildcats have one more UNC tuneup With a showdown
against North Carolina looming later this week, Kentucky basketball coach
Tubby Smith wants his team to focus on the matter at hand: playing Tennessee
Tech.
Azubuike looking for cure for shot Kentucky will
play North Carolina this Saturday with hopes that its offensive wizard can
find a cure for the spell that has jinxed his jump shot.
Father, son meet as opponents The son learned as
much as he could from his father when he tagged along with him to work at
the gym.
Routs not fooling Smith, Cats It seems to be a basketball
paradox. Kentucky dominates its early-season opposition. Coach Tubby Smith
finds no difficulty in convincing his players of their shortcomings.
IF THOMAS REDSHIRTS, CATS WOULD HAVE ROSTER SPOT OPEN After
their conversation yesterday, football freshman Lonnell Dewalt and Kentucky
Coach Tubby Smith will explore the possibility of the player joining the
basketball team.
LINEUPS, STATISTICS Tennessee Tech Probable starters
No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. 3 Ben Jacobson F 6-7 Sr. 34 Willie Jenkins F 6-6 Sr.
21 Derek Stribling F 6-6 Jr.
(11-29-04)
Football
No joke: Promote Joker to offensive coordinator Buy me a
ticket on the Crazy Train, but for one of the rare moments in two years of
the Rich Brooks regime, I saw a small sliver of hope Saturday.
Basketball
Men
Kentucky Prepares for Tennessee Tech and Former Assistant Sutton
Just four days after earning a 77-59 win over Georgia State, Kentucky
returns to Rupp Arena to face former UK assistant Mike Sutton’s Tennessee
Tech squad. This marks the second meeting between UK’s Tubby Smith and his
former assistant. UK defeated the Golden Eagles, 108-81, in Rupp Arena last
November.
Rutgers forward Michelle Campbell scored 17
points and pulled down 12 rebounds as the No. 17/18 Scarlet Knights defeated
Kentucky 75-60 in the championship game of the Paradise Jam Saturday in the
UVI Sports and Fitness Center in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.
Men
It's Coach Smith vs. Coach Smith this weekEX-UK GUARD SAUL SMITH HAS FOUND HIS NICHE
AS AN ASSISTANT AT TENNESSEE TECH, UK'S NEXT OPPONENT
A phone call yesterday morning caught former Kentucky point guard
Saul Smith in a hotel room in Boone, N.C. He was planning ahead.
Another almost for Cats Ultimately, the University of
Kentucky football team's 37-31 season-ending loss at Tennessee yesterday
will go down as another giant fish tale — one that got away despite the
Wildcats' best efforts.
Vols go around the blockTD at :38 kills hopes of another Dewalt
denial The scenario yesterday went as follows:
Kentucky 31, Tennessee 29, three minutes and 31 seconds on the Neyland
Stadium clock, Tennessee with the ball on its own 40-yard line.
Offense by committee produces for UK The University of
Kentucky's offense took on a new look in the absence of coordinator Ron
Hudson, who resigned last week.
It's a familiar ending, but an unfamiliar taleUK TOOK ITS BEST SHOT AT TENNESSEE
Only the ending seemed the same. Painfully the same, to be sure. For
the past 20 years, the Kentucky Wildcats have been playing the Tennessee
Volunteers in football, and for 20 straight years now, the Kentucky Wildcats
have been losing games to the Tennessee Volunteers in football. Most by a
lot. Some by a little. A few, as was yesterday's, by heartbreak; Tennessee
scoring with 38 seconds remaining for a 37-31 win.
Boyd's swan song has bittersweet ending'I REALLY BELIEVED WE WERE GOING TO DO IT'
The final time Shane Boyd led Kentucky onto a football field, he got
it right. Mostly. After five years of frustration and second guessing --
Talk show consensus: Shane Boyd, he couldn't throw soap into the bathtub;
he's no quarterback -- the UK QB fired with pin-point accuracy all around
the gargantuan football edifice known as Neyland Stadium
Seniors take pains to set example Kentucky had several
seniors finish their careers with a bang yesterday. Quarterback Shane Boyd
had one of his best games as a Wildcat, passing for 218 yards and a pair of
touchdowns. Vincent "Sweet Pea" Burns, Ellery Moore and Earven Flowers
fought through injuries to contribute to the Cats' near win.
UPSET DENIED
Tennessee scores TD with :38 left for the win Gerald
Riggs scored on a 12-yard run with 38 seconds left in the game to lift
Tennessee over Kentucky 37-31 in Neyland Stadium.
(11-27-04)
Basketball
Women
Wildcats Fall To South Dakota State in Final Seconds
A driving lay-up by South Dakota State’s
Shannon Schlagel with 4 seconds remaining in the game propelled the
Jackrabbits past the Kentucky women’s basketball team, 57-55, Friday in the
second day of the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Cats lose on layup with 0:04 remaining A driving layup by
South Dakota State's Shannon Schlagel with four seconds left propelled the
Jackrabbits past the Kentucky women's basketball team 57-55 yesterday in the
second day of the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.
UK falls to South Dakota State 57-55 Shannon Schlagel's
layup with four seconds remaining lifted the Jackrabbits (4-1) over the
Wildcats (3-1) in a different Paradise Jam tourney in St. Thomas.
Chuck Hayes and Kelenna Azubuike each had 16
points and nine rebounds Friday night, leading No. 8 Kentucky past Georgia
State 77-59.
Hayes sparks 77-59 UK romp Hayes narrowly missed his third
straight double-double to start the season, but he played perhaps his best
all-around game as the No.8-ranked Wildcats rolled past Georgia State last
night in Rupp Arena.
UK win an inside jobCats feed post players while shooters
struggle We knew about tryptophans, that
chemical in turkey that reduces Thanksgiving eaters to drowsy couch
potatoes. Kentucky's 77-59 victory over Georgia State last night suggested
those gobblers contain "trey-tophans," which apparently take the life out of
a team's three-point attack.
Cruise
control for 'Cats
There was plenty of time for
University of Kentucky head coach Tubby Smith to experiment with his lineup
during the eighth-ranked Wildcats' game against Georgia State Friday night
at Rupp Arena. The results were what Smith expected before the season
started.
UK 3-FOR-8 FROM LINE AFTER TIMEOUTS The new rule giving
television timeouts priority over free-throw attempts got multiple
applications in Kentucky's victory over Georgia State last night.
Football
UT 37 -- UT 31 (Final) TN scores TD
with 38 seconds left to win game
Brooks: A win would be hugeVOLS ALREADY HAVE SEC TITLE GAME BERTH
Today marks the 100th football meeting between Tennessee and
Kentucky, and there's even less at stake than usual in the lopsided series.
Underdog Cats face understudy Kentucky must make Tennessee
move the ball through the air. While the Wildcats have not stopped anybody
on the ground, they'd like to keep tailbacks Cedric Houston and Gerald Riggs
in check and force quarterback Rick Clausen to beat them.
GAMES WITHIN THE GAME
Breaking down today's UK-Tennessee matchup Kentucky
receivers coach/recruiting coordinator Joker Phillips is a top candidate to
succeed Ron Hudson as UK's offensive coordinator. Phillips will assist head
coach Rich Brooks and offensive line coach Paul Dunn in calling the plays
today. While playing Tennessee in Knoxville isn't the ideal setting for an
audition, you have to think it will improve Phillips' odds if the Kentucky
offense can show more today than it has during the previous 10 games
MCBRIDE LAID FOUNDATION FOR UTES' FUTURE SUCCESS Utah
is all but in the Bowl Championship Series after going undefeated during the
regular season. And while UK assistant Ron McBride is miles away from the
place he used to call home, he's all smiles when he thinks about the Ute
program that he practically built from the ground up.
(11-26-04)
Basketball
Women
Wildcats Lose Heartbreaker in Paradise Jam
South Dakota State's Shannon Schlagel's layup
with four seconds left handed the Jackrabbits a 57-55 win over the Kentucky
Wildcats Friday at the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands. Sara Potts was
the leading scorer for the Cats for the fourth straight game with 24 points.
Sara Potts tied her career high with for
three-pointers in a half with four and leads UK with 16 points as the
Wildcats lead South Dakota State 34-30 in the Paradise Jam in the Virgin
Islands.
Sara Potts scored 27 points as the University
of Kentucky erased a 17-point first-half deficit to upend Oregon State 73-70
yesterday in the Paradise Jam women's basketball tournament
On Saturday’s Coppin State game… “We
played a good Coppin State team that was without two starters and their
leading scorer. After looking at the tape, I saw there were things we needed
to improve on. Coppin State has a team that will be playing for their
conference championship at the end of the season. I like the way our guys
played, and I like the way we competed. I thought our freshmen did a good
job. Kelenna (Azubuike) and Chuck (Hayes) struggled offensively, but they
made up with their leadership. That’s something you’ll see continuously this
year. Chuck does it in other areas as far as getting on the boards and
getting to the free-throw line. Kelenna needs to be patient. I thought he
missed a couple of shots that threw him off. We need to pass the ball better
and make the extra pass.”
Another foe with disruption in mind Georgia State
basketball coach Michael Perry was excited when he saw that Ball State hung
with eighth-ranked Kentucky until midway through the second half Tuesday
night
FINAL FOUR
BUDDIES TUBBY, GSU COACH PERRY GO BACK TO LATE '70S
From the small-world department: The head coaches in tonight's Kentucky game
were in the same Indianapolis hotel room in 1997 when Georgia State declared
its big-time basketball ambitions by hiring Lefty Dreisell as coach.
China trip an eye-opener for Perry Tubby Smith's words
floated through the air like a waft of smoke before evaporating. "Bobby
Perry is the most improved player on the team," the University of Kentucky
basketball coach said at the team's preseason media day.
Doubts
creep in on 'Cats
The distress signals came in the form
of traveling calls, charges, an air ball and two shots that hit the
backboard. For about 25 minutes during the University of Kentucky's 20-point
victory against Ball State Tuesday night at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati,
the Wildcats didn't look like the eighth-ranked team in the country.
PHILLIPS, DUNN AND BROOKS TO COLLABORATERon
Hudson's resignation earlier this week has shaken up the dynamics of the
Kentucky offense for tomorrow's regular-season finale at Tennessee.
What works? NASCAR's 'Chase,' Stern justice On the
morning after Thanksgiving, welcome to the first edition of What Works, What
Doesn't Work. What works: The Chase for the Nextel Cup.
UK's play-calling will be group effortPHILLIPS, DUNN AND BROOKS TO COLLABORATE
Ron Hudson's resignation earlier this week has shaken up the dynamics
of the Kentucky offense for tomorrow's regular-season finale at Tennessee.
(11-25-04)
Basketball
Women
Potts Leads Wildcats to Comeback Win
Senior Sara Potts scored 27 points as the
Kentucky Wildcats came back from a 44-30 halftime deficit to defeat the
Oregon State Beavers 73-70 Thursday in the Paradise Jam at the University of
the Virgin Islands
Kentucky will meet first-time opponent Oregon
State at 6 tonight in the opening round of the Paradise Jam at the
University of Virgin Islands Sport and Fitness Center in St. Thomas.
By the way University of Kentucky
head coach Tubby Smith expressed mock indignation over a reporter's
question, you would have thought the guilty party had challenged Smith's
game management. But the topic was much more serious.
As flaws go, it's about as disturbing as a
freckle on Catherine Zeta-Jones' forearm. That's about how easily Kentucky
basketball accepts the mechanical error in Chuck Hayes' jump shot. Coaches
being coaches, Tubby Smith and company keep trying to get Hayes to shed the
habit of shooting on the way down rather than at the peak of his jump.
What's wrong with Azubuike?For a player who
thought this would be his year to shine, Kelenna Azubuike is not off to the
kind of start he wanted.
UK has a 3-headed centerFinding a true center in
college basketball is becoming more and more rare. Even tall players prefer
to be known as power forwards and almost every player, regardless of size,
wants to be known as someone who can run the court and shoot the outside
jump shot.
Football
DON'T EXPECT MUCH CHANGE ON OFFENSE Rich Brooks is in the
market for an offensive coordinator. Countless people figure to put their
two cents in on which direction Brooks should go, but the bottom line is who
Brooks thinks is the best fit.
Brooks not about to re-invent the wheel for VolsDON'T EXPECT MUCH CHANGE ON OFFENSE
Rich Brooks is in the market for an offensive coordinator. Countless
people figure to put their two cents in on which direction Brooks should go,
but the bottom line is who Brooks thinks is the best fit.
Brooks is still here but on thin ice What we should be
thankful for: That in football, UK did the right and admirable thing in
keeping Rich Brooks for another year.
UK shakes off pesky Ball State It was a mutual
agreement between friends, a shared decision that kept point guard Patrick
Sparks and center Shagari Alleyne after practices last season to work on
lobs and dunks and shooting.
Big Cat, big catalyst
Alleyne's play fires up crowd, unsettles Cardinals Chuck Hayes saw king-size symmetry in Kentucky's 73-53 victory over Ball
State here last night. "Probably the biggest guy on the team gave us the
biggest spark," Hayes said.
Second-Half Surge Lifts No. 8 Kentucky Past Ball State
Sophomore Peyton Stovall scored 14 points and handed out a game-high four
assists to lead three Cardinals in double-figure scoring, but eighth-ranked
Kentucky used a 26-8 run over an 11-minute span in the second half to escape
U.S. Bank Arena with a 73-53 victory Tuesday night.
Alleyne
grows as Kentucky threat
Standing at mid-court during a
timeout, University of Kentucky senior Chuck Hayes leaped into the air to
give 7-foot-3 Shagari Alleyne a celebratory chest bump as the Wildcats
started pulling away from Ball State
Cats tower over Ball St., 73-53 The towering 7-foot-3
center turned the space above the rim into his own private playground last
night at U.S. Bank Arena, delivering a career-high 10 points in the
University of Kentucky basketball team's 73-53 victory over Ball State.
'Best shooter I've ever played with'HAYES, COACHES CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE
SPARK SPARKS PROVIDES FOR KENTUCKY The rust is
officially off. What we saw in twin exhibitions and a breeze of a season
opener was bits and pieces, little more than a tantalizing tease. Last
night, second half, this was the real Patrick Sparks.
UK
answers wakeup call
Two days before Thanksgiving, the
University of Kentucky was theoretically supposed to feast on Ball State at
U.S. Bank Arena on Tuesday night. Eventually it did. During a game in which
a lot went wrong for UK early on, a late run propelled the Wildcats to a
73-53 victory against the Cardinals, who did not get worn down until about
midway through the second half.
Ball State coach sings praises of Smith Ball State's Tim
Buckley continued what's become a habit of opposing coaches: Suggesting that
Kentucky fans do not appreciate how Tubby Smith directs the Cats.
Football
Hudson gone, but Barnhart says Brooks to return
Rather than continue to have his job status questioned and performance
questioned, Kentucky offensive coordinator Ron Hudson decided to call it
quits Monday.
UT warry of Kentucky's dreadful offenseIt
has been a long season for the Kentucky offense. The Wildcats have
scored just 14.2 points per game, ranking 115th out of the 117 Division 1-A
schools in America.
Brooks lists reasons to hope against VolsCOACH SAYS OF ENDING 20-YEAR TREND: 'IT'S
POSSIBLE' Now that Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks
doesn't have to worry about saving his job anymore, he can turn his focus on
salvaging the Wildcats' 2004 season.
College Football Notebook Joker Phillips, Chris
Hatcher and Larry Fedora are among the coaches expected to be considered for
the University of Kentucky football team's offensive coordinator position.
(11-23-04)
Basketball
UK 73 -- Ball State 53 (Final)
More pressure in Cats' futureUK flashed it against Coppin St. in opener
Among the Kentucky fan questions set on speed dial over the years: Will
Richie get to play tonight? Translation: Will we get to cheer our lovable
local hero (and future governor?)?
Today's opponent Ball state Location: Muncie, Ind.
Enrollment: 18,043 Founded: 1918 Nickname: Cardinals School colors: Cardinal
and white Conference: Mid-American
Wildcats
face serious test
Two of the three teams the University of Kentucky has beaten in two
exhibition games and its season opener were missing key players because of
injuries, eligibility issues and one player's self-imposed religious hiatus.
LINEUPS, STATISTICS Kentucky Probable starters No. Name Pos.
Ht. Wt. Yr. 44 Chuck Hayes F 6-6 242 Sr. 24 Kelenna Azubuike F 6-5 208 Jr.
33 Randolph Morris C 6-10 266 Fr.
Football
Kentucky Football Notebook - Nov. 23Junior
tailbacks Arliss Beach and Draak Davis are the game captains for this week's
contest at Tennessee, Coach Rich Brooks has announced ... Freshman
linebacker Wesley Woodyard will miss the Tennessee game after undergoing
surgery to repair an ankle ligament ... The UK Alumni Association invites
all Wildcat fans to take part in the Big Blue Tailgate Party in Knoxville
prior to the Kentucky-Tennessee football game.
UK offensive coordinator Ron Hudson quits After weeks of
speculation, the two biggest questions surrounding the future of the
Kentucky football program were finally answered yesterday.
Hudson resigns as Cats' coordinator In a move Rich
Brooks called tantamount to taking one for the team, embattled offensive
coordinator Ron Hudson resigned yesterday, clearing the way for Brooks to
maintain his job security as the University of Kentucky's head football
coach.
Path
of least tumult
South Carolina fans have the imminent arrival of Steve Spurrier to fire the
imagination.
OFFENSIVE WOES UK's NCAA Division I national ranking in
several offensive categories (out of 117 teams): Rushing 99 Passing 103
Passing efficiency 111
Newsworthy Cats from the Past
'TAY' smart to stay out of trouble Amid all the thrown
popcorn, beer and punches, Kentucky forward Chuck Hayes noticed something
missing in the brawl at the end of the Indiana Pacers-Detroit Pistons game.
(11-22-04)
Basketball
UK Travels to Cincinnati for Neutral-Site Game Against Ball State
The Kentucky Wildcats will travel north to
Cincinnati for their annual neutral site game at in the Queen City. The game
will be Tuesday night at 7 p.m. ET at US Bank Arena against the Ball State
Cardinals, who return four starters from a year ago. Coach Tubby Smith and
selected players talked to the media Monday afternoon.
Call it their Wildcat Weekend. By
their own admissions, the global tennis stars/divas/sensational sisterhood
that is Venus and Serena Williams knew next to nothing about the local
religion that is Kentucky basketball.
Venus the new goddess of Big Blue loveAshley Judd
had better watch out. The self-proclaimed No.1 fan of the University of
Kentucky basketball team might have some competition.
New dynamic duo drives UKPatrick Sparks can't
quite explain it - he and Rajon Rondo just know how to play together.
Three times in a row Jennifer Humphrey missed
her layup. All three times, the junior came down with the rebound and put it
back up.
Wildcats
guards build chemistry
Perhaps University of Kentucky junior
guard Patrick Sparks forgot that the intended recipient of his alley-oop
pass was freshman backcourt mate Rajon Rondo, not 6-foot-5 leaper Kelenna
Azubuike or former Wildcat Kenny "Sky" Walker.
Rondo's play says plentySince he's no longer
allowed to talk to the media, Kentucky freshman guard Rajon Rondo let his
play speak for him.
Football
Hudson Resigns from Kentucky StaffRon
Hudson, University of Kentucky offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach,
announced Monday that he has resigned his position effective immediately.
Redshirts get extended look during off-week practicesBROOKS: 'A BIG WEEK FOR OUR YOUNGER GUYS'
Rich Brooks and his staff continually praised the potential his
freshman class has shown during its on-the-job training this season.
E'town's Duncan gives verbal to UK
Elizabethtown senior Zipp Duncan narrowed
his college choices down to two, but in the end, his heart never left home.
(11-21-04)
Basketball
UK 84 -- FAMU 55 (Final)
UK Hoops Downs Florida A&M, 84-55
Mickie DeMoss' team won their second game in as
many outings, 84-55 of Florida A&M this afternoon at Memorial Coliseum. Sara
Potts lead the way with 21 points followed by Jennifer Humphrey with 12
points and Sade Buley with 10 points.
Senior guard Sara Potts led a trio of Kentucky
players that scored in double-figures and junior forward Jennifer Humphrey
tallied the fourth double-double of her career as the Wildcats rolled over
Florida A&M, 84-55, Sunday in Memorial Coliseum.
SILENT BUT GOLDENUK
freshmen make statement without saying a word
Looking for some Rajon Rondo quotes about his
first real-deal college game? No dice. Craving a morsel from Randolph
Morris? No luck.
Rondo a force as UK rips Coppin State 77-46 For a stretch early
in the second half, the Rupp Arena announcer could have been replaced with a
recording that repeated Rajon Rondo's name every few seconds.
UK defense steals show in debut If there were any
doubt about the mettle of a Kentucky club filled with four freshmen and a
junior transfer, the No. 9 Wildcats crushed it in a 77-46 defeat of Coppin
State at Rupp Arena Saturday afternoon.
Cats call the rollUK
shows off its new cast in season-opening rout It's a
given that Kentucky will rely on veterans Chuck Hayes and Kelenna Azubuike
this season. But the opening 77-46 victory over Coppin State yesterday
proved the Cats are not dependent on the twosome as scorers.
These are some scary Cats New Kentucky debuted
yesterday with Patrick Sparks flipping a lob pass, underhanded, between two
defenders. Rajon Rondo climbed after it.
Long lost brothers? We knew Kentucky set the recruiting goal
of finding a replacement for senior Chuck Hayes. But who knew that a Hayes
look-a-like, a player with an uncanny resemblance to the UK star, loomed on
the basketball horizon?
DeMoss looks for defensive intensity vs. Florida A&M The
Kentucky women didn't have long to celebrate their first win of the season
on Friday night, instead they had to start preparing for another opponent --
with a completely different playing style -- right away.
Big-time
foes have benefits for Coppin
The money is nice. Coppin State athletic director and basketball coach Ron
"Fang" Mitchell will be the first to admit that playing one of the toughest
non-conference schedules in the nation while raising about $400,000 for the
school's athletic department sure beats other forms of fund-raising such as
schmoozing with boosters
BROOKS: 'A BIG WEEK FOR OUR YOUNGER GUYS' Rich Brooks and
his staff continually praised the potential his freshman class has shown
during its on-the-job training this season.
Amid doubts, losses, Cats stay hot on recruiting trail
For a program likely headed toward a two-win season with speculation
swirling about the future of its head coach, Kentucky is holding its own on
the recruiting front.
(11-20-04)
Basketball
UK 77 - CS 46 (Final)
Kentucky opens with an easy win
After a season on the sideline, Kentucky's
Patrick Sparks celebrated his return to the basketball court.
No. 9 Cats Thump Coppin State 77-46
New guards Patrick Sparks and Rajon Rondo
combined for 21 points and led a strong defensive effort to help the
ninth-ranked Wildcats beat Coppin State 77-46 on Saturday.
Senior Sara Potts scored a team-high 22
points and the Kentucky women’s basketball team won its seventh consecutive
season opener, 82-44, Friday in front of an electrifying 5,218 fans in
Memorial Coliseum.
UK DOMINATES BOARDS, SHOOTING, DEFENSE She wouldn't
admit it at the time, but near the end of last season, Sara Potts was
exhausted. The forward was playing 40 minutes a game. She was the only
consistent scorer for the Kentucky women game in and game out.
Cats ready to get their feet wetSMITH SAYS SCHEDULE IS SET UP THE RIGHT
WAY Kentucky's players might prefer to jump immediately
and repeatedly into college basketball's competitive deep end. But UK Coach
Tubby Smith likes the way this year's schedule allows the Cats to ease
slowly into shallow water before wading into more challenging currents.
Today's opponent Coppin State Location: Baltimore, Md.
Enrollment: 3,900 Founded: 1900 Nickname: Eagles School colors: Royal blue
and gold Home arena (capacity): Coppin Center (1,720)
LINEUPS, STATISTICS Kentucky Probable starters No.
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. 44 Chuck Hayes F 6-6 242 Sr. 24 Kelenna Azubuike F 6-5
208 Jr. 33 Randolph Morris C 6-10 266 Fr.
For Carrier, practice doesn't make perfect At Memorial
Coliseum, he apparently shoots the lights out. At Rupp Arena, he shoots as
if the lights were out. Such is the disparity in Josh Carrier's shooting
accuracy. The Kentucky senior has been the team's best shooter in practice,
UK Coach Tubby Smith says. But in the two exhibition games, he missed all
five of his attempts.
Football
U of L, Marshall or something else here University of
Kentucky Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said yesterday that he is in an
evaluation process regarding the future of head football coach Rich Brooks
and his staff.
UK officials evaluating Brooks' status University
of Kentucky President Lee Todd and athletic director Mitch Barnhart gave the
first indications yesterday that football coach Rich Brooks' job could be in
jeopardy.
Todd: Wait and see on any changes to Kentucky football staff Any decisions about Kentucky's football coaching staff won't come until
after an ongoing evaluation of the program by the university's athletic
director is finished, University of Kentucky President Lee Todd said Friday.
(11-19-04)
Basketball
UK 82 -- Butler 44 (Final)
Kentucky braces for season opener
With a team of mostly freshmen and newcomers,
Coach Mickie DeMoss doesn't know exactly what to expect in Kentucky's season
opener tonight at Memorial Coliseum.
Ready or not, hoops is hereIn what will
definitely help cure the football blues, the University of Kentucky men's
basketball team opens its season tomorrow [today] against Coppin State at
Rupp Arena. The contest will end eight months worth of wait for Kentucky
followers across the state.
Tubby silences freshmen on eve of openerAll
of them have played in front of the raucous Rupp Arena fans. Three of them
have experienced the hoopla of the McDonald's High School All-American game.
And two of them have already broken in to Tubby Smith's starting lineup.
While many UK players happily insulate
themselves in Wildcat Lodge, Chuck Hayes goes out of his way to involve
himself in his community, often dropping by unannounced at Lexington-area
middle schools.
All-America candidate Chuck Hayes, three
McDonald's All-Americans in the freshman class and, to borrow a phrase from
two years ago, unparalleled tradition assure Kentucky of outsized
expectations this season.
P.R. CAMPAIGN GETS IN HIGH GEAR FOR CATS FORWARD
Although the political season just ended, the politicking will continue.
Kentucky plans to launch a campaign next week to make Chuck Hayes an
All-American.
Newsworthy Cats from the Past
Chiles kicked off team at MurrayMurray State
University men's basketball coach Mick Cronin dismissed senior guard Adam
Chiles from the team yesterday after a weekend arrest on drug- and
alcohol-related charges.
(11-18-04)
UK Athletics fights Claude Bassett suit$50 MILLION CASE BY EX-COACH HAS NO
MERIT, ATTORNEYS SAY
The University of Kentucky Athletics
Association wants a federal judge to dismiss a $50 million lawsuit filed by
former football assistant coach Claude Bassett.
NCAA, NBA must cooperate to fix our sport
Basketball season cannot begin with absent-minded amusement this time. There
are issues, tangible issues, game-threatening issues, and every hoops
kingdom cannot become so self-absorbed that joy and anticipation smother the
current quandary.
Big Blue-chippers Rashaad Carruth.
The once-volatile guard is gone, but mention his name and know that past
transgressions haven't dissipated from the collective Wildcat memory.
Carruth - in a 2001-02 freshman season fraught with potential - was openly
unhappy and unwilling to share coach Tubby Smith's vision.
The 2004-05 season kicks off for the men's
basketball team on Saturday afternoon against Coppin State. Coach Tubby
Smith and selected players talked about the upcoming game and the season.
UK Hoops Opens Regular-Season Play This WeekendKentucky opens its 31st season of women’s basketball Friday when
the Wildcats play host to the Butler Bulldogs at 7 p.m. ET and the Florida
A&M Rattlers on Sunday, Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. ET. Both games will be played in
Memorial Coliseum. Free UK Hoops schedule magnets will be given away Friday
to the first 1,000 fans and free UK Hoops coloring books will be given away
Sunday to the first 500 children.
UK's Crawford continues to adjustTake a few
servings of competitive spirit, a healthy dose of will to win, and let it
marinate in a town of Detroit Pistons basketball known for its no-nonsense
defense and you end up with highly recruited Kentucky freshman guard Joe
Crawford.
COPPIN COACH
FANG MITCHELL MIGHT HAVE LOST A BIT OF HIS BITE, BUT HE'LL COACH VS. UK
A visiting coach who owns a historic giant-killer victory and
arguably the sport's best nickname will be part of Kentucky's opening game.
But in a way, he won't.
Fearless 'Fang' casts Coppin in his image On Saturday,
Ron "Fang" Mitchell, still in recovery, will lead his Coppin State
basketball team into Rupp Arena for the season opener against the University
of Kentucky. He wouldn't miss it.
TV
conflict moves UK game back an hour
Tipoff for the University of
Kentucky's Nov. 26 basketball game against Georgia State in Rupp Arena has
been changed to 8 p.m.
TUBBY SMITH, Kentucky basketball coach
Orlando "Tubby" Smith is a winner. In 12 seasons as a college head
basketball coach, Smith has an overall record of 315-114, winning one
national championship, with Kentucky in 1998. He is also one of only six
coaches to guide three schools -- Tulsa, Georgia and Kentucky -- to the
Sweet Sixteen.
Football
Wildcats coach Brooks welcomes breakWith a
disappointing season winding down, it might seem that a bye week wouldn't be
useful for Kentucky. But coach Rich Brooks welcomes the break and thinks it
will help his injury-riddled team as the Wildcats (2-8, 1-6) prepare to play
Tennessee on Nov. 27.
Begley named all-district Kicker Taylor Begley is
one of seven University of Kentucky football players named to the Academic
All-District IV Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America
in the first round of Academic All-America voting.
Barnhart is the boss, so he can alter staffBUT A.D. MUST SHARE IN FOOTBALL BLAME
In a perfect world, the head football coach would have the last word
on his or her staff. Ah, but the sports world is far from a perfect world.
We regret the redundancy, but big-time money has birthed an alternative
reality. Big-time college sports is really big-time college business. And
the business world is far from a perfect world.
Ohio lineman picks UKKentucky added another
offensive lineman to its 2005 football recruiting class when 6-8, 315-pound
Zach Hennis of Plain City, Ohio, verbally committed to the Wildcats Tuesday
night.
Cats get commitment from pick up 6-foot-8 offensive lineman from Ohio
University of Kentucky football coach Rich Brooks said he wanted taller
linemen, and it appears his desires have been answered. Zach Hennis, a
6-foot-8, 310-pound offensive lineman, committed to UK Tuesday night.
(11-17-04)
Basketball
With Azubuike, UK always has a shotJUNIOR HAS
EMERGED AS TEAM'S OUTSIDE THREAT To say Kelenna
Azubuike was Kentucky's hottest shooter in exhibition play is an
understatement. He was UK's only shooter of consequence from the perimeter.
Wildcats
lose out on 6-9 prospect
A late push by the University of
Kentucky wasn't enough to convince Leo Criswell's mom to let her son become
a Wildcat. Criswell, a 6-foot-9 senior forward at Coastal Christian Academy
in Virginia Beach, Va., signed a national letter of intent Tuesday to attend
Missouri.
Knee injury costs Perry her season Kentucky forward
Afton Perry will sit out this season after tearing two ligaments in her
right knee during the team's final exhibition game last week.
Football
Brooks, Barnhart discuss programKENTUCKY COACH CALLS MEETING 'PRETTY
ROUTINE' Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks and Athletics
Director Mitch Barnhart met yesterday in what Brooks termed "a meeting of
the state of the football program."
Newsworthy Cats from the Past
Williams still plans to get his degree Mike Williams,
the University of Kentucky safety and three-year starter who was dismissed
from the team Nov.5, said yesterday that he'll remain in school and try to
graduate with a degree in sociology by next summer.
(11-16-04)
Basketball
UK Hoops Ink Two Kentucky Standouts
Kentucky women’s basketball coach
Mickie DeMoss announced today the signing of two Kentucky high school
standouts in 5-8 guard Kasi (pronounced KAY-see) Galloway from Knott Co.
Central in Hindman, Ky. and 6-1 forward/center Jenne (pronounced ja-NAY)
Jackson of North Hardin High School in Radcliff, Ky.
WILL MR.
BASKETBALL PLEASE STAND UP Believe it or not, there
are places where winter is dreaded. Where it is so bleak, it is more
unwelcome than the school principal on Senior Skip Day.
New role fits Azubuike fine Kelenna Azubuike, his eyes
wandering and his voice projecting barely above a whisper, hardly comes
across as one of the University of Kentucky's two most important leaders.
Then again, he's never been one to do his best work with much of a fuss.
Recovering Coppin St. coach will be at UK Coppin State
Coach Ron "Fang" Mitchell will accompany his team to Kentucky for the
season-opening game on Saturday. Mitchell's status had been in doubt after
doctors removed his thymus gland on Oct. 19. He has been recuperating at
home since being released from the hospital on Oct. 24.
UK wooing Virginia recruit, coach says Leo Criswell, a
6-foot-8 forward who took an official visit to the University of Kentucky
over the weekend, could sign with the Wildcats today, according to his high
school coach.
Wildcats
zero in on 6-9 Criswell
The University of Kentucky's
search to find a forward from the class of 2005 could end shortly. Leo
Criswell, a 6-foot-9 forward from Kansas City, Mo., flew here over the
weekend for an official visit and has been offered a scholarship to attend
UK next fall. He is expected to make a decision by Wednesday, the last day
of the fall signing period.
Football
Kentucky Football Notebook - November 16 In
the first round of Academic All-America voting, seven Kentucky Wildcats have
been elected to the Academic All-District IV Team by the College Sports
Information Directors of America.
Wildcats comeback historic4TH-QUARTER RALLY BEST SINCE 1949
If you thought it was just a 14-point comeback, your sense of history
should have thought: A 14-POINT COMEBACK?! UK's rally over Vanderbilt was
the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in modern UK history, the school said
yesterday after researching records.
Newsworthy Cats from the Past
2 Minute Drill | Former UK star Winston Bennett
Winston Bennett, the former University of Kentucky basketball star and
assistant coach, has been out of the spotlight since being fired almost a
year ago as Kentucky State's coach after the university determined that he
punched player Ricky Green during a practice.
(11-15-04)
Basketball
SEC has 'Cat match fever
It is the school with the tradition and the
legions of fans that includes photogenic Hollywood actress Ashley Judd.
Tubby's toy box overflows During a brief
interruption in the University of Kentucky's first exhibition game, freshman
guard Ramel Bradley took a quick inventory of his teammates on the court.
Two pre-season awards announced last week
might give Kentucky fans a different perception of Chuck Hayes and a reason
to re-think the term “complementary player.”
Kentucky Football Notebook - November 15 Kentucky vs.
Tennessee game selected by JP Sports. Game time will be 12:30 p.m.
Kentucky’s fourth-quarter rally in Saturday’s win over Vanderbilt marks the
largest fourth-quarter comeback in school history for records available
since 1949
Wildcats
snap SEC losing skid
In a career full of ugly looking
passes, it fit right in for University of Kentucky quarterback Shane Boyd.
"It hung up there for a long time. It was wounded and waggly," receiver
Glenn Holt said.
Baseball
Top baseball player to stay home with UK The
University of Kentucky baseball team has signed Chaz Roe, a standout pitcher
and shortstop at Lexington Lafayette High School.
Expectations? You betchaIn our fair commonwealth, so long has
it been since one of our teams made an appearance, only those with
well-seasoned memories remember it.
BIG GAME HUNTING: A GUIDE TO UK HOOPSThe
day before UK's first exhibition game of this 2004-05 basketball season, the
wise old sage that is Chuck Hayes was asked about the new Cats on the block,
those fab freshmen.
Cats Edge Vandy 14-13 on Senior Day Kentucky's Shane
Boyd threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Glenn Holt with 1:39 left, lifting
the Wildcats past Vanderbilt 14-13 on Saturday.
A win from out of the blue Normally, the end-over-end
pass that hangs in the air for an eternity isn't caught by a University of
Kentucky receiver. Not for a touchdown that wins the game.
THEY REFUSE TO FAIL FOR EACH OTHER'S SAKE When it came
to the reason behind UK's comeback 14-13 Senior Day win over Vanderbilt
yesterday, Antoine Huffman put it best. "We have a bad record," said UK's
junior defensive back yesterday, "but we're all we have right now."
Cats deserve time to savor winning feeling Let your
memory relax for the next two weeks. The despair pile remains intact and is
as disgusting as ever, but there is no new garbage.
UK seniors 'duck' outTD
pass with 1:39 left wins it When Shane Boyd sailed a
pass toward the end zone late in the fourth quarter of Kentucky's game with
Vanderbilt yesterday, there was nothing that suggested anything good was
about to happen.
BY THE NUMBERS Vanderbilt 0 7 6 0--13 Kentucky 0 0 0 14--14
2nd quarter: VU--Jeff Jennings 1 run (Patrick Johnson kick), 12:29. 3rd
quarter: VU--Chris Young 13 pass from Jay Cutler (kick failed), 11:55. 4th
quarter: UK--Glenn Holt 7 pass from Shane Boyd (Taylor Begley kick), 12:12;
UK--Holt 25 pass from Boyd (Begley kick), 1:39.
TEAMMATES DEDICATE GAME TO FORMER SAFETY WILLIAMS Mike
Williams wasn't allowed to participate in Senior Day activities after being
suspended from the team last week, but his teammates made sure his presence
was felt.
(11-13-04)
Basketball
Tough, tenacious Hayes is poised to be UK's leader
If you're looking for a vocal,
rah-rah type of leader, Chuck Hayes isn't your man. But if you want someone
to lead by example, then you'll love Kentucky's senior forward.
Wrung-out, weary O-line craves a winSQUAD HIT HARDEST BY UK WOES
No one unit represents the trials, tribulations, one-year triumph,
turbulence and turmoil of the Kentucky football program better than the
offensive line.
Seniors lament Cats' lost season A victory over
Vanderbilt (2-7, 1-5 Southeastern Conference) might provide the Wildcats
(1-8, 0-6) with a momentary elixir, but it won't change the stamp that's
already been affixed to this season.
Boyd's loyalty will be his legacyUK SENIOR DESERVES CREDIT FOR PATIENCE
Life is what happens when you are busy making plans. Or so they say.
Today at 1 p.m. at Commonwealth Stadium, Shane Boyd is to make his final
home start as quarterback of the Kentucky Wildcats.
Struggling foes want to avoid basement
Like so many other
Vanderbilt-Kentucky football games of recent years, it's come down to this:
The winner of the game between the perennial Southeastern Conference
also-rans can avoid the league cellar.
GAMES WITHIN THE GAMEBreaking down today's Vanderbilt-Kentucky matchupThe most talked about element of today's game might have nothing to
do with what happens on the field. While the home team was getting drubbed
by Georgia last week, Wildcat fans entertained themselves with a friendly
game of toss in the stands. Vanderbilt isn't expected to bring a big
following, and with the weather expected to be on the nippy side, will there
be enough people at Commonwealth Stadium to pass a football around this
afternoon?
Seniors motivate Wildcats Kentucky can't have a
winning season and has known for weeks it won't be going to a bowl game.
Vanderbilt at Kentucky Vanderbilt at Kentucky When: 1
p.m. Records: Vanderbilt (2-7, 1-5 SEC); Kentucky (1-8, 0-6). Series:
Vanderbilt leads 37-35-4 Last meeting: Vandy won at home 28-17 on Nov. 15,
2003.
Injuries give walk-on his shot Kentucky is dangerously
thin at the cornerback spot coming into today's game with Vanderbilt, with
the only true healthy body being sophomore Karl Booker. Senior Earven
Flowers is doubtful with a hip pointer, and junior Warren Wilson is out with
a knee injury.
(11-12-04)
Basketball
Humphrey gives Cats a liftLast season,
Jennifer Humphrey was dragging in practice. She would lag behind her
Kentucky teammates in every drill.
Maui Invitational field to include UK in 2006 Kentucky will
face stiff competition when it returns to the Maui Invitational in 2006.
Other teams in the event that year will be UCLA, Georgia Tech, Oklahoma,
Memphis, Purdue, DePaul and Chaminade, Maui Invitational organizers
announced yesterday.
Crawford
off to solid start
From the time Joe Crawford made his
first public appearance in a Kentucky uniform, he wowed fans with a
spectacular two-handed reverse dunk during the dunk contest at Midnight
Madness.
Football
Kentucky Football Notebook - November 12 Scott
Mitchell and Sevin Sucurovic named game captains for Saturday ... Game day
honorees and activities for the Vanderbilt game ... Seniors to be honored at
the game ... SAAC/God's Pantry canned food drive prior to the game.
'I'm ending this with no regrets'UK receiver Parker perseveres despite
series of bad breaks Gerad Parker is a guy with
a lot of career options. He's a quote machine, which has made him a favorite
with the media, and he speaks of a future as a football coach.
UK's Scott blossoming The positive glow exuding from tight
end Eric Scott seems to eclipse the darkness surrounding the University of
Kentucky football program.
Vanderbilt, Kentucky try to avoid SEC cellar
Like so many other Vanderbilt-Kentucky football games of recent years, it's
come down to this: the winner of the game between the perennial Southeastern
Conference also-rans can avoid the league cellar.
Baseball
Nidiffer signs with KentuckyKentucky
baseball coach John Cohen will finally get to instruct a Tennessee High
player. Vikings catcher Marcus Nidiffer signed a letter-of-intent to attend
the Southeastern Conference school in a ceremony at THS Thursday.
(11-11-04)
Basketball
UK Hoops Dominate West Coast All-StarsSenior Sara
Potts hit six three-pointers and turned in an impressive 24-point
performance to spark the Kentucky women’s basketball team to an 83-50
exhibition win over the West Coast All-Stars Thursday evening in Memorial
Coliseum.
DeMoss looks for intensity on defenseCATS TO PLAY IN SECOND EXHIBITION TONIGHT
The University of Kentucky women's basketball team concludes
exhibition play when it faces the West Coast All-Stars at 7 tonight in
Memorial Coliseum.
Wesleyan coach likes Sparks' potentialGUARD SAYS IT'S A MATTER OF TIMING
Two point guards can make one sweet backcourt. That was the
assessment of Kentucky Wesleyan Coach Ray Harper after his team lost to
Kentucky 79-54 in an exhibition game Tuesday night.
Clankfests leave Wildcats unfazed
Two poor shooting games
don't add up to a slump. Especially when the abysmal shooting occurred
during two exhibition victories. No. 9 University of Kentucky made just 3 of
20 three-pointers in its first preseason game against Northern Kentucky
University and just 5 of 19 against Kentucky Wesleyan Tuesday night.
Football
Brooks goes with Boyd on Senior DayWOODSON'S ANKLE NOT 100 PERCENT, BUT HE'LL
PLAY Shane Boyd will start at quarterback for
Kentucky on Saturday against Vanderbilt, UK Coach Rich Brooks said
yesterday. Brooks cited two factors in his decision to start Boyd over
redshirt freshman Andre Woodson: a) it will be Senior Day and Boyd's last
game at Commonwealth Stadium b) Woodson still is slightly hobbled by a
sprained ankle suffered in last week's 62-17 loss to Georgia.
Curry gets a flashback By Jeff Shain Bill Curry's
emotions instantly were transported back in time upon hearing of the delayed
hook Florida had given Ron Zook
UK TO HOLD OPEN FORUM ON ATHLETICS The steering committee
for the University of Kentucky's ongoing self-study for NCAA Division I
Certification will host a campus and community forum at 7 tonight in the E.S.
Good Barn near Commonwealth Stadium.
(11-10-04)
Football
Kentucky Football Notebook - November 10
Coach Rich Brooks will attend the kickoff news conference for the 17th
annual “Big Blue Crush” blood drive on Thursday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. at the
Central Kentucky Blood Center. Game day activities and
honorees for the Vanderbilt game SAAC/God’s Pantry canned
food drive to be held at Vanderbilt game; fans can win men’s basketball
tickets.
Cook's sixth year a plus for young CatsBROOKS POINTS TO YEAR AS UNOFFICIAL COACH
Vanderbilt at Kentucky When: 1 p.m. Saturday TV: WKYT-TV (delayed,
11:35 p.m.) Just a few days ago, Tommy Cook was preparing for Senior Day and
life after football.
Nitpickers beware: Cats' offense on rise The University of
Kentucky is so fortunate to be No.116 this week. The Cats are only 115 spots
from the University of Louisville. A mean columnist no longer can write how
this state has the best and the worst NCAA Division I-A offenses.
Tight end commits to Cats No wonder University of Kentucky
football coach Rich Brooks talked so glowingly Monday about the Wildcats'
recruiting efforts.
Basketball
UK Hoops Meet West Coast All-Stars In Final Exhibition Game
The Kentucky women’s basketball team concludes exhibition play when it faces
the West Coast All-Stars on Thursday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. in Memorial
Coliseum. The game will be open to the public with no charge for admission.
Free UK Hoops posters and schedule cards will be given away.
UK Hoops Ink Kentucky All-Star and Ohio Player of the YearThe University of Kentucky women’s basketball team signed two
players to a national letter-of-intent, Coach Mickie DeMoss announced today.
Carly Ormerod, a 5-8 point guard from Louisville’s Sacred Heart Academy and
Shana Andrus (pronounced SHAY-na AN-drus), a 6-0 guard/forward of Barberton
High School in Barberton, Ohio, have signed to play for the Wildcats next
season.
Azubuike could be UK's keySince his arrival at Kentucky, it has not been unusual for Kelenna
Azubuike to find his way to Memorial Coliseum at night to work on his
shooting.
Cats swat away Panthers
Alleyne clogs the lane, blocks eight shots Maybe it
was only against Kentucky Wesleyan. Make that a short-handed as well as
short-in-stature Kentucky Wesleyan. Nevertheless, Shagari Alleyne enjoyed a
block party last night in UK's 79-54 victory.
Wildcats fans enjoy Alleyne's block party Call
Kentucky Wesleyan's basketball team stubborn. Or maybe its players didn't
believe the University of Kentucky's roster, which lists Shagari Alleyne as
7feet3.
Season set to wash away football blues
It's the
difference between night and day. Actually, it's the difference
between winning and losing. When it comes to Kentucky football,
you can't wait for the season to be over. When it comes to
Kentucky basketball, you can't wait for the season to begin.
Alleyne
surprise for UK
Garbage time came early in the
University of Kentucky's 79-54 exhibition victory against Kentucky Wesleyan
at Rupp Arena on Tuesday night. The Wildcats were comfortably ahead of the
undermanned Panthers, who had their two best players ruled ineligible before
the season started, so UK head coach Tubby Smith subbed liberally midway
through the first half in deference to his former colleague, Kentucky
Wesleyan head coach Ray Harper.
Player figures Cats worth waiting forAlthough Kentucky isn't expected to add a player
during the November signing period, it has one prospect set to join the team
next fall.
(11-09-04)
Football
UK
vs. Vandy: Somebody has to win
There have been a few exceptions over the
years, but typically the Kentucky-Vanderbilt football game boils down to
this: Two losing programs battling on a chilly November day to stay out of
the Southeastern Conference basement.
Brooks sees good days ahead for Kentucky
University of Kentucky football coach Rich Brooks said he can see past the
mounting losses and injuries. He can see a day when all of these freshmen
who have been pressed into action this season are juniors or seniors, a day
when all of the heartache from 2004 turns to joy.
Basketball
Cats Thump KY Wesleyan in Final Preseason Tune-up
Kelenna Azubuike scored 15 points and Shagari Alleyne rejected eight shots
to lead Kentucky to a 79-54 victory over Kentucky Wesleyan in an exhibition
game Tuesday night at Rupp Arena
Crawford's toughness impresses HayesNo one was more impressed that freshman guard Joe Crawford took a charge
in his first game at Kentucky than senior Chuck Hayes.
Prospect Curtis Brown enjoyed his official
recruiting visit to Kentucky last weekend. But whether he becomes the
forward to replace Chuck Hayes in 2005-2006 remains to be seen.
Tubby likely will juggle UK lineup Tubby Smith is a lot more
concerned about who performs well when the lights are on than who is
introduced as a starter when the lights are low.
Hayes
used to victory
The wins have piled up nicely during
Chuck Hayes' first three seasons at the University of Kentucky. Hayes, now a
brawny senior, has helped the Wildcats win 65 games while losing only 12.
His winning percentage of 84.42 makes him college basketball active leader
in winning percentage with a minimum of 60 starts
Kentucky Football Press Conference Quotes
Coach Rich Brooks and selected players were
available to the media today for the weekly news conference. The Wildcats
will take on Vanderbilt on Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium.
Wildcats facing 'reality check'Getting outscored
28-0 by No. 8 Georgia in the fourth quarter leaves Kentucky facing what
coach Rich Brooks calls a "reality check" this week against Vanderbilt.
It already figured to be tough enough for the
Kentucky football team to find the motivation to fight through the last two
weeks of a 1-8 season.
You think Brooks is bad ...Parcells obviously can't coach, either
Let out a sigh bigger than Jared Lorenzen, Kentucky. You didn't
just dodge a bullet; you dodged the MOAB. This Bill Parcells guy, he's no
football coach.
Bulldogs bruise Cats in blowout win After recording
the game's lone sack in the first quarter, Ellery Moore danced to the
sideline. Later in the half, the UK senior defensive end
could only limp off the field.
A high ankle sprain had Moore on crutches and in a protective boot. But one
by one, many of his teammates would soon join him with injuries of their
own.
Basketball
Wildcats Meet Kentucky Wesleyan in Final Exhibition
The Kentucky Wildcats will take on the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers Tuesday
night at 7:00 p.m. in Rupp Arena. It will be the second of two exhibition
games as the Cats prepare for the 2004-05 season. Read quotes from Monday's
press conference here.
A little Q & A with Dick VitaleWhy do you have
Kentucky ranked No. 3 in your preseason rankings?"The bottom line is I probably have
Kentucky overrated because they are so young, but they are so talented and I
have such confidence in Tubby Smith that they will mature and become major,
major players before year ends. Kentucky has all the parts to really create
havoc this year."
(11-07-04)
Football
DOG-PADDLEDUK
crumbles under Georgia's aerial assault
A handful of Georgia fans were making their
way through the Commonwealth Stadium parking lot before yesterday's game
when a group of Kentucky tailgaters pleaded for mercy.
Bulldogs have a ball from start Give University of
Kentucky football fans points for creativity. The only resistance
No.8-ranked Georgia faced in Commonwealth Stadium yesterday came from the
fans in blue.
Treat Cats games like long car rides You think what a
waste. You think it couldn't possibly be worth the time and effort you spend
among your fellow sufferers on a November Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium,
in yesterday's case watching your poor Kentucky Wildcats get wrapped around
eighth-ranked Georgia's axle by the score of 62-17.
One-win blues Say what you will about the University of
Kentucky football team — or you can say farewell like the sensible folks who
fled Commonwealth Stadium as if a fire alarm sounded at halftime yesterday —
but the Wildcats are chasing history the next two games.
Blue-and-silver liningHope exists, if you look hard enough
Beneath the rubble of a football program in ruins ... Amid the
now traditional booing of the University of Kentucky president; In the
presence of a fan base so disinterested and disheartened, it spent a good
bit of UK's "matchup" with No. 8 Georgia playing keep-away with the
footballs the Bulldogs were kicking into the stands following their many
touchdowns;
Ankle sprain mars Woodson's big game If University of
Kentucky quarterback Andre Woodson can recover from a sprained ankle, he
might be the Wildcats' starter against Vanderbilt in six days.
62 reasons for revenge? The 62 points allowed by UK
yesterday were the most it has yielded in regulation since LSU scored 63
back in 1997. Twenty-eight of those Georgia points came in the fourth
quarter after the game was pretty much decided.
BY THE NUMBERS Georgia 3 17 14 28--62 Kentucky 0 3 14
0--17 1st quarter: UGA--Andy Bailey 46 FG, 2:57. 2nd quarter: UGA--Leonard
Pope 1 pass from David Greene (A. Bailey kick), 11:46; UGA--A. Bailey 23 FG,
5:32; UGA--Thomas Brown 1 run (A. Bailey kick), 1:21; UK--Taylor Begley 36
FG, 0:00. 3rd quarter: UGA--Brown 2 run (A. Bailey kick), 13:26; UGA--Sean
Bailey 35 pass from D.J. Shockley (A. Bailey kick), 11:24; UK--Rafael Little
52 pass from Andre Woodson (Begley kick), 10:17; UK--Rock Johnson 4 run
(Begley kick...
Basketball
Kentucky’s Hayes Named Naismith Award CandidateUniversity of Kentucky
senior forward Chuck Hayes has been named one of 50 preseason candidates for
the Naismith Trophy presented by Cingular Wireless. The list, announced
Friday, was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors,
comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from
around the country. The board based its pre-season criteria on player
performances from last season.
NCAA flag ruling creating a flapConfederate symbol blunts 3 SEC schools
Mississippi State opens the season Thursday
and Friday as host for the first two rounds of the Coaches vs. Cancer
Classic. Now for a kinky twist: Those two games will not be played in
Starkville.
UK gets commitment from Georgia forward Curtis Brown, a
6-foot-9 forward who burst onto the University of Kentucky's recruiting
radar in the last few months, committed to the Wildcats Friday during his
official visit.
Notebook starts, ends with CatsHUMOR HELPS UK FANS COPE AMID TOUGH FOOTBALL
SEASON Twenty-one thoughts to salve your attack-ad
withdrawal. 21. Bad football. Brings out the creativity in Kentucky fans.
Just received in the mail a lime green Got Spurrier? T-shirt from a UK
backer in New Jersey.
Searching for positives in Kentucky's 1-7
season to date is kind of like looking for vintage CD's in your chain music
stores: There's a chance they might be there, but you've got to flip through
a lot of stuff to find them.
Wildcats must be offensive to collar DawgsThe way
the college football season has gone for the University of Kentucky and
No.8-ranked Georgia, there hardly seems any reason to play today's game.
UK rebuilds Mumme's burnt bridgesEX-QB BONNER HONORARY CAPTAIN
When a school honors an old hero by bringing him back for an
appreciative cheer from the home folks, chances are the honoree is not
someone who left the program in a nasty dispute.
Georgia
tries to avoid overconfidence
Overconfidence will not be an
issue today when No. 8 Georgia visits a University of Kentucky football team
that has lost six straight games. At least it better not be, Georgia coach
Mark Richt said.
Williams suspended for season The collegiate football
career of Mike Williams came to an abrupt end when the senior strong safety
was suspended for the remainder of the season yesterday for a violation of
team rules, Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks announced yesterday in a statement.
GAMES WITHIN THE GAME
Breaking down today's Georgia-Kentucky matchup With
an exhilarating win over Florida under its belt from last week and with a
huge road trip to Auburn looming next week, all of Georgia Coach Mark
Richt's best motivational tricks might not be enough to have the Bulldogs
fired up for this one.
TRUEBLUEYes, Kentucky is a
basketball state, but if you take a close look at UK football attendance,
you'll see another kind of amazing sports stat. The
Kentucky Wildcats meet the Georgia Bulldogs at Commonwealth Stadium this
afternoon, hoping to move the ball a little more on offense, stop it a
little more on defense, and possibly even win a football game.
Basketball
Quietly making some noise
UK COUNTING ON UNASSUMING AZUBUIKE
It's hard to overlook a team's leading
returning scorer. But Kelenna Azubuike makes it possible this pre-season.
Fab Four freshmen and Chuck Hayes' All-America aspirations obscure
Azubuike's place on Kentucky's basketball team. His quiet demeanor -- about
180 degrees from, say, Terrell Owens' Sharpie-packing narcissism -- and
restrained public utterances repel the spotlight.
UK gets commitment from Georgia forward Curtis Brown, a
6-foot-9 forward who burst onto the University of Kentucky's recruiting
radar in the last few months, committed to the Wildcats yesterday during his
official visit.
(11-05-04)
Football
Kentucky Football Notebook - November 5
Senior strong safety Mike Williams has been
suspended for the remainder of the season for violation of team rules, Coach
Rich Brooks has announced.
Game day activities and honorees for the Georgia game.
They've walked off the field seven times this
fall disappointed by defeat. But for University of Kentucky football
players, that's only the beginning of what's usually a rough week on campus
and around town.
'Cats not straying from a fight Two weeks ago,
Kentucky coach Rich Brooks was defending his own job security. This week,
he's had to shout down loud cries for changes on his staff.
A balanced scoring attack by the Wildcats
paced the Kentucky women’s basketball team to a 76-62 victory in Memorial
Coliseum over the Ohio Legends Thursday in exhibition play. Freshmen Sarah
Elliott and senior Sara Potts lead the Cats with 12 and 10 points,
respectively.
Kentucky women win exhibition game, 76-62 Freshman
center Sarah Elliott led a balanced attack with 12 points as the University
of Kentucky women beat the visiting Ohio Legends 76-62 last night in an
exhibition game.
Azubuike
leaves Jane behind
There were times last season when
Kelenna Azubuike's play was not what you would expect from the chiseled
6-foot-5 forward built like the Incredible Hulk. The difference in
perception and reality prompted University of Kentucky head coach Tubby
Smith to remark jokingly that Azubuike looked like Tarzan but played like
Jane.
Wildcats promise wild ride
A Kentucky basketball player is
already a star the moment he steps on campus. Or before. Did you read how
Curtis Brown described it? Brown is a tall young fellow at Mount Olive Prep
School in Marietta, Ga., and after visiting UK last month, he has decided he
would like to matriculate and be feted there.
Morris can be inside presence Cats need His numbers
were not outstanding and his play was not dominating, but Randolph Morris
still made it clear that he could be just what the Kentucky basketball team
needs this year.
(11-04-04)
Football
Lineman uses his smarts on, off fieldLANE 'CUT FROM DIFFERENT MOLD'
Down time for your typical college football
player usually consists of jocular activities such as PlayStation2. Down
time for Hayden Lane, however, is more likely to consist of reading a book
on biological anthropology than fiddling with a joystick.
Basketball
UK women to rely on freshman talent
Mickie DeMoss's arrival as head coach of the
University of Kentucky women's basketball team last season sparked renewed
interest in the program.
Cats show pedigree The bus ride to Rupp Arena was sober as
Division II Northern Kentucky University traveled to Division I powerhouse
Kentucky on Wednesday night, and afterward junior forward Derek Smith
couldn't help but notice a parallel to the movie Hoosiers.
Cats get lift from old, new Junior guard Kelenna
Azubuike made 11 of 14 shots and scored 26 points and senior forward
Chuck Hayes added 15 points and six rebounds in the Cats' 91-73 victory over
streaky-shooting Northern Kentucky University.
'The Rondo Show' gets warmed up The way he acted
afterward, his dazzling debut was no big deal. Did well, but he can do
better. Made some steals, but he can make more. Scored in double figures,
but he can score more.
UK women to rely on freshman talent Backed by a heavy
marketing campaign, the Wildcats saw their average crowd increase from fewer
than 1,700 fans in 2002-03 to more than 5,100. That was the biggest
attendance boost in the nation.
Kiddy Cats crank it up
During a 91-73 exhibition victory over Northern Kentucky last night,
Kentucky's "Fab Four" freshmen found themselves in the same huddle.
Frosh
show their stuff
During a timeout, University of
Kentucky freshman guard Ramel Bradley turned to his three fellow freshmen
and told them it was time to show why they combined to form arguably the No.
1 recruiting class in the country.
Threes were not the charm for CatsMaybe the constant scrutiny got to Kentucky Coach
Tubby Smith. Or the never-satisfied attitude associated with UK basketball.
UK
'feels like home,' potential Wildcat
After his unofficial visit to
the University of Kentucky the weekend of Midnight Madness, Curtis Brown
decided that he wanted to be a Wildcat.
Taking A CutIt's sad. He had the potential to be
an NBA All-Star for a long time. He had the potential to be one of the best
ever at UK. How many times do you see someone who doesn't get it until it's
too late?
(11-03-04)
Football
Bulldogs still consider UK a threat because of past
Georgia football had a long to-do list for
the 2004 season, with the primary goals being a run at the school's first
national championship since 1980 and third straight trip to the Southeastern
Conference Championship Game.
There's another curse still looming Random notes from
Demagoguery Plaza, or something like that: UK hasn't had much football
success since Bear Bryant left after the 1953 season. Now that Red Sox
General Manager Theo Epstein has reversed one curse, maybe he'd like to take
a shot at ending another. The Bambino down, the Bear to go?
Georgia can't figure out BCS Mark Richt can't figure it out.
Georgia is fifth in one poll, eighth in the other -- and ninth in the
all-important Bowl Championship Series standings.
UK aide McBride back on the job University of Kentucky
assistant coach Ron McBride returned to practice and worked a full day
Monday, less than four weeks after suffering a heart attack.
Basketball
UK 91 -- NKU 73
Azubuike, Rondo lead Cats over NKU
Kelenna Azubuike's scoring and Rajon Rondo's
defense led Kentucky to a 91-73 exhibition game win over Northern Kentucky
tonight in Rupp Arena.
Cats Ease Past Northern Kentucky, 91-73Kelenna
Azubuike scored 26 points to lead Kentucky to a 91-73 victory over Northern
Kentucky on Wednesday night in an exhibition game.
Kentucky vs. Northern Kentucky Post-Game QuotesKentucky Head Coach Tubby Smith Opening
Statement... “First, I want to commend coach (Dave) Bezold and Northern
Kentucky. I thought they did a great job tonight. We had a tough time
defending their perimeter game. I was really impressed with Mike Kelsey and
the way he shot the ball.
The
coaching chess match for University of Kentucky basketball coach Tubby Smith
starts tonight. With so many talented and interchangeable players on his
roster, Smith and his coaching staff will use the team's two exhibition
games starting with a 7 p.m. contest against Northern Kentucky University in
Rupp Arena to help gauge which ones fit together best.
FRESHMEN TO
MAKE RUPP DEBUT IN EXHIBITION Kentucky Coach Tubby Smith
said he will be closely watching the freshmen in tonight's exhibition game.
That makes it unanimous. All eyes will be on the ballyhooed freshmen as they
make their Rupp Arena debut. Northern Kentucky, which features former UK
tight end Derek Smith, provides the opposition.
Tubby gets a chance to size up Cats At least two and
possibly three of the University of Kentucky's starters will be newcomers
tonight when the men's basketball team plays its first exhibition game
against NKU.
Smith likes college team as pre-season foe Which exhibition
opposition best prepares a college team for its season: A group of all-stars
nearly as talented or even more talented than the college team. However, the
all-stars have been hastily put together and thrown into an exhausting, say,
seven-games-in-eight-days schedule?
Inside info: Morris will do well at UK Few are certain
how long Randolph Morris, Rajon Rondo, Joe Crawford and underrated Ramel
Bradley, will stay at UK. For sure, however, the Wildcats are better for
recruiting these players, especially Morris.
Northern Kentucky No. Name Pos. Ht. Year 5 Jordan Stowers G
6-1 Sr. 10 Chase Steely G 6-1 Fr. 11 Mike Kelsey G 6-2 Sr. 12 Brian Lewin F
6-6 So. 15 Billy Finnell G 6-0 Fr.
Kentucky Meets Ohio Legends in Exhibition Debut
The Kentucky women’s basketball team opens its 2004-05 season with the first
of two exhibition games. The Wildcats begin with the Ohio Legends Thursday,
Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. ET in Memorial Coliseum. The game will be open to the
public with no charge for admission.
(11-02-04)
Football
Kentucky Football Notebook
The Kentucky football team has a
school-record nine nominees for the Academic All-America team sponsored by
the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Georgia and Kentucky meet for the 58th time
since 1939 with the Bulldogs leading the series 45-10-2. The Bulldogs have
won seven straight in the series including their last three trips to
Commonwealth Stadium. Kentucky’s last win in the series came in 1996 in
Lexington, posting a 24-17 victory.
Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks said he has no
plans on replacing offensive coordinator Ron Hudson despite growing fan
dissatisfaction with a UK offense ranked last in the country.
One panacea for Barnhart's bad weekend You think
you've had some bad weekends? Let's take a little journey through Mitch
Barnhart's weekend from hell. The trek starts on a Saturday afternoon in
Starkville, Miss.
UK's Brooks stands by his man If forced to fire
embattled offensive coordinator Ron Hudson, University of Kentucky football
coach Rich Brooks said yesterday he would quit.
Charges dismissed against two Cats Charges of indecent
exposure against University of Kentucky walk-on offensive linemen Eric Klope
and Casey Shumate were dismissed yesterday.
Brooks
backs offensive coordinator
The University of Kentucky
officially has the worst offense in major-college football, but coach Rich
Brooks reiterated his support Monday for his offensive coordinator, Ron
Hudson.
Basketball
Wildcats Face Northern Kentucky Wednesday Night
Kentucky will take on Northern Kentucky
Wednesday night at Rupp Arena in their first of two exhibition games prior
to the start of the regular season. Head Coach Tubby Smith and selected
players spoke to the media about getting the season started.
Tickets to the University of Kentucky’s
two men’s basketball exhibition games are still available through the UK
Ticket Office, the Rupp Arena Ticket Office, Ticketmaster and via
UKathletics.com.
For some, they're more than exhibitions
Kentucky Wesleyan long has had one of the most successful NCAA Division II
men's basketball programs, having won eight national titles. Yet the
Owensboro school might never receive as much attention as it will in the
next eight days when it plays two games that don't count.
Ex-Cat starts anew with NKUUK'S BAIT-AND-SWITCH STILL BOTHERS HIM
He hasn't played an organized basketball game in five years. His
first dip of a toe back into the roundball water comes in a here-today,
gone-tomorrow exhibition.
UK's Sparks ready for season to start A year
older and all the wiser for Kentucky point guard Patrick Sparks as the
junior transfer from Central City prepares for his first action as a
Wildcat.
Vets
watch after UK freshman guards
Since practice started,
former Kentucky Mr. Basketball Josh Carrier has taken it upon himself to
guide the University of Kentucky's three freshman guards, youngsters who
will most likely end up with most of his playing time that amounted to 8.1
minutes a game last season.
Kentucky Football Press Conference Quotes
Coach Rich Brooks and players Gerad Parker,
Wesley Woodyard and Brad Booker were available to the media today for the
weekly news conference. Read their quotes here. News:
UK/Vanderbilt game not picked up by TV.
Brooks: Cats lacking 'intelligent effort'
Physical effort is not Kentucky's problem.
"I think we are trying physically," said Brooks. "But I am not totally
convinced that we are spending enough time mentally as they should be. The
effort is there, but it's not always intelligent effort."
51 vs. Indiana seems like a long time agoGlance
at the results from the 2004 Kentucky football season, and you see a lot of
similar numbers: zero against Louisville, three against Florida, seven
against South Carolina, seven against Mississippi State.
Dawgs still
focused on Cats... then AuburnNow that
Florida has been dismissed — for the first time in seven seasons and the
second in 15, no less — Georgia can begin looking ahead.
Cats kneel before MSUSitting on the bench as the
clock wound down, several UK defensive players draped towels over their
faces.
UK'S offense falls to last in the nation
Glance at the results from the 2004 Kentucky
football season, and you see a lot of similar numbers: zero against
Louisville, three against Florida, seven against South Carolina, seven
against Mississippi State.
Basketball
UK Hoops Media Guide Now Available
The University of Kentucky women's basketball
media guide for 2004-05 is now available for download or for purchase. Click
for more information. UK Hoops posters and schedule cards are also
available.
It's not hard for Chuck Hayes to
remember who has had the biggest impact on his basketball career. It's a lot
harder, though, for him to thank those who helped start him on a path that
he hopes will lead to a national championship in his final season at
Kentucky.
Perry spreads message about UK The date may not be circled on
his calendar, but you can be sure Dec. 4 will be a big day for Bobby Perry.
Norse hit road for Lexington to face UK in exhibition gameThe Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball team will travel to
Lexington, Ky., this Wednesday to meet the University of Kentucky in a 7
p.m. exhibition game in Rupp Arena.
NKU: Cats on minds of Bezold, Smith Northern Kentucky
University men's basketball coach Dave Bezold grew up a Kentucky fan and
still has old T-shirts to prove it.
During his first season at Kentucky, Lukasz
"Woo" Obrzut had trouble adjusting to the physical style of basketball coach
Tubby Smith wanted him to play.
Jamaal Magloire: Western ExposureAfter watching
the likes of Lithuania, Argentina and Puerto Rico smack around the U.S.
Olympic basketball team over the summer, it seems there’s only one thing
left for the American sporting authorities to do: Pour billions into the
soccer program and then go kick the world’s butt in its primary sport. Who’s
with me?
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