KENTUCKY (0-0, 0-0)
vs Pikeville College (0-0, 0-0)
Wednesday, October 31
(23,000) ? Exhibition
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Prior to opening the 2007-08 season, Kentucky hosts a pair of exhibition games, the first of which pits the Wildcats against in-state foe Pikeville College.
The preseason will be head coach Billy Gillispie?s first games on the Kentucky bench. Gillispie, who begins his first season as the head coach of the Wildcats, comes to UK with a 100-56 career record after stops at UTEP (30-32 in two years) and Texas A&M (70-26 in three years) prior to coming to Lexington.
Kentucky earned its 16th consecutive bid to the NCAA Tournament last season, the third longest active streak of tournament appearances in the country. It was also UK?s nationalrecord 48th overall NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Wildcats finished with a 22-12 record and return three starters and nine letterwinners from last year?s squad.
PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES – OCT. 30
Head Coach Billy Gillispie
Opening comment
?I?m excited about our opportunity to play, and I know the players are excited to play. I think the players would like to play a ton of games and bypass practice, but I think coaches would always love to have more practice time. I know I?m in that category, but the time is upon us and we have to take that next step. We have to be ready, because we are playing a worthy opponent who is going to come in here with a very aggressive approach, and that is the way it should be. We need to take the next step of playing against some outside competition.?
On his feel for this year?s team thus far…
?It?s always fun, especially when you have so many new players that you?re going to be counting on. You have so many players that are going to be cast in different roles. The guys we do have that are experienced are going to be in totally different roles. It?s always fun as a coach, because you think you know what you?re seeing in practice on a daily basis, but sometimes some guys play a little bit better than they practice. I?m not a big believer in that, because I believe you play exactly like you practice. I think that?s why practice has to be so important to me as far as my philosophy is concerned. As a coach, what you live for are moments like these when you get to be in the arena and be part of a fantastic crowd on a nightly basis. You get a chance to see how young people respond in certain situations.?
On what he is looking for in his players in tomorrow?s game?
?I want to win, number one. That?s what I always want to do, every time we play. We?re trying to play extremely hard, and we?ve been practicing hard for a long time. We had a very hard practice today. They?ve really bought in to practicing hard, and they?ve been able to compete against each other a little bit better. Those things take time, and I know it takes even more time with a new coach, new players and a new system. We?ll look for everything, though. We?ll look for execution, but most importantly we want to play hard, play smart and play together. That?s how we always want to play. We?ll make a ton of mistakes tomorrow, but hopefully those mistakes will be of commission instead of omission. You can always work on those things.?
On the players? learning curve of the new system?
?They have a long way to go, but that?s normal. Our team last year had a ton of experience, and we really understood things, but even those guys were struggling at this point. The new players last year were struggling big time, and they ended up being really good players and executing really well. But at this point in the season, I believe it is too early to be playing games against outside competition. I don?t think we?ve had enough opportunity to practice, but I hope in the future we get a chance to practice more. We?ve got a long way to go, and I wouldn?t want a team that?s too far along right now as far as execution, because you would probably peak too early.?
On what fans can expect in tomorrow?s game?
?I would think that as great of knowledge as the fans have here, they will see excitement in the players. I think they?ll see camaraderie amongst the players, and players that are excited to be playing. I think they?ll see guys that are competing for every ball, and people that are making a lot of mistakes, but errors of commission and not of omission. Our fans are very, very knowledgeable; as knowledgeable as any fans that have ever been a part of college basketball. I think they?ll be able to identify very quickly the things that we?re doing well.?
On this season?s expectations of coaches? decorum?
?I don?t think it?s going to change anything I do. Every year they have certain things that they?re going to spend a lot of time addressing, and I guess that?s the main emphasis this year. I don?t see it changing the game a whole lot. I think maybe early on it will be an adjustment for some coaches or officials, but I don?t see it changing the game much.?
Kentucky Players
#3 Ramel Bradley, Sr.
On expectations for the Pikeville game?
?It?s going to be different now that we have a new coach. We have a few guys that are hurt. We have a different lineup, so we need to get out there and get a feel for how we are going to play. I think our team will develop a new chemistry.?
On how he feels the team will play…
?I think we will be very tough and energetic. We will be talking. It will be a little rough out there because it?s going to be our first exhibition game. We?re going to go out there and try to execute our new plays.?
On practicing for the season…
?Practice has been tough. Preseason is hard and we?ve been preparing for the game. That?s why I?m really looking forward to start playing. We started early this year. I don?t think we?ve played our first game in October before. So we had to learn fast. We worked really hard to learn five plays in a row and it?s been tough to learn them and then execute them in practice. Everything is new for us. Having a new coach, we learn new plays and techniques.?
#42 Mark Coury, So.
On practice today?
?Today was a good day. I am always trying to get better in practice. I am ready to get going in something more than practice. I know it is only preseason but we have all been through this since summer and come together as a team. Now that the games are finally getting ready to start coming in we are getting really excited to play.?
On how everyone is working?
?Every practice is a game for us, which is how we have been working. Everyone is doing well. I am just competing hard and working to make everyone better on the team. I expect to get as much playing time as I earn. Hopefully coach will give me some playing time since I have been working hard. I have improved a lot since last year. The first year I got here I improved a lot then and this year under Coach Gillispie I have continued improving.?
On his play this year?
?We are in a lot better condition this year. I feel a lot more energy and toughness. Coach Gillispie likes toughness and guys who are willing to jump on the floor for balls. I think I can be a down low presence. I need to be tough when I?m low, grab rebounds and defend. Being at Kentucky is a great opportunity and I?m just trying to get to my potential and do the best I can for our team.?
#34 Ramon Harris, So.
On tomorrow night?s game against Pikeville?
?It?s our first game this year. We?re still trying to figure out Coach Gillispie. We have a little grasp on him, but still have a lot to learn. It?s just going to take some time.?
On whether or not he?s ready to play against somebody other than his teammates?
?Yes, we get anxious but every practice is like a game especially with our second squad. With them going hard it is making our team better.?
On whether or not he is ready to prove UK is underrated?
?I think it?s important that we take one game at a time no matter who were playing. We are going to play our hardest and once we do that everything will fall into place.?
On if Coach Gillispie gets on the team when they are not putting out effort in practice?
?No doubt you will hear from him, that is what he expects for everybody to play hard. Once you play hard it makes the game fun.?
On how he has improved?
?I think my game has improved, especially my defense. That is something I have really worked on and I think all of the coaches have seen that.?
