The upcoming game with North Carolina on Saturday…
“We have to concentrate on things we need to improve on in order to get ready for a very good North Carolina team. North Carolina is off to a good start again. Matt Doherty has done an excellent job with that program. We have had a tough stretch, so right now our confidence is a little shaken. We had a good practice yesterday. We are looking forward to improved play on Saturday against North Carolina.”
On Jason Parker’s return to North Carolina…
“I think he’s concentrating on a lot of things. We have exams coming up in a week or so. I guess he’s looking forward to playing against North Carolina, as he does against anyone on our schedule. I’m sure going back home to North Carolina will be a good feeling for Jason.”
On talking to Jason Parker about all the extra attention…
“We’ll talk about how Jason should approach the extra attention and how to deal with the emotions he may be experiencing. He needs to control his emotions, focus on playing team basketball. It is not Jason Parker against any one particular player, it is Kentucky against North Carolina.”
On Jason Parker’s play so far this year…
“He’s been playing very well. We are trying to get him to focus on hitting his free throws because he is going to get fouled late in the game. We are also trying to help him improve his outside shooting.”
On the team’s confidence level…
“I think players have a tendency to fight themselves and hang their heads when they miss a shot. We have to get them to understand it is like a batter being in a slump. We are going through individual workouts designed to give them confidence in their shots. We had a very spirited workout Monday, so I believe we will be okay.”
On the atmosphere at North Carolina…
“Obviously this is a big-time game. You have two of the winningest programs in college basketball playing one another. North Carolina is getting excellent play from Haywood and Forte as well as their entire starting lineup. They are such a big team that scoring inside will be a challenge for us. Carolina also has a lot of depth on the bench.”
On the contributions of Erik Daniels…
“Erik has been doing exactly what we’ve asked him to do. He is playing better and he is jumpingmuch better after undergoing the arthroscopic knee surgery. He is very coachable and unselfish.”
On the availability of Erik Daniels this Saturday…
“He will be able to play. He is walking around. The athletic trainers just wanted to make sure the ankle heals properly.”
On possible lineup changes for Saturday’s game…
“We are not getting much scoring. We probably should get the ball inside more because our post players are shooting a very high percentage. I have considered changing the lineup, but that is always a possibility.”
On the recruiting advantages of a Kentucky or North Carolina…
“It’s very positive. Most people want to be part of something that has great tradition and has won championships. We can also offer a great education along with playing basketball in the SEC. Basketball is big-time here and most players are very interested in knowing more about your program. At the same time they want to know where they fit into the picture. There is also a lot of pressure playing here and at places that get a lot of publicity, so it is not for everyone.”
