KENTUCKY (4-2, 0-0 SEC)
at No. 7/6 North Carolina (5-1, 0-0 ACC)
Saturday, December 2 – 12:00 p.m. ET
Dean E. Smith Center (21,750)
TV: CBS
Online Coverage: |
Kentucky and North Carolina, the two winningest programs in NCAA basketball history, continue their rivalry Saturday when the Cats head to Chapel Hill for a nationally-televised CBS game. Carolina holds an 18-10 advantage in the all-time series and has claimed the last two games between the two schools, but not before Kentucky won four in a row between 2001 and 2004.
The Wildcats come into the game fresh off a 77-61 victory over the College of Charleston in Rupp Arena Tuesday night. Kentucky placed three players in double figures for the sixth time this season led by Randolph Morris? game-high 17 points.
The game got off to a slow start with the two teams combining for eight points through the first 6:21. UK actually trailed 11-6 at one point during the first half before reeling off a season-high 17- straight points to claim a 23-11 lead. The Cats never looked back stretching its lead to as high 25 points in the second half.
PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES – DEC. 1
Head Coach Tubby Smith
Opening remarks?
?We had a good practice, a good sweat this morning. So, hopefully that will carry over into the game tomorrow. Anytime you?re playing against a team like North Carolina you have to be on top of your game. We?ve got a lot that we need to concentrate on. The main thing is making sure that we get better at taking care of the basketball. That is an area we?ve struggled in the last few games. We need to limit our turnovers. We need to execute because Carolina is a team that will really pressure you by denying passing lanes and trapping you. They?re not pressuring a lot in the full-court setting, more in a half-court set. We have to be ready for that. They played pretty good against a very good Ohio State team. All of their players are really playing well; I really like how Ty Lawson is playing. The freshmen have all been really impressive, Brandan Wright and Wayne Ellington to name a few. Tyler Hansbrough and Reyshawn Terry really lit us up last year. We are going to have to bring our best defensive effort. The key there will be rebounding the ball, something we?re really struggling with right now. They do a good job of attacking the glass. We?re going to have to do a good job of boxing out and matching their intensity on the boards. We?re also going to try to have to find a way to keep the crowd out of it. They always have a great crowd just like we do here. This is a great college basketball series, something I know players look forward to and something coaches look forward to. We?d like to get Bobby (Perry) shooting the ball a little better. We?re going to need some great individual play which will equate to better team play. As we do that we?ll get better. We?ve had some good practices. So, I think we?ve improved in some areas.?
On Tyler Hansbrough?
?Tyler Hansbrough is a guy who works extremely hard. Every second that he is on the basketball court he?s looking for offense. His ability to score inside is that he is shooting at a very high percentage but, it?s because he shoots very high percentage shots. He gets close to the basket 10-plus times a game because he attacks the rim. It will be something we?re really going to have to focus on, trying to keep the ball out of his hands. When he does get the ball, we need to try and get it out of his hands.?
On the fast pace that North Carolina plays?
?Let?s just hope we make some shots. You can?t control the tempo if you don?t take care of the basketball and if you don?t execute. You want to really try and limit their possessions, with the number of possessions that you have. If you limit the possessions you?ll probably have a better chance of controlling the tempo. That means we can?t get in a hurry. You want to be quick but, you don?t want to hurry it because that will hinder your execution. That?s easier said than done. North Carolina does a great job of taking away passing lanes. The way that they score in transition really limits how aggressive we can be on the offensive boards. They really get the ball out quick and push it up the floor.?
On whether North Carolina is better in transition than in a half-court set?
?They?re good in every set. They obviously score a lot in transition. Anything they try to do they really can get done.?
On the magnitude of this game?
?Everything we do is a test. We?ve failed two tests so far this season. When you don?t win it?s a failure. There is a way to measure, when you look at it and say well you did this better and you did that better. The bottom line is did you win? When you don?t win, that means you failed. It?s as simple as that. This is kind of a pass-fail course right here. Did you play well enough to win??
On his players making a statement against North Carolina?
?Every chance you get out in practice you?re trying to make a statement. To me talk is really cheap and you just have to go out and get the job done. Hopefully those guys who made those comments understand that it is going to take an extraordinary effort to beat them. They have to play better than the way they?ve been playing if they want to make a statement. If that?s what motivates them and inspires them to do that, then more power to them. I think we try to make a statement every day. You have to practice the way you play and then play the way you practice.?
On Bobby Perry returning home to North Carolina?
?Hopefully Bobby will relax and go out there and play his game. He needs to make some shots and do the little things because scoring isn?t all of it. He has to rebound, play defense and run the floor. So, when the game is over he can say he went out there and did his best, not because his family was here but because ?that?s the way I play. I play hard. I play team ball.? What I want to see is some real courage and some real toughness. That?s what I want to see Bobby do. I think he?s struggled a little so far because he?s taken some bad shots. If going home and playing in front of his family helps him, well then so be it.?
On the freshmen playing in the hostile environment?
?The freshmen have played some teams. We played UCLA. We played DePaul. We played Memphis. We were on TV. It really takes a few games, but the freshmen have played enough now. They?re studying the game and doing things we ask them to do. They are preparing the right way, which is always a challenge. In high school, I?m sure their coaches had certain routines. But, it?s a little more intense up here. You?re a little more exposed. It?s just a little bit different. This is a totally different atmosphere and they have to grow up and grow into it. We?ve given them a chance, with them not talking with the media that has helped them stay a little more focused. They don?t have to worry about outside things; they just have to worry about executing.?
On what Gonzaga did to beat North Carolina?
?They took care of the ball. Their big guy kind of neutralized (Tyler) Hansbrough. They (Gonzaga) played an outstanding game against him. They blocked his shot, and matched his intensity. That?s what Randolph (Morris) and our post men are going to have to do. They?re going to be challenged and they are going to have to match (Hansbrough) his intensity.?
Kentucky Players
#33 Randolph Morris
On returning to play at North Carolina the first time since his freshman year?
?My freshman year it was kind of a crazy experience going down there. All I really remember is being down early and trying to claw our way back. I do know there were some good things that we did, but just being down early really killed us. I know when we go down there tomorrow we don?t want that to happen again.?
On the speed of the game at the Dean Smith Center?
?We were definitely shocked at the speed of the game, but now I think we know what to expect. We need to slow them down because they really like to fast-break it.?
On watching the Ohio State vs. North Carolina game and what he learned?
?It was two great teams going at it. Ohio State shot the ball extremely well. It was a great indication of how North Carolina plays because they never gave up.?
On stopping Tyler Hansbrough?
?It?s going to have to be a team effort. I watched him. He plays extremely hard the entire time. It?s going to have to be a team effort. We?ll need to use our bench to try and slow him down a little.?
#32 Joe Crawford
On Tyler Hansbrough?
?He plays extremely hard and goes after every rebound. He?s better than last year. I think he is more mature.?
On North Carolina?s transition game?
?We just have to get out and pressure the ball. We have to slow their point guard down.?
On the win over College of Charleston?
?I think it was a confidence booster. We realized that we could definitely be a good defensive basketball team.?
On rebounding against College of Charleston?
?I think it was another positive thing for us. I think the guards are going to have to help out the big men a little more in that area as far as rebounding the ball.?
#13 Bobby Perry
On playing in his home state?
?It?s going to be special for me. I can remember watching them when I was growing up. I can also remember going to the games with my dad and brothers. It?s definitely going to be special to play there again, and hopefully we can get a win this time. It will be great to play against guys like Reyshawn Terry who I?ve been playing against since 15-and under AAU. It?s really going to be fun and another great opportunity for us.?
On the importance of the game?
?I?ve been getting a lot of pressure from my friends back home and some of my family. It?s just going to be a different type of game for me, playing in front of my hometown. It?s going to be a good opportunity for me to get in there and show everybody what I can do.?
On the freshmen playing in their first hostile environment?
?I?m not worried about them, because they got some good experience back in Maui. When I played there my sophomore year that place was probably the loudest place I?ve ever played in. I know they are going to be really hyped up after getting that huge win against Ohio State. We?re just going to have to be focused and really intense and ready to match their level.?
