KENTUCKY (6-3, 0-0 SEC)
at Louisville (5-3, 0-0 Big East)
Saturday, December 16 – 1:30 p.m. ET
Freedom Hall (21,750) ? Louisville, Ky.
TV: CBS
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The Wildcats make their second foray into Freedom Hall in 11 days as they travel to the Derby City to take on in-state foe Louisville. Kentucky?s earlier venture in the State Fairgrounds resulted in a 79- 63 win over Chattanooga on December 5.
Kentucky owns a 25-12 all-time record against their I-64 neighbors, including last season?s 73-61 upset victory over the fourth-ranked Cardinals in Rupp Arena. The Wildcats have won two in a row in the series and has a 3-2 record against current Cardinal coach and former UK head coach Rick Pitino. Kentucky also 9-6 against the Cardinals at Freedom Hall.
Obviously, UK is no stranger to the city of Louisville or Freedom Hall. The Wildcats own an all-time record of 118-31 (.792) in the Derby City and a 55-16 (.775) mark in Freedom Hall, where Kentucky has won it?s last five games. UK head coach Tubby Smith owns a 12-2 (.857) record in Freedom Hall. The last time UK played UL in Louisville, the Wildcats came away with a 60-58 come from behind win on Patrick Sparks? three free throws with 0.6 seconds left in the game.
PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES – DEC. 15
Head Coach Tubby Smith
Opening statement ?
?Good morning. This week has been one where every time since I have been here we have been playing this game the week after exams. It will be interesting to see how the freshmen will respond because this has been a real stressful time for them and that is the biggest thing in adjusting to college life ? the academics as well as the basketball. The demands on their time have been great. For the most part they have done a good job and I have been impressed with that. Our players had a good week of exams – they are focused and had some good practices.?
On the importance of the rivalry game with Louisville ?
?Every game is a big game, an important game, especially when you are 6-3. You want to play to your potential and make sure you are doing everything right. Our freshmen kids are starting to understand what we want and our veteran players are playing good as well. I have seen a real commitment on [the veterans] part to come ready to practice and ready to concentrate.?
On playing Louisville ?
?We have played in Freedom Hall, so we have some experience playing there after playing UT-Chattanooga. I know Louisville is coming off a tough loss to a very good UMass team. Rick [Pitino] will have his team ready to play and hopefully we will be ready to pay. If we can establish a tempo and control the flow of the game ? I know it will be difficult to recognize their pressing defense. We are starting a freshman point guard, Derrick Jasper, who is still learning on the job. We back him up with Michael Porter and sometimes Ramel [Bradley] is going back to point. I feel like they are starting to get in the flow to our offense ? we have got some guys going who have had to play multiple positions and they are getting back in the flow.?
On Louisville ?
We are really going to have to contain Terrance Williams and Juan Palacios ? so they have some solid players ? David Padgett is another. [Louisville] is not shooting the way they are capable of shooting. We need to continue playing defense the way we have been. It will be a good game.
On center Randolph Morris ?
?Randolph is our No. 1 option. He leads us in scoring and he is important not necessarily because what they don?t do well but what we do best. We are more effective when the ball goes inside. Hopefully Randolph will get the touches and convert like he has recently. [Louisville] does a good job trapping the post, taking away the post, double teaming – Randolph has to be very patient and make good passes out of it. We have to play smart and make that extra pass. We would like for him to get the shot off before he gets [double teamed]. I don?t necessarily think he can beat a double team all the time. We don?t want him to take a quick shot but he just needs to be patient. The other day against Indiana he was able to step through it and that is what we want from him, to be able to make that quick move if the double team doesn?t get there early. We would like for him to have the ball one on one in the post.?
On freshman point guard Derrick Jasper ?
?Derrick is a freshman who is learning on the job. It is not like he is playing against high school kids. He is playing against very quick players so he has to learn how to dribble the ball lower. He has the tendency to dribble the ball too high ? when he is in traffic especially. You have to make the easy play and not try to get the home run every play. That is something he is getting better at ? learning our plays, understanding who can do what with the ball ? where and when. We have been giving him that opportunity in practice and he has got to learn to defend quicker guys – which he has done an admirable job. His free-throw shooting needs to improve ? it is tough to play point if you?re not a good free-throw shooter because the ball is in your hands a lot.
On the improved defensive performances ?
?We are bigger in the backcourt than we have been in a while. We have a shot blocker at the basket ? Perry Stevenson. We have some good defensive players and having those qualities contribute to being a good defensive team.?
On freshman ?
?That is why [Ramon] is here, we feel like he is athletic enough. Losing half a year of practice is tough. I don?t expect him to be very effective for awhile. He can help us – he provides depth and we will just be trying to figure out how to use him. He has the heart; he has the body – although it is a little more than that in basketball, it is handling the intensity. I expect he will be very good.?
Kentucky Players
#13 Bobby Perry
On recovering from his stitches?
?It is getting better. I?m going to take them (the stitches) out tomorrow after the game. It doesn?t hurt or anything, it just got ugly. The swelling went down like two days after it happened.?
On playing Louisville for the last time?
?It?s going to be an emotional game. They?re going to come out ready for us. We have to come out with emotion, but we can?t get too hyped up. Their crowd is going to be into it. They?re going to be into it. We?re just going to have to concentrate on executing.?
On the addition of Ramon Harris?
?It is strange (on adding a player in the middle of the season.) Randolph (Morris) practiced even before he started playing last year. He was still part of the team. He was still going through all of the offenses and defenses. Randolph started playing as soon as he came back. But, in Ramon?s case it is a little bit strange. He?s going to have to start out in the middle of the year. I don?t think he?s too far behind, because it is still a young season. We still have a lot to learn. He?s been peaking in on a few practices, so he?s familiar with what we do.?
On the Louisville vs. Kentucky match-up?
?It is always a big game. The Kentucky-Louisville game is one of the biggest, if not the biggest games of the year outside of the conference. The fans around town are saying ?Get up on those Cards,? they?re still into it. They are still hyped about it, how they?re playing and how we?re playing. It?s still Kentucky-Louisville and we?re out to see who is going to be King of the Bluegrass this year.?
#32 Joe Crawford
On playing Louisville on national television?
?Yeah, it should be a good game. We want to show the world that we?re still a good team, that this is a good team. We want to live up to that.?
On the team?s improved play on the defensive end?
?We?re playing a lot better defensively, mainly because Coach (Smith) got on us. We want to be a good defensive team. We?re stepping up to it.?
On Derrick Jasper?
?Derrick (Jasper) has helped us out a lot by pressuring the ball. He gets some good steals for us. He?s helping out on the whole end.?
On playing in a Kentucky vs. Louisville game?
?The first time I played in that environment it was crazy. I had never been a part of something like that. You know all of the energy and stuff like that was crazy. It?s just going to be fun.?
#33 Randolph Morris
On how important it will be for him to get off to a good start on Saturday?
?I think any game it?s important for me to get off to a good start. When I get off to a good start, I think it is easier for my team to get involved. With me playing well, I think we?re a better team.?
On his impressions of the Louisville game last season from the sidelines?
?I think we played good defense on the team as a whole. We had some success contesting shots and doubling down low in the post. We rebounded the ball well, and those are my impressions from last year. We?re going to have to do the same things this year. We have to use our opportunities to score and we need to rebound the ball. I think we can have success if we do those two things.?
On the addition of Ramon Harris?
?He?s going to have to adjust to a couple of different things. The college game for instance. He?s going to have to adjust to that, how he sees the game differently and make adjustments. He has to learn the plays, learn the system. That?s a lot for a freshman to try to do and he?s going to have to do that mid-season. I haven?t really gotten to see him play yet. But, I do know he has a tremendous work ethic. He?s always in the gym trying to get better, trying to get work, trying to get some shots up. If anything, we know he?s going to be working for us.?
