KENTUCKY WILDCATS (6-6, 0-0)
vs. Louisville (9-4, 0-1)
Saturday, Jan. 5 ? 4:00 p.m.
Lexington, Ky. – (23,000)
TV: CBS – Verne Lundquist & Billy Packer
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Kentucky opens 2008 by hosting in-state rival Louisville this Saturday in Rupp Arena in a game nationally televised by CBS. This is the 39th meeting between the two schools, with Kentucky holding a 26-12 advantage. The Wildcats have won three in a row in the series and six of the last eight.
The Cats are coming off an impressive 92-49 New Year?s Eve victory over Florida International. Playing with a healthy roster for the first time this season, UK saw three players score 20 points: Ramel Bradley led all scorers with 22, while Jodie Meeks contributed 21 and Patrick Patterson 20.
Louisville, 9-4 on the year, fell to Cincinnati at home Tuesday, 58-57. The game marks the Wildcats? final non-conference contest of the regular season before they venture in the SEC portion of their schedule. Kentucky opens SEC play on Saturday, Jan. 12, when they host undefeated Vanderbilt on CBS.
CAT SCRATCHES
Kentucky is in its 105th season of basketball. Kentucky is the all-time NCAA leader in wins with 1,954. Kentucky leads the SEC from the foul line, shooting 75 percent (173-230). The Wildcats rank first in the SEC in field goal percentage defense (.366). Patrick Patterson has four double-doubles, tied for the second-highest total in the SEC. He ranks in the league?s top 10 in both scoring (6th, 17.7) and rebounding (3rd, 8.2). Patterson is the first freshman to record three consecutive 20-point games since Keith Bogans posted three straight 20-point games in the 2000 season. Kentucky has used 11 different starting line-ups through the first 12 games of the season. Freshman Patrick Patterson and sophomore Mark Coury have started 11 games apiece. Joe Crawford (1,090 career points) and Ramel Bradley (1,014) have became UK?s 54th and 55th members of the 1,000-point club, respectively, this season. Crawford is currently in 44th place on UK?s all-time points list, while Bradley is in 51st place. Derrick Jasper had 10 rebounds/5 assists against FIU in his first extended action of the season.
SCOUTING LOUISVILLE
Located only 78 miles from Lexington on I-64, Louisville is a member of the Big East Conference.
Arguably one of the Wildcats? fiercest series, the Cardinals have a rich basketball tradition of their own. Louisville entered the season as the 17th most successful program in the country over the last six years (UK ranked 10th). They are tied for seventh in all-time NCAA Final Four appearances and several publications have them in the top 10 of their all-time most successful programs.
The Cardinals are led by junior forward Terrence Williams, who leads the team in scoring (12.4 ppg) and assists (4.3 apg). Sophomore Earl Clark is averaging a team best 10.0 rpg.
U of L is coming off a loss in its Big East lidlifter, to Cincinnati. Prior to that loss, the Cardinals had won four in a row.
The intense matchup between Kentucky and Louisville was taken to another level on March 21, 2001, when former UK head coach Rick Pitino took the helm at UofL and became only the fourth coach in 57 years for the Cardinals. Pitino is 503-186 (.730) in his 21st season as a head coach. He entered this season ranked 12th among active coaches in winning percentage and 30th all-time.
PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES – JAN. 4
Head Coach Billy Gillispie
Opening statement?
?(Louisville is) really good. It should be a lot of fun tomorrow. These are games that really typify what college sports are all about. I don?t claim to be an expert on this game because I haven?t been a part of it, but I have watched most of them and am really looking forward to being part of it tomorrow.?
On if Louisville?s injury situation this season reminds him of Kentucky?s?
?I think we know more of what to expect from them, than they would know what to expect from us. That?s just because they have been more consistent with their play. Unfortunately, they have had some guys miss because of physical reasons, and the guys they have missed are very important to their success. The good thing about what they have been able to do was that when their guys were out, they were able to continue winning. That means a lot. It says a lot about their depth and the players that were playing when the others were out. It is a team, in my opinion, that is extremely well coached. They play very well together. They have talent enough, when hitting on all cylinders with all of their pieces to go to the Final Four. I know they have aspirations of doing that. That?s what they started the season and I don?t see anything different right now. I?m sure they are aiming toward continued improvement, just like we are.?
On David Padgett?
?He looks like he gives great leadership, toughness and determination. He really does a nice job. He makes basketball plays that you don?t have to coach. He knows how to position himself. He knows how to use his body to his benefit and his team?s benefit. He?s just a smart basketball player.?
On if having a full complement of players back is getting the team closer to what he wants?
?We?ve had a few days of practice. That is what we would like to have for a long period of time. It?s been good because we had a game on Monday and two or three days to practice here. Next week we will get an entire week of practice before our next contest. I think we should expect improvement with those guys back if they can maintain their health.?
On if this is ?just another game??
?No, it?s not just another game. It is a very important game to us all. No matter what the result is, you have to move on after the game. Leading up to the game, you have to understand it is a very important game and hold it in the highest esteem. You could say that it doesn?t matter, but I don?t think people who would say that are being totally honest.?
On Louisville Head Coach Rick Pitino?
?I?ve been a big fan of coach (Pitino) for a long time and will continue to be. He?s done great wherever he?s been. He?s taken teams that weren?t supposed to be very good and made them great. He?s won championships. He?s won at every single level. He?s accumulated over 500 wins. He?s put so many guys into the game of basketball as coaches and players. I have the highest respect and highest regard for him. He?s done so many things for a coach like myself who continues to learn and progress in the game by what you do with X?s and O?s. He has been an innovator for a long time and continues to change with the times. He?s been very kind to me since I have been here.?
On coming into Kentucky with high expectations?
?Expectations don?t bother me. I don?t think anyone that gets an opportunity to coach at this level in this position, I don?t think expectations are going to mess you up too much. You want expectations or you wouldn?t put yourself in that position. I think you want an opportunity to win at the very highest level, but I don?t think expectations could ever bother you.?
On the challenges Louisville presents?
?Well, they have a really good offensive scheme. They do a real good job of putting guys in the best position to score. They take care of the basketball very well. They get the ball to the post. They make you guard a lot of different kinds of screens. They put pressure on you in transition. If you turn it over, they are very quick to score. They are good finishers. It?s a very well-balanced offensive group.?
On the keys for Kentucky at this point in the season?
?Well, for us to continue to improve, we have to become much better defensively. We have to finish off our defensive possessions when they do miss with defensive rebounds. We have to take care of the basketball better.?
On if playing against Louisville last year as coach of Texas A&M helps him prepare?
?No. It?s a different team and different circumstance. You?re going to be facing somebody in the second round of the NCAA tournament who is really good. In every aspect they were really good and we got lucky and advanced. That?s basically what happened, because they got into foul trouble. It?s a totally different situation. Even though they have a lot of the same personnel, they have a different team and we have a different team.?
On if he is anxious for the Louisville game?
?We are excited about playing. They?ll be excited about playing. The fans will be excited about it. I know I am looking forward to it. Both teams will fight like crazy. One team will win, one team will lose. Then you have to get ready to play your conference.?
Kentucky Players
#3 Ramel Bradley, Senior
On the rest of the season?
?We continue to improve and we need to continue to work hard to achieve success as a team. We are a SEC championship caliber team. Every University of Kentucky basketball team is a contender for a championship. We have to be ready for tomorrow and we are ready. If we continue to improve, then the pieces will fall into place.?
On having Jodie Meeks and Derrick Jasper back?
?Jodie Meeks and Derrick Jasper are keys for success for us. However, at the same time we have to continue to improve as a team and keep working harder to improve. It is a nationally televised game and that is always good for the university, but our main focus is winning the game tomorrow.?
On playing Louisville tomorrow?
?I would love to keep the streak (three straight wins vs. U of L) alive against Louisville. It would be a big win for us, because they are a Final Four caliber team. We are contenders and we will come ready to fight tomorrow. The NCAA committee likes to look at the type of games that we are playing tomorrow, so it is important for a lot of reasons to get a win. Louisville has good guards that like to get a lot of pressure defensively and like to penetrate. We have to shut that down and our guards have to come ready to play tomorrow.?
#5 Derrick Jasper, Sophomore
On his role on the team…
?I know I am a big competitor and all season I have really wanted to be on the court playing with my team. I think I bring a lot of energy and leadership to this team. I know that this year I am more mature and come into this season ready to step into more of a leadership position.?
On being able to play?.
?I thought I was ready to come back before the UAB game, but I felt a sharp pain in my knee so it got pushed back a little. I just kept working as hard as I could and did the things that I could do during practice. I need to be able to go out and play my game and working hard everyday. I am really excited to play Louisville tomorrow.?
On the pressure of being back?
?I don?t really feel the pressure that much. This is a team sport and I have to be able to go out there and play as best as I can for my team and myself. I always want to get my teammates involved as much as I can. Coach Gillispie is a great coach. I have listened to him all season and tried to learn as much as I can in my role during practices.?
#54 Patrick Patterson, Freshman
On if team is thinking about NCAA tournament and work that needs to be done?
?We?re not thinking about that at all. We?re just focused on SEC-play right now and the game tomorrow.?
On how he feels about Louisville?
?I don?t know really. I know a bunch of in-state Kentucky fans hate Louisville, but to me it?s just another team that you want to go out there and beat.?
On his memories of Pitino as Kentucky head coach?
?That was quite a while ago, I don?t really remember. I was in elementary school, I really didn?t know much about him.?
On Louisville?s post players?
?They know how to establish themselves well in the post. You can?t play behind them. You have to get around them and move your feet. If they get you rolling down on the post, they are just going to punish you. You have to play good defense, move your feet and get around them.?
