KENTUCKY WILDCATS (14-10, 8-3 SEC)
vs. Arkansas Razorbacks (18-7, 7-4 SEC)
Saturday, Feb. 23 ? 2:00 p.m.
Lexington, Ky. – Rupp Arena (23,000)
TV: CBS
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Kentucky is in the middle of a three-game home stand, as they host the Arkansas Razorbacks and former Wildcat John Pelphrey in a regionally televised game on CBS at 2:00.
UK is currently riding a perfect 5-0 record at home in conference play, including Tuesday?s 61-55 win over Georgia. Joe Crawford led all scorers with 23 points, including four three-pointers. Patrick Patterson missed a double-double by one rebound, recording 20 points and nine boards in the win while Ramel Bradley tied a career high with 12 rebounds.
Pelphrey will be making his first appearance in Rupp Arena as a head coach. He has led the Razorbacks to an 18-7 record in his first season, including an 87-61 win over LSU on Wednesday night.
CAT SCRATCHES
Kentucky is the all-time NCAA leader in wins with 1,962. UK boasts three of the SEC?s top 10 scorers: Joe Crawford (7th, 16.8), Patrick Patterson (8th, 16.6) and Ramel Bradley (9th, 15.8). Those three account for 68 percent of UK?s total points. Kentucky leads the SEC and ranks 14th nationally at the foul line, shooting 75 percent. UK ranks second in the SEC in FG percentage defense (.393) and third in FG percentage (.471). Ramel Bradley leads the SEC in free throw shooting (.858) and has made 45 of his last 51 free throws. Patrick Patterson ranks in the SEC?s top 10 in both scoring (8th, 16.7) and rebounding (6th, 7.7). Only one other freshman since 1992 has finished the season in the SEC?s top 10 in both categories. Mark Coury was named first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District. UK has allowed more then 70 points in regulation only once in SEC play. UK has held its last 15 of its last 16 opponents under 50 percent shooting. In SEC action, Patrick Patterson is averaging a league-high 39.0 minutes. Ramel Bradley is third with 37.4 minutes, and Joe Crawford is fourth with 36.5 minutes. Joe Crawford is shooting 50 percent (18-for-36) from three-point range over his last seven games. Joe Crawford (1,286 career points) is currently 27th on UK?s all-time scoring list, and Ramel Bradley (1,212) is 36th.
PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES FEB. 22
Kentucky Head Coach Billy Gillispie
Opening Statement ?
?We are really looking forward to a big game tomorrow versus Arkansas. It?s one of the most balanced teams in the country, very athletic, a very well coached team and we are looking forward to it. We are going to have to play our best game of the year if we are going to have any kind of a chance. Hopefully, we?ll be able to do that.?
On the pace of the game…
?It depends on how it unfolds. I think we need to play a little bit faster. They (Arkansas) do a really good job with their pressure after made baskets and they do a really good job in the half-court after they miss and they are a really sound team. They do a great job of taking care of the basketball on transition. As far as pace is concerned, we are going to try to do what we do best and try to take away some of the things they do best and that will give us a good chance to win.?
On Arkansas ?
?They are really good. They have so much versatility with many different guys and each of those guys, in their own right, can be an All Southeastern Conference player. They have guys that can put it on the floor; they have guys that can step out and shoot it from behind the three-point line, also one of the best shot blockers in the country and guys that can really rebound the basketball. They have one of the best low post players in the conference, who is also very versatile, no question. Several pros are on this team and to have all those guys and so much depth it makes them one of the better teams anywhere.?
On Patrick Beverley ?
?He?s fantastic. He obviously understands how to play the game and is a very sincere competitor; you can tell that on tape. He had a great freshman year and now he has followed that up with a terrific sophomore year. His motor is always running; he plays very hard on defense, and on offense when the shot goes up he thinks the ball has his name on it. At one time he was leading the conference in rebounding and is still up there, just a real tough guy to deal with. As far as rebounding, it?s a real tribute to his effort and being placed in the right spot. It?s not like he has 20 rebounds one game and none the next, he?s always getting 7, 8, 9 or 10 rebounds a game and that?s what coaches like the most.?
On John Pelphrey ?
?He deserves it, his jersey is hanging up in these rafters and that?s really well deserved; they don?t hang them up there if it?s not. He is just a fantastic person and it has been really fun to watch him, regardless of his affiliation with the University of Kentucky, escalate in the coaching ranks. I remember when he was first starting out doing a great job as an assistant, did a great job at South Alabama and is doing a fantastic job now with Arkansas. He is a very sound coach and very competitive. He?s a great person to have in our conference. It will be great to go against coach and against a guy who has his jersey hanging up there in this wonderful place. We?ll embrace him before the game 100 percent. Now when the game starts we?re going to compete like crazy, but we?ll definitely welcome him and I?ll be one of the guys clapping my hands. He has a real competitive fire and never says quit.?
On Ramel Bradley’s second-half success ?
?His conditioning is a major factor this year to play as consistently well as he has. He?s played well in the first-half, but his numbers may indicate that he is a little better in the second. We get the ball in his hands and he makes big plays and makes free throws. Most importantly it is his competitive desire, no matter if it?s at the beginning of a game or at the end.?
#5 Derrick Jasper, Sophomore
On a possible Kentucky-Arkansas rivalry ?
?I?m not sure if there will be one. Every game is tough in the SEC and every team is going to try to beat you.?
On the return of (former Wildcat) John Pelphrey ?
?He had a great career here; he is a great coach and a great person. It?s an honor to play against his team. He?ll get a lot of applause because we have great fans here and that?s no disrespect to us.?
On the team’s recent performance ?
?We?ve been playing well as a team, getting it to Patrick Patterson, focusing on our offense, and getting open shots to Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford.?
On the team’s recent performance ?
?We?ve been playing well as a team, getting it to Patrick Patterson, focusing on our offense, and getting open shots to Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford.?
#32 Joe Crawford, Senior
On the return of (former Wildcat) John Pelphrey ?
?It?s going to be crazy, but we?ll have to be focused and not fall into that.?
On beating Arkansas ?
?We need to keep up what we?ve been doing. That involves getting a good pace on offense, taking better care of the ball and hard defense.?
On Patrick Beverley ?
?He brings a lot to the table, he has a lot of energy and he?s good on defense. He can have a breakout game anytime, but Arkansas has a lot of players that are capable of getting 20 points during any game.?
On the last few weeks ?
?It?s been a lot of fun and we?re just enjoying the moment, but we can?t look past any ballgames and we have to keep taking them one game at a time. We?re focusing on every game and we?re doing a good job of that.?
On SEC play in Rupp Arena ?
?It?s really important because it?s hard to win games on the road in the SEC. When we come here, we have the crowd behind us and we like to take advantage of that. For the past few weeks there has been a lot of excitement and everyone is enjoying it.?
