ATLANTA – It’s amazing how these days between games during March Madness seem to stretch on interminably while the games themselves fly by. The latest wait is nearly over, as the Sweet 16 tips off on Thursday evening and Kentucky continues its NCAA Tournament run on Friday at 9:45 p.m. with a rematch against the Indiana Hoosiers.The team arrived in Atlanta on Wednesday evening and the players had a night off after practicing before the flight at the Joe Craft Center, attending a team meal and meeting before lights out. On Thursday afternoon, the team will head to the Georgia Dome for the first time. John Calipari and the Wildcats will hold an NCAA-mandated open practice from 3:10 p.m.-4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend this event, and they surely will.Before practice, John Calipari and players will be available to the media, so Eric Lindsey and I will be bringing you our customary content in the form of video interviews and written features. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for some reading to get you ready for UK-IU, part two, check out my statistical breakdown of the matchup and Eric Lindsey’s piece about Coach Cal downplaying the revenge angle.Additionally, Atlanta is expecting very heavy congestion around the downtown area on Friday night. With the NCAA Tournament, an Atlanta Hawks game and a dental convention going on simultaneously, Georgia Dome officials are encouraging fans to do the following:

• If at all possible take MARTA to and from the Georgia Dome. Many MARTA stations offer free parking lots and there are two stations that serve the Georgia Dome. More info can be found at gadome.com
• If you do choose to drive, pre-purchase your parking spots on gadome.com
• Plan ahead for the traffic and delays that will be in and around the downtown area on Friday afternoon, doors to the Dome will open at 5:30 on Friday.