Courtside with the Kentucky Wildcats

For the third time this season, the SEC named Kentucky’s DeMarcus Cousins as its Freshman of the Week.
Cousins averaged 18.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in wins over No. 25 Ole Miss and at LSU last week.
Cousins had double-doubles in both games, which extended his current streak of double-doubles to six games.
His 14 double-doubles this season lead the SEC and are the most by a UK player since 2000.
The SEC named Arkansas guard Courtney Fortson as its Player of the Week.

Kentucky Coach John Calipari softened his criticism of the rough play inflicted on his freshman big man, DeMarcus Cousins.
Speaking on a SEC coaches’ teleconference, Calipari said he had not formally complained to the league office. After UK beat LSU on Saturday, Calipari questioned the fairness of referees checking the monitor to judge Cousins’ actions while not calling the fouls committed on the UK big man.
“I’m just trying to keep the kid’s emotions in check,” Calipari said when asked if he’d protested to the league office.
After noting that big men get fouled a lot because they’re big, Calipari said, “You have to accept it.”
Earlier in the teleconference, LSU Coach Trent Johnson complimented Kentucky for being “very nasty, very competitive in a good sense.”
Johnson noted that UK players controlled their emotions well.
“Their whole team is very physical and very aggressive, but in a good way,” the LSU coach said.
Calipari mildly protested. He noted how UK is among the nation’s leaders in not fouling.

Kentucky freshman John Wall is among 11 finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, which annually recognizes the best guard in college basketball.
The list will be reduced to five by March 1. Then Cousy and a selection committee will select the winner.
The award will be given to the winner at the Final Four.
Here are the 11 finalists:

Matt Bouldin - Gonzaga
Sherron Collins - Kansas
Devan Downey – South Carolina
Trevon Hughes – Wisconsin
Jeremy Lin – Harvard
Kalin Lucas – Michigan State
Ronald Moore – Siena
Scottie Reynolds - Villanova
Jon Scheyer - Duke
Greivis Vasquez – Maryland
John Wall - Kentucky

The United State Basketball Writers Association named South Carolina guard Devan Downey its national player of the week for last week.
Of course, Downey scored 30 points in helping South Carolina beat then No. 1 Kentucky on Tuesday night. He added another 33 points in a weekend victory over Georgia.

When asked on Monday’s SEC coaches’ teleconference about John Wall speaking about frustrations, Kentucky Coach John Calipari related a story of a post-game exchange with his star freshman guard.
“He came in like a puppy dog,” Calipari said of meeting with Wall after UK beat Vanderbilt. “I asked him, are you all right?”
Wall shared his frustrations.
Calipari said he told Wall, “Kid, you’re tryin gto live up to this hype they’ve built on you. And you’ll be unhappy if you try to live up to it.
“Just play. Have fun and enjoy yourself. And when you play bad, it’s OK to play bad. Derrick Rose and Tyreke (Evans) had bad games. It’s OK. You act like you can’t play bad. Yes, you can.”
Upon hearing the coach’s response, Wall gave him a hug, Calipari said.
The UK coach noted how Wall is 19 years old and adjusting to new challenges.
“For me, this was a great teaching time for him and the team: How do you deal with challenges?” Calipari said. “How about things aren’t always roses? They (opponents) are finding chinks in your armor.”
Calipari noted how well things are going for Kentucky.
“It’s all good here,” he said. “When you’re 20-1, you’re happy.”
Even veteran players like Patrick Patterson and Darius Miller must learn to adjust, Calipari said.
The UK coach welcomed Wall sharing his frustrations.
“It’s all teaching lessons for me,” Calipari said, and learning lessons for the players.
Calipari suggested that Miller was struggling with expectations, too.

The Southeastern Conference named South Carolina guard Devan Downey its Player of the Week for last week.
Surprisingly, Monday’s announcement marked the first time Downey had been named the SEC’s Player of the Week. Surprising because Downey is averaging more than 30 points a game in league play.
For the week, Downey averaged 31.5 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals in leading the Gamecocks to wins over No. 1 Kentucky and Georgia.
Downey had 30 points, five rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals in leading South Carolina against Kentucky. That marked the program’s first victory over a No. 1 team.
He added 33 points, three assists and two steals in the victory over Georgia.
The SEC named Marshawn Powell of Arkansas its Freshman of the Week.

Those attending Saturday’s Kentucky-Vanderbilt game will see a new sight: a “jib” camera.
ESPN asked UK for permission to use the camera, which sets on the end of a long giraffe-neck like extension from a three-wheel platform. ESPN wants to use it to pan the crowd.
Russ Pear, UK’s Associate Athletic Director for Operations and Facilities, said the school had two concerns: that the camera not block anyone’s view of the game and that it be wheeled out of the way when not in use.
So ESPN agreed not to use the camera during game action. It will be used before the game, during timeouts and at halftime, Pear said.
The jib camera will come out of the corner tunnel across the end line from the Vanderbilt bench.
If there are no problems, UK will allow ESPN to use the camera in future telecasts from Rupp Arena, Pear said.

Ray “Rock” Oliver, the strength coach during Rick Pitino’s time as Kentucky basketball coach, is returning to UK, the Cincinnati Bengals said on the team website Friday morning.
Oliver, who worked for the Bengals as associate strength coach, has been named UK’s director of performance, the NFL team said.
The posting made it sound as if Oliver will be in charge of conditioning for several, if not all, UK athletic teams.
“I’m going to Lexington to help (UK football coach) Joker Phillips win a SEC championship,” Oliver is quoted as saying on the posting, “and work again with one of my best friends in Coach Cal.”
Oliver worked with John Calipari at Kansas, Memphis, Pittsburgh and the NBA’s New Jersey Nets.

Vanderbilt’s record against No. 1-ranked teams is 7-14.

Vanderbilt’s record against Kentucky when UK is ranked No. 1 is 4-10. Vanderbilt is 0-8 on a No. 1-ranked teams’s home court, and 0-6 in Lexington when UK is ranked No. 1.

South Carolina had a 0-7 record against No. 1 teams until beating Kentucky on Tuesday.

With a winter storm advisory set to begin at 7 p.m. in Lexington, Vanderbilt decided to change its travel plans to beat the snow.
Normally, Vandy would leave Nashville after practice around 6 p.m. CST to travel to an away game.
Because of the weather, the Commodores planned to leave for Lexington around 11:30 a.m. CST Friday. The change will cause Vandy to practice in Lexington Friday night.
UK and Vandy are scheduled to play at 4 p.m. EST Saturday in Rupp Arena.