Jerry Tipton on UK basketball

Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie doesn’t like his team’s 0-2 start. But there’s something more troublesome to him.

“The way we’ve gotten there rather than 0-2,” he said at a news conference on Friday.

By that, Gillispie meant how the Cats haven’t been as aggressive as they’ve shown in practice. The result has been an upset loss to Virginia Military Institute on opening night and then a whipping at No. 1 North Carolina four nights later.

“We’ve not competed as hard as we’d need to,” Gillispie said.

The UK coach dismissed the notion of Kentucky needing to beat Delaware State Saturday afternoon to restore its place in the basketball world or bolster its confidence for the season ahead.

“A win or a loss doesn’t fix all our problems,” Gillispie said. “The way you go about it on a daily basis will fix the problems.”

Gillispie acknowledged puzzlement with this UK team so far. The Cats have practiced well, for the most part, he said. But those practice sessions haven’t translated into games.

“Maybe it’s inexperience,” he said. “Maybe it’s not. We need to get experience in a pretty big hurry. We have to stop making the same mistakes.”

Although Delaware State brings a 1-4 record into Rupp Arena (and will be playing its fourth road game in six days), Gillispie cautioned against an expectation of an easy victory. He cited the Hornets’ deliberate style of play.

“You have to be really patient and confident,” the UK coach said. “They are dangerous for a team like us. You think you’re going to play well and (win the game) in the first 10 minutes. It’s not going to happen.”

Other topics touched on included:

– Turnovers. The Cats have committed 53 in the first two games.

“We have to think a little bit bettter,” Gillispie said. “Slow down a little bit. Have a little more composure.”

Gillispie also noted how teammates must help UK’s embryonic point guards, junior Michael Porter and freshman DeAndre Liggins.

The UK coach noted how Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks must clearly outplay their opposite numbers, while Ramon Harris and Perry Stevenson must hold their own against opponents. That would lessen the load on the point guards.

Gillispie noted how Liggins fed the post and defended well in the second half at North Carolina. But the UK coach did not commit to starting Liggins against Delaware State.

– Porter’s need to play with more confidence.

“He needs to exhibit more confidence,” Gillispie said. “He’s not played with much confidence at all. . . . He’s been a little bit anxious.”

– Gillispie emphasizing some good signs at North Carolina. The Tar Heels made only 41.1 percent of their shots. Despite giving up 16 offensive rebounds, UK won the battle of the boards 37-35.

“I don’t want to make too much out of it,” Gillispie said. “But the bottom line is those are good numbers.”

In player interviews after Gillispie spoke to reporters, highlights included:

– Stevenson noting the need for UK’s big men to help the point guards by setting screens.

“Mike and DeAndre have had to put on a dribbling show,” he said.

– Stevenson dissecting UK’s rebounding, which has resulted in both opponents grabbing double-digit offensive boards.

“We need to be a whole lot tougher,” he said. “I don’t know of any technique you can teach to get your man to stop rebounding. It’s all about being tough.”

– Meeks accepting the responsibility of being a main man for UK. After the loss at North Carolina, Tar Heel Coach Roy Williams cited the “load” Meeks carries for a five-for-20 shooting night with six turnovers.

“I’m a junior now,” Meeks said. “I definitely have a lot of responsibility for this team. It’s not something I don’t want. I like responsibility. My whole thing is you can’t be afraid of failure.”

– Meeks noting how some victories will change the atmosphere surrounding Kentucky basketball.

“I don’t if it’s panick,” he said. “There’s just a tone you feel walking around campus. . . . We have to not listen to naysayers. The wins will come.”

It’s official. Kentucky will play in the 2010 Maui Invitational. The tournament made it official on Wednesday by announcing the 2010 field.

As always, there will be rugged competition. Other 2010 teams include Connecticut, Michigan State and Oklahoma.

A return to Hawaii should take some of sting away from Kentucky’s 0-2 start.

Here’s the Maui release:

Connecticut, the 2005 tournament champion, currently ranked No. 2 in the 2008 USA TODAY/ESPN Top 25 Preseason Coaches’ Poll, will return for its third Maui appearance. Kentucky, a seven-time NCAA champion, currently the winningest team in the history of college basketball both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage, will return to Maui with an 8-4 all-time stat including a trip to the winner’s circle in 1993.  Michigan State, the 1991 Maui champion with a 6-3 tournament record, was a part of one of the greatest games in tournament history when, in a 2005 semi-final contest, the Spartans faced off against Gonzaga and Adam Morrison, who holds a tournament record of 43 points from that game.  Oklahoma, currently ranked No. 1 in this year’s BIG 12 preseason poll, holds a 5-4 Maui record with its last appearance in 2006.  ACC team Virginia returns for its fourth tournament appearance with a 5-3 overall record.  The 1982 upset between then-ranked No. 1 Virginia and host school Chaminade University paved the way for the creation of the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational.  2006 NCAA Sweet Sixteen team, Washington, will make its Maui debut in 2010 along with fellow Maui newcomer Wichita State who last played in the NCAA Tournament in 2006, when they upset second-seeded Tennessee to reach the Sweet Sixteen.

Former North Carolina Senator and presidential candidate John Edwards is attending the Kentucky-North Carolina.

He’s just been spotted by a friend. Edwards is in the corner, about six rows from the tunnel that both teams take on and off the court.

Edwards is looking anything but presidential. He’s wearing a faded sweatshirt, jeans and running shoes. He’s eating popcorn.

His wife, Elizabeth, is sitting next to him.

Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie did not see the continuing inactivity of All-American Tyler Hansbrough crippling North Carolina in Tuesday night’s game.
“Then they’re down to four or five pro players inside instead of of 6 or 7,” he said at a news conference on Monday. “I wish he was playing because I’m a big fan of his. It’s impossible to replace a player like him. But they have really good players.”

Here are other highlights from Gillispie’s news conference:

(UNC plays fast, VMI beat you in an uptempo game. How do you compare the two?)
They’re better than VMI. I didn’t think VMI was fast from one end to the other. They shot it fast. As far as speed and athletes, it’s not comparable.
They have one of the beset point guards. He makes it happen. The system is fantastic for it. It’s one thing to run, and another thing to run and make plays. . . . Speed in transition, I don’t think anybody’s done a better job in a long, long, long time. I’m talking about every possession.  They really emphasize it and (emphasize) instilling their will upon you in transition offense.
(Kentucky coming off loss to VMI)
We have to get better. Every single player has to be bewtter. We have to coach  better. I’m certain we will. We have inexperienced players who won’t make the same mistakes they made. I want to be aggressive, I want to be more organized. I want to carry out assignments better.
(what’s the point guard situation; the points had six assists and 12 turnovers against VMI)
That was just game experience. It’ll be a difficult sitaution with a difficult team to play against. Everybody talks about their offense. They’re really good defensively.
Michael (Porter) was a little bit nervous. I didn’t expect that because I didin’t see it all year. DeAndre (Liggins) going to need time. For the most part, they made pretty good plays, especially DeAndre. We didn’t help them enough. We understand. We’re going to have problems at that spot for a while.
(Gillispie also said Jodie Meeks will play just a little bit of point guard, but hardly any. They need his scoring)
(How did Patterson have only one post-up basket against VMI?)
The way the game was played (was responsible for) 75 percent. The other 25 percent was he didn’t get off to a good start. As a sophomore, he didn’t respond as well as I’ve come to expect him to respond. We’re not going to ignore him anymore. There will be times we miss him, but we won’t ignore him. . . . I’m not concerned about Patrick. I know he’s healthy. Anytime you’ve been out for six months, it’s not going to be easy. He’s worked his tail off. We have to do a better job utilizing him.
(UK’s defense gave up 111 points vs. VMI. What did you think of defense?)
It wasn’t very good. The biggest part was transition defense. It was as bad as I’ve ever seen. We didn’t communicate. We didn’t help each other. We were a little selfish out there defensively.
(whatdo you think of Zeller and Davis)
They’re great. Two fo the top, if not the top, incoming post players in the country. They have unbelievable hands. unbelievable knowledge of the game. . . .  They fit perfectly into (North Carolina’s) system.

North Carolina Coach Roy Williams made it official at a Monday afternoon news conference: All-American center Tyler Hansbrough will not play against Kentucky in Tuesday night’s game.

Hansbrough has been sitting out more than two weeks because of a stress reaction in his right shin. Without rest, a stress fracture could develop.

Williams has repeatedly noted that UNC will use a conservative approach on Hansbrough’s return, erring on the side of caution.

The Tar Heels started two high-profile freshmen in their opening game against Penn last Saturday. Tyler Zeller, once a recruiting target of Kentucky’s, started and scored 18 points.

Ed Davis came off the bench and contributed a double-double: 10 points and 14 rebounds.

Kentucky got shut out in the voting for The Associated Press top 25 this week. None of the 72 media people put the Cats on a top 25 ballot.

The shutout was not surprising given UK’s home loss to Virginia Military Institute in last Friday’s season opener.

As for VMI, I stand alone as the only voter to place the Keydets on a ballot. I voted VMI at No. 25.

The AP will release the new top 25 poll later.

The Southeastern Conference named Tennessee’s Scotty Hopson, a native of Hopkinsville, as its Freshman of the Week.

Hopson became a national top 25 prospect while playing for University Heights. He originally committed to Mississippi State before deciding to play for Tennessee rather than, among others, Kentucky.

Last week Hopson started at shooting guard and scored 17 points in just 19 minutes of action while making his collegiate debut against Chattanooga.

According to a SEC news release, his game also included:

• Added three rebounds, one steal and one impressive block.

• 7-of-11 shooting from the floor, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range.

• Four dunks in the game, including a pair of alley-oops and a one-handed jam that landed on ESPN SportsCenter’s Top-10 Plays.

The SEC named Arkansas forward Michael Washington as Player of the Week. He had career highs of 30 points and 14 rebounds in an opening-game victory over Southeastern Louisiana.

•

Here’s my top 25 ballot for this week. I included VMI at No. 25 as a reward for the victory at Kentucky and for playing a competitive game at Virginia less than 48 hours later.

Fans may notice that I dropped Duke from No. 5 to No. 11. The victory over Rhode Island on Sunday suggested that Duke again lacks an inside presence and will be overly dependent on perimeter play.

I dropped Alabama from the top 25 after the Sunday loss and added Kansas. As they say, dynasties don’t recruit, they reload.

Here’s my top 25 ballot:

1. North Carolina

2. UConn

3. Michigan State

4. Louisville

5. Pittsburgh

6. UCLA

7. Texas

8. Gonzaga

9. Memphis

10. Southern Cal

11. Duke

12. Purdue

13. Notre Dame

14. Tennessee

15. Miami (Fla.)

16. Arizona State

17. Florida

18. Marquette

19. Villanova

20. Texas A&M

21. Davidson

22. St. Mary’s

23. Wake Forest

24. Kansas

25. VMI

With the loss to Virginia Military Institute on Friday, Kentucky probably also lost any chance of being in The Associated Press top 25 poll this coming week. Deadline for ballots from the 72 voters is Sunday night, although a few votes are cast as late as Monday morning.

I was one of 13 voters who placed Kentucky on a ballot in the first poll two weeks ago. I voted UK No. 15, which, surprisingly, wasn’t the best vote the Cats got. One voter put Kentucky at No. 10.

Now with the next vote due Sunday night, I contemplate reasons to keep Kentucky in the top 25 and reasons to join the majority.

Three reasons to keep Kentucky on the ballot:

1. Although Billy Gillispie dismissed style of play as a factor, VMI’s style of play is unusual. The Cats probably won’t see another opponent with such a wide-open style that keeps constant pressure on a player to perform. At this early stage of the season, UK was not ready for such a test. Clearly, point guards Michael Porter and DeAndre Liggins were not ready to make snap judgments again and again. So as VMI freshman Michael Sparks suggested, the game was a “surreal” experience.

2. Early-season defeats can be meaningless. Kentucky lost to Gardner-Webb on Nov. 7 last season and went on to a 12-4 record in the SEC. In 2004-05, the Cats got drubbed at North Carolina and went on to win the SEC and came within an offensive rebound of reaching the Final Four. Then in 2002-03, fans howled when a loss to Louisville dropped UK’s record to 6-3. Thereafter, the Cats won 26 straight and came within a Keith Bogans sprained ankle of reaching the Final Four.

3. Kentucky gets an immediate chance to erase the loss to VMI by winning at North Carolina on Tuesday. No doubt, that’s a tall order. But the game will be basketball as Kentucky knows it. And there will not be the weird matchups of VMI that saw big men Patrick Patterson and Perry Stevenson guarding guards on the perimeter.

Three reasons to leave Kentucky off the ballot:

1. There must be consequences when a team loses to an unranked opponent picked to finish seventh in the Big South. VMI had not beaten a SEC team since 1976.

2. Kentucky was already a shaky top 25 pick. Now the Cats must be banished to the basketball wilderness. The Cats had not been left off the pre-season top 25 since 1990. The loss to VMI confirmed the skepticism surrounding the UK team.

3. There’s plenty of time for a revival. Denny Crum famously used early-season losses to get the attention of his Louisville teams. Gillispie showed last season that he can get a team to overcome obstacles. Meanwhile, it’s more important to get improved play from the players, especially the point guards.

Conclusion: I’m going to drop Kentucky from my top 25. If VMI plays well at Virginia Sunday afternoon, I’ll include the Keydets in the top 25.

Look for my ballot here on Monday morning.

Former Florida point guard Jai Lucas cautioned not to put great importance on his including Kentucky on a list of possible transfer destinations.

“Just me releasing my (transcript) to the schools who called,” he said on Thursday. “Nothing too serious with anybody right now.”

Lucas said he asked Florida officials to release his transcript to Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, Stanford, Rice and Maryland as well as UK.

But he emphasized that it’s too early in the process to draw conclusions.

Lucas put Kentucky on the list after UK assistant Glynn Cyprien called to ask about his transfer plans. Cyprien had a relationship with the Lucas family that goes back to being an assistant coach at Oklahoma State when older brother John Lucas played for the Cowboys.

Jai Lucas remains convinced that his best option should be to concentrate on finishing the fall semester, and then seriously weighing his transfer options.

Lucas decided to transfer when Florida opted to make Nick Calathes its point guard.