Gillispie: No driver’s seat at 4-0

Although Kentucky is the lone unbeaten team in Southeastern Conference play, Coach Billy Gillispie pooh-poohed the idea of being in the best position for a championship.

“We’re not in any driver’s seat,” he said. “I feel great about it. . . . (but) it means nothing to Alabama or us.”

Gillispie noted that the SEC schedule is only one-quarter played as Kentucky heads to Alabama for a game Saturday afternoon.

Alabama faces the difficult chore of replacing point guard Ronald Steele at mid-season. Steele announced earlier this week that he would not play the rest of the season because of a foot injury.

“Nobody wants to lose a main guy,” Gillispie said. But the UK coach suggested teams can rise to the occasion as Kentucky did last season when an ankle injury sidelined Patrick Patterson.

“You never know,” Gillispie said. “You never know. That’s what happens in the course of a season. Different things trigger enthusiasm.”