Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie denied that he told leading scorer Jodie Meeks not to shoot at Florida on Saturday.
“Absolutely not,” Gillispie on a Southeastern Conference coaches teleconference on Monday.
After chuckling, Gillispie said that Meeks scoring this season showed that he had “the green light” to shoot.
After Florida beat Kentucky, Florida freshman Ray Shipman said that Meeks told him in the second half of Gillispie’s order to stop shooting.
Kentucky has put the focus of its offense in recent weeks on big man Patrick Patterson.
When asked about Meeks’ slip in scoring since getting 45 points at Arkansas, Gillispie said that other players needed to do more to create scoring opportunities for Meeks.
Meanwhile, Ole Miss plans to keep a healthy amount of defensive attention on Meeks. When the teams played in Oxford on Jan. 27, Meeks made only four of 15 shots. That was the scene of the first Jeannine Edwards-Gillispie dust up when the ESPN sideline reporter asked about Meeks not scoring a basket in the first half.
Ole Miss Coach Andy Kennedy said that Meeks warranted special defensive attention.
“If you play him straight up like any other player, he’ll make you pay dearly,” Kennedy said.
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It was reported back when Gillispie was recruiting Patterson that he would get so many touches per game and an opputuntity to score points making the order for Meeks not to shoot more beliviable as there would be more chances for Patterson.
So, who do we believe?
Those gators are not only cheaters, they are liars also. Ray Shipman lied to the Miami Herald. Ray Shipman should apologize to Coach Gillispe and Meeks for his wild imagination. Shipman needs to stop playing mind games with the fourth estate.
Isn’t it amazing how quickly fans jumped on this story as if it were from the tablets of Moses? Maybe Meeks said something like that to loosen up the defense on himself just a little bit? Maybe playing head games with the Florida players? Nonetheless, I tend to believe the Coach in this matter.
oh, for crying out loud. there’s so much negative stuff being insinuated, broadcasted, talked about and written…who knows what is true anymore????
all that’s left – and its already started – is he said-he said.
SOmething has certainly been up with Meeks since the 54 point game. If Coach Gillespie told him not to shoot as much, then he certainly does not belong at UK as the coach.
You need every point you can get and if someone is slacking or not shooting because the coach wants someone else to shoot, then the coach is an idiot and we can’t have that at UK.
I tried to become a Billy G. fan with this season has not done that for me. I know it’s hard to please UK fans, but if we are not in the NCAA Tournament this year it would be a travisty.
Well…..somebody’s lying.
An innocent enough comment from Ray Shipman. Perhaps he understood Meeks incorrectly or Meeks understood BG incorrectly. But I’m sure something like that was said. Who would make up such a thing?? More likely that BG is trying to cover his butt.
Only one way to find out Jerry! Why the heck don’t you ask Jodie??!!
BILLY IS A LIAR!
If the other players would set a pick for Meeks, maybe he could get open for a shot. That is the problem I have seen in the last 4 – 5 games. 1: They need to set picks for their 3 pt shooters, and 2: They need to play the Zone and quit playing Man to Man (it isn’t working..)
I do not believe Gillispie one bit, a NEWS caster was sitting right behind MEEKS and heard him tell the one sitting beside him. Don’t lie about how terrible you are at coaching, ESPN had it on and it was all over the computers, you said, live up to your bad choice. Oh and another thing, why dont you allow anyone in the Rupp Arena when the boys are practing, if you are so afraid that someone is going to steal you one on one basketball secret (ha), then make people show their UK drivers license. BAD coach, worse then TUBBY and I thought I would never see the day I hated a coach worse then TUBBY (ten loss tubby)
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