Jerry Tipton on UK basketball

You can get an idea of who the top referees are by seeing who gets assigned to the biggest games. If the big game is also on network television, that clinches the deal.

Such referees as Don Rutledge, John Cloughterty, Gerald Boudreaux and Andre Pattillo were on hand when Kentucky played a marquee opponent.

So who will officiate Sunday’s Kentucky-Louisville game?

According to U of L’s notes for the media, the referees will be familiar names with proven records as confident judges. The three are John Cahill, Tony Greene and Tim Higgins.

Kentucky big man Patrick Patterson was among six Southeastern Conference players named to a list of nominees for the Naismith Award. The award goes to the national college player of the year.

Tyler Hansbrough, who is about the become North Carolina’s career scoring leader, is trying to become only the third player to win the Naismith Award more than once. The others are Bill Walton of UCLA and Ralph Sampson of Virginia.

The other six SEC players included in the list of nominees are Nick Calathes of Florida, Devan Downey of South Carolina, A.J. Ogilvy of Vanderbilt, Tyler Smith of Tennessee and Ronald Steele of Alabama.

Conspicuous by his absence from the list is Kentucky’s leading scorer, Jodie Meeks.

Here’s the news release by the Atlanta Tipoff Club:

University of North Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough takes aim at becoming just the third repeat winner in the 40-year history of the Naismith Trophy as he headlines the 2008-09 preseason watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today.  Hansbrough, the third Tar Heel and 16^th recipient from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) to win the Naismith Trophy, would join UCLA’s Bill Walton (1972, 73, 74) and Virginia’s Ralph Sampson (1981, 82, 83) as the only multiple winners of the award, if he repeats again this year.  The 6-9 senior from Poplar Bluff, Mo., is joined by teammates Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson on the list.

The Big East Conference placed 11 candidates on the watch list, followed by the ACC with seven.  The Southeastern Conference (SEC) and Pacific 10 (PAC-10) each placed six.

The watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for the 2008-09 college basketball season. The watch list does not include incoming freshmen, although those student-athletes will be considered in the first vote in February, 2009.   The Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T will be awarded at the 2009 NCAA Men’s Final Four in Detroit, Mich.

“The talent level across all conferences continues to impress, and that will create an even greater challenge for our voting academy when it comes time to select the winner in April,” said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Tipoff Club president.  “And we look forward to this special season, our 40^th anniversary of the most prestigious trophy in all of college basketball.”

For the sixth consecutive season, presenting sponsor AT&T will once again set the standard in allowing fans to participate in determining this year’s winner. Through the power and ease of text messaging, fan voting will account for an unprecedented 25% of the final results – more than any other national college basketball award.  At the beginning of February, CBS’ “AT&T at the Half” will feature a weekly Naismith Trophy update highlighting the players in contention.

In February, the Naismith Trophy voting academy, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country, will narrow its early season list to the Top 30 players in the nation. Those players, and others who distinguish themselves throughout the season, will be eligible for the final ballot in March.

Other notable Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year winners include Bill Walton, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing and David Robinson. The Naismith Trophy is the most prestigious national award presented annually to college basketball’s player of the year.

For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.

2008-09 Naismith Trophy Early Season Watch List:

ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB

The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club, founded in 1956, has presented the Naismith Trophy since UCLA’s Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969.   Old Dominion’s Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women’s Naismith Trophy in 1983. The Naismith Award has become an emblem of excellence for the game, recognizing the Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Player of the Year, Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Coach of the Year, as well as awards for outstanding achievement in high school basketball, officiating, and contribution to the game.

If you want to know what’s on Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie’s mind on Wednesday, you should stay tuned to ESPN’s various outlets. Gillispie planned to spend the day being interviewed by various ESPN radio and television outlets.

Here’s the release from UK explained his interview schedule (all times are Eastern Standard Time):

“Coach Gillispie’s day in Bristol, Connecticut will begin with an appearance at 10:50 a.m. on ESPN First Take which is live on ESPN2 from 10 a.m. to Noon.  Next, Coach Gillispie visits The Herd with Colin Cowherd at 11:40 a.m. which is live on ESPN Radio and on ESPNU from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m..

“Gillispie continues the day with a chat on ESPN.com between 1:15-1:45 p.m. before joining the Tirico & Van Pelt show at 2:10 p.m. live on ESPN Radio.  Coach Gillispie concludes his live appearances with an interview on ESPNEWS at approx. 3:20 p.m.

:The tentative schedule is as follows:

*   10:50-11:05  - ESPN First Take (live on ESPN2)
*   11:40-11:55 am - ESPN Radio The Herd with Colin Cowherd (live ESPN Radio/ESPNU)
*   1:15-1:45 pm - ESPN.com Chat
*   2:10-2:25 pm - ESPN Radio Tirico & Van Pelt (live ESPN Radio)
*   3:20-3:35 pm - ESPNEWS Interview (live on ESPNEWS)

Tickets for Kentucky’s game against Indiana on Saturday are available.

Here’s the UK news release:

A limited number of single game tickets remain for Kentucky’s next six opponents in Rupp Arena, including Saturday’s game against Indiana. Fans can order tickets by calling the UK Ticket Office (1.800.928.2287), the Rupp Arena Box Office (859.233.3535) or by going to UKathletics.com or Ticketmaster.com.

Tickets also remain for Tennessee State (Dec. 22), Florida Atlanta (Dec. 27), Central Michigan (Dec. 29), Vanderbilt (Jan. 10) and Auburn (Jan. 21). Tickets for these events can also be ordered at the UK Ticket Office located at the Joe Craft Center in person or over the phone during regular business hours of 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday.

In addition, eRUPPtion Zone tickets (standing room only) will be available for the Tennessee State, Florida Atlantic and Central Michigan games.  They will be sold day of game only at the Rupp Arena Box Office with a limit of one ticket per person based upon availability.  Price will be $5.00 per ticket and cash only will be accepted for these tickets.

Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie dismissed the notion of withholding playing time as a punishment for freshman DeAndre Liggins’ refusal to re-enter the Kansas State game last Friday night. Such a decision would have hurt UK’s chances of beating West Virginia on Saturday, Gillispie seemed to suggest in a Monday morning news conference.

“It would have been easy as a coach to say, ‘Hey, you don’t play,’ ” Gillispie said before adding, “You don’t cut off your nose to spite your face.”

Liggins tied a season high with 27 minutes against West Virginia. Gillispie saluted Liggins’ performance in UK’s victory in the finals of the Las Vegas Invitational.

“He was a commander at the position,” the UK coach said. “That’s the best we’ve seen, maybe, in the two years I’ve been here.”

Liggins provided “an offensive and defensive presence we probably not had in two years for a good portion of the time,” Gillispie said.

Gillispie stopped short of saying Liggins would start when UK plays again on Wednesday against Lamar. But the UK coach didn’t rule it out either, saying that decision would come after practices Monday and Tuesday.

Liggins refused to re-enter the Kansas State game after playing only two minutes in the first half. He went to the bench after slipping awkwardly and being called for walking.

Gillispie asked reporters to not dwell on Liggins’ action — or non-action. The UK coach asked reporters “to be fair to a young person.

“You need to leave it alone,” he told the assembled media. “Give a young person the benefit of the doubt.”

In other news conference comments, Gillispie:

– Noted that UK’s lack of speed and quickness contributes to its plague of turnovers.

“We’re not a fast team,” he said.

– Said that nearly half the opposition’s points (198 of 402) had come from offensive rebounds or off turnovers. While never before compiling such a statistic, he said he figured no more than 15 to 20 percent of points should come from those areas.

– Said he liked adversity early in a season.

“It creates more toughness for a team,” he said. “. . . I’d rather have it early, deal with it and move on.”

– Lamented the many turnovers by veterans Jodie Meeks (31) and Ramon Harris (19).

“We’ve struggled to initiate offense,” he said, “but your experienced guys can’t be turning it over.”

– Said the need to find oppoinents led to the upcoming quirky schedule. UK plays Lamar on Wednesday, then Miami (Fla.) on Saturday and Mississippi Valley State on Sunday.

With freshman DeAndre Liggins transforming from object of insubordination to player of inspiration, Kentucky rallied to a 54-43 victory over West Virginia Saturday night in the Las Vegas Invitational championship game.
Liggins, who refused to re-enter UK’s Friday night game against Kansas State, steadied the Cats in the face of West Virginia’s defensive pressure. He made key plays down the stretch as UK rallied in the final six minutes to improve its record to 4-2.
West Virginia, 4-1, lost because the opponent outplayed it at its own game: defense. The Mountaineers pointy total was a season low. The previous low as 76 against Delaware State.
UK smothered the Mountaineers most of the game.
Jodie Meeks led Kentucky with 19 points. Patrick Patterson added 15. Liggins added four points.

Liggins starred down the stretch. After a Harrellson layup put UK ahead 43-41, Liggins separated the ball from a driving Smith.

Liggins immediately cashed in by throwing a long fastbreak pass that netted Patterson a three-point play that gave UK a 46-41 lead to protect in the final four minutes.

Kentucky mounted an improbable rally built largely on defense. WVU had only one basket over a seven-minute stretch.

In that time, UK erased a 32-24 deficit and took a 39-36 lead.

A surprise move to zone by WVU helped. Meeks, who had only one basket, drilled a three-pointer from the left side.

UK took its first lead when Patterson made both ends of a one-and-one with 9:02 left. He was fouled by Ruoff, who tried to rebound one of his many misses.

A jumper/set shot by Liggins put Kentucky ahead 39-36 with 7:34 left. Wellington Smith answered with a three-pointer (his fourth of the season)21 seconds later.

Trailing 32-20, Kentucky rallied.

Nothing came easy, but Harrellson’s putback began a 6-0 “run” over more than two minutes.  Patterson’s layup off an inbounds pass brought the Cats within 32-26 with 12:12 left. That increased Patterson’s point total to six.

West Virginia called time and immediately countered as Flowers drove too easily for a shot banker.

Absent of injury, the second half could hardly have started worse for Kentucky.

A 35-second shot clock violation and Meeks’ third foul game in the first minute as West Virginia increased its lead to a game-high 12 points.

On the first possession of the half, the Cats appeared to want a shot for Meeks. But WVU’s Joe Mazzulla denied the passing lane. That left Porter to dribble until the shot clock wound down to the final seconds.

Meeks fouled on WVU’s first possession, picking up his third foul with 19:09 left.