We’re approaching game time. Today’s game is a huge one for the young Kentucky Wildcats who are hoping to show they can play in a hostile opponents arena and earn the win. The Tar Heels on the other hand are looking for a season changing game after a dismal 4-3 start. Anytime two of the most winning programs face each other it’s going to be exciting. I think today will be especially good consider the position of both programs.
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
Here’s what the Tar Heels are saying about the annual UK vs. UNC game.
[B]THE SERIES VS. KENTUCKY[/B]
Carolina leads the all-time series with Kentucky, 21-11, including wins in five of the last six seasons.
In the most recent meeting, UK beat the Tar Heels 68-66 in Lexington on Dec. 5, 2009 (see below for more detailed summary).
Eight of the 10 starters in last season’s game have moved on to professional basketball and just two of the departed were seniors (Marcus Ginyard and Deon Thompson for UNC).
Carolina’s only returning starter from last season’s game is point guard Larry Drew II. Seniors Ginyard and Thompson graduated in May and are playing professsionally in Europe this season (Ginyard in Germany and Thompson in Greece). Sophomore Ed Davis was an early entrant into the NBA Draft and was a lottery pick (13th overall) of the Toronto Raptors. Junior Will Graves was dismissed from the UNC squad in Oct. 2010 for violating team rules.
Other than Drew II, Dexter Strickland (16 minutes against Kentucky last season) and Tyler Zeller (14) are the only Tar Heels to play at least 10 minutes in Lexington last year who are still on the UNC roster in 2010-11.
Kentucky’s John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Patrick Patterson, and Eric Bledsoe all were early entries and first-round picks in the 2010 NBA Draft. UK’s only returner from last year’s starting lineup against Carolina is current junior Darius Miller.
Saturday’s game marks the 11th season in a row in which the two schools have met. The series is tied 5-5 in the last 10 meetings.
The Wildcats won the first four games in the current installment of the series, taking wins from UNC in the 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons.
The Tar Heels beat he Wildcats five times in a row starting with the 2004-05 season and UK beat UNC in Lexington last year.
Carolina is 4-2 vs. Kentucky in Chapel Hill, including three consecutive wins (in 2004-05, 2006-07 and 2008-09).
At least one of the two teams has been ranked in each of the last 25 meetings. The last time neither team was ranked in the series was on Dec. 17, 1962, in Lexington.
The two teams have met 11 times when both teams were ranked in the top 10 of the Associated Press poll with UNC holding an 8-3 series edge in those games (including a 68-66 UK win last year).
[B]I look for Brandon Knight to have a big game today. He hasn’t been in the spotlight for the past few games but look for that to change today. [/B]I’ve just got a hunch…
