Kentucky is number one again, only this time it’s in the SEC East. Kentucky took the lead in the opening minutes and never looked back. On paper, this game should have been much closer. Where South Carolina believed they could win, it was visible that Vanderbilt never believed they had a chance. The CATS made sure Offensive rebounding wouldn’t be the “goat” for this game, as Kentucky out rebounded Vandy 18-2. Ogilvy was also a non-factor inside as Cousins dominated and Lebron James filled in for Ashley Judd as the “Y”.
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This was an impressive win and although it didn’t look pretty at times, it was definitely a TEAM win. I was happy to see some organization on the offensive end and less forced shots. I just hope we figure out what our rotation looks like before March. After admitting he was “out coached” in the South Carolina game, it looks as if Coach Cal is going to be more “hands on” for the remainder of the season. I for one, think that’s exactly what this team needs.
[B]Now Let’s rundown what happened……[/B]
[B]John Wall[/B] – In what some would call a quiet game, Wall turned in 13 points and more importantly, 9 assist. He also hit 2 our of 5 three pointers that came at important times in the game. You kind of expect him to lead the team in turnovers if he’s handling the ball as much as he does, but he doesn’t just lead, he dominates in turnovers. Wall had 7 with the next closest being Patterson with 4.
[B]Patrick Patterson[/B] – The number one question from fans in the live blog today was “who’s going to show up? Tarzan or Jane?” I’m still undecided on this one. Let me first say that I’m a huge Patterson fan and I don’t think you could find a better person to represent UK. He finished the game with twelve points and nine of those came off of three pointers. I’m happy he got his points, but I didn’t know he was playing shooting guard. Calipari can run plays for him and he will get his shots, but I think a better indicator of how active Patterson was is rebounds. He was out rebounded by Dodson and Bledsoe who both had seven, Patterson had only four. Don’t get me wrong, four is good, I just think he can do more.
[B]Demarcus Cousins[/B] – In the post game interview (I’ve attached at the bottom of this article) Calipari calls Cousins “A Beast”. I would agree! He did let Vandy and the referees bother him at times but overall he looked unstoppable. Vandy just didn’t have an answer for him. He threw a couple of elbows, pushed and ran his mouth a bit, but this guy is getting killed in every game. Our opponents just can’t stop him and he’s getting beat like he was Brett Favre in the NFC Championship game.
[B]Darnell Dodson[/B] – If you didn’t know, I’m not a Dodson fan. I was really surprised by Darnell entering the starting lineup, but he delivered a great performance and showed he is worthy. He hit his shots and pulled in seven rebounds. More importantly, he didn’t turn the ball over. He still showed some lapses on defense but overall a great performance.
[B]Darius Miller[/B] – Something is going on with Darius and I’m not sure what it’s going to take to fix it. He leads the team in scoring at Arkansas and now he only played eight minutes, zero points, zero rebounds and one turnover. He did start the game, but I’m not sure why. Scoot over Harrellson, I think you’ll have someone to talk to when we play Ole’ Miss.
[B]Eric Bledsoe[/B] – His line looks much better than Walls and he’s starting to remind me of a stronger version of Rajon Rondo. He has thirteen points, seven rebounds, three assist, and zero turnovers. That’s the Eric Bledsoe we need every game. Not the Bledsoe that drives his way to the basket and somehow finds himself in the air with his back to the basket and no -where to go. Great game Eric!
[B]DeAndre Liggins[/B] – My main man! Yes, I’m a Liggins fan. His hustle has won me over and today was no different. He’s went from the dog house at the beginning of the season to being the team roll model on toughness and hustle. Liggins turned in nine points, four rebounds and zero turnovers.
[B]Stevenson, Harris and Orton[/B] – They did their part and played some valuable minutes when needed. They continue to provide that spark and energy that their teammates feed off of. Not to mention they’re a force on the defensive end.
Overall, this was a strong TEAM performance from UK. They’ll need a repeat performance against Ole’ Miss on Tuesday. They’re very similar to Vanderbilt and could give the CATS trouble if they’re not ready to play.
[B]Here’s the post game interviews….[/B]
[B][SIZE=3]Kevin Stallings[/SIZE][/B]
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[B][SIZE=3]John Calipari[/SIZE][/B]
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[SIZE=3][B]Demarcus Cousins[/B][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][B]John Wall[/B][/SIZE]
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