So as I sit from the Wildcat Blue Nation office live from Big Branch Kentucky in Leslie County, I thought I would shoot you guys some pre-game notes as the Kentucky Wildcats get ready to hook up against the Radford Highlanders, so I’ll try and entertain you before the game, because hopefully you’re off work and ready to sit back in the recliner, and if you’re wondering why Kentucky is playing Radford in a tournament game they’ve already won, your guess is as good as mine. Let’s get to it.
Some storylines that are emerging approaching the North Carolina game which is looming in the distance is the fact that Darius Miller may find his way into the starting line-up. Coach Calipari said that when the going got tough in the Old Dominion game, Miller was the one to answer the challenge while the rest of the team kind of backed away. I’ve said all year I think Michael Kidd-Gilchrist would be better suited coming off of the bench; let’s see if Coach Calipari will make me look smart (for once). I think having Miller in from the start sets the tone of the game early. We’ll see what happens at tip-off at seven on Fox Sports South.
Earlier in the day Coach Cal went to Twitter and touched on the “posing” and “three goggles” that seems to be a hot-button topic that Dick Vitale brought up a couple of days ago when UK played Kansas. Coach Calipari said on the social media website that the posing and talking has to stop. He said Kentucky doesn’t talk to other teams, they talk to one another. He said he was fine with the three goggles but not the posing and barking at the other team. So as Neil Price said as he got the play-by-play call last week against Old Dominion, “goggles up.”
Speaking of Twitter and Coach Calipari, he also went to defend his point guard, Marquis Teague and his tendency to be a little out of control and turnover prone. As many other blogs and writers and Coach Cal himself have mentioned, every point guard under Calipari through the first four games at Kentucky has had 18 turnovers. Tonight Kentucky will need to see Teague be under control and let the game come to him instead of forcing it and settling for jump shots.
Look for Kentucky to pound it inside early against Radford because they don’t have a player over 6’8” in the paint to contend with the Wildcats, but expect them to zone so Kentucky should be able to have some looks from the outside. Kentucky is already a 30 point plus favorite so let’s expect to have some fun with this one.
Lastly, even though your guide may say hockey is on Fox Sports South, it SHOULD be the Kentucky game. If not you can join me with listening to Oscar Combs, Dick Gabriel, Tom Leach and Mike Pratt with the pre-game and the actual game on www.iheartradio.com just search 630 WLAP Lexington and tune in.
I’ll see you back here at around 9 P.M for the post game wrap up. Follow me on Twitter @JNorth0