Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops has confirmed that the Cats will lose sophomore wide receiver Jeff Badet for the first two games of the season against UT-Martin and Ohio University. Badet was hit in the eye with a tennis ball while doing a common hand-eye coordination drill, where the receiver is to catch a tennis ball that is launched at a fast speed towards him.
“I hope right after that, yeah,” Stoops said. “It is getting better. It’s not as bad as it could have been, and it’s getting better. From what I understand, these injuries take some time, and we have to be very careful with that type of injury.”
Badet was Kentucky’s third leading receiver last season, with 22 receptions for 285 yards and a touchdown in his freshman season. If not fully healed, Badet could miss extended time past the two games.
Nov 30, 2013; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats safety Ashely Lowery (5) runs back an interception against the Tennessee Volunteers in the first half at Commonwealth Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
Lowery’s DUI likely not going to court:
It is very likely that UK’s starting safety Ashley Lowery will make it through his senior season without facing court for his DUI charge. Lowery was charged with the DUI over a year ago, May 4th, 2013 to be exact, after getting in a car wreck. A court date is not to be scheduled until early 2015, assuming that all goes well.
The car crash that Lowery was in hospitalized him and cause him to be kept in intensive care for several days afterward. He was arraigned charges a month later, after a crash report stated that Lowery had a blood-alcohol level of .139 at the time of the crash. The legal limit is .08. Lowery started every game for Kentucky last season, recording 46 tackles and an interception.
Aug 1, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; USA Team White center DeMarcus Cousins (36) celebrates after assisting on a score during the USA Basketball Showcase at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Cousins makes Team USA roster:
Former Cat and current Kings star Demarcus Cousins has survived the final cuts, and will represent the United States in the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Cousins’ candidacy for the team was in doubt when he hurt his knee during practice on August 14th. He missed the exhibition game against Brazil last week, but the injury turned out to be a bruise. He came off the bench Friday against Puerto Rico, scored 8 points and pulled in 4 rebounds to earn one of the last spots on the roster.
The final players cut were Damian Lillard of the Portland Trailblazers, Chandler Parsons of the Dallas Mavericks, Gordon Hayward of the Utah Jazz and Kyle Korver of the Atlanta Hawks. Cousin’s teammate Rudy Gay made the cut as well after scoring 13 points Friday night.
Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports
Kentucky launches virtual model of new football stadium:
Kentucky Athletics has partnered with IOMEDIA to introduce the brand new CWS Virtual Venue, which will provide fans their first look inside the newly renovated Commonwealth Stadium, which will be opening in 2015. You can visit the Commonwealth Stadium Virtual Venue by clicking on the link http://kentuckyfootball.io-media.com/
When UK fans visit the Virtual Venue, they will have the ability to click on any seat in the stadium and get a 360-degree view inside Commonwealth Stadium from that seat, as if they are actually sitting inside the stadium. Fans can compare sight lines from two different views at once, as well as see the benefits and amenities associated with each seat. The Virtual Venue digital platform is the definitely most accurate and engaging in-venue experience for customer engagement and fan interaction.