Focus on Harrison makes job easier for Ulis

By LARRY VAUGHT



For two years, Kentucky point guard Andrew Harrison has been a lightning rod for fan and/or media criticism.

Kentucky coach John Calipari noted Thursday as No. 1 UK gets set to play at South Carolina Saturday that the focus on Harrison does make it easier for freshman point guard Tyler Ulis to just play.

“I think with Tyler right now, it's nice to know — really, for both of them, they should feel that way — that, 'If I'm not great, I got him. And if he's not great, he's got me,’” said Calipari.

Calipari exaggerated just a bit to show the scrutiny that Harrison is under.

"When it rains in Lexington, whose fault is it? It's Andrew's fault. There was a car accident on (Interstate) 75. It's Andrew's fault. So that's just how it is right now, and he's accepted it,” Calipari said. “But at the end of the day, he's the same guy that's led us to a championship game (last year) and gave us a chance to do something unique and special.

“And Tyler's playing well too. Now he doesn't play great every night out. Neither does Andrew. It's nice to have two of them, though, and it's nice to be able to put them in together."

Harrison said he “can take whatever anyone throws at me now” and hopefully that does help Ulis and freshman guard Devin Booker.

“I know whatever is said doesn’t really matter. I’ve heard it all. I’m just starting to get my confidence back, and just knowing I’m the starting point guard or whatever and I can play just as well as anybody,” Harrison said.

He said he “kind of” lost his confidence for a bit this season before saying he really had not.

“You just have to realize that this is basketball and you have to play like you have been playing your whole life,” Harrison said. “I’m so used to it (criticism) or so immune to it. So, pretty much nothing people can say that bothers me anymore, I’m just trying to play basketball and have fun.”

He says he can even laugh at what opposing fans like those at South Carolina might say to him Saturday to remind him that UK lost to the Gamecocks last year in a game that Calipari got ejected.

“I’m used to it, like I said,” Harrison said.

Harrison remembers last year’s loss at South Carolina — and UK also lost there in 2010 when it was ranked No. 1 like this team is.

“They were a very good team last year, but we didn’t play as well as we should have. If we go down there and play like we did last year we’ll lose again,” he said. ““We have a lot of new guys on the team, but in my mind I know that they’re a rough team, tough team and we have to come and play 100 percent or it’s going to be a long game. We just didn’t play as well as we should have and if we do that again this year we’re going to lose again.

“Every game we play in the SEC is going to be a tough game, and other teams are going to come at us so we have to be ready every time we step on the court.”

Kentucky played its best at South Carolina last year after Calipari was ejected and almost came back and won.

“We just decided we have to play harder. It didn’t have to do with the coaching change or anything like that,” Harrison said.

The point guard couldn’t disagree with Calipari getting tossed, either.

“I would have tossed him too. He was frustrated just like the rest of us,” Harrison said.

Harrison wouldn’t use the word “embarrassing” for the loss at South Carolina last year.

“It was just another game that we didn’t want to lose, so that’s what we did. We just lost the game,” he said.

But it also led to South Carolina fans storming the court after the game, a feeling no losing player can like.

“You can’t even think about it. We just have to go out there and play as hard as we can,” Harrison said. “If we lose a game or something like that we want it to be because of them, because they played great and better than us. Not because of us.

“I knew it was a horrible feeling and I just remember just having that bad feeling when they rushed the court and stuff like that. As a basketball player you have to try to motivate yourself to play every game, no matter if you’re at home or away.”

He says he is not dwelling on last year’s loss and is not worried about talking to UK’s freshmen players about the game.

“You just have to play your game. You can’t really worry about last year. Last year was last year. Now we have to go in there for another tough game against South Carolina,” he said.

And hope the weather isn’t bad anywhere so he won’t get blamed for that, too.