Having trouble getting registered or subscribing? Email us at info@kysportsreport.com or Private Message CitizenBBN and we'll get you set up!

  • Kentucky story evolving into a positive one

    By LARRY VAUGHT

    At times this season various national media members — and even some college basketball coaches — have indicated that Kentucky’s way of building a program under coach John Calipari has “ruined” college basketball and made UK merely a stop on the way to the NBA.

    Now that UK is 38-0 going into Saturday’s game with Wisconsin in the Final Four and clearly has relied on the leadership/experience of returning players, the story line about UK has become much more positive.

    “We’re not bothered by it ‘cause we knew what really the deal was. We knew we did everything everybody else does basically. We just stay together and just didn’t listen to it,” said Kentucky sophomore Dakari Johnson.

    “We’re required to do everything else every other student has to do,” freshman Karl-Anthony Towns, who went to class with teammates just like other students this week, said. “ Just because we play basketball doesn’t mean we get any special privileges.”

    Sophomore Aaron Harrison, who hit three game-winning shots in last year’s NCAA Tournament, said it was easy to ignore the skeptics.

    “It didn’t bother us because we knew it wasn’t the truth. And we know a lot of people say things about us and make up their own theories about us, but most of it’s not true,” Harrison said. “We’re student-athletes just like everyone else. We’re required to go to class, we’re required to make the grades, so we’re just like every other program in that sense.”

    However, few programs have the expectations that Kentucky basketball faces. Yet this team has been No. 1 from the first preseason poll until now and is favored to win the school’s ninth national championship while compiling college basketball’s first perfect season since 1976 when Indiana went 32-0

    “In October it’s hard for something like (this) to think of. To say you’re going to be 38-0 and in the Final Four, I mean, (it’s) never been done before,” Towns said. “Obviously, coming in, I knew my brothers, we had a great amount of talent, but you never knew were going to jell so well and this season was going to go the way it went.

    “You just were blessed with this opportunity, and you just want to take it as full amount as you can take it as, cherish every moment, and try to end the season with no regrets, and that’s what we’re going to try to do this weekend.”

    Harrison remembers the 40-0 talk his freshman year when UK lost eight regular-season games and again in the SEC Tournament final before reaching the NCAA championsip game and losing.

    “We lost a bunch of games that year, so I didn’t really expect that because it really doesn’t matter,” Harrison said. “We went to the final game losing however many games we lost last year. And that’s the goal to win the national title. So, I didn’t really expect it (going unbeaten), but it’s pretty cool to do.

    “Last year veryone thought we were just going to come in and just jell and be this great, amazing team, but we weren’t, we didn’t jell right away. It took some time for us to do that. We came together after a while. It took a while, but we came together and figured out ways to win. I think it’s two different teams (compared to last year). It’s just a different group of guys. Of course we have returners, but it’s just we jelled differently. It’s a totally different feel.”

    However, the Cats clearly remember losing last year’s title game to Connecticut.

    “When you get this close and to the Final Four, everyone’s motivated. But I think we do have a chip on our shoulder and we have a lot to prove, so I think — I mean, I’m not really sure how other teams are feeling, but I know we’re just as motivated as we’ve ever been and even more so. We’re just going out and trying to win games, make statements and play as hard as we can,” Harrison, the team’s leading scorer at 11.0 points per game, said. “Obviously we still have people who don’t believe in us and things like that and don’t think that we can do the things that we know we can do.

    “I think last year we were maybe just excited to be there really. And this year we’re not gonna be satisfied. (It’s) not the same feeling. We’re going down there to win.”

    Johnson said last year’s Final Four “wasn’t expected” because of UK’s regular-season struggls.

    “This year it’s expected from us, so we’re going down there to win. Last year it kinda felt like we were just happy to be there,” Johnson said.
  • KSR Twitter Feed

  • Recent Forum Posts

    Harlow

    Re: Oakland v UK hall of fame

    See ya next guys with a new coach

    Harlow 03-22-2024, 08:36 AM Go to last post
    Darrell KSR

    Re: Oakland v UK hall of fame

    I'll grade the first point. I wonder who had Oakland winning?

    I kid, kid. Since I made the post, I guess the least I can do is go ahead and

    Darrell KSR 03-21-2024, 09:18 PM Go to last post
    DanISSELisdaman

    Re: Oakland v UK hall of fame

    UK by 19
    Reeves 26
    320
    21
    41%

    DanISSELisdaman 03-21-2024, 06:25 PM Go to last post
    Harlow

    Re: Oakland v UK hall of fame

    No problem buddy

    Harlow 03-21-2024, 05:08 PM Go to last post
    Darrell KSR

    Re: Oakland v UK hall of fame

    Thanks, Harlow--I corrected it to 22. No idea, of course, and watch 18 be the right answer lol. Anyway, I appreciate the heads up.

    Darrell KSR 03-21-2024, 04:30 PM Go to last post