VS. <font color="yellow">Coppin State</font> vs. <font color="blue">Kentucky Wildcats</font> Saturday, November 20 4:00 PM ET at: Rupp Arena COACHES: Ronald Mitchell / Tubby Smith PROBABLE STARTERS: Chad Yates/Chuck Hayes Darryl Proctor/Kelenna Azubuike Henry Colter/Randolph Morris Nicholas King/Rajon Rondo Raheem Scott/Patrick Sparks Players To Watch: vs. Nicholas King/ Kelenna Azubuike King is Coppin State's lone double digit scorer returning this year. He has going to have to have a big game if Coppin wants to even keep this game close. Azubuike is only a junior, so he has big things ahead of him. He's already had 2 20+ point games in 2 pre-season games. Expect a bug game from Bookie in tomorrow's game. Stats: <font color="yellow">Coppin St.</font> Chad Yates: 6 pts 5 reb Darryl Proctor: 3 pts 4 reb Henry Coltar: 11 pts 3 reb 2 ast Nicholas King: 15 pts 5 ast Raheem Scott: 8 pts 5 ast Stats: <font color="blue">Kentucky</font> Chuck Hayes: 16 pts 8 reb 5 ast Kelenna Azubuike: 22 pts 5 ast 4 reb Randolph Morris: 8 pts 11 reb Rajon Rondo: 10 pts 7 ast Patrick Sparks: 15 pts 3/5 3pt 5 ast Kentucky's starters will have big game's in this one. They'll be coming in and out, so be ready to see the bench. I see Joe Crawford having a big game off the bench, and I see Ramel Bradley also coming in and contributing. Prediction: I don't know much about this Coppin State team, but I do know that they are a small team, and will have a lot of trouble keeping up with this Kentucky team. Be ready to see a lot of the Kentucky bench in this one. Coppin St.- 62 Kentucky- 90
Patrick Sparks is with the team this year? For some reason I thought this was the year he was supposed to sit out as a transfer student. Anyway, nice preview. I'm not real knowledgable about Coppin State basketball, but this game looks like it should be a walk in the park for the Wildcats. However, the great thing about College basketball is that upsets can happen to anyone at any time. Kentucky has a lot of new key players with Sparks, Crawford, Rondo, and Morris all joining the team this year. There's a chance that they'll mess with the chemistry of the team. A slim chance, but still a chance. BTW - When is UK's first nationally televised game?
Sparks transfered last year, so he already sit his year out. He's not really impressed me so far. I think it's going to take him a bit to get back in the groove of things. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Voodoo Child:</div><div class="quote_post">BTW - When is UK's first nationally televised game?</div> December 4th at. North Carolina...I'm ready for this one!
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Sparks transfered last year, so he already sit his year out. He's not really impressed me so far. I think it's going to take him a bit to get back in the groove of things.</div> I remember going to see him at Western Kentucky, and he absolutely blew my mind there. I remember saying to my friends that Sparks was the best player on that team, not Chris Marcus. I'm sure that he's just rusty; he's a great player.
Yeah, Sparks was amazing at Western Kentucky. I remember a few years ago when Western Kentucky upset Kentucky, and Sparks was just amazing in that game. I'm really happy to see him decide to come to Kentucky; He'll definitely be a big help...
Sparks is awesome, when I heard he was transferring to UK, I was extatic. I always like watching UK basketball and I can't wait til SEC play starts. UK/Miss. State game should be good this year. Also the Alabama game should be good, those three teams will probably be the best in the SEC this year. Also is Sparks wearing 22 for the Wildcats?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting spark22:</div><div class="quote_post">Sparks is awesome, when I heard he was transferring to UK, I was extatic. I always like watching UK basketball and I can't wait til SEC play starts. UK/Miss. State game should be good this year. Also the Alabama game should be good, those three teams will probably be the best in the SEC this year. Also is Sparks wearing 22 for the Wildcats?</div> Yeah, he's wearing 22. So is your username Spark22 because of Patrick Sparks...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting spark22:</div><div class="quote_post">Sparks is awesome, when I heard he was transferring to UK, I was extatic. I always like watching UK basketball and I can't wait til SEC play starts. UK/Miss. State game should be good this year. Also the Alabama game should be good, those three teams will probably be the best in the SEC this year. Also is Sparks wearing 22 for the Wildcats?</div> Your also leaving out Florida. They will also do very good and will contend in the SEC.
Yeah, Florida always has a competitive team. Donovan is one of the best recruiters in the nation. Should be a pretty dangerous team, that no one should fool around with.
The SEC just seems kind of weak to me this season. Kentucky is dominant as always, but after them there's a considerable drop off. Ole Miss, Vandy, South Carolina, Georgia, LSU, and Arkansas are all looking like they'll have down years to me.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Voodoo Child:</div><div class="quote_post">The SEC just seems kind of weak to me this season. Kentucky is dominant as always, but after them there's a considerable drop off. Ole Miss, Vandy, South Carolina, Georgia, LSU, and Arkansas are all looking like they'll have down years to me.</div> I agree; I only see 4 teams really competing for the SEC title this year in Miss St, Florida, Kentucky, and Alabama. I see Bama surprising a lot people this yea, and winning the West. Winston, Davis, and Shelton are all returning, and should be good as ever...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting petitt33:</div><div class="quote_post">I agree; I only see 4 teams really competing for the SEC title this year in Miss St, Florida, Kentucky, and Alabama. I see Bama surprising a lot people this yea, and winning the West. Winston, Davis, and Shelton are all returning, and should be good as ever...</div> I think Tennessee will also be a surprise team. I'm not saying they'll be up in the ranks with the four teams you mentioned, but they'll consistantly be a good team. I've followed Scooter McFadgon ever since he went to my local High School, and I really think he has NBA potential. Major Wingate is also a big time post presence, although they didn't really play him his Freshman year. Not to mention they still have Crump and Watson.
At halftime Kentucky leads 40-18. Kentucky has nailed 6 three's on 13 attempts with Patrick Sparks having 3 of those. Sparks leads all scorers with 9 points and Chuck Hayes leads all with 5 rebounds. I say we'll see a lot of the bench in the second half; that's if UK comes out and puts them away in the first 5 minutes...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Voodoo Child:</div><div class="quote_post">The SEC just seems kind of weak to me this season. Kentucky is dominant as always, but after them there's a considerable drop off. Ole Miss, Vandy, South Carolina, Georgia, LSU, and Arkansas are all looking like they'll have down years to me.</div> Agree 100%, Kentucky seems to be always in it but this year other then Alabama (who I think people have way to high in their polls) and Kentucky the SEC is slop. The top 3 teams in the SEC are clear for me, Mississppi St., Kentucky, and Alabame. As for the game it should be a blow out unless Kentucky pulls a UNC, I haven't even heard of Coppin State. Hopefully my boy Kelenna Azubuike has a big game...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Voodoo Child:</div><div class="quote_post">I think Tennessee will also be a surprise team. I'm not saying they'll be up in the ranks with the four teams you mentioned, but they'll consistantly be a good team. I've followed Scooter McFadgon ever since he went to my local High School, and I really think he has NBA potential. Major Wingate is also a big time post presence, although they didn't really play him his Freshman year. Not to mention they still have Crump and Watson.</div> Tennesse is one of my surprise picks, along with Charlotte. Tennessee has the trio of Crump, Watson, and Scooter and Charlotte will have a good inside outside game with Whithers and Iti.
Kentucky end up winning this one 77-46. Defense played a pretty good game, and the everyone shipped in on offense having 12 different players score. Starting 5: C: Morris- 7 pts 3 reb 4 blk PF: Hayes- 12 pts 13 reb 3 stl SF: Azubuike- 6 pts 2 reb SG: Rondo- 9 pts 5 stl PG: Sparks- 12 pts 5 reb 3/7 3PT I would have to give the player of the game to Sparks. In his first regular season game ever with the Cats; he did a great job. Hayes also had a huge game having a double-double.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Kentucky end up winning this one 77-46. Defense played a pretty good game, and the everyone shipped in on offense having 12 different players score. Starting 5: C: Morris- 7 pts 3 reb 4 blk PF: Hayes- 12 pts 13 reb 3 stl SF: Azubuike- 6 pts 2 reb SG: Rondo- 9 pts 5 stl PG: Sparks- 12 pts 5 reb 3/7 3PT I would have to give the player of the game to Sparks. In his first regular season game ever with the Cats; he did a great job. Hayes also had a huge game having a double-double.</div> 31 points, not too shabby. Sparks played great, but that game by Hayes was amazing. How did he get 13 rebounds? He's only like 6-6. Anyways, they've got their first real serious game of the season against Ball State on Tuesday. Ball State isn't a great program by any stretch of the imagination, but they'll be the first real decent test for the 'Cats. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Agree 100%, Kentucky seems to be always in it but this year other then Alabama (who I think people have way to high in their polls) and Kentucky the SEC is slop. The top 3 teams in the SEC are clear for me, Mississppi St., Kentucky, and Alabame.</div> I actually think that Florida has a much stronger team this year than Mississippi State. Anthony Roberson could make a run for SEC Player of the Year.
Hayes has been a good rebounder ever since he's been at Kentucky. You also have to remember that he had to play center last year because Kentucky had no one to put there. He learned a lot at the center position last season, so he's now showing it off. Last year we were in the bottom of the SEC in rebounding; now we should be on the top with Hayes and Morris...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting petitt33:</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah, he's wearing 22. So is your username Spark22 because of Patrick Sparks...</div> No, my nickname is Sparky and I wore 22 back when I played basketball in HS. But I found it odd two years ago when I was watching a WKU game and found a guy named Sparks and wore the number 22. Odd huh? But on to the SEC discussion, everyone down here thinks either Alabama or MSU will run away with the SEC. Florida is really a team alot of people are overlooking or I think they are. I think MSU is really the best of those three, but I do believe that Tubby and the Wildcats are the best in the SEC. The one thing about the SEC is that they might not be the most dominating conference but all the teams in the league puts out a competitive team and no one team can really be over looked. I am ready to see what each team has this year and how they play.
