Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt

Expected Starters:
Kentucky Wildcats
F - Sheray Thomas
C - Lukasz Obrzut
G - Rajon Rondo
G - Patrick Sparks
G - Joe Crawford

Vanderbilt Commodores
F - Shan Foster
F - Julian Terrell
C - Ted Skuchas
G - Mario Moore
G - Derrick Byars

Kentucky is favorite by 5 1/2 points. The Wildcats lead the series 130-36. In Rupp Arena, the Wildcats are 28-0 against Vanderbilt.

The pre-game show began at 7:30 PM with Dave Baker. I'll be listening to that until the tip-off. Morris should be a big help. If Morris doesn't show up at all, then I expect us to be screwed as the performance lately has been very pathetic. Morris will not start but Coach Tubby Smith has stated that he will play in the game.

I'm looking over the game notes right now thanks to a friend who was kind enough to send them. The Wildcats are 6-1 with the current lineup expected to start this evening. Kentucky has made a three pointer in each of the last 589 games. Only UNLV (614) and Vanderbilt (611) have more.

Jeff Sheppard, a former Wildcat and MVP of the 1998 NCAA Tournament, was brought it today to speak to the 2005-06 Kentucky Wildcat team. I hope he was able to motivate them. After all, he was a member of the 1998 Comeback Cats. They keep promoting the DVD about Adolph Rupp that I plugged here.

In order to win tonight, we must defend the perimeter and box out offensively and defensively. This season, the Cats have averaged a 42.9% shooting percentage with 32.6% from the outside. When the Cats shoot close to or over 50%, they usually win. If they can't make the outside shots, they must play the post. Sparks (37-99/21-58) mainly shoots from the outside. That's not even 50% from the outside. He has gone on a shooting slump as of late that he needs to get over.

Mike Pratt's keys to the game:
-Putting Randolph Morris in during the first or second TV timeout.
-Go up the floor, apply pressure, and turn the heat up.

ESPN Commentators: Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes, and Heather Cox
Big Blue Sports Network: Tom Leach and Mike Pratt

The sound of "Bittersweet Symphony" means that the starting lineups are about to be presented but ESPN has yet to switch the game over. I guess that they are waiting til the tip-off. The game is coming right up. Can the Wisconsin-Minnesota game end so I can watch the Cats? Well, 3.9 seconds left in the game and the first two minutes of Kentucky basketball has not been shown yet. Come on ESPN! Good, that game is now over.

First Half Score Reports:
15:59 (TV Timeout) UK 2, Vandy 8
After that timeout, Randolph Morris makes his sophomore season debut! Randolph with the two! Randolph avereaged 8.8 ppg and 4.2 rpg in 2004-05. Morris has the crowd in the game after getting fouled on a rebound. Right now, 0-6 from outside. Perry and 2!
11:24 (TV Timeout) UK 4, Vandy 10
Between FSN and ESPN, I prefer FSN since they carry the Big Blue Sports Network. Great pressure by the Cats forces a Vandy timeout. Maybe the Cats can make a comeback.
11:09 (Vandy Timeout) UK 5, Vandy 10
Morris blocks the shot and the shot clock expires. Ravi Moss with the lay-up. Another Morris block and Rondo scores. 6:35 drought for Vandy while the Cats are on a 7-0 run. Ravi draws the charge! The Cats are back! Great pressure with defensive rebounding. We almost had it but Vandy did not score.
7:51 (TV Timeout) UK 9, Vandy 10
Vandy scores their first points in at least 7-8 minutes. Morris is out for right now. Jared Carter picked up two quick fouls and let's welcome back Randolph. Ravi goes for three, misses, gets a rebound, misses. Rondo picks up a foul which I thought looked like a charge. Cats down 16-9 as subs are made. Morris picks up a foul. Down by 9, now 10. Crawford with a mid-jumper and it's good.
4:30 (UK Timeout) UK 11, Vandy 19
The Cats are applying pressure but Vandy is as well--hence low scores from both ends. Sparks to Morris for 2! Morris plays the post for 2 more. He was calling for it too. Sparks was wise to let the missed shot roll out of bounds as we now get the ball back after the timeout.
3:23 (TV Timeout) UK 15, Vandy 21
No 3 pointers made so far. Vandy throws it out. Less than two minutes. Sparks for three and that's 590 straight games! That was a key three as well. Down 21-18. Morris gets his second foul with 1:21 remaining. Rondo off the class. Down by 3. Steal!
HALFTIME: UK 20, Vandy 23

Just turned the radio broadcast back on to listen to the Big Blue Halftime report, and the radio is 30 seconds slow, give or take. Sparks made a key three point shot and that really put some momentum back in the game. Mizzou and Oklahoma (22) are tied with a foul on a shot made with 1.8 in the game. If Mizzou makes at least one of the two shots, Kentucky should pop back in the top 25 and start another streak. The refs are reviewing that shot to see if he was behind the line or not. It is a three-point foul so there will be three shots. They made 2 so far out of three attempts. We have to take care of Vandy and Alabama for that to happen.

Second Half Score Reports:
Kentucky has to defend and make clean shots. After losing the ball, the Cats stole it back. Morris goes for a shot and the ball gets swiped out of bounds. Rondo tries to tie and no good. No score changes so far. Rondo gets fouled going for a lay-up. Makes 1 of 2. Darn it. Morris picks up his third so he'll get limited minutes during the half. Rekalin Sims comes in for Morris. Defense was not awake. Crawford goes for two and gets fouled. Crawford makes both. Down 4. With the three, down 7. Crawford misses another attempt. Vandy is on a 9-2 run that UK needs to answer.
15:46 (Vandy Timeout) UK 23, Vandy 32
At this rate, Kentucky needs to take some clean shots from the post as they are missing just about everything they shoot from outside. A quick foul and it is another commercial break.
15:31 (TV Timeout) UK 23, Vandy 32
Perry gets a second foul causing a turnover. We don't lose to Vandy at home! Ravi gets fouled on a lay-up and misses. He missed the first one and the second. The Cats get it back. Morris, Sims, and Crawford come back.
14:33 (UK Timeout) UK 23, Vandy 37
Vandy has outscored Kentucky 14-3 this half. Saddening. Morris gets fouled and goes to the line. Those 2 shots have the Cats down 12. Action is developing to where the Cats might mount a comeback. Bradley goes to the line for two. Down 10 with those two. Steal! Another missed three pointer. Down 12 again. Crawford makes the first field goal of the half. Vandy shooting 30% and UK 36%. Not good for either team.
11:29 (TV Timeout) UK 29, Vandy 39
Gotta make those baskets! Ravi for 3! Woo and 2. Down 39-32. Down 39-34 after those as Morris comes back into the game. Moss picks up his 3rd away from the ball. January 28, 1974 was the last loss at home, but that was at Memorial. Ravi for 3! Down 2! Bad defense and they score.
8:55 (Vandy Timeout) UK 37, Vandy 41
The Cats are looking good, they just need to box out, defend, and score. Ravi misses. Byars charges and picks up his 4th foul. Foster charges.
7:52 (TV Timeout) UK 37, Vandy 41
The Cats MUST apply the pressure. Ravi makes 3 more and it's a one point game! Foul at the baseline by Orbzut. Missed shot. Sheray and the lead! 19-4 run. Carroll is down after that collision. He'll go to the bench. Crawford gets his 3rd foul. Down by 1.
5:08 (TV Timeout) UK 42, Vandy 43
It's going to go down to the wire. Ravi answers with another 3! Morris saves it for the Cats.
3:23 (TV Timeout) UK 45, Vandy 48
The Cats have to box out and defend the basket. Down by 4. Crawford and 2. Missed the first. Got the second. Down 3. Turnover, Rondo missed jumper, and fouls on the rebound. Down 4. Morris tips it in. Down 2 and under 2 minutes. Morris block. Ravi misses. Down 4 and under a minute.
53.9 (UK Timeout) UK 48, Vandy 52
This is not a good season. Missed shot and the rebound. Rondo fouls to get the ball back. Double bonus. 36.8 left in the game. Miss. Down 5. Down 3 with 31.3 left.
51.3 (UK Timeout) UK 50, Vandy 53
We have to steal, and make a three to tie the game to have any chance of winning. Vandy ball. Moss tries to steal and that's his 4th foul. 26.9 left and now we are down 4. Down 5. Moss quick points.
17.8 (UK Timeout) UK 52, Vandy 55
We have to steal the ball and tie it up. Pressure applied and he stepped out of bounds. The Cats get the ball back. Not good with that miss.
3.7 (Vandy Timeout) UK 52, Vandy 55
Morris blocks pass. Crawford fouls. Down 4. Down 5.We lost to Vandy at home. This cannot happen at all.