Crimson Tide facing a revived Wildcats team

LEXINGTON, Ky. | It looked like a season that was going nowhere, with inexplicable losses and on-the-court performances far below the standard of the program.

The Kentucky Wildcats have been able to turn things around.

After stumbling to a 6-7 start in non-confernce play, a record that included homecourt losses to teams like Gardner-Webb and San Diego, first-year coach Billy Gillispie has the Wildcats back in a familiar position, contending for the top of the Southeastern Conference’s Eastern Division. UK has won four straight SEC ganes, including a victory over league-leading Tennessee and a road win last Wednesday night at Auburn. That has put UK at 11-9 overall and 5-2 in SEC play going into today’s noon game against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

“I think it’s been several things that have helped them,” Tide head coach Mark Gottfried said. “They are well-coached. They’ve gotten some guys back from injury, although I don’t know the status of Ramel Bradley [concussion] for this game. And I think Patrick Patterson has developed, maybe more quickly than anyone expected.”

Patterson, a 6-foot-8 freshman from West Virginia, was the jewel of Kentucky’s signing class – and has exceeded even the lofty expectations of UK fans, He is currently averaging 17.2 points per game.

“He understands pinning,” Auburn coach Jeff Lebo said of Patterson on the SEC teleconference on Thursday.

“He understands sealing. He understands being wide. He really understands how to work without the ball. Most young players will give up after they work and don’t get the ball after the first or second time when they think they should get it. Not Patrick Patterson. He’s just a relentless worker and his motor keeps working. He’s always looking for you to make a mistake on your post defense so he can capitalize on it.”

Alabama (13-10. 2-6 SEC) is also looking to capitalize on its opportunities in order to win close games on the road. Alabama has lost 10 ofs its last 11 SEC road games, including a Wednesday night loss at Mississippi State.

Gottfried cited “missed chances” as a major cause of the Crimson Tide’s slow start.

“You just look at one area for an example,” Gottfried said. “In our eight SEC games this season, our opponents have outscored us by a total of 13 points. And in those eight games, we’ve missed 75 free throws.

“That’s not the only area. We need to get better defensively. We need to improve in other areas as well. But that is one example that makes a big difference. When you don’t do those things, then you feel like you are always playing from behind. Instead of a two-point lead if you made your foul shots, you are down four or down six. It makes a difference in the way you play.”

Alabama is expected to stick with the same starting lineup, including junior Brandon Hollinger at point guard.

“I thought Brandon did a nice job defensively at Mississippi State,” Gottfried said. “He did about as good a job as you can do on Jamont Gordon, although Jamont is so big and strong that I thought Brandon wore down a little at the end.”

KENTUCKY’S BRADLEY had been the Wildcats’ iron man, not missing a minute of SEC action before suffering a concussion following a hard foul by Georgia’s Dave Bliss last weekend. Bradley did not play in the Wildcats’ win over Auburn last Wednesday, but is expected to be in today’s starting lineup.