The Season Never Ends’ Friday Night Notes
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The Bison(s) of Lipscomb University are nestled in their Hyatt double beds, anxiously awaiting the beatdown they will suffer at the hands of the Wildcats in a mere 13 hours. They’ll go up against a hungry Kentucky team that has gone an entire week of two-a-days and college finals; it has been a week since the Cats’ last game. Kyle Wiltjer said the past five days were a great time for he and his teammates to improve. “We’re really working hard and coming together not only on offense, but on defense as well,” he said after Friday’s practice. “Our main focus is just making steps and making progress. Every day in practice we just want to become a better team. I feel like that’s what we’re doing.”
Wiltjer used the extra practice time to focus on his own game, from defense to rebounding to working to become a well-rounded scorer. He said, “I’m trying to mix it up, trying to get in the post a little bit, score over smaller defenders and use my pump fake to my advantage.” I’m trying to do other things, trying to play good defense and rebound.”
All that is great, but we’ll just be happy when he breaks out of his slump. He has missed 25 of his last 30 three-point attempts.
John Calipari was very pleased with Thursday’s practice; he called it the best one his team has had in two months. Calipari said the guys are doing more competing against each other, instead of relying on him to pull them along through practice. “I don’t have to drag them through everything,” he said of the new attitude in practice. “It is good because I don’t have to scream and yell and go nuts.”
Archie Goodwin said the team is making strides in their competitive spirit. He called this week’s practices “intense” and “a lot more competitive.” “We’re starting to pick it up a lot,” he added.
No more Spongebob Squarepants in Wildcat Coal Lodge. Turn it off and get to the gym, please. Thank you.
They’re coming…
It’s Freestyle Friday at Lipscomb!!!
Class of 2014 UK signee Karl Towns made his 2012-13 high school season debut Friday night. Towns scored 18 points in St. Joe’s loss to rival East Brunswick, while battling the officiating. The outcome could’ve been in his favor had he not played most of the game in foul trouble. Will someone please remind the New Jersey high school officials that Towns is one of the best players in the country and he’s going to Kentucky? You can’t call fouls on him. That’s not how this works.
What about Andrew Wiggins, you ask? Just a cool 32 points in the win over Walnut Hill in Ashland. I don’t even think he broke a sweat. Wiggins will be in action in Ashland again Saturday night at 7:30.
Terrence Jones is back in the D-League. He’ll start for the Texas Vipers on Saturday night. Jones averaged 22 points and 17.5 in two games for the Vipes during his last D-League stint.
Daniel Orton is also getting his development on in the D-League.
In football news, UK released the contracts of three of its assistant coaches on Friday:
— Defensive Coordinator, DJ Eliot: $500,000 (through 2016)
— Offensive Coordinator, Neal Brown: $550,000 (through 2016)
— Offensive Line, John Schlarman: $200,000 (through 2015)
The $1,050,000 price tag for Eliot/Brown is significantly higher than the combined $676,000 for Randy Sanders and Rick Minter. Mitch Barnhart was kidding around when he said he’s ready to open up the checkbook.
Don’t forget: The Kentucky Sports Radio postgame show will be live from Glen’s Creek Brewery & Beer Exchange at 845 East High Street in Lexington. Stop by after the game to listen to Matt Jones take calls from Big Blue Nation. Eat a beer cheese burger while you’re there. Trust me.
That’ll do it for now. We’ll see you back here Saturday morning as we count down to the Lipscomb game. The live blog will start at 12ish.
34 Comments for The Season Never Ends’ Friday Night Notes
I’m sort of worried now…how tough can all these practices really be if all the players are talking about how great they are?
Do you mean he wasn’t kidding about opening the checkbook?
I tried to read and concentrate on your post Drew but this evil tragedy in Connecticut today kinda has my mind elsewhere.
Hug a kid gang. your own, sister, brother, —just hug a kid.
More $$ than I expected for assistants but hell yeah.
#3, I know what you mean brother.
I was surprised there wasn’t more of a difference in Brown’s and Eliot’s contracts. Brown was in the running for several HC positions that probably would have paid what he is getting here. Glad he came.
Lipscomb would absolutely win in a dance contest. In a basketball contest though, we may have the upper hand.
Hope this will shut up the people who complain that Barnhart doesn’t take football serious!
#3 Friend of mine had one of his twin 12 year old boy’s killed in a car accident about 3 years ago. Nothing is more heartbreaking, nothing! If you go to bed at night and all your family is alive you should think god! I have no idea how the families of these kids will make it. If it was 1 of my 2 kids I don’t think I could make it!
As long as we see this spirit tomorrow.
I hope the Lipscomb administration doesn’t get a hold of this video. The Church of Christ doesn’t take to kindly to dancing!!!!
….Mitch Barnhart wasn’t***** kidding around when….
Terrible tragedy today…
I look forward to the welcome distraction of the basketball game. I really hope Harrow develops some confidence during this stretch.
The Bad Idea T-Shirts ad is by far the best ad I have ever seen on here…wow
Just saw wiggins for the first time live. Best high school player i’ve ever seen, and it’s not even close. I’ve seen D rose, Mayo, Patterson, Eric Gordon, and Kevin Love. Leaps and bounds better
Guess I’m wondering why the checkbook was never open for me, my staff, and the facilities and recruiting room when I was there. But thanks for the buyout!
so thats about 3.5 mill/yr for a head coach and staff that has never won a football game. and we didnt want a proven top 10 coach for $600k??? makes perfect sense to me!
btw, see ya next September! Gonna bubble screen y’all into submission
12) if he was better then Mayo that’s saying something. We didn’t see much of him at USC and he hasn’t thrived in the NBA, but he was great in high school. I seen him play at Rose Hill when he was a freshman or he might have just been in 8 th grade and again his senior year and that kid could play. If Wiggins is better then him he’s great. Many say his is the best since LeBron but they all so said the same about MKG. I seen LeBron on TV and don’t think we will see any that good in high school for a long time
#14) I hear you on the proven coach and can’t say for sure if he was ever a real option. I think he was blackballed by the SEC presidents or UT WOULD have hired him. But it does cost more after failure. Barnhart had no choice but to pay up. Now we can stop with the gripping about Mitch not taking Football serious. The facility upgrades are out of his hands. I think we will get about half of what he has asked for. He has done about all he can do its in the states hands now.
16.) Mayo’s last year at Rose Hill was 7th grade (which is unbelievable considering how good he was then), but I saw him play 9 or 10 times, and I’m tellin you, He’s not in the same universe as Wiggins. He gets his whole head over the rim, and he’s so strong for his size. Got to the rim whenever he wanted, and he can shoot it from deep consistently too. Also very unselfish, but takes over whenever he wants to. He dropped 32 with ease against the number one team in Ohio. The hype is real…didn’t really believe it til tonight.
16.) Mayo’s last year at Rose Hill was 7th grade (which is unbelievable considering how good he was then), but I saw him play 9 or 10 times, and I’m tellin you, He’s not in the same universe as Wiggins. He gets his whole head over the rim, and he’s so strong for his size. Got to the rim whenever he wanted, and he can shoot it from deep consistently too. Also very unselfish, but takes over whenever he wants to. He dropped 32 with ease against the number one team in Ohio. The hype is real…didn’t really believe it til tonight.
#3 I know we have all kinds of problems with all these school shootings. People can argue over what should or should not be changed with the laws to much politics for me on a sports page. I do think not making the the shooters name public is one thing that could be done without ruffling to many feathers. It might not have made a difference in this one,but a lot of these shooters are twisted people who think these things make them famous. Let them live in obscurity and it might prevent some of this.
I knew Mayo was young at rose hill but he could ball even then. Like I said if Wiggins is better he is the real deal. I know some people who watched Wiggins play in Knott Co. And they said he looked like a NBA player right now. oak Hill plays there every year and they said he was a lot better then anyone they have had.
All the football coaches are being cheated when you consider we are paying the hoops coach over $1m!
Poor white kids….can’t dance.
I’m confused–what’s T Jones average again? 22 and 17.5 avg to 19.75
So sorry about Sandy Hook
FYI…those guys can NOT dance
Granted, ANYONE that dances like this looks like a complete moron…. but it’s weird how when you see a white guy do this in the midst of a bunch of black dudes the white guy looks ridiculously ghay
I hope they consider having a moment of silence at the game today in honor of the shooting victims.
#22 When you consider that Matthew Mitchel has put KY hoops on the womens basketball map nationally and are currently ranked #6 in the country with another great recruiting class comming in, You have to have to pay him more until the football coaches prove themselves.
Wiggins is absolutely the best I’ve seen. What makes him so special aside from his athleticism and offensive skill set is his defense. Kid can stop his opponent from scoring whenever he wants. He has an extremely mature game. Walnut Hills was no cupcake and they had a group of heckling fans and he rose to the occasion whenever he needed to quiet their chants. Put twenty pounds on his frame and he would be an NBA all star.
I will say this. While Wiggins will be a millionaire regardless of college choice. He would greatly benefit from Cal. Playing against and with the best is just what Wiggins needs to immediately impact the top level competition.
It is great that Jorts and Mike Hartline make the UK calendar this year, why no Ramon Harris again?
That’ som cornbread brothas rite dar!
Shocking the worse dancers on Lipscomb were the white guys
Seen Wiggins play twice this year, he is real deal…best I’ve seen on high school level..speaking of high school players…has anyone seen the Kyle Skaggs kid from Russell, ky…states top scorer last year and avg close to 30 this year…6’2″ pg/sg…someone said he’s the best player in ky by far but not getting any attention because he didn’t play aau?