"I would have definitely thought (he would play) after the game on Saturday. But I don't know now. I would hope so. He won't practice today. I hope he can regain good health quickly and be out here with us," Gillispie said.
"The way he has been playing, he has been playing as well as anyone. You need all your people available when you go on the road. We are facing a hungry team (in Auburn) that is athletic and difficult to guard no matter what position you play. We definitely need Ramel."
Auburn coach Jeff Lebo said Monday that Bradley, who averages 15.8 points, 3.2 assists and 33 minutes per game, had been playing "superb" before he was hurt.
Lebo wouldn't criticize what Bliss did, but he also would not condone the foul.
"We don't want to hurt anybody. We don't want to undercut anybody. We don't really teach hammering somebody, so I am probably not the right person to ask," Lebo said. "I don't believe as a guy is in the air in making a hard foul because you can hurt somebody.
"I think it was part of basketball," Gillispie said. "I don't think there was any intent (to hurt Bradley). I think it was two guys hustling hard trying to make a play. We can't comment on officiating, but if we could I would say, in my opinion, they got it right. I just think it was two guys trying to make a play."
Kentucky also played Saturday without sophomore Jodie Meeks, who continues to have a hip flexor problem. Gillispie said Monday there had not been "any improvement yet" in Meeks.
Crawford's physical problems still possible
Senior guard Joe Crawford had missed the previous game with a foot problem, but scored 26 points at Georgia before nearly collapsing at the end of the game and needing immediate treatment and fluids after the game.
"Joe is probably going to have some cramping symptoms from time to time until he gets back in practice and game shape. It will take time, and this will probably not be the last time we see the cramping. He did recover OK after the game," Gillispie said.
Auburn (12-8, 2-5 SEC) has had its own problems this year and is playing without four frontcourt players Lebo expected to have this season. That's why he can sympathize with the injury issues Gillispie and UK have had to overcome.
"Their short-handed is usually different than Auburn being short-handed. They are a good team. They didn't play as well early as they would have liked. They have had their injuries and had just about everybody go through and be in and out (of the lineup)," Lebo said. "When you have injuries, finding a way to change the team identity is hard."
Gillispie's team has won three straight to raise its record to 10-9 overall and 4-2 in the SEC.
Gillispie says getting Meeks and Derrick Jasper back even on a limited basis has helped UK's play, but so has a team-first attitude.
"Our guys have tried hard and have done it with a team attitude. They are thinking about others before themselves," the Kentucky coach said.
Gillispie says he never gave up on this team even with its early struggles because of the intangible qualities he saw.
"Just because the game scores have been reversed does not mean we are more successful now or were less successful when we were not winning," Gillispie said.
However, Lebo thinks Kentucky is playing much better now than it was earlier in the season.
"Kentucky seems to be playing a lot better right now. They are a little banged up, so I do not know who will play against us, but they have weapons. Crawford is playing terrific. Ramel Bradley before he got hurt was just superb," Lebo said.
"(Patrick) Patterson is as good as any freshman in the country inside. They seem to be defending very well and they are very aggressive on the defensive end."
