Bradley is averaging 15.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. He's shooting 46.3 percent from the field, and 34.5 percent from 3-point range. At the foul line, he leads the Wildcats at 84.2 percent (128-for-152). He's also first on the team with 43 steals.
In SEC games, Bradley is UK's top scorer at 16.9 points per game. He also averages 5.3 rebounds and has 24 steals and 46 assists in 13 games.
'...you better have a Ramel Bradley...'
South Carolina coach Dave Odom says Bradley proved his worth Sunday at Tennessee, when the Wildcats almost won without injured Patrick Patterson.
"If you lose Patrick Patterson, you better have a Ramel Bradley to take up the slack outside and control the basketball," Odom said. "The job he did against Tennessee was absolutely unbelievable.
"He is tough kid and takes on an aura of confidence on the court. He certainly would be somebody to look at as being MVP or most outstanding player. He would be one of maybe four guys in this league that he is certainly there for serious consideration."
Bradley had 17 points and four assists at Tennessee, but he helped control the tempo and keep the Volunteers from igniting their running game. He also played solid defense on Chris Lofton, which is one reason Kentucky held him to 14 points.
"We wanted to prevent (Joe) Crawford and Bradley from beating us. We did a good job on Crawford," Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl said Monday. "Bradley had his average, but he was in control of that basketball game and played very, very well."
After Sunday's game, Pearl even acknowledged how he could understand why then UK coach took Bradley over Lofton.
"Ramel Bradley showed why Kentucky took him rather than Chris Lofton. Coming out of New York, he was the best point guard in the nation. He played like that today," Pearl said.
Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie knows the ability Bradley and Crawford have to make difficult shots, especially with the 35-second shot clock about to expire, has been a huge asset to his team.
"They are clutch players. They have been great all year," the Kentucky coach said Monday. "They have made big play after big play. They not only make shots, but they guard really good players for 40 minutes a game. I couldn't be more proud of two guys."
So is Bradley a player of the year candidate?
"I think he is very deserving. There are a lot of very good players in this league," Gillispie said. "It will all unfold and be easier to see when everything is completed.
"He has been as important to any team as any player. That's not any disrespect to anyone. He has been good."
