Bobby Perry

Former Kentucky players Sheray Thomas and Bobby Perry will play against former Mercer County and Harrodsburg alumni as part of the UK Barnstorming Tour at 7:30 p.m. April 27 at the Mercer County Senior High gym. Tickets are $10 each, and advance tickets can be purchased at the school. For information, call Mercer County coach Nelson Cundiff at (859) 734-4364.

Two of Kentucky's seniors think the Wildcats can have an even better season next year, especially if center Randolph Morris returns. "I think this team will be fine. We still have a great coach and we have a lot of players returning," said senior Bobby Perry. "With Ramel (Bradley), Joe (Crawford) and Randolph, that is a great nucleus for any team to have coming back. I think this team will be very successful next year. " Kentucky has not been "successful" by its own high standards the last two years.

CHICAGO - Kentucky senior Bobby Perry wishes he knows what went right for him during the last two NCAA Tournaments. "I don't know what it was with my shooting," said Perry. "Maybe it is the NBA rims or something. " Perry was 8-for-12 from the field here Sunday and had 21 points in Sunday's 88-76 loss to Kansas that ended Kentucky's season - and Perry's collegiate career. He was 3-for-5 from the field in Friday's win over Villanova and scored six points. However, in two NCAA games in 2006, Perry had 25 points against Alabama-Birmingham and 20 against Connecticut.

CHICAGO - Kentucky senior Bobby Perry wishes he knows what went right for him during the last two NCAA Tournaments. "I don't know what it was with my shooting," said Perry. "Maybe it is the NBA rims or something. " Perry was 8-for-12 from the field here Sunday and had 21 points in Sunday's 88-76 loss to Kansas that ended Kentucky's season - and Perry's collegiate career. He was 3-for-5 from the field in Friday's win over Villanova and scored six points. However, in two NCAA games in 2006, Perry had 25 points against Alabama-Birmingham and 20 against Connecticut.

CHICAGO - For most of the season, Kentucky freshman Jodie Meeks has had problems playing defense the way coach Tubby Smith wants. Meeks made an easy transition on offense to the collegiate game, but admitted he was often confused and out of position on defense. Apparently, those days could be over. Meeks' defense on Villanova guard Scottie Reynolds in the second half Friday helped the Wildcats win 67-58 and advance to today's NCAA Tournament second-round game against Kansas.

CHICAGO -- Most of the season Kentucky freshman Jodie Meeks has had problems playing defense the way coach Tubby Smith wants. Meeks made an easy transition on offense to the collegiate game, but admitted he was often confused and out of position on defense. Apparently, those days could be over. Meeks' defense on Villanova guard Scottie Reynolds in the second half here Friday helped UK win 67-58 and advance to today's NCAA Tournament second round game against Kansas. "Jodie has always had the ability to play defense like that," said Kentucky coach Tubby Smith.

CHICAGO - Kentucky senior Bobby Perry doesn't think the bizarre loss to Mississippi State in the Southeastern Conference Tournament last week caused in part by a free throw lane violation on Sheray Thomas will haunt UK tonight in Chicago when it plays Villanova. "I think we can move past it. We felt we had the game won. It was just one play that pretty much took it all away," Perry said. "We didn't play our best, but we fought back and that shows how we can come back. We have to get over it and move on. "I know not many people are giving our team a chance to do well in the tournament.

ATLANTA - What's next for Kentucky? The Wildcats came here intent on proving that a series of late-season losses would not prevent them from having a strong postseason. They intended to show they had learned from narrow losses during the season and could make game-winning plays in March. Instead, the same mental and physical flaws that contributed to Kentucky's 10 losses during the season surfaced again Friday when the Wildcats lost 84-82 to Mississippi State in the Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinals.

ATLANTA - What's next for Kentucky? The Wildcats came here intent on proving that a series of late-season losses would not prevent them from having a strong postseason. They intended to show they had learned from narrow losses during the season and could make game-winning plays in March. Instead, the same mental and physical flaws that contributed to Kentucky's 10 losses during the season surfaced again Friday when the Wildcats lost 84-82 to Mississippi State in the Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinals.

ATLANTA -- Kentucky won't be playing in the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals Saturday because of a series of late-game blunders today. Instead of rallying for a dramatic victory over Mississippi State in the SEC quarterfinals, UK lost 84-82 in overtime today and now will wait until Sunday night to see where the NCAA Tournament selection committee sends it to play next week. While the lane violation against senior Sheray Thomas with 5.1 seconds to play in regulation was the most glaring ever because it led to a game-tying 3-pointer by State's Jamont Gordon at the buzzer, it wasn't the only costly miscue.