Central Michigan

LEXINGTON - Kentucky's offense ought to know what to expect from Central Michigan on Saturday. “Their defense gave up 130 (actually 137) yards (against South Carolina State in a 21-6 win) and swarmed the ball,” UK¿coach Joker Phillips said. “They will be foaming at the mouth to play our offense.” That's because the Wildcats managed just 190 total yards in a 14-3 win over Western Kentucky and have plenty of questions going into Saturday's home open with Central Michigan. Kentucky junior guard Larry Warford knows the line, which was supposed to be UK's offensive strength, did not play well last week and would not use an injury to starting center Matt Smith that kept him out of the game or a knee sprain by tackle Billy Joe Murphy that might sideline him Saturday as excuses.

LEXINGTON - If there is a turning point in Joker Phillips' coaching career, he may well look back and remember one fourth-down stop Saturday. Kentucky was on the verge of the unthinkable - losing to Central Michigan at home. The Wildcats were trailing 13-6, had just 114 yards of total offense and had missed scoring opportunities again when the Chippewas went for fourth down at their own 35-yard line midway through the third period. Granted, Central Michigan needed only inches, but the safe and smart play would have been to punt the ball away to a Kentucky¿offense that had done nothing in the second half on two possessions.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky looks ready for its annual showdown with archrival Louisville. Jodie Meeks scored 23 points and Patrick Patterson added 15 points and nine rebounds as the Wildcats rolled by Central Michigan 84-52 on Monday for their sixth straight win to setup a showdown with the No. 18 Cardinals on Sunday. Freshman walk-on Landon Slone starred off the bench for the second straight game, scoring eight points to bring the Wildcats (11-3) to life after a dismal start. Slone's energy sparked a 36-8 surge to end the first half as Kentucky held the Chippewas (3-9)

Ben Reeves: Kentucky's victory over DePaul looks to be a bigger one than the critics have given the Cats credit for. Another thing that has gone unmentioned is that fact that Kentucky is the last football team to beat MAC champion Central Michigan this season. Larry: As usual, you are right on both counts. Of course, it's just hard for UK fans to feel overly optimistic in basketball right now until the Cats do beat a top 25 team. But in football, the win over Central Michigan was a lot better than most figured at the time.

SOUTH CAROLINA AT KENTUCKY Beating South Carolina would not guarantee Kentucky a bowl berth -- but it would come close. Not only that, a victory would probably get UK a berth on national TV next week at LSU. However, talking about a win over South Carolina is easy. Having Kentucky get that win is going to be much more difficult. South Carolina's defense is not as good as the one the Cats faced at Florida -- but probably is at least on par with Louisville's defense.

Tickets are available for Kentucky's game Saturday against Central Michigan. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Commonwealth Stadium. Sideline tickets are $29 and end zone seats are $22 each. Tickets may be purchased by calling 800-928-CATS or at www.ukathletics.com until 4 p.m. Friday. They may be purchased from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at the Memorial Coliseum ticket office, and after 4 p.m. Saturday at the Commonwealth Stadium ticket office (cash only).

LEXINGTON - Kentucky got big scoring plays on offense and forced four turnovers. Against Central Michigan, that should have been an easy winning formula for a Southeastern Conference team. But not for Kentucky. The Wildcats turned what looked like would be an easy win into a struggling 45-36 victory Saturday night. The good news remains that Kentucky is 3-2, its best start since a 4-0 beginning in 2002 and equaling the 3-2 start during its 1998 Outback Bowl season. The Cats have not had three wins in September in 14 years.

LEXINGTON - Media members didn't have to remind Kentucky senior offensive lineman Trai Williams about UK's upset loss to Ohio University in 2004. Instead, Williams told reporters what happened when the Cats underestimated Ohio University. "If we are not careful and mess around the first half and don't get some touchdowns early, then we could let Central Michigan beat us," said Williams. "We have to get them early. We want to be more physical than them. We need to show them why we are in the SEC. We need to get after them and run the ball right over them.

LEXINGTON - Media members didn't have to remind Kentucky senior offensive lineman Trai Williams about UK's upset loss to Ohio University in 2004. Instead, Williams told reporters what happened when the Wildcats underestimated Ohio. "If we are not careful and mess around the first half and don't get some touchdowns early, then we could let Central Michigan beat us," said Williams. "We have to get them early. We want to be more physical than them. We need to show them why we are in the SEC. We need to get after them and run the ball right over them.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky is coming off what coach Rich Brooks calls one of its best offensive performances and the best performance of the year by the offensive line. However, Brooks warns not to expect the same big production in Saturday's Southeastern Conference game against South Carolina. "I don't think we can expect a shootout in this thing. Their defense is not allowing those shootouts," Brooks said Sunday. Kentucky beat Central Michigan 48-36 and amassed 373 yards.

Danny Trevathan knows what to expect when Kentucky takes on instate rival Louisville Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium. “It's a heated rivalry,” he said. The senior linebacker has never lost to the Cardinals and would like nothing better than to end his collegiate career with a win over Louisville, but knows it won't be an easy task. Kentucky has won the past four meetings between the two teams and wants to extend that streak to five this weekend. “They're a dangerous team,” Trevathan said.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky linebackers coach Chuck Smith expected big performances from his players this season and has not been disappointed. Linebacker Danny Trevathan leads the team with 26 tackles and made his first career interception against Central Michigan. Linebacker Winston Guy has 23 tackles and got two interceptions against Western Kentucky. Linebackers Ronnie Sneed and Ridge Wilson are fourth and fifth on the team with 13 and 11 tackles, respectively. Sneed also has an interception.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP)- Josh Clemons didn't want to brag on himself. He said his 87-yard touchdown run that eventually proved to be Kentucky's game-winning score over Central Michigan on Saturday wasn't because he was faster than the defense he outran. The 5-foot-10, 201-pound running back also said it also wasn't because he was tougher than the would-be tacklers that bounced off him behind the line of scrimmage. "I don't know about all that," Clemons said. "I was just trying to get out of there.

LEXINGTON - If there is a turning point in Joker Phillips' coaching career, he may well look back and remember one fourth-down stop Saturday. Kentucky was on the verge of the unthinkable - losing to Central Michigan at home. The Wildcats were trailing 13-6, had just 114 yards of total offense and had missed scoring opportunities again when the Chippewas went for fourth down at their own 35-yard line midway through the third period. Granted, Central Michigan needed only inches, but the safe and smart play would have been to punt the ball away to a Kentucky¿offense that had done nothing in the second half on two possessions.

LEXINGTON- Kentucky quarterback Morgan Newton didn't notice much of a difference between the season opener and the home opener. “Last week we played the worse game we could play offensively,” he said. “This week we probably played the second worse game we could have played offensively.” The difference was Kentucky's ability to make plays, especially in the second half of a 27-13 triumph over Central Michigan Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium. “We made things happen,” Newton said afterward.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky's offense ought to know what to expect from Central Michigan on Saturday. “Their defense gave up 130 (actually 137) yards (against South Carolina State in a 21-6 win) and swarmed the ball,” UK¿coach Joker Phillips said. “They will be foaming at the mouth to play our offense.” That's because the Wildcats managed just 190 total yards in a 14-3 win over Western Kentucky and have plenty of questions going into Saturday's home open with Central Michigan. Kentucky junior guard Larry Warford knows the line, which was supposed to be UK's offensive strength, did not play well last week and would not use an injury to starting center Matt Smith that kept him out of the game or a knee sprain by tackle Billy Joe Murphy that might sideline him Saturday as excuses.

Postgame notes from Kentucky's win Sunday at Georgia: Perry Stevenson hit his first free throw since going 2-for-2 against Tennessee State on Dec. 22, scored in double figures for the fifth time this season and the 15th time in his career, and had the 13th multi-block game this season. Jodie Meeks has hit a three-point field goal in 19 straight games, including all 18 this season; scored in double-digits (15) for the 13th time this season and the seventh time in the last eight games; and recorded his fifth straight 20-point game.

LEXINGTON - Freshman DeAndre Liggins knew he had made a mistake as soon as he refused to go back into the game. "It was just a bad day for me. Everybody makes mistakes. I did and I learned from it," said the Kentucky freshman point guard Monday. "I was just caught up in things. I was frustrated. I wanted to play (more). " Liggins refused to play the second half of UK's win over Kansas State in Las Vegas Nov. 28 after playing only two minutes in the first half. It was his return to the city where he played his final year of high school basketball and he says he overreacted to not playing more in the first half.

LEXINGTON - Freshman DeAndre Liggins knew he had made a mistake as soon as he refused to go back into the game. "It was just a bad day for me. Everybody makes mistakes. I did and I learned from it," said the Kentucky freshman point guard Monday. "I was just caught up in things. I was frustrated. I wanted to play (more). " Liggins refused to play the second half of UK's win over Kansas State in Las Vegas Nov. 28 after playing only two minutes in the first half. It was his return to the city where he played his final year of high school basketball and he says he overreacted to not playing more in the first half.

LEXINGTON - Michael Porter has never lacked confidence. Finding his way while on the court has been another issue. "I'm starting to feel more comfortable out there," he said. "I'm just trying to play free and not try to think too much out there. "It's been doing me a lot of good. " Porter, the subject of criticism during the first month of the season, is gaining the support of some followers who booed him at times as he struggled to find his role on the team as one of five starters.