Jodie Meeks

LOUISVILLE -- Point guard Eric Bledsoe has Florida No. 1 on his recruiting list, but Kentucky is No. 2 and could move to the front. "There's a chance Kentucky could move up," said Bledsoe, who describes himself as a "pass first point guard," before Thursday's practice here for Saturday night's Wazoo Sports Derby Festival Classic. "They just have to recruit me more and harder. If they do, then they can move up. " Bledsoe does plan to make a visit to Kentucky Sunday to see new UK coach John Calipari and his staff.

Kentucky coach John Calipari made an immediate impression on Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson during a meeting with the team's top two players on Wednesday. Meeks and Patterson, along with the rest of the current cast of Wildcats, met with Calipari before he was officially introduced as the successor to Billy Gillispie, who was dismissed less than a week ago. Meeks and Patterson didn't attend the press conference because of scheduling conflicts, but liked what the former Memphis coach had to say and his plans for the future.

Kentucky coach John Calipari made an immediate impression on Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson during a meeting with the team's top two players on Wednesday. Meeks and Patterson, along with the rest of the current cast of Wildcats, met with Calipari before he was officially introduced as the successor to Billy Gillispie, who was dismissed less than a week ago. Meeks and Patterson didn't attend the press conference because of scheduling conflicts, but liked what the former Memphis coach had to say and his plans for the future.

As far as Orestes Meeks is concerned, Kentucky made the right decision by firing coach Billy Gillispie Friday. "It's a good decision for both parties. They did the right thing for the program," said Meeks, the father of UK junior guard Jodie Meeks. Gillispie was 40-27 at Kentucky and had a seven-year deal. He led the Wildcats to a 22-14 record this season and Kentucky failed to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1991. The Wildcats went to the NIT and won twice before losing at Notre Dame Wednesday, a game where Jodie Meeks scored 18 points in the final nine minutes after getting just three points before that.

As far as Orestes Meeks is concerned, Kentucky made the right decision by firing coach Billy Gillispie Friday. "It's a good decision for both parties. They did the right thing for the program," said Meeks, the father of UK junior guard Jodie Meeks. Gillispie was 40-27 at Kentucky and had a seven-year deal. He led the Wildcats to a 22-14 record this season and Kentucky failed to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1991. The Wildcats went to the NIT and won twice before losing at Notre Dame Wednesday, a game where Jodie Meeks scored 18 points in the final nine minutes after getting just three points before that.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Billy Gillispie had a simple message for his team. "He just said for us to take the summer to work and get better," Kentucky junior Perry Stevenson said. "He said that's what we had to do to be a better team next year. " Kentucky's season ended with a 77-67 loss to Notre Dame on Wednesday in the National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals. Gillispie would not offer any insights into his future at Kentucky in his postgame remarks, and his players didn't, either.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Billy Gillispie had a simple message for his team. "He just said for us to take the summer to work and get better," Kentucky junior Perry Stevenson said. "He said that's what we had to do to be a better team next year. " Kentucky's season ended with a 77-67 loss to Notre Dame on Wednesday in the National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals. Gillispie would not offer any insights into his future at Kentucky in his postgame remarks, and his players didn't, either.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Darius Miller has never played a game at Notre Dame, but he's been here plenty of times. "I have tons of family in South Bend," the Kentucky freshman said. "My dad has a lot of family there. We used to go there at least once a year. I've never been there to play a game, but I have certainly been to South Bend. " Miller says he expects to have several family members and friends at tonight's National Invitation Tournament game. His father and Patrick Patterson's father drove together to Omaha for Monday's game and will be here along with others.

Editor's note: This story comes from Tom Noie, a writer for The Advocate's sister paper, the South Bend Tribune. One of the most electric scorers in college basketball today, Kentucky guard Jodie Meeks has the ability to go for 30, 40 even 50 points without seemingly breaking a sweat. He also can be a pretty good host to visitors at his home in Norcross, Ga. "Maybe the best dinner I ever had on a home (recruiting) visit was the barbecue I had at Jodie Meeks' house," Irish coach Mike Brey recalled Tuesday.

One of the most electric scorers in college basketball today, Kentucky guard Jodie Meeks has the ability to go for 30, 40 even 50 points without seemingly breaking a sweat. He also can be a pretty good host to visitors at his home in Norcross, Ga. "Maybe the best dinner I ever had on a home (recruiting) visit was the barbecue I had at Jodie Meeks' house," Irish coach Mike Brey recalled Tuesday. "Then Kentucky came in the next week and snatched him. We recruited the heck out of him. " Instead of calling the Joyce Center home during his collegiate career, Meeks returns tonight as a visitor for a National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals game.