Keith Bogans

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Long before most other college basketball analysts were on the University of Kentucky bandwagon, Jay Bilas was touting the Wildcats as one of the nation's best teams. He liked Kentucky going into the season, liked the way UK played against non-conference opponents and liked the efficiency he saw from the Wildcats during Southeastern Conference play. Unlike many other so-called hoops experts, Bilas never worried about Kentucky's depth. He felt coach Tubby Smith would eventually develop an adequate bench and if he didn't that UK's top six players were still good enough to make the Cats special.

A look at some numbers from Kentucky's 69-66 win over Florida Tuesday: Kentucky shot 57.7 percent (15-for-26) and committed just three turnovers in the second half. Kentucky won the points in the pain 38-26 after trailing 16-10 in the same category at halftime. The Wildcats outrebounded Florida 34-27. Kentucky scored 22 points off turnovers compared to 13 for Florida. The two highest scoring teams in the Southeastern Conference combined for only 16 fast break points - 10 by UK, six by Florida.

Ramel Bradley, Senior guard Numbers: He was the only player to start every game last season. ... He led the team in assists (3.7), steals (1.3) and charges taken (6), and was third in scoring (13.8). ... He scored in double figures in 22 of the last 25 games. ... He was the first UK player since Keith Bogans in 2003 to score 20 or more points in four straight games. ... He was second in the Southeastern Conference in free throw percentage (81.5) and made his last 19 attempts.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky doesn't have anyone among the top 10 Southeastern Conference scorers and is ninth in the league in 3-point shooting. Kentucky coach Tubby Smith has not been happy with his team's rebounding or free throw shooting, either. So how is Kentucky 19-2 overall, 10-0 in Southeastern Conference play and ranked third in the nation going into tonight's game at South Carolina? "We consistently play defense," said Smith Monday. "That's the thing we've got to do. From day one, or before, players know they have to play defense to be successful here.

During the last month Kentucky basketball fans have spent almost as much time criticizing Patrick Sparks as they have coach Tubby Smith. While fans questioned Smith's style of play, substitution patterns and overall recruiting ability, many also called for Sparks to take a seat on the bench because of his poor shooting, lack of scoring and questionable decision-making during games. Smith, a coach who often thinks first with his heart and then his brain, never wavered publicly in his support of Sparks and he'll be making his 99th straight collegiate start Saturday when the Wildcats host South Carolina.

No matter how hard Tubby Smith seems to try, the off-court distractions keep coming for the University of Kentucky basketball team. This time it involves senior Antwain Barbour, who is expected to be a key player on Smith's upcoming team. He was stopped June 22 on Interstate 64 between Lexington and Frankfort for speeding. However, marijuana was also discovered in his car. He was cited, but not arrested and/or taken to jail, for the marijuana offense. Barbour's attorney managed to work out a deal where the marijuana possession charge was dropped.

Kyle Hankins grew up five minutes from Indiana University's Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind., and calls himself a "die-hard" Bobby Knight fan. But the new Centre College assistant coach has spent his entire college playing and coaching career in Kentucky, and is now a part of coach Greg Mason's staff here "I heard great things about Centre and the program. I saw that everyone here was really like a tight-knit family," said Hankins, who was hired July 1. "The opportunity came up when (Matt)

LEXINGTON - Ramel Bradley is willing to take help about his shooting anywhere he can get it. That's why the Kentucky junior guard doesn't expect a repeat performance of his 3-for-8 foul shooting against Florida on Saturday when the Wildcats play at Tennessee tonight. Bradley knows what he did wrong. He didn't bend his knees and his elbow "popped" out. And how does he know? "The managers were telling me," said Bradley. The managers? What about coach Tubby Smith and his staff?

Now that tonight's national championship finalists have been determined, Kentucky fans can only ponder what it will take for the Wildcats to get back to a national title game. The Wildcats had an incredible run from 1996-98, when they played in three straight championship games and won two. However, UK has not been to the Final Four since coach Tubby Smith won the national title in his first season in 1998. So what will it take for Kentucky to get back to the Final Four? Here are some possible solutions: 1. The Cats have to get more perimeter playmakers.

During his playing career at Kentucky, senior point guard Cliff Hawkins readily admits there have been plenty of times where he's had a "love-hate" relationship with coach Tubby Smith. "He expects nothing but the best. If you are not giving your best, he gets on you," said Hawkins. "But he's made me get better, and I appreciate that. " Smith's "tough love" can be evident during a game. His glare and foot stomp are legendary. He's been known to bench a star player for a mistake as quickly as he would the team's 10th man. Yet if Smith has a weakness, it has always been that he may have too soft a heart.

Kyle Hankins grew up five minutes from Indiana University's Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind., and calls himself a "die-hard" Bobby Knight fan. But the new Centre College assistant coach has spent his entire college playing and coaching career in Kentucky, and is now a part of coach Greg Mason's staff here "I heard great things about Centre and the program. I saw that everyone here was really like a tight-knit family," said Hankins, who was hired July 1. "The opportunity came up when (Matt)

Ramel Bradley, Senior guard Numbers: He was the only player to start every game last season. ... He led the team in assists (3.7), steals (1.3) and charges taken (6), and was third in scoring (13.8). ... He scored in double figures in 22 of the last 25 games. ... He was the first UK player since Keith Bogans in 2003 to score 20 or more points in four straight games. ... He was second in the Southeastern Conference in free throw percentage (81.5) and made his last 19 attempts.

LEXINGTON - Ramel Bradley is willing to take help about his shooting anywhere he can get it. That's why the Kentucky junior guard doesn't expect a repeat performance of his 3-for-8 foul shooting against Florida on Saturday when the Wildcats play at Tennessee tonight. Bradley knows what he did wrong. He didn't bend his knees and his elbow "popped" out. And how does he know? "The managers were telling me," said Bradley. The managers? What about coach Tubby Smith and his staff?

With the countdown to Saturday's Kentucky-Louisville basketball showdown under way, something that former UK All-American Kenny Walker told me started me thinking (yes, I do actually think at least two or three times per week). "(Kentucky coach) Tubby (Smith) is going through a tough situation with some of the fans right now, but if he can beat Louisville for a third straight year, I wouldn't say it wouldn't make any difference what he does the rest of the year but it sure would be a big feather in his hat," Walker said.

LEXINGTON - Joe Crawford keeps insisting he's ready to show everyone why he was such a highly-touted player when he came to Kentucky. The Detroit native was considered a can't-miss prospect by all the national recruiting analysts, and Kentucky coach Tubby Smith thought he not only had a big-time scorer when he signed Crawford, but he also expected him to be a tenacious defender. Crawford hasn't been bad at Kentucky. But he's also not been close to extraordinary. Going into Saturday's game at Louisville, Crawford is averaging 14 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.

LEXINGTON - Joe Crawford keeps insisting he's ready to show everyone why he was such a highly-touted player when he came to Kentucky. The Detroit native was considered a can't-miss prospect by all the national recruiting analysts and Kentucky coach Tubby Smith thought he not only had a big-time scorer when he signed Crawford, but he also expected him to be a tenacious defender. Crawford hasn't been bad at Kentucky. But he's also not been close to extraordinary. Going into Saturday's game at Louisville, Crawford was averaging 14 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.

During the last month Kentucky basketball fans have spent almost as much time criticizing Patrick Sparks as they have coach Tubby Smith. While fans questioned Smith's style of play, substitution patterns and overall recruiting ability, many also called for Sparks to take a seat on the bench because of his poor shooting, lack of scoring and questionable decision-making during games. Smith, a coach who often thinks first with his heart and then his brain, never wavered publicly in his support of Sparks and he'll be making his 99th straight collegiate start Saturday when the Wildcats host South Carolina.

Kentucky basketball coach Tubby Smith thought he would have a team returning that could contend for a national championship next season. Now Smith might be on the verge of losing a second returning starter to the NBA after freshman center Randolph Morris decided to put his name into the NBA draft pool. Kentucky issued no statement on Morris' status and athletics spokesman Scott Stricklin said Tuesday that he could not confirm or deny the report. However, Morris faxed a letter to Smith Monday stating he was going to enter the draft but not hire an agent, a move that will allow him to retain his college eligibility.

Rather than merely test the NBA draft waters, Kentucky's Kelenna Azubuike has decided going pro is the best choice for him. Azubuike could have tested his draft status and still returned to Kentucky for his senior year if he had not retained an agent. That's a strategy former Wildcats Tayshaun Prince and Keith Bogans both used before finishing their careers at Kentucky and then starting successful NBA careers. But Azubuike surprised almost everyone Thursday by announcing he had already signed with an agent and would not be back at Kentucky.