Kelenna Azubuike

Eastern Kentucky didn't come close to playing perfect here today in the opening game of the NCAA Tournament. Yet the Colonels still came close to beating Kentucky. The Colonels trailed only 67-62 with 2 minutes, 10 seconds to pay before falling to heavily favored UK 72-64. So much for Kentucky (26-5) learning its lesson last year when it struggled with Florida A&M in the first round before winning 96-76 and then falling to underdog Alabama-Birmingham 76-75 in the second round.

AUSTIN -- Kentucky had three 7-footers to throw at Utah All-America center Andrew Bogut and hoped going into Friday?s game that the trio could send a message to Bogut that he could not score at will. However, it was guard Ramel Bradley, one of Kentucky's smaller players, that sent the strongest message to Bogut that Kentucky wouldn't back down. Kentucky was leading Utah 14-9 early in the Austin Regional semifinal here when Kelenna Azubuike fouled Bogut. As Bogut turned to walk away, he said something Bradley didn't like.

LEXINGTON - After Kentucky beat Texas Southern, Joe Crawford admitted he was tired. "I need to fight through that and push myself to get in better shape," said Crawford, a senior guard. Of course, it was almost understandable that Crawford would be tired after he fought his way off coach Billy Gillispie's bench and into the starting lineup for the first time this season. Crawford played all 20 minutes in the first half and another 16 minutes, 19 seconds in the second half before leaving the game with 3:41 to play.

LEXINGTON - Freshman forward Perry Stevenson made an immediate impact at Kentucky when he blocked 11 shots in his first two collegiate games. However, he has just eight blocks in the 11 games since then and has not blocked more than one shot in any game after the first two. His playing time also has diminished as he has not played more than 13 minutes in any of the last seven games and was in for only four minutes in last Saturday's win...

LEXINGTON - As soon as the Wildcats scored, the pressure defense started. Kentucky's Chuck Hayes and Kelenna Azubuike forced a turnover in UK's full-court press that guard Patrick Sparks converted into a 3-point shot to start Saturday's season-opening 77-46 victory over Coppin State. "We have been focusing a lot on defense lately," Azubuike said. "We've been trying to take away the open shots. We forced some turnovers. I think our defensive intensity was good tonight, but it could always be better.

LOUISVILLE - Sitting in front of his locker at Freedom Hall Saturday, the last thing Larry O'Bannon looked like he wanted to do was talk. He didn't want to talk about his team-high 16 points, and he didn't want to talk about his two free throws that gave Louisville a one-point lead with 15.2 seconds left. All that mattered to him was Louisville lost to Kentucky 60-58. With all the talk about Kentuckian Patrick Sparks keying the Wildcats' win with three free throws with .6 seconds remaining, it was Louisville's hometown player that kept his Cards in the game and nearly won it for them.

The Big Blue Madness is almost ready to begin. No, not the Big Blue Madness that officially opens Kentucky basketball practice at midnight Oct. 15. That's only the beginning of the real Big Blue Madness for UK fans who are openly talking about a Final Four contender despite losing four of the top six players off last year's team and going into this season depending heavily on five newcomers. Yet there might not have been so much hype about a recruiting class at Kentucky since the 1974-75 class of James Lee, Rick Robey, Jack Givens and Mike Phillips.

ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas offers these insights into Kentucky's season in a question-and-answer session with sports editor Larry Vaught: 1. Can Kentucky realistically expect its incoming freshmen class to offset the loss of Gerald Fitch, Cliff Hawkins, Erik Daniels and Antwain Barbour? Bilas: "There is no way to duplicate the experience and mature toughness of Fitch, Hawkins, Daniels and Barbour, but Tubby Smith has a terrific group of freshmen to blend in with Chuck Hayes and Kelenna Azubuike.

CINCINNATI - For a player who thought this would be his year to shine, Kelenna Azubuike is not off to the kind of start he wanted. After going just 2-for-8 from the field in the season-opening win over Coppin State, Azubuike made just three of seven shots here Tuesday night in a 73-53 win over Ball State. "The shots just are not falling," said a subdued Azubuike. "I just have to go watch film to see why and then try to bounce back. " He did had seven rebounds, two assists and one blocked shot in 27 minutes of play and also drew praise from Kentucky coach Tubby Smith for his overall defensive play.

Kentucky's highly-touted freshman basketball recruiting class got its first exposure to Big Blue Madness Thursday. That's when UK allowed various media outlets to take pictures for upcoming special sections and stories. While senior Chuck Hayes certainly is Kentucky's leader and best returning player, he did not get as much attention from the photographers as freshmen Randolph Morris, Rajon Rondo, Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford. Neither did Kelenna Azubuike, a junior who could be the rising star the Wildcats need this year to make a bid for another Southeastern Conference championship.