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LEXINGTON - In the three years he's played at Kentucky, Alfonso Smith has been on three winning teams and participated in three bowl victories. Now the senior running back admits he wants to maintain that legacy. "It is a lot of pressure on me and the seniors just to keep that thing going, but at the same time we know what it feels like to win now," said Smith, who averaged 4.2 yards per rush last year on 74 carries and has a career average of 4.6 yards per attempt. However, what motivates him more than that winning feeling is a 49-0 loss at LSU two years ago that he insists he'll never forget.

TAMPA -- The Southeastern Conference's leading scorer was a non-factor here Friday. Kentucky guard Jodie Meeks didn't take a shot for 13 minutes, didn't get his first field goal until almost 14 minutes were gone and scored a season low eight points in UK's 67-58 loss to LSU in the Southeastern Conference Tournament. "They just did a good job guarding me and then I missed some open looks that I did have," said Meeks. The numbers were surprising. Meeks played 31 minutes, his lowest total in SEC play.

Kentucky needs the same type of miracle this week that Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm found. Brohm was supposed to be out of action at least six weeks after he needed surgery on his thumb and hoped to be back when the Cardinals played West Virginia in November. Instead, Brohm might actually get to play Saturday against Cincinnati. The Cardinals have been just fine without Brohm - and Michael Bush. But they will be even better with him. Cincinnati features another Kentucky native, Dustin Grutza, at quarterback.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Georgia received 61 of 88 votes cast by media attending the 2004 Southeastern Conference Football Media Days to win the 2004 SEC Championship, the league announced on Thursday. LSU took 19 votes while Florida had five and Ole Miss, South Carolina and Auburn had one each. In the Eastern Division, Georgia took 78 of 88 votes while Florida had 9 and South Carolina had one. In the Western Division, LSU had 71 of 88 while Auburn had 14, Ole Miss had two and Alabama had one. The attending media also voted on a pre-season All-SEC team.

LEXINGTON - Since Kentucky has to play LSU and Florida in its next two games, it would have been almost expected that UK players would not have had a rooting interest when they watched Florida and LSU play last week. However, senior center Eric Scott was pulling for LSU for one specific reason and was glad the Tigers rallied to win 28-24. "I wanted to play LSU when they were No. 1. I want to play the best. That gives us a chance to beat the best," said Scott. "I want to knock the giant off when he is still the giant.

There may have been some rowdy celebrations around Commonwealth Stadium after Kentucky beat No. 1 LSU on Saturday, but coach Rich Brooks wasn't part of any of them. He was too busy answering phone calls - including one from LSU coach Les Miles because the coaches didn't get to see each other when fans stormed the field after UK's 43-37 triple overtime win - and calling a national radio sports show. Once that ended, the UK coach watched a few other games and "just enjoyed the rest of the evening.

There may have been some rowdy celebrations around Commonwealth Stadium after Kentucky beat No. 1 LSU on Saturday, but coach Rich Brooks wasn't part of any of them. He was too busy answering phone calls - including one from LSU coach Les Miles because the coaches didn't get to see each other when fans stormed the field after UK's 43-37 triple over time win - and calling national radio sports show. Once that ended, the UK coach watched a few other games and "just enjoyed the rest of the evening.

Garland Frederick of Danville not only thought No. 1 Alabama would win at LSU, but he got the score of the Tide's 27-21 win over LSU exactly right. That helped enable him to win last week's Central Kentucky Plumbing Beat the Experts Football Contest. Frederick was one of nine contestants to get nine games right. However, he was the only one with the exact score of Alabama's win. He wins a $10 Marathon gas card that can be picked up at The Advocate-Messenger circulation office during regular business hours.

If anyone might have a feel for who will have the best team at the Final Four this weekend in Indianapolis, it could be Mississippi State assistant coach Phil Cunningham. Two of the four remaining teams are State's Southeastern Conference rivals. Mississippi State lost 75-60 at Florida Jan. 11, fell 71-51 at home to LSU Jan. 18 and lost 72-59 at LSU Feb. 15. But the Bulldogs, who did not qualify for postseason play, also beat Final Four participant George Mason 63-61 Dec. 30. "I would never have imagined that George Mason would be in the Final Four," said Cunningham, a Kentucky native.

LEXINGTON - LSU linebacker Darry Beckwith expected Kentucky to come with its best game Saturday. And the LSU players and coaches knew Kentucky was going to be a vastly improved team over the one the Tigers easily defeated last season. But they seemed almost in shock how Kentucky put a damper on their national championship hopes and ended their short reign end as the nation's top team with a 43-37 triple-overtime win Saturday. "Very shocked. Any time you lose it hurts.