Ohio State

LEXINGTON - How good is Kentucky? When compared to Ohio State, some of Eastern Kentucky's players think the Wildcats rank among the top teams in the nation at this point in the season. "They can compete with anybody in the country," Eastern center Darnell Dialls said following the Colonels' 78-65 loss to the Wildcats on Saturday afternoon at Rupp Arena. "It's Kentucky and everybody knows that. The sky is the limit for them. They have a great team every year," he said.

LEXINGTON - Lamar players know plenty about the matchups for Saturday's Kentucky-Louisville game since the Cardinals lost to both teams. While guards Mike James and Anthony Miles did not want to pick a winner, both agreed that Kentucky was more athletic than Louisville as well as No. 2 Ohio State, another team they faced this season. “Neither one of the teams has the talent Kentucky has. Kentucky obviously has a lot of talent at every position and you could tell that by playing them,” James, who had 29 points on 13-for-29 shooting against UK, said.

Jones even has two more blocked shots — 68 — than Cousins had last season. He scored a UK freshman record 35 points against Auburn, had has eight games with 20 or more points (fourth on the UK freshman list) and needs 35 points to become only the third UK freshman to reach 600 points. Here are some thoughts Jones, who confirmed he’s completely over the cold that bothered him last weekend in Tampa, shared here Thursday as UK prepares to play the No. 1 Buckeyes in what could turn out to be his final collegiate game if the Cats lose and he enters the NBA draft like Cousins did last year: Question: Can UK really do anything different in this game against Ohio State?

Clay Jackson: How many teams have won a championship in football and basketball? Larry: You ask, I answer. Florida became the first program to hold football and men's basketball titles at the same time with a 41-14 romp over top-ranked Ohio State on Monday night. Call it the Gator Slam.

LEXINGTON - How good is Kentucky? When compared to Ohio State, some of Eastern Kentucky's players think the Wildcats rank among the top teams in the nation at this point in the season. "They can compete with anybody in the country," Eastern center Darnell Dialls said following the Colonels' 78-65 loss to the Wildcats on Saturday afternoon at Rupp Arena. "It's Kentucky and everybody knows that. The sky is the limit for them. They have a great team every year," he said.

As expected, Kentucky's 73-72 loss at Indiana Saturday cost the Wildcats the top spot in the weekly Associated Press rankings. Unbeaten Syracuse (10-0) climbed to No. 1 after both UK and Ohio State, last week's No. 2 team, lost over the weekend. Kentucky (8-1) dropped to No. 3 behind Ohio State (8-1), which didn't have star center Jared Sullinger in the loss at Kansas. Unbeaten Indiana (9-0) moved into the rankings for the first time at 18th, the school's first top 25 appearance since 2007-08.

Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie has finally added some needed inside players to the basketball roster. Indianapolis high school sophomore Dominque Ferguson, a 6-9 power forward, and Josh Harrellson, a 6-9 junior college center, both said Tuesday that they would play for the Wildcats. While UK will have to wait until the 2010-11 season to add Ferguson to the roster, Harrellson will be on the court for the Cats next season. Harrellson, who played for Southwestern Illinois Junior College, had narrowed his choices to Kentucky and St. Louis, which is close to his home in Missouri.

NEWARK, N.J. — Kentucky players don’t want to really admit they were a soft team early this season. However, they do seem to agree on one thing — the Cats are a much tougher team physically and mentally now than they have been all season. “We have grown up and got better. The veterans are stepping up and Brandon (Knight) is playing great,” said freshman Doron Lamb. “Right now we are playing tough, talking on defense, switching on screens and boxing out. “Everybody doubted us and said we were going to lose to Ohio State.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky has two highly rated quarterbacks - Morgan Newton and Ryan Mossakowski - in its incoming recruiting class. However, that has not stopped the Wildcats from looking to the future for another talented player at the same position. Five-star quarterback Braxton Miller of Huber Heights, Ohio, now has a "definite" interest in Kentucky and plans to watch the Wildcats play at least one home game this season. The 6-1, 175-pound junior, who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds, made the trip Sunday to Lexington to attend the Score6 Camp for quarterbacks and receivers on the Kentucky campus conducted by former UK quarterback Ryan Hockman.

Linebacker Chris Frey, like many other Ohio juniors, has a “definite interest” in playing football at Kentucky. “He is very interested in them,” said (Columbus) Upper Arlington High School coach Mike Golen. “They were just here the other day to see him. They talked then like they were right on the verge of offering him (a scholarship).” The 6-2, 215-pound Frey plays both linebacker and running back for Golen. “He excelled at running back, but Kentucky, and other schools, so him as a linebacker,” Golen said.

As expected, Kentucky got another verbal commitment today from an Ohio prep standout - tight end Darryl Long of Westerville South High School. He was expected to pick the Wildcats Saturday and the 6-4, 225-pound Long, ranked as the nation's 22nd best tight end prospect by Rivals.com, gives UK offensive coordinator Neal Brown the the big target he likes in his offense. His list of offers included Louisville, Missouri, North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Pittsburgh, Vanderbilt, Illinois, Indiana, Boston College, Purdue and Duke.

Linebacker Chris Frey, like many other Ohio juniors, has a “definite interest” in playing football at Kentucky. “He is very interested in them,” said (Columbus) Upper Arlington High School coach Mike Golen. “They were just here the other day to see him. They talked then like they were right on the verge of offering him (a scholarship).” The 6-2, 215-pound Frey plays both linebacker and running back for Golen. “He excelled at running back, but Kentucky, and other schools, so him as a linebacker,” Golen said.

Kentucky got its second verbal commitment for the 2014 recruiting class when linebacker Dorian Hendrix of Huber Heights, Ohio, committed during an unofficial visit this weekend. The 6-1, 215-pound Hendrix is rated as a three-star prospect and the nation's 59th best outside linebacker by Scout.com and had scholarship offers from Illinois, Indiana, Bowling Green, Ohio and Toledo. He was also receiving interest from Michigan, Ohio State and West Virginia but did not have offers from those schools.

Ohio receiver Thaddeus Snodgrass has hinted that he might soon make a decision about where he'll play his college football, but Springfield coach Eric Gillespie doesn't think his star junior is quite ready to make that choice just yet. “I think he wants to make one (decision) before the season.¿I don't think one real soon, though, is  likely,” the coach said. “He is one of these kids who loves Facebook, Twitter. He likes to banter back and forth with guys and fans. That's the world we live in. It's cool to say a decision might happen now, but I don't think he is quite ready to make a choice right now.” He has plenty of scholarship offers, including one from Kentucky, whenever he makes a decision.

LEXINGTON - If Kentucky football fans were happy with this year's recruiting class, tight ends coach Vince Marrow says just wait because even better days are ahead. “We had six weeks to do this. Giving us a whole year, it's going to be pretty special, pretty interesting. I'm very fired up. I know everybody else is fired up. Like I said, we've already got some of the top 10 guys on board that want to come now (next year). So it's going to be a good thing,” said Marrow. The coach, who came to UK from Nebraska, has strong connections in Ohio.

Cincinnati La Salle High School coach Tom Grippa thanks new Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops and his staff have a chance to make major inroads into recruiting in the Cincinnati area. “I can already tell our area is going to be really important to the new Kentucky staff,” said Grippa, who has had one of his players - cornerback Jaleel Hytchye - verbally commit to UK and Stoops. “I had a kid who played for me, Chandler Burden, who went to Kentucky and is now on the Miami Dolphins practice squad.

It has not taken long for new Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops to start trying to cash in on his Ohio recruiting connections. Scout.com recruiting analyst Bill Green (@BillBankGreene) noted on Twitter Thursday that UK had offered four-star receiver Shelton Gibson and he would make an official visit to UK Saturday. Kentucky also offered Huber Heights Wayne lineman Lovell Peterson and he will also visit Saturday. Even McKinley sophomore Eric Glover-Williams got an offer from Kentucky, his first SEC offer.

LEXINGTON - Lamar players know plenty about the matchups for Saturday's Kentucky-Louisville game since the Cardinals lost to both teams. While guards Mike James and Anthony Miles did not want to pick a winner, both agreed that Kentucky was more athletic than Louisville as well as No. 2 Ohio State, another team they faced this season. “Neither one of the teams has the talent Kentucky has. Kentucky obviously has a lot of talent at every position and you could tell that by playing them,” James, who had 29 points on 13-for-29 shooting against UK, said.

As expected, Kentucky's 73-72 loss at Indiana Saturday cost the Wildcats the top spot in the weekly Associated Press rankings. Unbeaten Syracuse (10-0) climbed to No. 1 after both UK and Ohio State, last week's No. 2 team, lost over the weekend. Kentucky (8-1) dropped to No. 3 behind Ohio State (8-1), which didn't have star center Jared Sullinger in the loss at Kansas. Unbeaten Indiana (9-0) moved into the rankings for the first time at 18th, the school's first top 25 appearance since 2007-08.

NEWARK, N.J. - He didn't hit the game-winning shot, score the most points or lead Kentucky in any statistical category. Yet UK teammates left little doubt that junior DeAndre Liggins was the reason the Wildcats beat No. 1 Ohio State 62-60 here Friday. “He played a great game. He carried us on offense and defense. He just put us on his back and carried us,” said Kentucky junior Darius Miller. “If he was not scoring, he was creating for somebody else. On top of that, he played great defense, too. We would have got blown out if not for him. That was a great game he played.” Liggins had 15 points on 5-for-8 shooting from the field and 5-for-7 at the foul line.