Perry Stevenson

LEXINGTON - When it comes to scoring, Kentucky's Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson have been spectacular. They are combining for about 43.8 points per game. Meeks has been in double figures 13 straight games this year and Patterson 11 of 13 going into tonight's home game against Central Michigan (3-8). Patterson is shooting 74 percent from the field because he mainly gets his points in the paint. Meeks is shooting 40 percent from 3-point range, but has also added the ability to get inside and score as shown by the 76 free throws he's attempted.

LEXINGTON - After losing to VMI at home, going on the road to play No. 1 North Carolina might seem like an insurmountable task for Kentucky. However, junior forward Perry Stevenson says there's only one way the Wildcats can approach tonight's game that will be shown nationally on ESPN. "Yes it does worry me that we lost to VMI. But we have to go into North Carolina knowing we have a chance, and I think we do," said Stevenson. "We have to play the game. They don't just automatically give the home team a win. VMI proved that to us. So as long as we play, we e have a chance to win. " Still, it might not be an easy sell for Kentucky's younger players to truly believe they can win at North Carolina after losing to a far less talented team in Rupp Arena.

LEXINGTON - Jodie Meeks was tired of practicing. So were his teammates. Even Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie was wondering how his players might play in Saturday's Blue-White game after having an "extremely hard" practice earlier in the day as well as "hard and lengthy" practices on Thursday and Friday. "We made a lot of mistakes, but for the most part I thought we played fantastic," Gillispie said after his team's annual intrasquad scrimmage at Rupp Arena. "It was better than I hoped.

LEXINGTON - It's easy to overlook Kevin Galloway. He's not the scorer Jodie Meeks is - and never will be. He's not the powerful inside player that Patrick Patterson is - and never will be. He's not as explosive as DeAndre Liggins offensively - and never will be. But there's a growing sentiment that any long-term success Kentucky has this year could help be determined by just how much Galloway, a junior college transfer, continues to improve...

LEXINGTON - When Jodie Meeks scored eight of Kentucky's first 10 points, it looked like the junior guard might be on his way to another record-setting game. Meeks had 46 points a week earlier in a win over Appalachian State and was 3-for-6 from the field Saturday against Florida Atlantic five minutes into the game. However, during the next 35 minutes, Meeks was only 4-for-6 from the field and finished with 18 points, his fourth lowest total this season. What happened? "It could have been what the coach told him at a timeout," coach Billy Gillispie said after Kentucky's 76-69 victory.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky snapped one streak in hopes of keeping alive another. Perry Stevenson had 18 points - including the game-clinching free throws with 9.6 seconds remaining - and 10 rebounds as the surging Wildcats held off Florida 75-70 on Sunday, bolstering Kentucky's once fading NCAA tournament hopes. Joe Crawford added 16 points and fellow senior Ramel Bradley had 14 points and seven assists in their final game at Rupp Arena as Kentucky (18-11, 12-4 Southeastern Conference)

LEXINGTON - DeAndre Liggins still can't talk to the media. But that's about the only thing the Kentucky freshman point guard isn't doing well. He had his second straight impressive game here Wednesday to help the Wildcats easily beat Lamar 103-61 in a game that was never close even though the Cats lost two starters - Michael Porter and Ramon Harris - early in the first half after they violently collided with each other. Liggins was flawless with his shooting while scoring a career-high 16 points.

LEXINGTON - The numbers might say that Perry Stevenson is playing well, but Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie says something else. The UK sophomore forward has averaged 10 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots per game during the Wildcats' current five-game win streak going into tonight's game at Vanderbilt. He's also 17-for-27 from the field during that span. Yet Gillispie says not to let the numbers fool you. "He has not played that well lately. The numbers might indicate it, but he has not played nearly as well the last two or three games.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie said he didn't care how many shots Jodie Meeks put up in a game. That's good news for the UK junior guard. "I don't have a problem with it if he doesn't," Meeks said. He scored 23 points on 7-for-17 shooting in UK's 94-72 exhibition win over Ouachita Baptist Friday after he was 7-for-17 from 3-point range and scored 27 points in Monday's win over Missouri-St. Louis. That is just what Gillispie needs out of Meeks. "I think he's playing great.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie doesn't want to say he's surprised that his Wildcats have a chance to take control of the Southeastern Conference title race when they play at No. 1 Tennessee on Sunday. However, he will admit he thought his team would improve if it got sophomores Jodie Meeks and Derrick Jasper healthy. While Jasper is backing playing full time, Meeks has missed the last four games with a hip flexor problem and played only sparingly in conference play.