Ramel Bradley

BIRMINGHAM -- Junior guard Jodie Meeks knows he's expected to be more of a leader for the Kentucky basketball team this year. While that may not have always been a role he would have wanted, he's fine with the expectations this year with a certain twist. "I think more of it falls on me than last year, but I am embracing it," said Meeks of the increased leadership expected from him. "You can't really be scared of failure. I think I have to share it with Patrick (Patterson) and the other veterans to step up and take leadership role to help these young guys.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury thought it was a safe, easy question to answer. Will Kentucky be better in coach Billy Gillispie's second season because the players know him better? "They were pretty good last year at the end and the end result is what counts ... " Stansbury said during the Southeastern Conference media days here Wednesday. That's when Stansbury, a Kentucky native and one-time Kentucky fan, knew he was about to get himself in potential trouble with the UK fan base again.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury thought it was a safe, easy question to answer. Will Kentucky be better in coach Billy Gillispie's second season because the players know him better? "They were pretty good last year at the end and the end result is what counts ... " said Stansbury during the Southeastern Conference Media Days Wednesday. That's when Stansbury, a Kentucky native and one-time Kentucky fan, knew he was about to get himself in potential trouble with the UK fan base again.

BIRMINGHAM -- Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury has no doubt that South Carolina's Devan Downey is the best guard in the Southeastern Conference this year. "He's easily the best guard in our league and the most difficult guy in the league to guard," said Stansbury Wednesday during the SEC Media Days here. With that in mind, it seems no one would be more qualified to assess how much Kentucky might miss point guard Ramel Bradley and shooting guard Joe Crawford this year more than Downey.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky basketball coach Billy Gillispie doesn't know who will be his team's lead guard this year. He does know he has viable options that he likes. Last year's starter, Ramel Bradley, has graduated. One potential replacement, Derrick Jasper, transferred. That leaves Gillispie with junior Michael Porter, junior college transfer Kevin Galloway and freshman DeAndre Liggins as his most likely candidates to play point guard - or lead guard as he calls it - for the Wildcats.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie doesn't know who will be his team's lead guard this year. He does know he has viable options that he likes. Last year's starter, Ramel Bradley, has graduated. One potential replacement, Derrick Jasper, transferred. That leaves Gillispie with junior Michael Porter, junior college transfer Kevin Galloway and freshman DeAndre Liggins as his most likely candidates to play point guard - or lead guard as he calls it - for the Wildcats.

Kentucky's basketball team suddenly looks a whole lot better for this season. While there was no official word from the Wildcats, the UK preseason prospectus lists both true freshman DeAndre Liggins and junior college transfer Kevin Galloway as being on the 2008-09 roster. Considering both signed with the Wildcats months ago, that may not seem like much. But considering the speculation on whether one, or both, would be ineligible, this is a huge statement about coach Billy Gillispie's roster.

Considering Kentucky lost two of the Southeastern Conference's top guards to graduation, has its two best players recovering from surgeries and has eligibility questions about two key recruits, it would have been easy to understand if Alvin Brooks downplayed the Wildcats' outlook for next season. Instead, the Kentucky director for basketball operations was more than just a little optimistic Saturday when he spoke at the Ohio UK Convention in Franklin, Ohio. "Even with our losses, I am optimistic, but not stupidly optimistic.