Randolph Morris

HARRODSBURG - There was no way Randolph Morris was going to come to Mercer County for an exhibition basketball game. Sure, he was friends with University of Kentucky seniors Bobby Perry, Sheray Thomas and Lukasz Obrzut before he signed a NBA contract with the New York Knicks worth about $1.6 million last month. However, it was only two weeks ago that he was playing in games against Charlotte, Toronto and New Jersey in state-of-the-art arenas with sold-out crowds. What, risk an injury to play in front of about 750 fans at Mercer?

Kentucky plans to appeal to have sophomore center Randolph Morris' eligibility restored rather than contest the NCAA Legislative Review and Interpretations Committee's ruling Wednesday that Morris had an oral agreement to be represented by SFX, a sport agency, when he made his name eligible for the NBA draft last summer. NCAA rules do not allow a player to have a written or oral agreement with an agent. NCAA spokesman Kent Barrett confirmed Thursday that there will not be another hearing like the one Wednesday.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky sophomore center Randolph Morris is not only ready to play, but he's expecting the NCAA to restore his eligibility soon. Or at least that's what UK teammate Ramel Bradley thinks. "Randolph is doing well. He is getting individual workouts, lifting (weights) and looking good in practice," said Bradley Monday. "He's a monster when he plays. I think he is definitely doing well. " Bradley says Morris is getting "antsy" as he awaits word from the NCAA on his eligibility after putting his name into the NBA draft last summer and going undrafted.

HARRODSBURG - There was no way Randolph Morris was going to come to Mercer County for an exhibition basketball game. Sure, he was friends with University of Kentucky seniors Bobby Perry, Sheray Thomas and Lukasz Obrzut before he signed a NBA contract with the New York Knicks worth about $1.6 million last month. However, it was only two weeks ago that he was playing in games against Charlotte, Toronto and New Jersey in state-of-the-art arenas with sold-out crowds. What, risk an injury to play in front of about 750 fans at Mercer?

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky center Randolph Morris signed a free-agent contract with the New York Knicks on Friday, another big loss to a program already dealing with the departure of coach Tubby Smith. Smith averaged 16.1 points and 7.8 rebounds for the Wildcats this season and was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference. He will join a team fighting for an Eastern Conference playoff berth. The Knicks played in Cleveland on Friday night. There was no immediate word on when Morris would join the team.

Kentucky seniors Bobby Perry, Sheray Thomas and Lukasz Obrzut will have a special team member with them tonight when they play an exhibition game at Mercer County. Former UK player Randolph Morris, who signed with the New York Knicks after the 2006-2007 season ended, is scheduled to be at tonight's game. "I just talked to Bobby Perry, and he said Randolph would be there with them about 6:30 to pose for pictures and play in the game," said Mercer boys basketball coach Nelson Cundiff.

LEXINGTON - Randolph Morris believes players should be immune to pressure and ready for anything that happens by the time they start their third year on the University of Kentucky basketball team. "You have done it before. You should know what to expect," Morris said during Thursday's Media Day. Of course, few UK players have been through a season like Morris had last year. He faxed a note to UK coach Tubby Smith after the 2004-2005 season saying he intended to enter the NBA draft.

Kentucky didn't win the Southeastern Conference Tournament, but that doesn't mean center Randolph Morris lacks confidence going into NCAA Tournament play. "Everything happens for a reason. It's always better to win, but when you don't, you still have to learn from it at this time of year and make sure you are better the next game," said Morris. What the Wildcats (21-12) need to have learned when they go against UAB at 9:45 p.m. Friday in Philadelphia is that Morris needs the ball more.

Kentucky is 21-11. Junior center Randolph Morris led Kentucky with 29 points and 15 rebounds, career highs in both categories. It is his 11th double-double of the season and 13th of his career. Morris made 13 of 18 foul shots, career highs in both categories. Junior guard Joe Crawford had 20 points. It is his sixth 20-point game of the season and ninth of his career. Freshman guard Jodie Meeks came off the bench to get 14 points, eight rebounds, and a career-high six steals.

LEXINGTON - John Calipari would like to coach Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson. Meeks led the Southeastern Conference in scoring last year at almost 25 points per game and was one of nation's top 3-point and free throw shooters. Patterson is a brute inside who averaged almost a double-double - 17.9 points, 9.3 rebounds - per game. Add a couple of star recruits to those returning players and Kentucky could go from playing in the NIT this season to a top 15 team going into next season.

LEXINGTON -- John Calipari would like to coach Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson. Who wouldn't? Meeks led the Southeastern Conference in scoring last year at almost 25 points per game and was one of nation's top 3-point and free throw shooters. Patterson is a brute inside who averaged almost a double-double -- 17.9 points, 9.3 rebounds -- per game. Add a couple of star recruits to those returning players and Kentucky could go from playing in the NIT this season to a top 15 team going into next season.

Kentucky sophomore Patrick Patterson has been named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week. The 6-9 center averaged a double-double last week with 30 points and 12.5 rebounds per game while helping lead the Wildcats to wins over Tennessee State and Florida Atlantic. He has eight double-doubles this season and 14 in his career, tying Randolph Morris for 26th on UK's all time double-double list. Patterson recorded a career-high 33 points against Tennessee State and followed with a 27-point effort against Florida Atlantic while pulling down 11 and 14 rebounds, respectively.

Derrick Jasper endeared himself to many University of Kentucky basketball fans - as well as coach Billy Gillispie - with the way he came back from knee surgery to help UK's Southeastern Conference resurgence. However, Jasper's possible transfer from Kentucky because he's "homesick" and wants to be closer to his native California is bound to puzzle even the most die-hard Big Blue fan. Why does a player who played at less than 100 percent last season because of his knee and made such an impact now want to leave when he could have an even bigger role next season?

Derrick Jasper endeared himself to many University of Kentucky basketball fans - as well as coach Billy Gillispie - with the way he came back from knee surgery to help UK's Southeastern Conference resurgence. However, Jasper's possible transfer from Kentucky because he's "homesick" and wants to be closer to his native California is bound to puzzle even the most die-hard Big Blue fan. Why does a player who played at less than 100 percent last season because of his knee and made such an impact now want to leave when he could have an even bigger role next season?

LEXINGTON - Former Kentucky All-American Kenny Walker knows exactly what he will remember best about UK senior Ramel Bradley. "He never got down on himself and he always came back. He never gave up. I think that is what I am going to remember about him more than anything," said Walker. Bradley and Joe Crawford will play their final home game at Rupp Arena Sunday when the Wildcats host Florida. While the game could be viewed as a NCAA Tournament play-in game since both teams need a win to solidify their NCAA resume, it will also be a bittersweet farewell for the two UK seniors.

This is the final part of a three-part series with Kentucky assistant basketball coach Glynn Cyprien about his job with the Wildcats. Question: What would you have told me nine months ago about your impressions of the Kentucky team? Cyprien: "Great respect. I always thought Kentucky teams were well coached and I always thought the tradition of what I heard about the SEC and how they pretty much dominated. After we got our butt kicked last year (when I coached at Arkansas)

Every coach needs a signature recruit - and Billy Gillispie got his at Kentucky when Patrick Patterson ended his recruiting sweepstakes by picking the Wildcats over what turned out to be the fickle Billy Donovan and Florida. Getting Patterson could turn out to be as important for Gillispie as landing Jamal Mashburn was for former UK coach Rick Pitino, because that laid the groundwork for three Final Four appearances for UK under Pitino. Patterson's arrival got the attention of top 2008 and 2009 recruits.

They didn't get to play in a Final Four and didn't win a Southeastern Conference regular-season or tournament championship in their final two seasons at Kentucky. Yet seniors Bobby Perry, Sheray Thomas and Lukasz Obrzut have been genuinely touched by the response they have received from UK fans during their barnstorming tour. "It is so much fun to be around your classmates and get to play more basketball. The fans appreciate us coming out to play, and we appreciate them coming out to see us," Thomas said during the players' stop in Harrodsburg last Friday.