Rupp Arena

LEXINGTON - Jarrod Polson has been spending more time in the gym. The Kentucky senior guard renewed his effort to get better behind the scenes and his progression showed in Kentucky's 88-50 rout of Lipscomb Saturday at Rupp Arena when he scored seven points. It was the West Jessamine product's best offensive outing since scoring seven points in Kentucky's 101-49 rout of Lafayette on Nov. 16 at Rupp Arena. “It has given me confidence, getting my shot better and has my shot has improved a little bit over the past two weeks,” he said.

LEXINGTON - Kyle Wiltjer doesn't mind starting. He also doesn't mind coming off the bench. Either way, he just wants to contribute to his team's success on the court. In a last-minute change of plans, Kentucky coach John Calipari opted against starting Wiltjer against Lipscomb on Saturday, and the sophomore guard delivered. Wiltjer recorded his first career collegiate double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds in the Wildcats' 88-50 rout at Rupp Arena. It was Wiltjer's second 20-point game this season and the third of his career.

LEXINGTON - At least three times, Lipscomb coach Scott Sanderson made sure to note his comments meant no disrespect to Kentucky. After all, the Wildcats had just beat his team 88-50 on Saturday at Rupp Arena. But Sanderson certainly pointed out numerous flaws in the Wildcats - and Kentucky coach John Calipari didn't really disagree. “No disrespect to Kentucky, but we self-destructed,” said Sanderson when asked about his team's 24 turnovers and UK's 35-11 run to end the game.

LEXINGTON - When his team needs a burst of energy,  John Calipari turns to Nerlens Noel to give the Wildcats a boost. “(He's) an energy guy, not a skill guy,” the Kentucky coach said. “(He's) not an up-and-under swing, hook guy, that's not who (he is). He's an energy guy.” The freshman forward had seven points and seven blocks in Kentucky's 74-46 victory over Portland Saturday at Rupp Arena. Noel's seven swats were a season-high for the Wildcats. Although not a flashy scorer, Noel has been consistent on the glass and has collected at least six boards in the team's nine games this season and collected nine boards against the outmanned Pilots.

LEXINGTON - When his team needs a burst of energy,  John Calipari turns to Nerlens Noel to give the Wildcats a boost. “(He's) an energy guy, not a skill guy,” the Kentucky coach said. “(He's) not an up-and-under swing, hook guy, that's not who (he is). He's an energy guy.” The freshman forward had seven points and seven blocks in Kentucky's 74-46 victory over Portland Saturday at Rupp Arena. Noel's seven swats were a season-high for the Wildcats. Although not a flashy scorer, Noel has been consistent on the glass and has collected at least six boards in the team's nine games this season and collected nine boards against the outmanned Pilots.

       Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel is getting used to the early-morning conditioning program known as “Camp Cal.” “ It is tough, but we know it is going to pay off for us, especially with conditioning, it will help us keep the tempo of the game up,” he said Friday. “Getting up is not that tough - I mean it is tough, but you just got to work through it.” The conditioning program, geared toward improving the team's stamina, features a variety of exercises from running to “a lot of push-ups” and “toe touches.” “ It feels like its boot camp,” Noel said.

Members of the Kentucky men's basketball team didn't waste any time discussing the team's 64-55 loss to Baylor last Saturday. “ We talked about it the next day,” Kentucky freshman guard Archie Goodwin said of a players only meeting held Sunday to give the squad a chance to exhale and let out their frustrations. “We had a team meeting where we talked about different things. It was a players only meeting that we called to just try and figure out what we are going to do because something has to change.” Alex Poythress said the team discussed several issues and added that the meeting served a much-needed purpose.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky coach John Calipari didn't expect to win his first 54 games at Rupp Arena. If you ask him, the Wildcats were lucky to own such a streak after winning a pair of close encounters more than three years ago during his first season in Lexington. “We should have lost seven games,” the Kentucky coach said following his team's 64-55 setback to unranked Baylor, ending the team's 55-game home winning streak, one that his predecessor Billy Gillispie began when Kentucky defeated UNLV in the NIT at Memorial Coliseum in 2009.

The tape from Kentucky's loss to Notre Dame didn't reveal any surprises. “We're a November basketball team,” the Kentucky coach said Friday. “That's all I can tell you. I watched the tape. We stopped playing, didn't compete, didn't come up with 50-50 balls, didn't play for one another. We kind of separated a little bit, but that's the first road game and, you know… I knew we'd struggle, but I thought we'd compete. That's the surprising thing. We just didn't battle them. It was obvious they wanted the game more than we wanted the game.” The Wildcats (4-2)

If St. Joseph (N.J.) High School athletics director Jerry Smith is right, Karl Towns Jr. is going to be right at home playing basketball at Kentucky. “You are going to do more interviews with this kid than anybody. Fans are going to love. He's perfect for Kentucky,” said Smith. The 6-11 Towns, the nation's top-ranked sophomore, will make his college choice at 10 a.m. Tuesday on regional cable network MSG Varsity. The announcement will be streamed live on www.MSGVarsity.com. He's narrowed his list to UK, Florida, Duke and Michigan State.