Noon Newspaper: Gamecocks Edition

It's game day, and today's opponent is South Carolina, who is having surprising success this year in the SEC, and is currently 4-2.  Darrin Horn is a native son of Lexington and a Rick Pitino once removed via former Western Kentucky head coach and UK assistant, Ralph Willard.

Now, for the news.

Kentucky Basketball News

• USC game preview from The State.
• Gillispie says he wants longer possessions.  I do think the Cats tend to get up shots without really exploring the defense, particularly when the opponent is playing zone.  I note that Gillispie is essentially saying the same thing I said in this earlier commentary, even though should be obvious to everybody.  More on the subject here at the Courier-Journal.
  
• Gillispie says that Downey is, "impossible'' to stop.  With the personnel we have, he is right.  It is going to take extremely sound defensive rotation to prevent him from killing us in the lane.
• Is the UK game a defining moment for Darrin Horn?
• KSR has some links about the game today.
• The Winchester Sun says South Carolina is no pushover.  They're right.
• This column in the Kentucky Colonel is right about Liggins and Miller.  We are going to need them to become sophomores early if UK is to reach its potential this year.
• Matt Jones is nervous about today's game, and rightly so.  You have company over here, Matt.
• Fox Sports has a UK/USC preview.
• Think Meeks' 54 was awesome?  Try on 63 by Ryan Toolson of Utah Valley. 

Kentucky Football/Other News

• Three QB's, one starting job.  As the old saying goes, "It's a nice problem to have, but it's still a problem."

NCAA Basketball News

• Jealous, much?
• Dick Weiss thinks Jeff Capel of Oklahoma might be a Georgia target.  I agree he would be a great get, but is Georgia really a step up from a school that has two NCAA runner-up finishes and four Final Fours?  I'm thinking no.
• Felton's firing sends "shockwaves" throughout the SEC?  What universe has this guy been living in?
• Some terrific observations from Greg Anthony.
• Egad.  What would we call a Fulmer Cup for basketball?

NCAA Football News

• Corn Nation has thoughts on National Signing Day, and the recruiting hype surrounding it.
• Capstone Report says Lane Kiffin is an unethical recruiter.  I think waiting as long as he did is definitely ethics-challenged, although not as unethical as withdrawing scholarships outright.  It is still a bad thing to do, and I think it may well hurt Tennessee in the long run.
• The University of Washington and secondary recruiting violations.  UW Dawg Pound takes a look.

Other News of Interest

Carbon monoxide has killed seven people in Kentucky since the ice storm hit.  Here's a hint -- don't burn charcoal grills inside a home.