Kentucky Wildcats: Morning Quickies -- Exhibition 1 Reaction Edition

Sorry for the lateness of the Quickies today.

The Kentucky Wildcats handled the Northwood (FL) Seahawks last night in Rupp Arena, and welcomed former Villanova Wildcats coaching legend Rollie Massimino back to the site where he won his national title in 1985.

Tweet of the Morning:

Indiana fans say last night's sellout proves their superiority. More people attended UK's exhibition than have ever seen an IU home game.

— Not Jerry Tipton (@NotJerryTipton) November 2, 2012

Classic, and true.

Your Quickies:

Kentucky basketball

• Eric Lindsey looks at the Northwood game at CoachCal.com
  Our own Ken Howlett has the stat of the day in there as well. Also, you have to be encouraged by this comment from John Calipari:

  "I will tell you that we were better than I thought we’d be," Calipari said.

  I think he's right. This wasn't as bad as I feared it might be based on his earlier comments.

• Poythress, Harrow must play with more effort // Kentucky.com

  In assessing the game, Calipari said that Harrow — and freshman Alex Poythress — must learn to play with more effort throughout each possession. Harrow played "in spurts" the way Kentucky needs, the coach said.

• Nerlens Noel started to feel and play the way he should in the second half // vaughtsviews
  This is right. He still needs more consistent effort, though. Too many times he was in a position to affect a play, and he just didn't react.

  Noel admitted that he was nervous and added that atmosphere "was crazy" during the first of two exhibition games before the Nov. 9 season opener against Maryland. However, he settled down in the second half and performed to his ability.

  Hopefully, he'll do even better in a few games.

• "If we do right by players, they will drag us where we’re trying to go. It’s not the other way around." //cincinnati.com

  Says Missouri coach Frank Haith: "It’s so hard to get young kids to buy in to lock people up defensively. And they did that. He coaches a young team every year. It is so hard to do. I can’t imagine."

  Heh. Indeed.

• Wildcats roll in exhibition // Evansville Courier & Press
  It's interesting how many minutes some guys played. I think that Calipari is trying to lay the usual groundwork here. During the season, guys like Harrow and Goodwin are going to play a lot.

• Calipari's yelling is part of the learning process // vaughtsviews
  Coach Cal wants these guys to listen to what he's saying, not how he's saying it. That's trickier than it sounds, especially for young guys not used to having coaches in their faces.

• Goodwin steady in lineup shuffle // The Kentucky Kernel
  I said it before and I'll say it again -- you have no idea how good Archie Goodwin is going to be. At least now, you have at least a tiny slice of his ability. He's going to play huge minutes this year if he stays healthy.

• Top 10 teams countdown No. 4: 1948-49 // The Kentucky Kernel

• Top 10 teams countdown No. 5: 1947-48 // The Kentucky Kernel
  A classic, to be sure.

• Coach Cal yelling now so Cats can win later // Kentucky Wildcats

  "I had to see who could take me when we're in the heat of battle," Calipari said.

  Calipari is not going to change how intense he is on the sidelines. The players have to adjust, and the sooner that happens, the better they will be.

• Antony Davis' NBA debut shows the benefits of time in college // ESPN
  A high-quality article by Andy Katz. Recommended.

• Kentucky Wildcats Basketball: Takeaways from Northwood Exhibition Game // Bleacher Report
  I almost never link the Bleacher Report for personal reasons, but Matt Overing is an exception. He does good work, and I recommend it. I hate the slideshows, but that's B/R's thing.

• You must check this out. Via Sam Henson
  
  

Kentucky football

• The Edge week 10: UK vs. Vanderbilt // The Kentucky Kernel
  This is right. But you never know...

• Joker Phillips’ final pre-Vanderbilt comments // Kyle Tucker – UK Beat
  Donte Rumph out, but the secondary is getting healthy.

• UK-VANDERBILT PREVIEW // Bleed Blue Kentucky
  Nice, as always, by Messenger.

• The Wisdom of the Schenellenberger // Larry Vaught
  When Howard Schnellenberger speaks, UK Athletics should listen.

Other UK sports

• From the Pressbox: Mitchell on UK Hoops and other men's basketball, football notes // Tom Leach, UKAthletics.com

  There's only one freshman on the UK [hoops] roster this season, but Mitchell is expecting big things from point guard Janee Thompson.

  "Man, is she talented offensively. She's very gifted - great ball handling, great scoring ability and can shoot the ball. She's taking some time to get up to speed defensively but I'm not overly concerned about that (because it's early)."

• UK volleyball returns home with momentum // The Kentucky Kernel
  Let's go, ladies. Let's get this done. Before you click that link above, click this one and vote for Ashley Frazier for the Senior CLASS award. Vote early Vote often.

• We have a hockey team?
  Apparently, we do.

Links posts

• Tom Leach // Friday links
• The Morning Mix // Troy Machir, CollegeBasketballTalk

SEC Football

• Scarbinsky whacks the Ol' Ball Coach // al.com
  This is funny. And right:

  Let’s get this straight right up front: Alabama has the best college football team in the country. Alabama has the best college football program in the country. Alabama has the best college football coach in the country, and Alabama has more of the best players than any other college football team in America.

  Despite all that, the only way this Alabama team could beat an NFL team would be if Spurrier were coaching it.

College football

• Alabama-LSU: College football's best rivalry, another epic showdown between SEC powerhouses
  I like 'Bama in this one.

College basketball

• 50 greatest names in college basketball
  Very cool. Hippolyte Tsafack?

• Stats geeks, unite! // CBSSports.com
  If you love tempo-free statistics, or just want to learn more about what stats mean and how they can be meaningfully applied, this podcast is for you. John Gassaway of Basketball Prospectus and Ken Pomeroy of KenPom.com are Matt Norlander's guest. As a bonus, the diss Jeff Goodman, which is always nice. They need to have me on there for that.

• Maurice Creek returns to Assembly Hall to a standing ovation // CollegeBasketballTalk
  This is one IU kid I am really cheering for. I know it's tough for him.

• Best of the Best: Most Important Players // ESPN
  Quality work by Eamonn Brennan.

Other news

• Kentucky violated bidding process in awarding Medicaid contracts, Passport says // courier-journal.com