Welcome, ladies and gentlemen of the Big Blue Nation, to the first official game of the 2013-14 season. Tonight's opponent is the UNC-Asheville Bulldogs of the Big South Conference. The game tonight is at 7:00 PM Eastern in Rupp Arena. Media details are as follows, courtesy of UKAthletics.com:
- TV: FS South/UK
- IMG Radio: UK IMG
This game is familiar in the sense that Kentucky is often playing Big South opponents early in the season. The Wildcats have met the Bulldogs three previous times, in 1996, 1999, and 2009. Kentucky has been victorious in every one of those prior contests.
What I'm looking for tonight:
- How different will this team be with Andrew Harrison at the helm, and Aaron in his normal position?
- Will James Young play? Will he start, or will Alex Poythress, who has been garnering praise from John Calipari lately, be the starter?
- Can this team become greater than the sum of their parts? Honestly, I'd just like to see them play to the level of the sum of their parts, rather than beneath.
- Will the defensive intensity be consistent, or will it once again take a halftime speech by Calipari to jumpstart it?
This doesn't seem like much, but those questions are really significant. If Kentucky doesn't start to improve soon, the Big Blue Nation will begin to really sweat the Michigan State game next Tuesday. It is very important for this team to begin making progress, and tonight would be a really good time.
Go 'Cats!