Kentucky at Georgia Game Preview

--Derrick Johnson

February 2, 2008

CBS-TV 1:00PM

Kentucky rides a two-game winning streak, the 2nd longest in the SEC, into Athens for a 1:00 tip-off with the Georgia Bulldogs. The Cats beat Tennessee and South Carolina at home last week and have had the week off to prepare for Georgia. The rest is by all accounts much needed for the beaten up Wildcats, who have had several key injuries during the season. The latest being to senior Joe Crawford's ankle. Crawford has been struggling with a foot ailment but also sprained his ankle in the Tennessee win. He did not play in the South Carolina game and is still questionable for the Georgia game. The rest of the team seems to be getting healthy as we enter February. Derrick Jasper's knee is getting stronger everyday and he is constantly gaining more confidence in it on the court. Jodie Meeks played 38 minutes in the USC game and scored 13 points, proving he is as healthy as he has been since the start of the season.

Georgia has suffered from the loss of key players this year also, but their's have been of the non-injury type. Their top two scorers from last season, Takais Brown and Mike Mercer were both suspended before the season began and were later kicked off the team. Guard Billy Humphrey has also missed a game this season due to suspension. The Dogs are also coming off of a game against South Carolina in which they lost 62-56 in Columbia on Wednesday night. Coach Dennis Felton is 4-6 against UK. His most memorable win for Kentucky fans would probably be when he brought his Western Kentucky team led by Patrick Sparks into Rupp and beat Kentucky in the season opener. Overall, Kentucky owns the series record 107-22. The Cats are 29-14 in Stegeman Coliseum but lost there last season in overtime, 78-69. This season, Georgia is 10-0 at home and Kentucky is 0-4 on the road.

GEORGIA BULLDOGS (11-7, 2-3)

Georgia is led in scoring by junior guard Billy Humphrey. Humphrey averages 13.6 points a game. He is the greatest threat on the team from the 3-point line, shooting 37% on the season from outside the arc. Senior guard Sundiata Gaines is the undisputed leader of the team. Gaines is the point guard and averages 4 assists a game but also contributes 12.9 points and 6 rebounds per game. He only scored 7 against USC on Wednesday but lit UT up for 20 in the game before that. He can put the ball in the basket and will be the primary target of the Kentucky defenders. Georgia averages 69.5 points a game and gives up 65.5. KEY WINS: Wake Forest, Georgia Tech. KEY LOSSES: East Tennessee St, Tulane.

STATISTICS (SEC rank in parenthesis)

Rebounds – 38.3 (3rd)
Assists – 11.8 (12th)
Turnovers – 15.9 (9th)
Steals – 7.8 (3rd)
Blocks – 3.7 (8th)
Field Goal % - 44% (11th)
Free Throw % - 68% (7th)
3-Point % - 32% (11th)

KENTUCKY WILDCATS (9-9, 3-2)

Kentucky finds itself having won back to back games for the first time since November as they enter Athens on Saturday. The Cats come into the game averaging 72.4 points a game and giving up 67.1 a game. As it's been all season, freshman Patrick Patterson leads the team in points (17.1 ppg) and rebounds (8.1rpg). Senior Ramel Bradley averages 16.7 and is coming off of his best game as a Wildcat, scoring 26 points and grabbing 10 rebounds against South Carolina. He also leads the SEC in free throw percentage, shooting 87% from the charity stripe. His running mate, senior Joe Crawford's status is still uncertain as of Thursday afternoon but if Crawford is able to go, it would provide a big lift in scoring as he averages 16 points a game. Sophomore Jodie Meeks is starting to perform like he did a year ago after recovering from a couple of different injuries early in the season. He averages 10.1 points a game and provided Kentucky with a great lift against USC when Crawford couldn't play. KEY WINS: Vanderbilt, Tennessee. KEY LOSSES: Gardner-Webb, San Diego

STATISTICS (SEC rank in parenthesis)

Rebounds – 35.3 (9th)
Assists – 13.7 (8th)
Turnovers – 16.7 (12th)
Steals – 7.4 (6th)
Blocks – 4.7 (4th)
Field Goal % - 47% (5th)
Free Throw % - 77% (1st)
3-Point % - 36% (5th)

KEYS TO THE GAME

TURNOVERS!! As with any game this season and ever, if you hang on to the ball and get good possessions, you will have an excellent chance of winning. UK is last in the conference in turnovers while Georgia is 9th. It's safe to say that this may be an ugly game with a lot of giveaways at both ends. Whoever can hang on to the ball the most and force their opponent into silly turnovers will win.

CONTINUE TO CRASH THE BOARDS!! Kentucky has done well the past two games crashing the offensive, and more importantly, defensive glass. They out-rebounded Tennessee by 8 and USC by 7. Clearly, if the Cats can again grab more loose balls than the Dogs, they will have a great chance of leaving Georgia with a victory.

WILL JOE CRAWFORD PLAY? Regardless of whether Joe C plays, Kentucky must plan as if he will not be in the lineup on Saturday. Against South Carolina, Jodie Meeks stepped in and played well for Crawford. If Crawford doesn't play, which I think he will not, Meeks will get a lot of minutes again. The minutes didn't seem to bother him last Saturday and I don't expect any change this Saturday. Jodie is slowly regaining his shooting touch and is beginning to look for his shot more. I see him having a big game against Georgia whether Crawford plays or not.