Kentucky expects lineup changes against bigger Alabama
By JEFFREY McMURRAY
Associated Press Writer
LEXINGTON, Ky.
The anticipated changes to Kentucky's lineup stem from: A) injuries; B) coach Tubby Smith's displeasure with the last two games; or C) Alabama's big players?
Throw in: D) all of the above, and you've got your answer.
A new combination of Wildcats figures to be starting against the Crimson Tide Saturday afternoon at Rupp Arena with hopes of halting the team's first two-game losing streak since 2002.
One who won't be among them is forward Rekalin Sims, who will miss the game and perhaps others due to a nagging back injury, Smith said. Bobby Perry and Joe Crawford also are banged up, and their status is questionable.
Smith isn't revealing specifics of his secret lineup recipe just yet - only that it will be bigger, tougher and different. What he won't know until game time is if this lineup will be able to shake Kentucky's recent shooting woes.
"We just need to get back to shooting the ball well because that will take care of a multitude of sins," Smith said. "When you're not shooting the ball, everything is exposed."
The simple solution after last Saturday's blowout loss at Kansas seemed to be Randolph Morris, who returned Tuesday after missing 14 games because of his NCAA-imposed suspension for associating with a sports agency. But while Morris helped, it wasn't enough to prevent Vanderbilt from knocking off the Wildcats at Rupp Arena for the first time ever.
In the preseason, a media poll picked Kentucky to win the Southeastern Conference's Eastern Division and Alabama to win the West. But both teams have struggled.
The Wildcats (10-5, 0-1) ended the nation's second-longest streak in the Top 25, and the Crimson Tide (8-6, 1-1) will have to weather the rest of the season without their best player, senior forward Chuck Davis, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament a week ago.
The absence of Davis, however, doesn't dramatically alter the Wildcats' game plan. They want to stop the Tide's trio of inside-scoring threats (Jermareo Davidson, Evan Brock and Richard Hendrix) and find a way to score inside on the other end of the court.
To do that, this Kentucky offense is going to get bigger. Smith says he is considering moving Morris from center to power forward, installing 7-foot Lukasz Obrzut at center and possibly even using 6-7 Sheray Thomas at small forward.
"I guess a lineup change might be in order," Thomas said. "If the shots are not falling, which they haven't been for a couple games now, you've got to get away from that and do something different. We still have players who can attack the rim, we're just not doing that."
The changes could also trickle down to the guards. Smith says he might start Ravi Moss, whose 16 points and four clutch 3-pointers were among few bright spots against Vanderbilt.
"Starting is great, but I'd rather be in at the end of the game," Moss said. "There are much bigger issues than that."
By JEFFREY McMURRAY
Associated Press Writer
LEXINGTON, Ky.
The anticipated changes to Kentucky's lineup stem from: A) injuries; B) coach Tubby Smith's displeasure with the last two games; or C) Alabama's big players?
Throw in: D) all of the above, and you've got your answer.
A new combination of Wildcats figures to be starting against the Crimson Tide Saturday afternoon at Rupp Arena with hopes of halting the team's first two-game losing streak since 2002.
One who won't be among them is forward Rekalin Sims, who will miss the game and perhaps others due to a nagging back injury, Smith said. Bobby Perry and Joe Crawford also are banged up, and their status is questionable.
Smith isn't revealing specifics of his secret lineup recipe just yet - only that it will be bigger, tougher and different. What he won't know until game time is if this lineup will be able to shake Kentucky's recent shooting woes.
"We just need to get back to shooting the ball well because that will take care of a multitude of sins," Smith said. "When you're not shooting the ball, everything is exposed."
The simple solution after last Saturday's blowout loss at Kansas seemed to be Randolph Morris, who returned Tuesday after missing 14 games because of his NCAA-imposed suspension for associating with a sports agency. But while Morris helped, it wasn't enough to prevent Vanderbilt from knocking off the Wildcats at Rupp Arena for the first time ever.
In the preseason, a media poll picked Kentucky to win the Southeastern Conference's Eastern Division and Alabama to win the West. But both teams have struggled.
The Wildcats (10-5, 0-1) ended the nation's second-longest streak in the Top 25, and the Crimson Tide (8-6, 1-1) will have to weather the rest of the season without their best player, senior forward Chuck Davis, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament a week ago.
The absence of Davis, however, doesn't dramatically alter the Wildcats' game plan. They want to stop the Tide's trio of inside-scoring threats (Jermareo Davidson, Evan Brock and Richard Hendrix) and find a way to score inside on the other end of the court.
To do that, this Kentucky offense is going to get bigger. Smith says he is considering moving Morris from center to power forward, installing 7-foot Lukasz Obrzut at center and possibly even using 6-7 Sheray Thomas at small forward.
"I guess a lineup change might be in order," Thomas said. "If the shots are not falling, which they haven't been for a couple games now, you've got to get away from that and do something different. We still have players who can attack the rim, we're just not doing that."
The changes could also trickle down to the guards. Smith says he might start Ravi Moss, whose 16 points and four clutch 3-pointers were among few bright spots against Vanderbilt.
"Starting is great, but I'd rather be in at the end of the game," Moss said. "There are much bigger issues than that."
