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Beginning Monday, June 21st,
2004 CHN began unveiling 144 Team previews in 144 Days. CHN ranked the
nations top 144 teams, and is unveiling one per day leading up until the
opening day of the 2004-05 Season.
Bookmark the
144 Teams in 144 Days home page, and check back
each day to see which team is previewed next.
#3 Kentucky Wildcats
SEC
2003-04: 27-5, 13-3, 1st
2003-04 postseason: NCAA Second
Round
By
Joel Welser
 The Wildcats only have two players
returning that scored more then two points per game a season ago. Kelenna
Azubuike with 11.1 points per game and Chuck Hayes with 10.7 points per game
will have to lead a bunch of newcomers. The five newcomers could probably
be ranked in the top 15 on their own. Coach Tubby Smith is used to senior
heavy teams, but that won’t be the case this year. The talent is
extraordinary, but Coach Smith won’t be able to rely on senior leadership.
Who’s Out: Starting guards
Gerald Fitch and Cliff Hawkins put up huge numbers their senior seasons in
Lexington. The two combined for 26.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.6 assists
per game. Production like that would normally be tough to replace, but not
with a recruiting class like the one coming to Kentucky. Forward Erik
Daniels averaged 14.5 points and 6.1 boards last year. He’ll leave a gap in
the frontcourt that, like the backcourt, will be filled by a freshman.
Swingman Antwain Barbour was pretty much the only option off the bench last
year. He averaged 5.0 points and 2.5 rebounds as a senior.
Who’s In: Joe Crawford
should be starting as a two guard from day one. He’ll be asked to take over
much of the scoring void left by Fitch and Hawkins. Crawford is a great
slasher to the basket and has a nice stroke from outside. Fellow freshman
Rajon Rondo could be joining him as a starter in the backcourt. Rondo
averaged 12 assists per game as a senior at the famed Oak Hill Academy.
Patrick Sparks, a transfer from Western Kentucky, will most likely prevent
an all freshmen backcourt from starting. Sparks averaged 13.6 points and
5.9 assists for the Hilltoppers in 2002-2003. He’s a smart ballhandler who
won’t turn the ball over. His experience will probably get Sparks a
starting role with such a young squad on the floor. Lost in the myriad of
new guards is Ramel Bradley. The 6-1 combo guard is lightning fast and will
get an opportunity to earn significant minutes. The frontcourt gets some
help, to say the least, with Randolph Morris. The 6-10 center could have
been a first round pick in the NBA Draft but opted to come to Kentucky, for
at least a year. He’s big, strong and has a nice touch under the basket.
Last year in high school he averaged 23.0 points, 16.0 rebounds and 8.0
blocks per game. He’s solid enough to contribute on both ends of the floor
and is likely to start from day one.
Who to Watch: While all the
freshmen will be fun to watch, Chuck Hayes is still the key to the
Wildcats. Hayes is a leader on and off the court and, as a senior, that
will have to continue with such a young group of players around him. The
6-6 forward averaged 10.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and
1.4 blocks per game in 2003-2004. He can do everything and do it quite
well. His blue-collar defense should be contagious for the freshmen. With
Randolph Morris joining him upfront, opposing teams won’t be keying in on
Hayes as much. That combo also creates a very menacing tandem on the
defensive end.
Projected Conference Rank:
The five newcomers and the two main returning players are great, but it
would be nice if the bench was a little deeper. Sophomore big men Sheray
Thomas, Lukasz Obrzut and Bobby Perry may be the answer. As freshmen last
year none of them saw tons of minutes, but their second year in Lexington
should be more productive. Despite all the young players, a 1st
place finish in the SEC isn’t unreasonable. More experienced squads like
Mississippi State, Alabama and Florida may have the Wildcats number early,
but by March Coach Smith should have Kentucky playing great basket.
Projected Post-season
Tournament: NCAA
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Email Joel Welser:
jwelser_chn@ameritech.net
Chat About CHN's Top #144
Ranking:
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