COLUMN: National ranking in Cats’ future

 

 

RELATED STORIES: Game recap

Replay the game’s live blog

ATHENS, Ga. — If this is how UK responds to prosperity, the Cats may be in for a special season.

Just five days after UK trounced Tennessee on the road behind Jodie Meeks’ record-setting 54-point performance, the Cats had no trouble dispersing of an under-manned Georgia team.

The Cats jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead and never looked back. According to their coach, the Cats played defense from the word “go.”

“Coming on the road is not an easy place to play,” Meeks said. “I think coming on the road and getting two wins shows how we’re maturing and adapting to Coach Gillispie’s coaching style.”

The Cats should get ready for more prosperity. If this isn’t one of the best 25 teams in the country, I’d hate to see what it takes to earn that distinction.

Come Monday, the pollsters are likely to agree.

In the latest ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll, UK received zero votes. The Cats earned the same tally in the last version of the Associated Press poll.

After two road wins, 76 points from Jodie Meeks and a plethora of national attention, I have a sneaking suspicion that number will change.

When asked about the rankings, junior forward Perry Stevenson responded, “It’s not really something we’re worried about.”

“We’re just taking it one game at a time and trying to get wins,” Stevenson said. “They’ll pile up for us, and hopefully we’ll be dancing in March.”

“It’s not up to me,” Meeks said. “It’s up to the ranking people. No matter what this team has confidence.”

Confidence is easy to come by after a record-setting performance and a win in the most difficult game remaining on your schedule. Confidence is even easier to come by after you go on the road and win a game you’re supposed to.

Thankfully for the Cats, the last week has seen them accomplish both goals.

“This team has never lacked confidence,” Meeks said. “We go into every game expecting to win and expecting to play good. Our main focus is trying to play defense every game no matter what.”

If playing defense is this teams first goal, then consider it mission accomplished. The Cats held Georgia to 26 percent shooting in the first half and 31 percent shooting for the game. No Bulldog finished with double digits in the scoring column.

Playing defense wasn’t an issue for the Cats Sunday.

If defense is the calling card of this team, then hustle play is its go-to weapon. After Sunday’s game Gillispie singled out Meeks, Patrick Patterson, Michael Porter and Josh Harrellson for extreme feats of hustle.

“Those are my kinds of teams,” Gillispie said. “Gritty, hard-nosed and they defend almost every perimeter shot.”

UK can check impressive road victory off its to-do list after Tuesday’s win at Tennessee. The Cats can check national publicity off after Meeks’ record-breaking performance. After Sunday’s victory at Georgia, the Cats can mark a victory down for keeping a level head.

When the polls are released this week, the Cats should be ranked. That will be one more accomplishment to check off the list.

But if they’re not, no one in the UK camp will be worried.

“I saw a million things I liked today,” UK head coach Billy Gillispie said. “We’ve got a long way to go before we get to where I want to be, but I saw a lot of good things.”

I have a sneaking suspicion that Gillispie wasn’t the only one watching.