COLUMN: Don’t forget about Pelphrey, Arkansas

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By now you’ve heard. The Cats are just 40 minutes away from the No. 1 ranking for the first time since the end of the 2002-03 regular season. I’m sure you didn’t forget that drought.

The Cats feature the likely No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft to go with two other likely lottery draft pick selections. Earlier this week, one pundit even predicted overshadowed freshman guard Eric Bledsoe will work his way into lottery pick consideration. Judging by the UK ticket lottery turnout, I’d say you didn’t forget all that talent either.

Despite the monumental recruiting class and positive buzz UK head coach John Calipari brought into his inaugural season at the helm of Big Blue Nation, a 2009 NIT finish probably didn’t have you thinking 18 victories to start the 2009-10 season. But be honest, you’ve let that “u-word” enter your mind once or twice recently. Who can blame you? Eighteen consecutive victories make that NIT finish easy to forget.

You’ve already got the next big game circled on your calendar. UK has helped you by starting a promotions blitz for a ESPN College GameDay appearance still weeks away. The upstart Volunteers likely constitute the next threat to UK’s perfect season in your mind.

But not so fast. All this hype is starting to make Big Blue Nation do something it promised it never would: forget.

As visions of national titles and NBA draft picks dance in your head, you may have forgotten former UK great John Pelphrey returns to Lexington for just the second time as a visiting coach Saturday. The same John Pelphrey who joined with his unforgettable teammates in turning around the UK program at about the same time John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins were learning to walk.

Pelphrey brings with him an Arkansas team that has played better recently than its record indicates. In three games since sophomore point guard Courtney Fortson returned from suspension, the Razorbacks are averaging just less than 79 points a game, but lost two close games to No. 1 Texas and preseason Southeastern Conference West favorite Mississippi State before defeating Alabama.

Add in sharpshooter Rotnei Clarke, who brings his 18.4 points-per-game average and 49 percent three-point shooting into the Rupp. You might remember the Cats have had some trouble with shooters at Rupp this season, but those 18 wins have probably helped you forget that too.

After Arkansas won only two conference games in 2009, Pelphrey may be coaching for his job as the SEC season winds down. A host of off-the-court trouble to go with the poor on-the-court performances has led some in the “The Natural State” to start wondering if the Paintsville-native is the man for the job.

A win against what might be the best team in college basketball on the road coming off a short turnaround from a Thursday game would be just the statement Pelphrey needs. Putting yourself in the Razorbacks’ shoes may be hard. After all, 18 consecutive victories make the idea of season-changing wins easy to forget.

Despite recent close scores, you say there hasn’t been a moment in a UK game this season since the overtime victory against Stanford where you actually thought UK would lose. While some of the Cats’ best wins are starting to lose their luster with each North Carolina, Connecticut and Louisville loss, you argue each of those teams is better than Arkansas.

You say the Razorbacks don’t have the size to compete with UK, but no one does. You argue they don’t have an answer for any of the Cats’ stars, but don’t sleep on Arkansas this weekend. Big Blue Nation anointed Arkansas’s coach as unforgettable for a reason.

Jon Hale is a communication graduate student. Email him at jhale@kykernel.com.