Cats await talented Baylor
December 1, 2012
By David Schuh | @KernelSchuh
In what will be a matchup of two of college basketball’s most talented teams, UK takes on Baylor on Saturday afternoon at Rupp Arena.
The Bears were ranked in the top 20 as lately as two weeks ago, but recently lost to Colorado and College of Charleston to fall out of the rankings.
During their last meeting, during the Elite Eight in March, UK beat Baylor, but was met with one of the only teams all season that could meet its physical athleticism.
The Bears boast a preseason freshman of the year candidate in forward Isaiah Austin, who missed a few games early in the season but is now regaining his preseason form.
They also bring back senior guard Pierre Jackson, who started all last season.
A key factor for the Cats will be the play of freshman forward Alex Poythress, who is second on the team in points and rebounds. For a player who ESPN’s
Chad Ford said could now be in the conversation for the No. 1 pick next summer’s NBA Draft, Baylor will be a formidable test of pro-style athleticism.
The other crucial matchup to watch will be the battle of the backcourt. As sophomore guard Ryan Harrow works his way back into the rotation, freshmanguard Archie Goodwin will shoulder most of the responsibility in controlling Jackson.
Goodwin, who’s averaging 19 points, five rebounds and four assists, has taken the vaulted role of point guard for head coach John Calipari for the foreseeable future.
“He has earned the position and he is our point guard,” Calipari said. “He is doing good learning the position and getting better game-to-game, so he has earned his spot.”
This also will be a rare two games in three days for UK. The Cats will face two quality opponents in succession, in a timeframe that rivals that of NCAA Tournament time.
And with Calipari still learning the real identity of his team, it will be a great learning experience this early in the season.
“When we figure it out, this team is going to be pretty good,” Calipari said. “Right now it’s amazing that we are the ninth most efficient team in the country. I’m not looking for us to just be a good basketball team. I want us to be special.”
The game with Baylor tips off at 12:30 p.m. and is broadcast nationally on CBS.
