Mays, Cats prepped for Marshall Saturday
December 22, 2012
By Tom Hurley | @TomHurleyKernel
UK men’s basketball (7-3) hosts Marshall University (7-5) Saturday, in an afternoon matchup at Rupp Arena.
“This is a good game, this is a good team,” UK head coach John Calipari said of Marshall. “They got great size. You know, we’re gonna have to play.”
The Cats have not played since a 88-50 win over Lipscombe on Dec. 15.
However, rather than resting up, the Cats head into Saturday’s game following a third week of Calipari’s “Camp Cal” conditioning workouts.
After watching Marshall’s 72-56 loss to Cincinnati last weekend, Calipari warned his squad will need to be on form to ensure an extension of its current three-game win steak.
“They gave Cincinnati a terrific game,” he said. “Until about five minutes to go it was a seven, eight point game, and then all of a sudden it broke open a little bit. But, (if Marshall) shoot threes… they’re good enough to beat us.”
Junior guard/forward D.D. Scarver will lead the charge for the Thundering Heard, Scarver leads Marshall with 15.8 points per game prior to Saturday’s contest.
Marshall will be without the services of second top point scorer, DeAndre Kane, who will miss his third straight game with an injury to his right hand.
UK graduate guard Julius Mays believes the Cats are ready to deal with any threats the Thundering Heard may pose.
“I know they’re gonna try to get up in us and pressure us like Morehead State did,” he said. “(They will) try to be aggressive with us and get after us, but I think we’re prepared for it.”
Saturday’s game tips off at 4 p.m., with live updates from Rupp Arena being provided by Les Johns and David Schuh via twitter.
Following Marshall, the Cats will have some time off for Christmas before returning to Lexington on Dec. 26 to begin preparation for a trip to Louisville to face the rival Cardinals on Dec. 29.
