By Nick Gray | Basketball beat writer

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UK’s progress, head coach John Calipari says year after year, will take time before the Cats are ready to play in March and beyond.

“I don’t need a team playing in October like it’s January,” Calipari said at this year’s media day on Oct. 15.

The next step in the progression comes at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Rupp Arena when the roster is split into two teams for the annual Blue-White Scrimmage.

Tuesday’s scrimmage will be the first chance for UK fans to see the heralded freshmen class for a more extended period than the 20-minute scrimmage with a running clock at Big Blue Madness two weeks ago.

Though the Cats do go through periods of five-on-five basketball during practices, Tuesday will be the first time the 16-man roster will play in a full-length scrimmage in public.

If practices are as intense as freshman guard Andrew Harrison suggests, Tuesday’s scrimmage will not take any extra physical toll than normal.

“Everyone wants to win every drill, and every sprint. What is crazy about it is you have to actually be mentally prepared for practice because it’s pretty much a war,” Harrison said. “I’m excited for practice every day because I know we are going to get into it and it’s going to be like a real game.”

Harrison credited the competitiveness of his teammates in motivating him during times when game situations don’t have meaning.

“You definitely have to learn, the first few practices are definitely the hardest,” Harrison said. “Sometimes you don’t feel like practicing, but once you get in there and you see the competitiveness you can’t do anything but bring up the level.”

The game will be contested under a live clock and officials. The new rules on fouls will debut at Rupp Arena, as officials have been instructed by the NCAA to call offensive charges and “touch” fouls differently than in the past.

The NCAA has re-established a charge as the defender being in a defensive position before the offensive player begins an “upward motion” instead of when the offensive player’s feet leave the ground.

Officials have also been told “hand-checking,” when the defender uses his hands or arms to impede the movement of the offensive player, is now a foul.

Calipari believes the rules, if enforced, will help scoring rise and increase the quality of games.

“So I think it’s good for the game, but we’ll see,” Calipari said. “What we all say is they’ll call it in November and December.  Are they going to call it in January, February, and March?  They are convinced they are, and I think it’s good for the game.”

Tickets for Tuesday’s scrimmage are still available and can be purchased at the UK Ticket Office, Rupp Arena Box Office and Ticketmaster. Lower level seats are sold out but upper level tickets are still available.