UK notebook: Drake, Derek Willis highlight Final Four win

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By Nick Gray | Basketball beat writer

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Drake

Award-winning musician Drake attended the Final Four on Saturday and entered the UK locker room after the game.

It is not the first time Drake has been associated with the program. Head coach John Calipari gave him an honorary National Championship ring after the 2012 season, and Drake has also shown his appreciation of UK’s NCAA Tournament run on social media.

Freshman forward Marcus Lee was still on an emotional high after the game and was ecstatic to see Drake.

“It was awesome knowing that you have him behind your back,” Lee said.

Lee said Drake’s words to the team were “confidential.”

The ‘Willie Cam’

Sophomore forward Willie Cauley-Stein was out on Saturday for the second consecutive game. Saturday’s game against Wisconsin gave Cauley-Stein more time with what he now calls the “Willie Cam.”

The “Willie Cam” is a GoPro camera that UK gave to Cauley-Stein before the Elite Eight game against Michigan. He said he didn’t know how to use the camera for most of that game, but he adapted to it in time for Saturday and Aaron Harrison’s game-winning shot.

“I had it on my face, and I had the dumbest look on my face,” he said. “Then I showed it to everyone else, and they had the dumbest look on their face.”

Willis makes a mark on the game – via practice

Wisconsin junior forward Frank Kaminsky was lauded as the Badgers’ biggest threat before the game due to his ability to play close to or away from the basket.

Kaminsky was going to be matched up against UK freshman center Dakari Johnson, and to prepare for Kaminsky, Calipari called on freshman forward Derek Willis in practice during the week. Willis wore out Johnson in the first two days of preparation, but Johnson acclimated.

“The coaching staff prepared me well,” Johnson said. “I also took the matchup personally, with people saying I was too slow.”

Kaminsky scored eight points.

Poythress’ dunk amazes his teammates

Sophomore forward Alex Poythress was a key cog in UK’s second-half comeback, producing three big baskets and grabbing two offensive rebounds.

But the play that captured his teammates’ attention was a sky-scraping dunk with under five minutes to play.

“He flew,” Cauley-Stein said. “I feel like he smashed on that kid.”