** This thread discusses the Content article:
Which Kentucky Wildcat Squad Will Face The Gators On ESPN This Tuesday Night? **
Will it be the team that has lost three straight, including two at home? The Wildcats have not won a game since the ice storm that knocked out power to millions in the Bluegrass state. Did this ice storm cool off high scoring UK guard Jodie Meeks? Meeks was averaging above 30 points/game before the 'Cats losing skid, but in the last 3 he has only averaged about 18 points. Well, if it wasn't the ice storm that frosted Kentucky's offense, it was likely when coaching staffs around the SEC watched Ole Miss' defensive shutdown of Meeks, and began forming similar gameplans.
Can the Gators do the same? Tune tomorrow night (2/10/09) at 9pm ET on ESPN to find out.
These young Gators are now infamous for freezing up (great pun) in large nationally televised games at either UK or UT. Prior to the Gators' beatdown loss at Tennessee a week ago, the Vols were riding a two-game losing streak and that game was also on ESPN at 9pm. The crowd was pumped up and poor shooting and Nick Calathes foul trouble doomed UF to an embarassing outcome. Defensively, Billy Donovan is certainly going to have his eye on Jodie Meeks. If the Gators can contain this highlight-reel-waiting-to-happen (he dropped 54 on the Vols), the real key for Calathes and the Gators will be to withstand the pressures of the crowd and score a boatload of points early. Nick Calathes has to avoid foul trouble and Chandler Parsons must play in control. Erving Walker must hold on to the ball and Walter Hodge must hit free throws. Alex Tyus has to throw elbows at UK F Patrick Patterson and Dan Werner must make smart passes.
A win tomorrow night will go a long way towards guranteeing a spot in the NCAA tournament and a first round bye in the SEC tourney. It will all depend on stopping Jodie Meeks and silencing Rupp Arena.
