POSTSEASON PREVIEW THURSDAY 3.9.17
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I Kentucky Kernel I 3.9 .17
UK has experience against this year’s contenders By Anthony Crawford sports@kykernel.com
While this young UK men’s basketball team is starting to hit its stride, the Cats still don’t find themselves on the shortlist for favorites to make the Final Four in Phoenix. UK did, however, get a good amount of experience playing against contender-caliber teams, facing off against North Carolina, UCLA, Louisville and Kansas. UK did not fare well in those contests going 1-3, with two of the losses occurring in Rupp Arena (UCLA and Kansas). The sole win was over UNC, which helps UK because the Tar Heels, along with the
Jayhawks, are projected to be one seeds in the NCAA tournament. The lone road loss was to Louisville, who is a projected two seed. When the games took place it was clear that they would have NCAA Tournament implications and it’s clearer now with all these teams looking like the top contenders heading into March Madness. While UK didn’t have the record they wanted in these games, the Cats still had things they could take away from each contest. The first matchup was the UCLA’s return trip to Lexington. The Bruins had bested UK in Pauley Pavilion last season and denied UK revenge in the game at Rupp Arena this year.
Both these teams looked like the fastest teams in the nation and now that can only be said about UCLA. While opponents have figured out how to slow down UK, UCLA is still able to get out and run and boasts the top scoring offense in the nation. The win over UK was the first game UCLA looked good against respectable competition. From there on the Bruins really hit their stride in PAC 12 play, only dropping three games in conference play. Next up for UK was the game that turned into a thriller in Las Vegas against UNC. The game will be remembered for the 47 points that freshman Malik Monk put up to down
the Tar Heels, but a lot of credit should go to North Carolina for still being in control of the game up until the end when Monk won it for UK. Following the loss to UK, the Tar Heels set themselves apart as one of the top teams in the country in conference play. UNC lost two questionable games to Georgia Tech and Miami, but ended up winning the ACC regular season title outright thanks to a big home win over Duke to end the season. The next contender UK faced off with was rival Louisville on the road. The Cardinals rallied behind a great performance from hometown kid Quentin Snider to get only Louisville’s second win over
No. 1 SEEDS
UK since John Calipari became head coach. Louisville’s struggle all season was getting consistent offensive production, which was the difference in the win over UK. Louisville looked to be on pace to win the ACC but a late loss to Wake Forest took them out of the running. Still, the Cardinals finished fourth in the ACC and have one of the best defenses in the country. The last major contender UK faced was Kansas in a game where UK would once again lose in Rupp Arena. The experience of the Kansas backcourt proved to be too much for the young Cats, and it also helped that Jayhawk freshman Josh Jackson was a guy UK
No. 2 SEEDS
(5-1)
(5-1) (7-0)
(5-1)
had no answer for on the wing. Kansas then went on to win the Big 12 regular season title for the 13th consecutive season. The Jayhawks will likely be the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament and should be with wins over UK and Duke to go along with their 16-2 conference record. Whether the teams won or lost against UK, all of them went on to establish themselves as some of the nations top teams. UK is on the cusp of that conversation still, but they have already faced enough contenders in to know what it looks like once in the tournament.
(4-3)
No. 3 SEEDS
The records of the top 16 seeds named during the March Madness Bracket Preview Show since Feb. 11.
(5-2)
(3-3) (6-0)
No. 4 SEEDS (4-2) (6-0)
(5-2) (4-3)
Basketball Craze 5.25x10.5.pdf
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2/13/2017
ILLUSTRATION BY JILLIAN JONES I STAFF
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3.9.17
I Kentucky Kernel I 3
Monk is UK’s ace in the hole for postseason By Anthony Crawford sports@kykernel.com
With the regular season behind No. 8 UK men’s basketball and the team’s thoughts turning to the postseason, most of the usual questions and concerns will start to rise up soon. UK teams in the past have always shared worries over what will happen in the Big Dance if they face a team that packs in the paint and forces UK to shoot from deep to win a game, or just what happens if the Cats’ jumpers betray them altogether. Those are both legitimate concerns for UK and many other teams, but the Cats are different this season in that they have a trump card — a trick up their sleeve that every team in the country will have trouble matching. That ace in the hole for UK is scoring sensation Malik Monk. The numbers speak for themselves when looking at the freshman from Lepanto, Arkansas. Monk’s 21.2 points per game tops the SEC and is good enough for second among the nation’s freshmen. It also is impressive when considering the fact that it’s the highest scoring average for any John Calipari-coached player.
“He has become an efficient scorer, which is what I hoped he’d become,” Calipari said during the SEC Teleconference Monday. “Yet he can score in bunches, and when he gets in a zone you just gotta let him go and put him in spaces where he can get shots off.” Monk has an ability to get hot in a hurry and fans have been able to see it in all its glory many times this season. The instance that stands out is the 47-point outing Monk had in Las Vegas against North Carolina. The shots that Monk took and somehow made were unbelievable in the contest between the blue-bloods. Whether he was fading away, stepping back or hitting shots with hands in his face, UK needed everything it got from Monk, including two big threes in the final two minutes to tie the game and then give UK the lead for good in the 103-100 win over the Tar Heels. In hindsight, the scoring out-burst from Monk hides the fact that UK, in its own right, allowed a 34-point performance from UNC’s Justin Jackson and needed an otherworldly performance from Monk to pull out the win. This was just the first exam-
ple of Monk shooting his way to a UK victory. Another example was the Cats’ overtime win over the Georgia Bulldogs on January 31, in which Monk exploded for 37 points and hit the shot to tie the game at the end of regulation. This game showed that Monk didn’t even need a full game to take over, as he scored 31 of his points in the second half and overtime period. And Monk once again showed he can deliver in the clutch, hitting a heavily contested jumper off an inbounds pass with eight seconds remaining in regulation. “It was great defense. The best they could play,” Monk said after the game. “We ran through that play a lot at practice and worked on it everyday so I was able to knock down the shot.” These two examples are only a couple of the games that Monk has displayed his high volume scoring. Another one was against then-No. 13 Florida, in which Monk scored 30 in the second half to help beat the Gators. In cases like Georgia and UNC, Monk’s scoring was able to erase great performances from opposing teams. Against Florida, Monk’s 30 points helped eliminate the
MALIK MONK #5
Freshman Guard 6’3” | 200 lbs
REGULAR SEASON AVG.
21.2 POINTS PER GAME
AVG. vs TOP 25 OPPONENTS
24.874 POINTS PER GAME
AGAINST NORTH CAROLINA
47 POINTS
(UK FRESHMAN SINGLE GAME SCORING RECORD)
37 POINTS
AGAINST GEORGIA
(INCLUDING GAME-TYING SHOT TO FORCE OVERTIME) AGAINST FLORIDA (30 POINTS IN SECOND HALF ALONE)
33 POINTS
21.2
Monk’s scoring average, good enough for first in the SEC and second among NCAA freshman. It’s also the highest scoring average ever for a John Calipari-coached player. ILLUSTRATION BY KERNEL STAFF
absence of UK starting point other issues, thus proving that guard De’Aaron Fox. And when he’s hot, Monk is a free Monk has had smaller in-game pass for UK. bursts that helped UK with So this postseason, UK has
its own get out of jail free card, leaving the worrying for all its potential opponents on how they can possibly stop Monk.
Briscoe makes everything stick for UK Glue guys under Calipari
By Chris Angolia sports@kykernel.com
Teams that succeed in March usually have multiple things in common: a steady point guard, a cold-blooded scorer, a post presence and a glue guy. At this point in the season, three of those four things are abundantly clear for UK thanks to De’Aaron Fox running the point, Malik Monk’s ability to go off at any time, and Bam Darrius Miller 2012: Adebayo’s emergence down His energy off the low. However, the search for bench and senior leadthe glue guy has been in quesership were a big part tion until recently, as sophoin the Cats’ championmore guard Isaiah Briscoe has ship season established himself as that guy since mid-February. However, Briscoe has not exactly been ‘Mr. Untouchable’ when it comes to scrutiMichael Kidd-Gilchrist ny, as he has been the punching bag for many fans who have 2012: Despite being the expressed their displeasure teams second best playwith UK this season. One thing er, MKG was the dothat has stood out most about it-all guy for the 2012 the criticism of Briscoe, is that championship team the root of all of that criticism is statistics. But as a glue guy, Briscoe’s stats do not need to stand out, and they don’t. The New Jersey native will enter the SEC tournament avWillie Cauley-Stein eraging 12.9 points per game, 2015: On a team full of 5.6 rebounds per game, and 4.4 stars, WCS was a plugassists per game. and-play guy for the Clearly those are not the gaudiest statistics, but when 38-1 team playing alongside Monk, Fox and Adebayo as Briscoe is, there isn’t a need to have crazy numbers. What is more importILLUSTRATION BY KERNEL STAFF ant at this stage of the season for UK, is to have Briscoe do
DeAndre Liggins 2011: Liggins’ energy and defense were an integral part of UK’s run to the Final Four
what he has done all season, but interestingly enough, opposing coaches realize how important Briscoe is regardless of stats. “(Briscoe) is the heart and soul of that team,” Mississippi St. head coach Ben Howland said earlier this season. “If you asked me who am I most worried about, I’m worried about him. They need a tough basket, he’s the guy that delivers. He’s just a winner. He makes everybody else better around him.” Tough baskets have been a staple for Briscoe this season. Every time a team seems to make a run against UK and especially get the crowd involved, more often than not, Briscoe deliveres. Briscoe will not be the first option to take the game-tying or game-winning shot in the SEC or NCAA tournament – that is reserved for Monk – but what he will be, is that guy who can go get a big bucket when the Cats need him to. Now some may wonder what exactly a ‘glue guy’ is, and the first thing that comes to mind when describing a team’s glue guy is invaluable. Briscoe does everything that does not show up on your regular box score, like a glue guy does; he defends, he knows how to win, he has grown into a role, and he does things that are, yes you guessed it, invaluable. The glue guy label that Briscoe has worn this season has not gone unnoticed. Just this week, Briscoe was named to Sports Illustrated’s All-Glue team that recognizes the guys
PHOTO BY TAYLOR PENCE I STAFF Briscoe will not be the first option to take the game-tying or game-winning shot in the SEC or NCAA tournament, but what he will be, is that guy who can go get a big bucket when the Cats need him to.
who put it all together for their team. In past seasons, most notably 2012, Darius Miller was named to the All-Glue team and was instrumental in UK’s run to the title. With postseason basketball finally here, teams are beginning to separate themselves and
those teams have all of those four attributes previously mentioned. Winning six straight games over a three-week span in March is no easy task and few teams have what it takes to accomplish that, but UK has evolved into one of those teams due largely in part to Briscoe.
Adebayo picks it up for tournament By Phillip Hawkins sports@kykernel.com
Bam Adebayo is one of the three standout freshman for the No. 9 UK men’s basketball this season. Standing at 6’10” and weighing 260 pounds, Adebayo is a force to be reckoned with on the court. At this point everyone in the country knows about Malik Monk and his ability to score and get his shot off any time he wants. People are also taking more notice to Monk’s backcourt partner De’Aaron Fox and his quickness getting up and down the floor, but Adebayo’s has been someone that teams have to prep for because of his ability to dominate inside the paint. So far this season, Adebayo’s numbers don’t stand out as much as some of his teammates but his presence on the floor is something that has been valuable to the Cats. Adebayo has been one of the Cats’ only consistent bigs when it comes to effecting the game down low.
When Adebayo arrived at UK he was labeled as simply a beast, and he struggled to show signs of that type of play early. But he has closed the season strong and strung together some of his best performances. In recent games his averages have been on the rise, bringing them to 13.3 points per game and 7.6 rebounds per game. Over the last five games closing out the season Adebayo’s numbers have been high not only scoring a lot of points but also grabbing a lot of rebounds. He played arguably his best two games on the season in back to back games scoring a season high 22 points while grabbing 15 rebounds against Missouri, and another huge game against No. 13 Florida scoring 18 points and grabbing another 15 rebounds. These outings helped earn him the SEC Freshman of the Week honors for two straight weeks. His ability to score now extends out of the paint as he has started to compliment his thunderous dunks with some
smooth jumpers in the midrange game. He’s also given UK another dimension on offense with his ability to pull down offensive rebounds and give UK extra possessions. Possessions that make up for the lack of some transition opportunities that UK got earlier in the season. In recent weeks John Calipari has run even more offense through Adebayo in sets where he screens for the team’s leading scorer, Malik Monk. This puts opposing defenses in a tough position as both players are deserving of the extra attention and it’s hard to choose to double just one. This is nothing that Adebayo isn’t used to, as he commended double teams since the beginning of the season. But he is finally getting some breathing room and is starting to make the most of his touches inside. Teams are starting to have no answer but to foul Adebayo once he gets inside. “He is getting fouled like crazy when he catches the ball.
PHOTO BY MICHAEL REAVES I STAFF Bam Adebayo has given UK another dimension on offense with his ability to pull down offensive rebounds and give UK extra possessions.
Like fouled. The last game was worse than this game, this past game,” said Coach Cal in a press conference before the game against Auburn in January. “But, you know - and he
is keeping his cool. He never changes anything. By the end of the year, he will be that guy. That is my prediction.” In these past few weeks, Adebayo is playing his best
ball of the season right when it counts looking forward to March. He’s starting to piece together his game, and that just gives UK one more option heading into the postseason.
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I Kentucky Kernel I 3.9.17
9 Tennessee 1 pm ET SEC Network 1 pm ET SEC Network
8 Georgia
1 Kentucky
12 Mississippi State - 79 7:00 pm ET SEC Network
ESPN
12 Mississippi State
1 pm ET
3:30 pm ET SEC Network
13 LSU - 52
5 Alabama
3:30 pm ET SEC Network
4 So. Carolina
ESPN 1 pm ET
10 Texas A&M 7 pm ET SEC Network 7 pm ET SEC Network
7 Vanderbilt
2 Florida 11 Auburn - 83 9:30 pm ET SEC Network
ESPN
14 Missouri
14 Missouri - 86
9:30 pm ET SEC Network 9:30 pm ET SEC Network
6 Ole Miss
3 Arkansas First Round Wednesday, March 8
2017 SEC
3:30 pm ET
Second Round Thursday, March 9
Quarterfinals Friday, March 10
Semifinals Saturday, March 11
Men’s Basketball Tournement
Championship Sunday, March 12
NCAA outlooks for SEC teams ILLUSTRATION BY KERNEL STAFF
By Sadie Hobbs
sports@kykernel.com
The 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is just under a week away, and a handful of SEC teams are looking to make the cut. The SEC isn’t packed with bubble teams this season, rather the teams are pretty cut and dry. But for the few bubble teams there are, it will take a SEC tournament win or a few to make an appearance in the Big Dance. Here is a look at where SEC teams stand entering the conference tournament: Florida is a lock for the NCAA tournament. They rank fifth in RPI and are ranked sixth in Kenpom. The Gators were 14-4 in conference play, which puts them in the No. 2 spot for the SEC tournament. With their 22-point blowout against the Cats deep into the season, the Gators have estab-
lished themselves as a contender. Arkansas and South Carolina don’t need to sweat Selection Sunday as both look to be getting a spot in the NCAA tourney. Both teams are ranked inside the top 35 in RPI and both went 12-6 in the conference. What Arkansas has that other teams in the SEC lack is the ability to perform in the second half. If a team can slow the Razorbacks down, then there is a chance for Arkansas to be upset this weekend and change their seeding. For the Gamecocks it’s a matter of recovering from the four losses in their last six games played. Whether or not they can shake the funk they are in will determine their seeding. Georgia really needed to take at least one from the Cats because that’s who they’ll need to beat in the quarterfi-
nals if they can get past Tennessee. Ranked 49th RPI the Bulldogs tough loses may be permanent damage. For Vanderbilt, with a 1714 record overall, a 10-8 record in conference and 44th in RPI, at least one win will be crucial in Nashville. The Commodores will have to take down Texas A&M and then possibly a Florida team which Vandy swept in the regular season. For Ole Miss if they can win the SEC they are in. For the Cats there’s no doubt a spot in the NCAA tourney; however, how their seeding, and how long their journey will last is yet to be determined. The Cats finished the regular season 26-5 and are ranked sixth in RPI. UK is currently listed as the No. 2 seed in the South region by ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. As a team, their 3-point shooting percentage can’t afford to decrease any-
more and their defense needs to continue to show growth. The Cats have a good of a chance as any team making noise in the NCAA tourney, but it all starts with their first SEC tournament game on March 10. Tennessee, Auburn, Texas A&M, Missippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss and LSU had a good run, but don’t expect to see these teams do much in the SEC tourney. Texas A&M may get lucky and pull out another win from Vandy but things should be more in Vandy’s favor. As for Tennessee, an 8-10 in conference record doesn’t seem to completely determine their fate but losing six of their last nine games sure says a lot. The SEC tournament opened Wednesday with games between No.13 LSU and No.12 Mississippi State followed by No.14 Missouri against No.11 Auburn.
PHOTO BY MICHAEL REAVES I STAFF The Cats won the SEC Tournament last year in 2016.
2017 NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL BRACKET MIDWEST
EAST
1 Kansas 16 N. Dakota/16 New Orleans Tulsa, OK
1 Villanova 16 Mt. St. Mary’s/16 North Carolina Central 8 Miami 9 Michigan
8 Wichita St. 9 VCU 5 Virginia 12 Nevada
Milwaukee, WI
5 Notre Dame 12 UNC Wilmington
4 Purdue 13 Akron
6 Wisconsin 11 Middle Tennessee
3 UCLA 14 CSU Bakersfield
7 Maryland 10 Seton Hall
2 Louisville 15 Northern Kentucky
Greenville, SC
SOUTH 1 Gonzaga 16 S. Dakota St.
1 North Carolina 16 Texas Southern
8 Virginia Tech 9 North Western
8 Dayton 9 Arkansas
5 SMU 12 USC/12 Xavier
5 Cincinnati 12 UT Arlington
4 Duke 13 Princeton 6 Iowa St. 11 Wake Forrest/Illinois St. Milwaukee, WI
Sacramento, CA
Tulsa, OK
2 Baylor 15 jacksonville St.
WEST Salt Lake City, UT
Orlando, FL
3 Florida State 14 Wintrhop
7 Oklahoma St. 10 Providence Indianapolis, IN
Orlando, FL
4 Florida 13 Tennessee St.
6 St. Mary’s 11 Vanderbilt Sacramento, CA
Bufalo, NY
3 Butler 14 Florida Gulf Coast 7 South Carolina 10 Marquette 2 Oregon 15 UC Irvine
4 West Virginia 13 Vermont
This is a mock bracket, based on predictions from Joe Lunardi of ESPN. Seedings, team matchups and game locations could change based on the outcomes of games leading up to the NCAA Tournament. ILLUSTRATION BY ADRIAN RUDD
Greenville, SC
Bufalo, NY
6 Minnesota 11 Syracuse 3 Arizona 14 Bucknell 7 Creighton 10 Michigan St. 2 Kentucky 15 Iona
Salt Lake City, UT
Indianapolis, IN
kernelnews
SGA unveils community closet Wildcat Wardrobe By Morgan Smith
news@kykernel.com
Wildcat Wardrobe opened Wednesday in room 250 Blazer Dining. The Wildcat Wardrobe is a service created by the Student Government Association that provides free, professional clothes to UK students. At its grand opening, the Wardrobe was full of current, professional clothes all organized by item. Among the clothing items were button-down shirts, sophisticated skirts and polished shoes. Students could try on items in the dressing room and take home items they liked, free of charge. “I hope that Wildcat Wardrobe will eliminate any anxiety felt by students about what clothing they will wear after receiving a job interview or internship,” SGA President
PHOTO BY JOSHUA QUALLS I STAFF The Student Government Association operates the Wildcat Wardrobe, located in Blazer Hall room 249, based on donations and gives professional clothing to students for free.
Rowan Reid said. “Their accomplishments should be moments of excitement for them and should not be overshadowed by the worry of how they will afford professional clothing.” Reid was inspired by similar services implemented suc-
cessfully in other SEC schools. “We felt that our students deserved these same resources, at no cost to them,” Reid said. The program is available for all UK students to use, regardless of background and financial status. “Any student can come
and get one full outfit, including shoes, or three articles of clothing, so if you already have pants you can come out and just get three shirts,” SGA Director of Communications Blair Johnson said. Johnson worked closely with Reid to bring Wildcat Wardrobe to life and said she hopes students will both utilize and contribute to the service. Students can also donate clothes to the program. The grand opening also included a resume workshop, where a representative from the Stuckert Career Center was available to review student resumes and offer advice on how to prepare for job interviews. The Wildcat Wardrobe will be open every Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and students can email uksgacommunications@gmail.com to set up a time to make a donation.
UK announces regional medical school partnership with NKU
ber of students its facilities and infrastructure can support. Currently, the UK College UK announced plans last of Medicine enrolls 547 stuweek to develop a region- dents, with 139 in the most real medical school campus in Northern Kentucky, in partnership with Northern Kentucky University and St. Elizabeth Healthcare. “Working with outstanding regional partners – universities and hospitals – we can educate and train more potential doctors and help address the physician shortage in the commonwealth,” UK College of Medicine Dean Dr. Robert DiPaola said. cently admitted class, the class The Lexington campus of 2020. reached capacity in the numThe curriculum and educaBy Ellen Smith
news@kykernel.com
tion will be the same as what is provided at the Lexington campus. UK HealthCare saw NKU and St. Elizabeth as outstand-
“It is a win-win-win for the
university, the region and our partners.”
Dr. Robert DiPaola UK College of Medicine Dean ing and qualified institutions in higher education and as regional providers of healthcare.
“We will be able to educate more outstanding students. This will be a new opportunity to offer to NKU students and others in the region to continue their education at the highest levels closer to home,” DiPaola said. “The region, potentially, will have more outstanding clinicians, serving the state and, in particular, Northern Kentucky. It is a winwin-win for the university, the region and our partners.” Four-year regional campuses in Bowling Green and Morehead were also proposed in 2016 by UK. UK plans to open the regional campus with NKU and St. Elizabeth as early as 2019.
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I Kentucky Kernel I 3.9.17
Parking renews donation option for citations
PHOTO BY CAILYN MCLAUGHLIN I FILE PHOTO
By Matt Donaldson news@kykernel.com
UK Parking is continuing its “Donations for Citations” program that allows parking citations to be paid by nonperishable canned food donations. The program began Feb. 27 and runs through March 10. As of March 6, 64 participants had taken advantage of this program, which is open to all UK parking customers, including UK students and faculty. Donated food items cannot be expired, damaged, opened or in a glass container and cannot require refrigeration. UK Parking worked with Big Blue Pantry to make a list of the most needed items. Each participant is limited to one regular fine waiver of $25 that can be paid by donating ten nonperishable food items or five personal care items. Eligible citations exclude parking in a fire lane, parking in an ADA space without a permit, immobilization or impoundment, and improper application or use of a permit. UK Parking officials said the inspiration for the program came from learning about similar charitable programs at a conference about five years ago. The formation
of Big Blue Pantry gave UK Parking the opportunity to implement the program. The program began last year, with 337 participants and nearly 3,000 pounds of donations. UK Parking decided the program was popular enough to continue for a second year. “Going into our first year of the program we weren’t really sure what to expect or what the reaction would be on campus, but it made a huge difference at a time when food donations are historically low,” said UK Parking Communications Officer Chrissie Tune. “This program increased the traffic that Big Blue Pantry normally receives because people that may not have even known that it existed are hearing about it, so it’s really getting Big Blue Pantry’s name out there and helping more people,” Tune said. UK students seem to be excited to help the community while paying off fines. “I have a couple fines that I’ve pretty much ignored for a while and I never really had any reason to pay them off, but when one of my friends told me about the donations program I thought it’d be easier and I was happy that it actually helps someone,” UK freshman Megan Finch said.
FEATURES
Ben Sollee, Justin Wells Spotlight shines on diner added to Moonshiner’s Ball By Becky Feigin
features@kykernel.com
Lexington Diner recently celebrated its three-year anniversary as a downtown breakfast staple. Owners Karin West and Ranada Riley opened Lexington Diner in February 2014. They started out with the plan to open up a food truck, but spaces downtown became available and they assessed that opening a diner was the best opportunity for them. “We were really excited to be a part of the downtown community. We felt this was a great corner and the opportunity was too much to pass up,” West said. Being a diner in the downtown community helps West and Riley have a diverse clientele. West said she sees the diner as a gathering place and she feels that is what makes Lexington Diner unique. “You can see, meet, and
By Matt Wickstrom news@kykernel.com
Hosted by the Blind Corn Liquor Pickers, the 2017 Moonshiner’s Ball has rounded out its lineup for its fourth iteration with Ben Sollee, Justin Wells, Quiet Hollers, May Erlewine, Driftwood Gypsy, HuDost, Matt Fassas Trip, Solid Rock’It Boosters, The Baja Yetis, Restless Leg String Band, DeBraun Thomas Trio, Trucker Hat Coalition, Darby & The Peep Show and Kevin Dalton & the Tuesday Blooms. The aforementioned bands are joined by poets Eric Scott Sutherland and Bianca Springs and yogis Delia Rose Gibbs, Sam Young and Jamie Brown. The initial Moonshiner’s Ball lineup was revealed in January and included headliners Con Brio, Lydia Loveless and The Marcus King Band. Ben Sollee is a native Kentuckian known around the world for his expertise as a cellist, breaking the traditional classical style of the instrument for one with hints of pop, rock and folk. Touring with drummer Jordon Ellis, the duo will bring roots and rhythm to their headlining set on Sunday night, capping off the first full Sunday of music in the Ball’s brief history. Justin Wells, another Kentuckian and former front man of the expired Fifth on the Floor, combines a gritty country voice with raw emotion on his debut solo record “Dawn in the Distance,” which released last August. Wells is one of many Lexington bands added to the Moonshiner’s Ball roster, which includes Driftwood Gypsy, Baja Yetis, Restless Leg String Band, Debraun Thomas Trio and Trucker Hat Coalition, all of which have
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MOONSHINER’S BALL
been on the lineup for Balls prior. Johnny Conqueroo, The Wooks, Vandaveer and Tyler Childers round out the compilation of band’s on the lineup with Lexington ties. Other new Kentucky acts to the bill include Louisville’s Quiet Hollers, Paducah’s Solid Rock’It Boosters, Faubush’s Kevin Dalton & The Tuesday Blooms and Hudost, who has ties to Morgantown and Montreal. Per festival organizer Travis Young, headliner’s for Friday night of the Moonshiner’s Ball include Margaret Glaspy, The Marcus King Band and
Golden Dawn Arkestra. On Saturday Aaron Lee Tasjan, Lydia Loveless, Jon Stickley Trio and Con Brio hold the night’s primetime slots. Full daily lineups will be announced later this month according to Young. Tickets for the Moonshiner’s Ball are at their tier one price of $100. Tickets will increase to $110 when tier one sells out. The Moonshiner’s Ball is May 19-21 in the Red Lick Valley of Irvine, and is the first year at the venue after spending the last three at Homegrown Hideaways in Berea. For more information visit themoonshinersball.com.
talk to anyone in a diner,” West said. West explained that she loves having regulars like the “Dr. Pepper Girl” who they know as the girl who wants a Dr. Pepper every single time she comes in. West loves having relationships like that with all her regulars. Former Governor of Kentucky Steve Beshear recently gave the Democrats’ response to Trump’s Address at the Lexington Diner. Originally, West was the only one who knew that Beshear was going to be giving the Democrats’ response at the diner and she wasn’t allowed to tell anyone about it. The location had to be kept quiet, so she told her staff they were filming a commercial. “It was amazing to be a part of history. I don’t think I realized until that evening that the broadcast was a worldwide broadcast from our little diner,” West said. The owners said the Lex-
ington Diner tries to use as many locally sourced products as possible. Their main proteins–beef, eggs, and chicken– are locally sourced. They then supplement what they can’t get from local farms at the farmers markets in Lexington. The diner does not have the most typical diner menu, but they have some diner classics. “We have a lot of diner classics on there, but we have more artisan items that are also on the menu. It’s split down the middle,” West said. The diner’s menu changes in the Spring and Fall. On the weekends, the diner only serves brunch and offers an abbreviated menu compared to the weekdays. According to West, Lexington Diner’s signature breakfast dish is the Lexington Breakfast and the signature lunch dish is the Kentucky Bourbon Burger. On the weekdays, Lexington Diner is open for both breakfast and lunch.
Local Spring Break adventures abound By Amanda Bryant features@kykernel.com
If your spring break plans don’t include laying out on the beach then don’t fret. There’s no shortage of adventures and expeditions within the Bluegrass to keep one busy during a week where heads aren’t buried in textbooks. From nature excursions such as Red River Gorge and Raven Run to live music to Kentucky Kingdom, there’s a plethora of activities inside Kentucky’s borders to strike anyone’s fancy. Lexington is home to the Arboretum State Botanical
Garden of Kentucky, which features various plants from across the state and places for relaxation, walks or brisk runs in the morning air. If art is more favorable, the UK Art Museum boasts works from Rembrandt to Lichtenstein. Best of all, they can both be enjoyed with no pain to your wallet. Venturing further from campus, Waveland State Historic Site, which was built by descendants of Daniel Boone, takes you back in time with realistic slave quarters, kitchen dependencies and period possessions. They can be viewed at the rate of $4.00 for students,
according to kentuckytourism. com. According to the Kentucky State Parks website, spring break has many deals for camping and hiking enthusiasts. Cumberland Falls State Resort Park is offering $20 off accommodations March 17 through April 15, catering to several hiking trails, fishing, and camping. A major attraction at Cumberland is the famous moonbow over the “Niagara of the South.” Lake Barkley State Resort Park accommodates couples with their two-night cabin deal,
See BREAK on page 6
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I Kentucky Kernel I 3.9.17
FEATURES
OPINIONS
‘One and done’ rule needs revision
BREAK
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 breakfast included, for $159.90 through March 31, according to their website. Enjoy horseback riding, tennis, golf or eagle watching. Windows on the water also give guests a panoramic view of the lake while enjoying a meal. Red River Gorge in Stanton, Kentucky is a popular attraction for hiking, rock climbing, and zip lining. Kentucky Kingdom and Hurricane Bay in Louisville excite the thrill seeker in most with the Fear Fall and Skycatcher rides. The cost for one-day admission to the park being $49.99 with tax, a season pass is only $59.99 with tax according to kentuckykingdom. com.
HAYDEN HOOPER Kernel Columnist
Basketball is constantly evolving. From the creation of the 3-point line, to allowing professional players on the U.S Olympic team, college basketball is not the same game our parents enjoyed as youth. There is a certain sense of joy that comes from watching a player develop over four years of college basketball, but today we are seeing players enter the National Basketball Association (NBA) after only completing one year of college ball, and this trend should be stopped. As we watch more and more players leave college to make the leap to the NBA, the question on many basketball analyst’s minds continues to be, “Is the one and done rule really beneficial for college and NBA basketball?” The official NBA rule states that for someone to be NBA eligible the player must be, “at least 19 years of age during the cal-
endar year in which the Draft is held,” or the player must be, “attending or previously attended a four-year college or university in the United States.” While this rule hinders a player from entering the NBA after high school, it also permits just one year of college. “One and done” is a slogan used when describing student athletes who attend college for one year and go pro the next. UK basketball Coach John Calipari has been credited with using the rule to his advantage to recruit top national talent on a yearly basis. Since 2010, UK has drafted more players into the NBA than any other program. Renowned players such as John Wall, Anthony Davis and Karl Anthony-Towns were first picks — all went to the NBA as freshmen. The NBA draft age should be between 20 and 21 years old. This will provide more time to develop at the university level, and will equip recruits with skills necessary to successfully compete with players such as Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Also, ad-
ditional years in college will build these player’s fan bases, making them more marketable. College basketball is taking a brutal hit with this rule because like the NBA, the quality of play is torturous to watch. At the beginning of the season, teams like UK or Duke have to work more than veteran teams such as Gonzaga because each year is a doover. Imagine if the “one and done” philosophy wasn’t true and players stayed in college for two, even three years; the quality of the game would improve drastically. A team with Demarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe, John Wall and Anthony Davis would have a huge impact on our successful program, possibly a 40-0 season. Although these players will risk injury by remaining in college, they will face the same dangers in the NBA. The opportunity to develop their strength and bodies at the college level reduces their chances for injuries as professionals. Let’s try three-and-done! Email opinions@ kykernel.com.
PHOTO BY MICHAEL REAVES I STAFF Karl-Anthony Towns was one of John Calipari’s freshman that left after one year. He played during the 2014-2015 season.
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1‑6 BR homes. Excellent service, variety of nice homes/apartments, locations all around campus, starting at $349‑$749/ person. www.KampusProperties.com. Call/ Text (859)333‑1388. Great properties for rent, walk to campus. W/D included. (859) 619‑3232. www.myuk4rent.com. Walk to Campus. Houses 1‑ 5 Bedroom. Wayne Michael is now pre‑leasing 1‑6BR houses for the Fall 2017 semester. www.waynemichaelproperties.com. 859‑455‑9300
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4 Bedroom 4/5 BR, 2.5+/BA, Townhome, Close to cam pus, Bus Route, $425 per student, Washer/ Dryer provided, Large BR, site security, security systems and garage units available. August availability. (859) 543‑8931.
4bd./2bth. modern apt. Walk to Campus from Euclid. Off‑street parking. All electric, and appliances. Washer/Dryer. A bargain at $1350/mth. Newer 2‑5BR homes. Only a few left. Near UK. Pet friendly. From $349/person. www.lexingtonhomeconsultants.com Contact James McKee at (859) 221‑7082 or jwmckeebroker@msn.com.
6 Bedroom 6‑7 BR house off Rose Street, 3 full bath, approx. 3400 sqt., $2100 plus utilities. Available in August. Call Fred 859‑948‑5000.
LOVE DOGS! Uptown Hounds has part time positions available. If you Love Dogs, apply at 466 Angliana Ave or online www.uptownhounds.com/jobs. Must be available weekends, holidays and summer.
PT Operator needed IMMEDIATELY for Glenn Auto Mall. Hours are 4:00 ‑ 7:00 pm 2 or 3 nights a week and Saturdays 1:00 Pm ‑ 7:00 pm and one Sunday a month 12:00pm‑5:00 pm. Please apply in person Monday ‑ Friday at Glenn Buick, 3380 Richmond Rd., Lexington and ask for Mischelle or send resume to mlowe@wgautogroup.com. PT Positions @ CENTRO! Now Hiring all positions for the Spring & Summer season. Apply in person TUE ‑ SAT after 4:00. Cen‑ tro, 113 Cheapside Park @centrodrinks
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3.9.17
I Kentucky Kernel I 7
Cats await winner of Tennessee-Georgia
By Chris Angolia
sports@kykernel.com
As the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament, you would expect UK basketball to have the easiest quarterfinal matchup in Nashville on Friday, but if past games are any indication, the game will be far from easy. Georgia and Tennessee are set to go toe-to-toe on Thursday night for the right to matchup with the Cats in the first quarterfinal game on Friday afternoon. Both team’s gave UK all sorts of problems during the regular season in
different ways, and Friday’s matchup should be extremely entertaining. The lower seeded of the two teams is Tennessee who enters the SEC Tournament as the No. 9 seed after finishing conference play 8-10. And up until recently, the Vols found themselves square on the NCAA Tournament bubble, but now need to make a run at the SEC title in order to extended their season. The one thing that had the Volunteers in the discussion for an NCAA Tournament bid, was their win over UK. When UK went in to Knoxville in late January and were sent home with an 82-80 loss,
it began the teams worst stretch this year. After the loss to the Vols, the Cats lost two of three before head coach John Calipari ‘rebooted’ the team, and during that ‘reboot’ UK took down the Vols at Rupp Arena 83-58. Regardless of the fact that UK blew out Tennessee when the two teams last met, if the two matchups were any indication, it could be interesting. It could be the Vols team that beat UK that shows up, or it could be the one that was blown out at Rupp, but clearly UK’s performance could factor into that. And currently sitting on the outside looking in, Ten-
nessee would not only need to get into the matchup with UK by beating Georgia, but most likely would have to win the SEC tournament to get in the NCAA tournament, barring complete chaos. As for Georgia, the Bulldogs sit just outside of the bubble heading into the SEC tournament, but could receive a bit of a boost on Thursday. Sidelined since Georgia’s last matchup at home against UK, big man Yante Maten, who is tied for the team lead in scoring, was cleared to return to basketball earlier in the week. It is still to be determined as to whether or not Maten will
play against Tennessee, but regardless if he plays or not, a win against the Vols would set up the third meeting between UK and UGA. And the first two matchups between the two teams were extremely entertaining. The first meeting saw Malik Monk take over in the second half and overtime to will UK to victory at Rupp Arena, and the second had Georgia’s J.J. Frazier drop 36 in a raucous environment in Athens. Even though Georgia could not beat the Cats in either game, no team played UK as competitively in two games as the Bulldogs did. Whether it be Tennessee
or Georgia who UK ends up playing Friday, their half of the bracket is much more difficult than Florida’s half. On the Cats’ side of the bracket, the four seed is South Carolina who despite recent struggles, is still a dangerous team. As for the Gators side of the bracket, if UK had been on that side, they would have had comfortable victories over every team on that side except their lone loss to Florida. It may not matter who UK matches up against because if they continue to improve, that combined with talent will push the Cats over the edge and into the semifinals.
SEC MOST WANTED
The three guys on UK’s projected path that could damage the Cats’ bid for a third-straight SEC Tournament title:
KEVAUGHN #0 SINDARIUS ALLEN THORNWELL #5
Sophomore Guard 6’2” | 183 lbs
Senior Guard 6’5” | 211 lbs
Thornwell had a 34-point performance in South Carolina’s only game against UK this season.
J.J. FRAZIER #30
Senior Guard 5’10” | 155 lbs
In the two meetings against UK, Frazier added 29.5 points per game for the Georgia Bulldogs.
SEASON AVERAGES
PPG: 18.7 RPG: 3.5 APG: 4.2
Allen scored 24 points, including five three-pointers in Florida’s loss to Kentucky in February.
SEASON AVERAGES
PPG: 13.9 RPG: 2.6 APG: 1.5
SEASON AVERAGES
PPG: 21.2 RPG: 7.3 APG: 2.9
PHOTO BY ADAM PENNAVARIA I FILE
PHOTO BY TAYLOR PENCE I STAFF
PHOTO BY ADAM PENNAVARIA I FILE ILLUSTRATION BY KERNEL STAFF
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I Kentucky Kernel I 3.9.17
UK women confident heading into NCAA tournament despite injuries
By Chris Leach sports@kykernel.com
After getting beat by South Carolina in the SEC tournament semifinals, the No. 19 UK women’s basketball team walked off the court disappointed. The Cats fell short of one of their postseason goals, winning the SEC tournament. In the loss, the Cats trailed by 14 at one point, but came back in the second half to make the game difficult for the No. 5 Gamecocks. Despite the loss, the comeback showed people that UK can hang with the top teams in the country. “It just shows how much fight we have, it just gives us a lot of confidence going into the NCAA tournament,” Maci Morris said following the loss.
“We’re just going to learn from this game, go into practice and just work hard and get ready for the tournament.” The Cats have two weeks following the SEC tournament to get ready for the NCAA tournament. UK is certainly grateful for the long gap in between games, as guards Taylor Murray and Jaida Roper picked up injuries during the SEC tournament. Murray, the team’s third leading scorer, strained her neck while running into a hard screen during the quarterfinals. Following the semifinal loss, Matthew Mitchell said Murray is in the concussion protocol, but is optimistic that Murray will return before the NCAA tournament. Roper suffered a head injury in the semifinal matchup after getting elbowed in the head. The only information
Mitchell had postgame was Roper is going through tests for a concussion. Whether or not the Cats get Murray or Roper back for the NCAA tournament, UK
The Cats’ great season is expected to be good enough to earn UK a top four seed in the NCAA tournament. If the Cats are a top four seed in any region of the bracket, UK will
the Kentucky fans that will pack Memorial if that does happen,” Makayla Epps said. “The opportunity to play in Memorial again is something we’re looking forward to, if the opportunity comes our way.” What region the Cats will be placed in, and who they will play remains a mystery, and will likely be a mystery until Selection Monday comes on March 13. In the latest bracketology report from ESPN’s Charlie Crème, the Cats are the fourth seed in the Lexington region, meaning the Cats would play in Lexington until the final Makayla Epps four if they kept winning. Senior guard Sometimes bracketology is not completely accurate, as will be confident heading into play their first two rounds in the projected brackets are just the tournament as the team is Memorial Coliseum. speculations of what Crème playing the best basketball it “It’s a big home-court ad- thinks will happen, not what has played all season. vantage, especially with all actually will happen. No mat-
“Regardless of where they put us in the tournament or who we got to face, I’m confident in my team and our abilities.”
ter, Epps knows that the Cats are capable of matching up against any team in the bracket. “Regardless of where they put us in the tournament or who we got to face, I’m confident in my team and our abilities,” Epps said. Epps, and fellow senior Evelyn Akhator, have led the Cats all season, and have played their best on the bigger stages. This will be Epps and Akhator’s final time playing in the NCAA tournament in a UK jersey, and Mitchell wants to send his seniors off on a good note. “They’ve both given of themselves this season,” Mitchell said. “I just can’t wait to get in the NCAA tournament, do something special with them.”
2017 NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL BRACKET
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