Live from Rupp: Hartford

About to get this thing started. The Ryan Youngblood warm-up test is decidedly in UK's favor. We will see if he knows what we are talking about. Uppers are filled to capacity yet again, but there are several empties in the lower levels. I am going to guess 23,450 on the attendance.

* Carlisle County is bigger than Hartford, but I think they can probably shoot from outside. Cousins easily won the tip. You can tell early Hartford is looking to make this a 3 point shooting contest. Will be interesting to see if we adjust and guard them out there or let them hang around and make things interesting.

* Cousins looks like he is playing against middle school players down low. Hartford is going to try and sag and let us shoot open shots all day. They really don't match up though.

* It is going to be interesting to see if we are mentally tough enough to get out and defend the perimeter. We can get any shot we want though. It won't matter in the outcome of the game, but hopefully we have learned our lesson from Miami and Sam Houston State and won't give up open outside looks.

* This should be our highest scoring game this year. Hartford is just hoping we take an outside shot right now.

* Even with the hot start, crowd is mostly dead. I am going to amend my guess on the attendance to 24000, there were some late arrivals that filled in some of the spots.

* Orton spends more time on the ground than anybody else on the team. Wonder if that has anything to do with not trusting his knee completely...

* If Liggins keeps this effort up on defense his minutes are only going to go up. He hasn't looked to do as much offensively as you might think, but I think that is in part to his energy put out on D.

* Liggins play has cut into Miller's a little bit lately. Hopefully that will allow Miller to bring a harder effort on defense. We don't really need a ton of offense from either.

* Great to see Wall get Orton a big dunk there. We need Wall to make him better, and you see a little more of it each game.

* Patterson has been the one that has fallen asleep a little on defense more than anybody. He might not go against many guys that can shoot like that, and he probably hasn't had to do that much in his career.

* Wall is gunning for the assists records. I have played enough video games to know when somebody is going for assists. His teammates are with him too. I am calling it. 15 assists tonight for Wall.

* Wall has gotten Cousins and Wall three easy dunks now. That number needs to keep going up as the season goes along.... Make that four.

* Pretty cool that they let Cousins shoot the technical even if he did miss one.

* Sportscenter just put that one on Que for top plays. That was nasty. Rupp loved it too.

* Hartford's best player just blew his knee out. That sucks all the way around. Hate to see a leg go the other way like that. This game is probably going to get ugly for Hartford.

* Wall might get the assists record by halftime. Only thing that could stop him is the game getting out of hand and we get up by 40.

* I want the record to reflect that I saw Wall going for the assist record when he got to 4. Just saying.

* This is how you should treat teams like Hartford. We are dominating every way possible.

* Love how Wall got Orton going in the first half. That is the biggest storyline from where I am sitting. Great first half for the Cats.

*******************SECOND HALF**********************

*Probably going to see us work on the DDM this half. I have noticed we have worked on it more when we get up big.

* 12 assists for Wall. ESPN had him at 10 at half but I don't believe that is right. UKAA has him at 12 right now and I think that is right.

* Cousins shot that three solely because of Wall's record. I am telling you.. I am a veteran of padding stats on video games. You can see the reaction from Wall after every assist. He has 13 now. I am loving it. Just got fouled on a break though and the crowd didn't like it.

* Miller is showing why many said he was made for this offense.

* 14-0 run out of the gate. Wall better hurry if he is going to get the record. Hartford is doing their part though by playing no D whatsoever...

* THE dancing guy has made his glorious return. They need to pay that guy to get the crowd going. He is money.

* 14 assists now.. Miller is in on this game. Huge dunk from Wall. This is a John Wall showcase tonight folks.

* Cousins is a beast tonight. They haven't given Wall assists his last two trips down the court. Something is wrong.

* Got wholesale subs coming in. Will be interesting to see if Cal lets Wall go for the record or decides to rest him the rest of the way.

* Dodson said he would take that three if you want to give it to him.

* I think Wall is fully capable of breaking the assists record against a good team. It is almost unfair to do it against this team.

* Lil Dribble Drive from Stevenson. HERE comes Wall to write his name in UK record books. That is a record that has had his name on it from the time he signed on at UK. Hope it happens.

* Wall is going in with the B unit it looks like, will be interesting to see if they are up to helping him break the record.

* Dodson might be the only one that can help Wall out here.... There is the record. Harrelson helps him tie it  up. Will be interesting to see if he can break it before the TV timeout.

* PURRY with the bucket to break the record. 16th assist for Wall!!!

* Nice ovation for Wall. Hope they will point it out in the TV timeout to give him another well deserved round of applause. Got a loud 'John Wall, John Wall chant going after he left the game. Waiting on the cheerleaders to do their thing now... We will see here in a second if they point it out. Would be surprised if they don't.

* Biggest ovation of the night goes to Krebs who let UK eclipse the 100 mark. Gotta love Cats fans for giving the kid some love there.

* No extra love for Wall just yet, but I am pretty sure that most everybody knows what just happened. I am going to sign off for now. Expect more later.