Messenger-Inquirer from Owensboro, Kentucky • B1

Sports editor: Scott Hagerman, 691-7311 Messenger-Inquirer WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 22,2010 Sports No. 1 UConn women win record 89th straightB8 Business MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL Harrellson ruling roost for UK Inside 'Mother Hen Cats play host to Winthrop After watching Harrellson do all the little things right in a win over the Terriers last month, Chambers called the 6-foot-10 senior Kentucky's "mother hen." "I love that kid," Chambers said. "He does everything that you want a center or a big man to do. He plays ball screens great, he rebounds the basketball, he blocks shots. I really like him.

to deal with praise. It's been a while. Yet now he finds himself in the role of blue-collar leader for the 13th-ranked Wildcats (8-2), who host Winthrop (5-6) today. His steady play has helped his youth-laden team survive just fine without freshman center Enes Kanter, ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA for receiving improper benefits while playing for a Turkish instead, averaging 5.3 points and 9.3 rebounds, second in the Southeastern Conference behind teammate Terrence Jones. "I don't mind that role," Harrellson said.

"I'm not looking to go out here and score 30. But if I get eight and 12 to 13 rebounds a night, I'm fine with that." That's heady territory for a player who appeared out of his element when Calipari replaced Billy Gillispie in April 2009. Though he knew playing time would be hard to come by as Calipari brought in a cadre of McDonald's All-Americans, he stuck around thinking the competition would make him a better player. See HarrellsonPage B3 Winthrop at No. 13 Kentucky Site: Rupp Arena in Lexington.

Tipoff: Noon. Records: Winthrop 5-6. Kentucky 8-2. Series: UK leads 1-0. Last meeting: UK won 65-44 on Nov.

21, 2004, in Lexington. TV: Live on Fox Sports South and delayed on WTVW and 1 0 p.m. Radio: Live on WBKR-FM, 92.5; WOMI-AM, 1490; and WKTG- FM, 93.9. Josh Harrellson He's perfect for this team." Maybe, but Harrellson would have preferred another term. Rooster perhaps.

"At least it's male, right?" Harrellson said. Forgive him if he's still learning how club team two years ago. The school is appealing, though coach John Calipari isn't holding out much hope. Ranter's absence left some predicting a slow demise for the already-thin Wildcats. Yet Harrellson has flourished LEXINGTON Boston University coach Patrick Chambers meant it as a compliment.

Kentucky center Josh Harrellson didn't exactly take it that way. MEN'S COLLEGE BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: KENTUCKY 811 APOLLO CLASSIC BASKETBALL Toppers prepping for visit by Cards MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL Panthers in midst of break By Mark Mathis Messenger-Inquirer Kentucky Wesleyan College will not have the chance over the next week to make improvements as a men's basketball team. The Panthers, like all their NCAA Division II counterparts, are in the early stages of a man Louisville has built its early season resume by ripping off nine wins in 10 games at its new downtown arena against largely overmatched competition. Western Kentucky coach Ken McDonald has the Hilltoppers taking a drastically different approach. A month into the season, Western Kentucky has already played Minnesota, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Mem dated break from Dec.

19 through Dec. 26. "It's part of the Life in the Balance initiative that the NCAA put in for DII phis, with Todd Lee John Dunham, 926-0123 Morristown East (Tenn.) High School's Justin Sandifer and half of Tuesday's Kentucky 811 Apollo Classic game at Eagle Arena. Owensboro Catholic's Zack Devine battle for the ball during the first The Aces lost 40-34. Aces fall to Tennessee squad P'TM mixed results.

Shaky point I guard play and the inability of an upgraded but somewhat jH unproven ros- I ter to gel have the Hilltoppers Ken (5-6) strug- ftJSgS rare home about put- HM WiA tm together I an ambitious Rick that the best Pitino way fr a mid- major program to make Johnson 2, Miranda 2, Sandifer Owensboro Catholic (34) Devine 3, Fulkerson 1. 8, Kamuf 5, Kauffeld 4 Catholic within 36-34 in final minute before losing 40-34 Oakland 46, Apollo 39 Turnovers and shooting struggles made for another tough night for the Eagles. "If you're making 20 turnovers a game and you're not shooting Catholic made 13-of-38 from the floor for 34 percent. The Aces were 4-of-19 from 3-point range and 4-of-8 on free throws. Catholic outrebounded Morristown 23-22.

Morristown was led schools," KWC coach Todd Lee said. "It's supposedly to help limit the amount of time that athletes spend with their sports during this break. It will be a little bit of an adjustment. They're off for a long period of time." The team left after its last game, Dec. 16 against Salem International.

"They will work out and they will lift on their own, but it will be nothing like a two-hour practice," Lee said. "When they get back on the 27th, they'll be a little out of shape. It will be interesting when they come back." The No. 10 Panthers are 7-1 and won't have a game until a Jan. 2 road trip to Wisconsin-Parkside.

The Panthers will then embark on a swing of four games in seven days. To prepare for that, KWC will have two-a-day practices once the team returns to campus. "We don't have any time limitations, because they're not going to be in class," Lee said. "We're going to be doing a lot of conditioning. We haven't done anything like this before." The Panthers will have to take a closer look at their lineup changes when they do come back.

"We've gone through a lot with guys playing different positions," Lee said. "It's been an See PanthersPage B3 More by Casey Smith with 16 points. No other player for Morristown reached double figures. Morristown was 14-of-32 from the field for 43.7 percent and 5-of-14 from 3-point range. Morristown the ball well, you're not going to win," said Steve Sergeant, Apollo's first year coach.

The Eagles made 15-of-38 from the floor for 39 percent and were in the 20-turnover range again. Oakland, also from Tennessee, A roundup of Tuesday's other high school events is on Page B3. By Mark Mathis Messenger-Inquirer Owensboro Catholic got its game with Morristown (Tenn.) East into the last minute Tuesday, but the Aces couldn't give themselves decent offensive chances, falling 40-34 in the Kentucky 811 Apollo Classic. "They turned up the heat on us in the fourth quarter," Catholic coach Ben Murphy said. "We didn't respond.

They kept pushing us out on the floor. We've got to get a little mentally tougher." Morristown was up 36-34 going into the final minute and stretched that to 38-34 on free throws by Aaron Wheeler. Catholic (5-3) missed a pair of 3s and a follow attempt on its next two possessions, and Morristown didn't put the game totally away until Wheeler made two more free throws in the final seconds for the winning margin. The Aces were led by Leo O'Nan's 13 points, but no other Catholic player reached double figures. made 7-of-9 free throws.

"Defensively we played pretty solid," Murphy said. "I was pleased with our effort. Our defensive intensity was good. We got some deflections, which is the sign of a team being ready to play." The Aces take on University Heights Academy at 6 tonight. MORRISTOWN 8 9 12 11 40 hit 21-of-44 from the floor for 48 percent.

Apollo (2-5) did well on the glass, out-rebounding Oakland 32-18, but the Eagles could not get the putbacks to fall when they had the chances. Oakland's defensive pressure gave Apollo problems throughout the game. "They took advantage of our inexperience people notice is by taking on anyone. "We easily could have scheduled three more wins, but I don't think that does us more justice at the end of the day when it comes to conference play," he said. "This is the way to go." Western Kentucky's inability to get marquee nonconference wins will resonate in March, which means the pressure will be on the Hilltoppers in what will be an electric night at EA.

Diddle Arena. That's fine by McDonald, who thinks his team could use a little bit of urgency. "At times we haven't played See ToppersPage B3 6 12 5 11 (40) Smith 16, Wheeler 6, Samsel 6, Graham 4, Thornhill 3, See FallPage B3 COLLEGE FOOTBALL: BEEF '0' BRADY'S BOWL Kickoff return for touchdown sparks Cards in 31-28 victory Louisville running back Jeremy Wright runs toward Southern Mississippi cornerback Deron Wilson during the second quarter of the Cardinals' 31 -28 win over the Golden Eagles in the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl on Tuesday night in St. Petersburg, Fla. Associated Press Burke has two touchdown passes in win over Golden Eagles Louisville at Western Kentucky Site: E.A.

Diddle Arena in Bowling Green. Tipoff: 7 p.m. Records: Louisville 9-1 Western Kentucky 5-6. Series: WKU leads 39-34. Last meeting: of won 102-79 on Dec.

19, 2009, in Louisville. TV: None. Radio: Live on WLME-FM, 102.7, and WQXQ-FM, 101.9. Cameron Graham and 10 yards to Josh Chichester while the Cardinals (7-6) erased a 14-point first-half deficit, then produced a go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter. Austin Davis threw 205 yards and two touchdowns to become Southern Mississippi's career TD pass leader, moving ahead of Brett Favre and Lee Roberts in the Golden Eagles' record book with 53 in three seasons.

The Southern Miss quarterback also scored on a 17-yard reception from receiver Quentin Pierce. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. Justin Burke threw for a pair touchdowns and Jeremy Wright scored on a 95-yard kickoff return Tuesday night to help Louisville beat former Conference USA rival Southern Mississippi 31-28 in the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl. Burke tossed scoring passes to 11 yards to See CardsPage B3.