Before I go to bed...

I just have to show some love and much deserved credit to a few more guys on the team and also make a few comments to end the day on. We've talked all about Patterson, Cousins, and Wall....but how about DeAndre Liggins?

When everybody talks about the tremendous job John Calipari has done this season, everyone brings up how well he has handled this superstar freshman class and has kept everyone happy and playing well together. It is very under appreciated how good of a job he has done with the returning players that were already on the team under Billy Gillispie and the amazing improvements they've made under their new coach.

As I have stated before, Patrick Patterson's numbers aren't as high, but he is an overall better and more versatile player under Calipari and has discovered an outside shot. Darius Miller was not much of a factor at all last season and has been a contributor and starter for much of this season. Ramon Harris no longer hurts us, but helps us with his rebounding when he comes into games this year and has also improved his outside shot, and I can even bet you that Josh Harrelson and Perry Stevenson are better players than they were a year ago, but they just happen to play on a much better team and don't get the same minutes and opportunities. However, the most pleasant surprise has definitely been DeAndre Liggins.

Liggins' success this season did not come easily. In fact, he did not even appear in a single minute this season until the Indiana game likely because of disciplinary reasons. However, he and Daniel Orton are now the first two guys off of the bench, almost every game. In the last four games, DeAndre has scored 9, 5, 7, and 8 points respectively in each game coming off of the bench. He also has the team's highest three point shooting-percentage at 10 of 17 on the season. Last year, Liggins' biggest problems were his shooting and attitude- now, they're two of his biggest assets and I guarantee you the difference is the way that John Calipari has positively handled him as opposed to the tactics of his old coach. Under Calipari, practices are all about skills. Under Gillispie, it was all about "toughness". Being tough was more important than developing skilled players under the old regime.

Liggins has not only improved his shot, but he's accepted his new role as a scrappy player off the bench. He gives the Cats a burst of energy every time he comes into the game. He dives for loose ball's and retrieves almost all of them. He doesn't resemble the selfish player he was a year ago in any way, shape, or form and his hard work will pay off next year when he will have a much bigger role on the team. Liggins, perhaps, is the most clear example of why John Calipari is the no-brainer choice for National Coach of the Year. He not only brought quite possibly the best recruiting class in the history of the game to Lexington in his first season, but he has coached them up very well, both the freshman and the returning players.

P.S.- It's absolutely incredible that Pat Forde did not pick Calipari as one of his Top 4 choices for National Coach of the Year, but should we really be surprised? His opinion is worthless. Be sure to check back tomorrow as I will preview the ESPN College Gameday appearance at Rupp!