Calipari: Cats not on easy street

Teams traditionally soften up the schedule when final exams and the Christmas holidays can distract players. Kentucky is playing Mississippi Valley State, Winthrop, Coppin State in its next three games.

None of those three opponents has a Ratings Percentage Index better than Winthrop's No. 153.

But don't try to tell UK Coach John Calipari that he shouldn't be gulping down the valium because Kentucky has an easy series of upcoming games.

"You say that," he told a reporter on Friday. Then Calipari noted that Mississippi Valley State, which faces UK on Saturday, played Georgia to a two-point game on Nov. 12. (He left out that Georgia's best player, Trey Thompkins, did not play in that game.)

As he did before Kentucky beat East Tennessee State by 23 and Portland by 31 and Boston U by 34, Calipari noted a queasy feeling induced by the possibility of an upset.

Vanessa Simmons Chyler Leigh Julie Berry Lori Heuring Nicole Scherzinger