[Quality88]

Billy Gillispie has started his tenure as the men's basketball coach at the University of Kentucky with smashing success.
Sure, the Wildcats' new boss hasn't coached a game, but he's won numerous recruiting battles, landing commitments from seven players since April. The next step in getting the program back to national prominence begins tonight with Big Blue Madness.
The season-opening, sold-out event in Rupp Arena begins at 9 p.m. and is a first look at the squad for the fans. But perhaps even more important, it is a chance to show off the program to recruits.
"It's a great situation, because nobody has as many fans," Gillispie said yesterday. "Most places don't anticipate the opening game -- or even the opening game in-conference -- the way they anticipate Big Blue Madness here.
"They're not scrambling for tickets the way they are here."
Tickets for Madness were gone within an hour of being available to the public recently, and more than 200 tents had been lined up outside Memorial Coliseum as people camped out waiting to get tickets.
"This is a big recruiting tool," Scout.com national analyst Dave Telep said. "That's why they have these things. At places like Kentucky, Kansas and North Carolina, it's an energizer for the fan base, and it's also a chance to show elite-level (high school) players what the fan base is like on a big stage."
Gillispie is certainly trying to take advantage of the situation and the expected frenzied atmosphere with a packed house. As many as 12 of UK's most coveted recruits could attend.
Among those expected to be in the crowd are commitments Darius Miller of Mason County; DeAndre Liggins of Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nev.; and Rose Hill junior Dakotah Euton.
Dunwoody, Ga., forward Chris Singleton and Duluth, Ga., center Ralph Sampson Jr. are among the top senior prospects expected to be in attendance. Champaign, Ill., guard Verdell Jones III and Kansas City big man Garrett Stutz are other seniors expected to watch the festivities.
"I can't wait to see the atmosphere," said Singleton, a top-35 prospect who is also considering Tennessee, Florida State and Georgetown. "I heard it is going to be crazy. I will try and not let it get to me. I need to focus on all the schools.
"But I know this is going to be crazy."
The event is also a key factor in the recruitment of some young players. Juniors Jon Hood of Madisonville, Ky., and John Wall of North Carolina are expected to be there, along with sophomore Chad Jackson of Rose Hill. Texas guard K.C. Ross-Miller, a sophomore who has committed to UK, might also attend. The statuses of Georgia guard Trae Golden and North Carolina guard J.T. Terrell are unclear.
But no matter how many recruits will be there, many folks think Big Blue Madness will help sway a few toward the Wildcats.
"I've heard it's the epitome of Madness," Verdell Jones Jr. said. "Very few programs have the type of following that Kentucky's program does. We are expecting a great time. We hear this is off the charts."
Gillispie hopes that's the case. He particularly likes to get recruits in town this weekend because they can watch a team practice. And this weekend many of the recruits will attend the football game against No. 1 Louisiana State.
"I like for potential recruits to be able to see us practice, and you can't practice until (this) weekend," Gillispie said. "All the players we're recruiting really want to get better, and I think that once they see first-hand our practice, they'll know that they can get better very quickly. That's the thing that I like the most, other than just the general excitement. It's the start of basketball season. It's fun."

Big Blue Madness more than just first look at Cats