[Quality88]

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- If you want to get technical, there's an "I" in Derrick and a "me" in Meeks.
But figuratively, University of Kentucky men's basketball coach Billy Gillispie said yesterday, the individuals on his team have given way to the collective as the Wildcats prepare to face Georgia today in Athens.

Take, for example, guard Derrick Jasper, who last week urged Gillispie to start teammate Meeks in a home game against South Carolina.
Jasper's rationale was that Meeks, who's fighting a hip injury, would get a health benefit from starting because it would allow him to loosen up early and stay that way.

"That's just another example of a mature young person that is thinking team first," Gillispie said yesterday. "If you asked Jodie, he'd probably say the same thing about Derrick. I love to see those kinds of things."

He's seeing more of them lately. UK (9-9, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) has struggled most of the season under its first-year coach, but the Cats are climbing in Southeastern Conference play, and Gillispie said a big reason for that turnaround is maturity.

There's no 'I' in Cats now

[Quality88]

That's good. The cats have to run the table in sec play and the tournament to make the dance. It would be a huge step in turn arounde for next season.