He may have lost the nation’s No. 1 recruit to Kansas but Kentucky coach John Calipari isn’t backing down on high expections for next year’s team.  One day after Andrew Wiggins announced he won’t be joining the consensus No. 1 recruiting class at Kentucky, Calipari indicated he”s pretty pleased about the ones he did get and is expecting great things in return.

‘We’re chasing perfection. We’re chasing greatness. We’re chasing things that have never been done in the history of our game.’ What I like about that, people say, ‘Pressure!’ Man, pressure brings out the best. ‘You’re gonna be fired if you don’t get this done! You’re not going to make it if you don’t get this done!’ Wakes you up earlier in the morning. I don’t mind a little pressure. I’ve had it my whole career.

“I’ve had the gun to my head for 20-something years. And you know what? I’m at my best when the gun is to my head versus, ‘OK, I’m good, I can kick back.’ I’m not as good. And you know what? Players are the same. Now, I’m not sitting there saying, ‘If we lose a game, it’s not a successful season.’ No. But you’re chasing greatness. What’s wrong with that? ‘Well, we want to talk moment to moment and we’re not putting that on the kids.’ Well, we are. Any pressure on these kids when they come here? It’s on us. Now, it won’t be on us that’s the forefront thing we’re talking about, but there’ll be things out there that they’ll see.”

Calipari describes  incoming freshman Julius Randle as “ an alpha beast who will drive the team,” and says returning center Willie Cauley-Stein  ”has a chance to be one of the better players that I’ve ever coached.”

College basketball hasn’t seen an undefeated team since Indiana in 1976.

Last week, Kentucky basketball signee Marcus Lee made his goal for the 2013-14 season crystal clear — perfection.

“I think that’s what we’re all thinking right now.  One of my goals is to go flat-out undefeated.  That is my goal — to be the best team out there, hands down…

I think my class is just a team full of non-quitters.  They just refuse to lose and refuse to quit, especially with the twins (Andrew and Aaron Harrison), Julius Randle.  They just refuse to lose.”

Sounds good, but you have to wonder how the holdovers from UK’s 2013 class will react to those words.  Were some members of that class “quitters?”

Randle, another one of the six McDonald’s All-Americans John Calipari is adding this offseason answered “Why not?” when asked if 40-0 is a goal for Kentucky next season.

Well, what else is he going to say?  Trying to win every game should be the goal of every team in the country.  Randle also added that he and his fellow signees “haven’t done anything or proven anything” yet.  The aforementioned Aaron Harrison said his team would “proclaim” that a national title is on the way, “but it is not about words…. it is about what you do out there on the court.”

That’s a better approach than Lee’s.  Especially considering that UK’s last class of guaranteed winners didn’t guarantee on-court wins at all.  In fact, a first-round NIT loss at Robert Morris served as the ultimate comeuppance for a group that never seemed to realize that listening to Calipari is part of what helped Kentucky’s three previous teams reach the Elite Eight, the Final Four, and then the national championship.

That loss at Robert Morris should also serve as a scarecrow moving forward.  It should ward off the slightest bit of overconfidence.  Hell, it should be the first thing Calipari shows his new recruits when practice starts later this year.

All that said, for Lee and for Big Blue fans who are already dreaming of a perfect season, just how realistic are the Wildcats’ chances?

If you go by history… not very.

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1. William Clapp’s father, Tommy, played for LSU back in the 1980′s.  His son plans on following him. But since younger Clapp committed, LSU has brought on new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.  What does the offensive line prospect think about the change? “I talked to Coach Cameron for about five minutes on Junior Day,” Clapp said. “I think it is going to be great for the offense and program. With all the NFL experience he has, it should do some good.”

2. Jackson, Alabama linebacker Gavin Bryant received offers this week from Auburn and Alabama.  He also has offers South Carolina, Kentucky and Jacksonville State.

3. St. Paul (Alabama) linebacker Tre Williams reportedly received an offer from Missouri today – but he’s apparently already narrowed his list to five teams that doesn’t include Mizzou.  Williams top five is reportedly Auburn, Alabama, Ole Miss, Florida and USC in no particular order.

SEC Basketball

4. Dominique Hawkins is the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Kentucky.  The Madison Central (KY) guard is now being recruited by Kentucky and has  offers from South Carolina, Murray State, Morehead State and Western Kentucky, among others. Another player that Kentucky is recruiting, Andrew Wiggins, is the Gatorade Player of the Year in West Virginia.

5. Julius Randle made news on Wednesday when he committed to Kentucky live on ESPNU.  The five-star Dallas, Texas area forward joins a star-studded recruiting class headed to Lexington that includes twins Andrew and Aaron Harrison, also from Texas.  Rumors that Randle and the Harrison twins would never play on the same team proved to be unfounded gossip.  Here’s what Aaron Harrison, Sr. told the Lexington Herald-Leader:

“The animosity that people try to create – it’s not there. It’s never been there. They’ve never had adverse words. We won, they won. And I will give Julius credit because we probably won a lot more than they did against each other. He’s never had an adverse word. After the game is over with he always shook hands, said, ‘Yes, sir or no, sir,’ to me. And my kids have a great relationship with his mother. That’s been the case since elementary school.”

One of high school basketball’s most celebrated recruits has made his college decision.  Just moments ago on ESPNU, Julius Randle, a Dallas, Texas area forward, picked up the hat of the University of Kentucky.

Randle’s four finalists were Kentucky, Kansas, Florida and Texas although many believed it was a two-horse race between UK and KU.

John Calipari already had six five-star commitments in his 2013 class. Jerry Meyer of 247Sports.com said before the announcement “If Randle were to choose Kentucky, I think it makes this Kentucky class a no-brainer for best recruiting class in the history of college basketball.”

Randle did and history has apparently been made.

It’s always basketball season in Lexington, but a disappointing first-round NIT exit combined with the anticipation and excitement surrounding this recruiting class, next season can’t get here soon enough for UK fans. Randle, a 6-foot-9 forward and ranked the No. 3 overall prospect by ESPN, only adds to the buzz.

The defending national champs make a quick exit from the NIT.  Kentucky made a late run against Robert Morris but the Colonials prevailed 59-57. A wild final few minutes that saw Robert Morris player Lucky Jones ejected after a flagrant foul on Archie Goodwin came down to a foul against Kentucky following an inbound pass.  Tied at 57, The Colonials’ Mike McFadden made both free throws, the last two points of  the game.

A last-second three-pointer from Kyle Wiltjer bounced off the rim and Robert Morris fans stormed the court.

- Kentucky shot 53.8% from the field (21-39) while Robert Morris shot 45.5% (20-44).

- Robert Morris connected on five three-pointers.  Kentucky made just 2 of 10 shot from three-point range.

- Kentucky turned the ball over 14 times, Robert Morris nine times.

Potential good news for Kentucky?  Prep star Julius Randle, a top target in the 2013 class for the Cats,  will make his college announcement tomorrow.  As ESPN’s Jimmy Dykes said in the broadcast, if Randle pickes Kentucky. John Calipari could have the greatest recruiting class in the history of college basketball.

1. Running back Kamryn Pettway “always wanted to play in the SEC.” He plans to at Auburn.

2. Alabama is the leader for lineman Charles Mosley from Brighton, Tenn.

3. We should see some Alabama-LSU battles for some of Louisiana’s top prospects.

4. Auburn might be the hometown leader for LB Rashaan Evans, but he has plenty of options.

5. Auburn has shown interest in WR Bingo Morton (great name) from Fairburn, Ga.

6. Florida CB commit Duke Dawson is being trained by a former Gator/NFL player.

7. Hoops prospect Julius Randle will announce his choice on March 20. Florida and Kentucky are in the running.

8. Offensive lineman Orlando Brown Jr. from Duluth, Ga., is considering three SEC schools.

9. South Florida coach Willie Taggart has made a hire to help in-state recruiting.

Why is Julius Randle so highly rated (No. 3 overall, ESPNU)? Watch these highlights below.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJqaMioXegU&w=560&h=315]