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.

Kentucky forward Alex Poythress announced Tuesday he will return for his sophomore season.

Poythress was Kentucky’s second-leading scorer (11.4 points per game) and rebounder (6.2 per game) during his first year in Lexington.

“This year didn’t end like we wanted it to,” Poythress said in a released statement. “I want to come back and do what we said we wanted to do and that’s win a national title. I want to develop more as a player and the competition coming in next year should help me do that.”

That competition will include six McDonald’s All-Americans as part of Kentucky’s 2013 class, which ranks No. 1 in the nation.

Poythress joins center Willie Cauley-Stein and forward Kyle Wiltjer in the decision to return to Lexington next season.

Freshman guard Archie Goodwin has already declared for the NBA draft while freshman forward Nerlens Noel has yet to announce his future plans. But Noel, who’s ranked the No. 1 overall draft prospect by ESPN.com’s Chad Ford, is expected to turn pro.

Robert Morris 59 – Kentucky 57

1. A one-and-done NIT for Kentucky.  Season comes to an end in Moon Township, Pennsylvania.   John Calipari: “It’s a humbling experience — but also a learning experience.”

2. Freshmen Archie Goodwin, Alex Poythress and Willie Cauley-Stein indicate they’re coming back. Stein on whether or not he’s ready to go to the NBA: Nobody’s ready for it. I don’t think anybody’s ready for it mentality-wise, body-wise, athletic-wise.”

3. What about point guard Ryan Harrow? “I can’t go anywhere (would have to sit out a year if he transferred). So I’ll be here next year and just getting ready for next year.”

Alabama 62 – Northeastern 43

4. Levi Randolph sparks Crimson Tide to victory – leads Alabama with a game high 13 points.

5. Announced crowd of 2,889. “Alabama players seem more enthusiastic about playing in the NIT than fans.”

6. Alabama will play Stanford next.

1. The Ole Miss basketball team is off to its best start in 76 years and has the Rebels ranked in both polls – No. 23 in AP and No. 24 in the coaches poll. Ole Miss is 15-2 and 4-0 in the conference. Two other SEC teams are ranked. Florida (14-2) is No. 8 in the AP Poll with Missouri (13-4) at No. 22.  In the USA Today Coaches Poll, Florida comes in at No. 7, Missouri stays at 22.  Tigers have played and lost – by double-digits – to both Florida and Ole Miss. No other SEC teams received votes in either poll.

2. Andy Katz: “If you thought Phil Pressey was Missouri’s most important player, you may have been wrong. In my opinion, it is clearly Laurence Bowers.” Bowers out tomorrow night against South Caroina, both Keion Bell and Earnest Ross may not play.

3. Auburn assistant coach Randall Dickey: “The excitement around Auburn basketball is the highest it’s been since we’ve been here.”

4. With Mark Fox feeling some heat at Georgia, Florida coach Billy Donovan offers praise. “He is a great guy. He does things the right way, I think he’s a hell of a basketball coach.” Fox is 57-56 in three plus years at Georgia.  Florida plays at Georgia Wednesday night.

5. Florida forward Casey Prather will be out at least another week – he’s battling a high ankle sprain.

6. John Calipari on Alabama’s guards: “Their guard play is as good as anybody in the country right now.” Kentucky plays Alabama Tuesday night.

7. Calipari gives an update on freshman Willie Cauley-Stein, coming off a knee procedure.: “If I don’t think he can help us, we’ll probably leave him home, but if he says he can go, he’ll be with us.”

Early SEC Saturday Basketball Finals
Ole Miss 76 – Arkansas 64
Vanderbilt 58 – South Carolina 51
Florida 83 – Missouri 52
Tennessee 72 – Mississippi State 57
Auburn tackle Shon Coleman, who survived a battle with leukemia, given a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA.
With graduation, players leaving early and transfers, Florida will be able to sign as many as 33 players in this recruiting class
City manager in Texas calls the action of a judge who released details of Johnny Manziel speeding ticket on Facebook “insensitive and inappropriate”
Florida offensive lineman Jessamen Dunker has suspended indefinitely by Will Muschamp after being arrested Wednesday on a stolen scooter.
Kentucky basketball player Willie Cauley-Stein had a “minor procedure” done on his left knee Thursday after aggrevating an old injury