Liggins: Wildcats learned from defeat

Liggins: Wildcats learned from defeat

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/yb/140708678
By Jim Pickens, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky. Feb. 1--The
top-ranked University of Kentucky men's basketball team rediscovered
the feeling of success with Saturday's 85-72 victory over visiting
Vanderbilt, and the Wildcats said it made them appreciate the
difference between winning and losing in the wake of last Tuesday's
upset loss at South Carolina. "No comparison," said 6-foot-6
sophomore guard DeAndre Liggins, who scored nine points, grabbed four
rebounds and made two steals against the Commodores. "You never want to
say a loss is good, but the loss we took made us work harder, made us
come back more determined, and I thought it showed in the way we
bounced back. "In sports, it's a terrible feeling to lose. No
one likes to lose. You especially don't like to lose after winning 19
straight games. You get so used to winning, you almost forget what it
feels like to lose. At South Carolina, it reminded us -- and we didn't
like it." Now, Liggins and the Cats (20-1, 5-1 SEC East)
prepare for another Top 25 team with Ole Miss rolling into Rupp Arena
on Tuesday night. "I think we'll be ready," said Liggins,
whose 25 minutes against Vandy are indicative of his growing role on
this Wildcat team. "Like Vanderbilt, they're another very good
basketball team. We were ready for the challenge (against Vandy), and
if we learned anything from the South Carolina game we'll be ready
again against Mississippi. "We're still really young, overall,
but I think we're learning how hard it is to win in this league night
in and night out. You know, it's just understood that we're going to
get everybody's best shot and we have to be prepared for that,
physically and mentally." Liggins thought Kentucky's assertiveness was the key to ending the Commodores' 10-game winning streak. "We came out with the type of focus and intensity it takes to beat the
great teams -- we didn't have nearly that much at South Carolina,"
Liggins said. "Whether it's Ole Miss or any other SEC team, we've got
to bring it every time. I was happy with the way we got after it
against Vanderbilt, everybody hustling, everybody scoring, everybody
rebounding. "It's a team game, and for us to be the team we
want to be it's gonna take everybody's best (effort) every time we step
on the floor. If we don't bring it, the teams in this league are good
enough to beat us -- can't take anything for granted in the SEC." Liggins, not best-known for his perimeter shooting, hit a corner 3-pointer that quelled a Vandy rally on Saturday. His coach noticed. "The big shot was DeAndre's 3," John Calipari said, "because we
teetering a little bit on not knowing what we were doing. He makes that
3 and it just takes the wind out of their sails." Liggins is also beginning to take minutes on the court from his teammates. "I'm not doing anything different, really" he insists. "I've said all
along that my role on this team is to go into the game and provide
energy, play as hard as I can on defense, and, hopefully give us a
lift. "I love getting the chance to play more, but my game
hasn't changed. When Ole Miss comes in here, I'll get after it like I
always do and maybe we'll come away with another victory. "Sure beats losing."

Cal was the best thing that ever happened to this kid. Glad he's still here.