UK Basketball: Cousins a special player, special man

**BestdamnUKfanperiod** Thu Feb 04, 2010 12:41 am

UK Basketball: Cousins a special player, special man
http://www.winchestersun.com/stories/2010/02/03/spo.215679.sto
by Keith Taylor/Sun Sports Editor
February 3, 2010

DeMarcus Cousins is making a big impact for Kentucky.

The Kentucky center continued his dominance in the Southeastern Conference Tuesday night, scoring 18 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in the Wildcats’ 85-75 win over Ole Miss at Rupp Arena.

It marked the fifth straight time Cousins has pieced together a double-double, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since Jim Andrews had six in a row in 1973.

John Wall has been the most talked about Cat this season, but Cousins is taking a piece of the limelight away from his freshman classmate with his dominating outings in the post.

The performances haven’t been a surprise to Kentucky coach John Calipari.

“I have never had a big man like him,” the Kentucky coach said. “I hate to put that pressure on him. He is a skilled 6-foot-11 player that can make free throws, pass, has a great mind for the game and is emotionally growing every day. I have never had a player come this far this fast.”

Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said Cousins is making a difference for the Cats in the post.

“DeMarcus Cousins is playing the lights out,” he said afterward.

In addition to his scoring and rebounding abilities, Cousins took several charges on the defensive end against the Rebels and said the team was hyped up and ready to play. Kentucky took six charges in the contest.

“We’ve been working on that drill a lot in practice,” he said. “Lots of charge and loose ball drills and tonight it came into play. Yes, as a team we were a lot more physical, we crashed the boards a lot.”

Although Cousins has been on a tear lately, Calipari said his freshman center can’t become complacent, but also knows what type of player he has on his hands.

“There are still things he has to improve,” the Kentucky coach said. “He is still maturing. All their mistakes are great lessons for them.

“I explain that these are good life lessons to learn from for the future. I keep telling him he is a special player and he is a special man.”