UK Basketball: Assistant coach says Dodson is eligible

**BestdamnUKfanperiod** Tue Jul 20, 2010 4:52 am

UK Basketball: Assistant coach says Dodson is eligible

By LARRY VAUGHT
larry@amnews.com
July 19, 2010

Kentucky assistant basketball coach John Robic emphasized that junior Darnell Dodson will be playing for the Wildcats next season during his time Saturday at the UK Ohio Convention in Middletown, Ohio.

“Dodson is eligible. Don’t believe everything you hear,” said Robic.

Rumors have swirled since the season ended that Dodson would not be back with the Wildcats. Rumors speculated that it could be anything from academics to off-court problems.

But when asked if Dodson “definitely would be at Kentucky next season,” Robic quickly said yes.

Working on strengthening

He added that Dodson, like other returning players, needed to have improved their skills and strengthened their bodies during the offseason.

“We need him to be a better 3-point shooter, a better defender, a better player. But that’s true with all five guys coming back,” Robic said. “It is combination of defending and offense that we need from them all. They have worked hard to get stronger, including Darnell. We have to make shots, but it will be different team. We will not be as big. His role will be different.”

Dodson played in 35 of 38 games last season and started seven times. He averaged 6.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 14.5 minutes per game. He had nine blocked shots and 15 steals.

He took a team-high 144 3-point shots and made 50, a 34.7 percent mark — second best on the team among players who took 40 or more 3-pointers. Dodson, though, had only 17 assists.

Copyright: AMNews.com 2010