Q & A

There has been more running and conditioning under new coach Matthew Mitchell than under former coach Mickie DeMoss, UK's players say. The new coach said that's the only way to ensure his team will be able to finish games. The players said they already see improvements. "Practice is harder than anything I've been through," guard Carly Ormerod said. "He's getting us prepared for being tired in late-game situations and having to work through that." Added depth at nearly every position could be a big boost at the end of games as well.

2. What are Mitchell's coaching philosophies?

The answer can be found on the back of a laminated card that each player is required to have on her at all times. If the card isn't presented when requested, wind sprints are the punishment, Mitchell said. The two-sided card has few words, but represents the new coach's philosophies succinctly. On one side are the words, "Losing Tools: Complaints, Excuses, Laziness." On the other side are the words, "Winning Tools: Honesty, Hard Work, Discipline." He discusses the winning tools every day in practice and meetings.

3. Will fans be able to see a difference in style of play under Mitchell?

The new coach has strong ties to the old coach. He has been greatly influenced by DeMoss and some of her contemporaries, such as Tennessee's Pat Summitt and former Mississippi coach Carol Ross, so expect things that DeMoss stressed, like defense and rebounding, to stay at the top of the list. But Mitchell also is a big admirer of Florida men's coach Billy Donovan. Look for Mitchell to implement more of a run-and-gun style. He's looking for more transition baskets from a quick, athletic group of players.

4. Will Mitchell be able to make a flawless transition from supportive, cheerleading assistant coach to head coach? Will he be tough enough when necessary?

So far so good, the coach and players say. Ormerod joked about it at Media Day. "He's your best friend when he's recruiting you, but out there on the court, he's the head coach and he expects the best out of you every day," she said. Mitchell said his personality doesn't change from one job to the next and his players appreciate his honesty and consistency.

5. Will the fan base, which loved DeMoss, return despite her departure?

It will be hard to know the full answer until tip-off at Memorial Coliseum, but ticket sales don't indicate a huge drop-off. UK has eclipsed 4,000 season-ticket sales for four straight years, and is on pace to do that again this year; just less than that number had been sold by mid-October. At this time last year, UK had sold 4,200 season tickets. "I want our players to be recognized for the great job they do," Mitchell said. "I'd love for Memorial to be sold out every single game. Our crowds have a direct result on the outcome of games. From that angle, I'm very concerned about attendance."

6. Will any freshmen make an immediate impact?

Although they can be prone to freshman mistakes, all four have impressed Mitchell so far. Look for heady, speedy point guard Amber Smith to be a key contributor along with the ultra-athletic Victoria Dunlap, a 6-foot-1 forward.

7. What player has surprised Mitchell the most?

Mitchell, who spent the last two seasons as the head coach at Morehead State, was not a part of coaching or recruiting most of his underclassmen, but he's been pleasantly surprised by many of them. Most surprising, though, is probably guard Amani Franklin, now that she's not constantly suffering through the pain of tendinitis in her knees. "I didn't know she was such a good shooter," Mitchell said of the 5-11 sophomore guard. "She's wowed (us) more than a few times in practice."

8. Can UK break its string of three straight losses to in-state rival Louisville?

Mitchell won't be one to brush off rivalry games, including the one against Western Kentucky, which is back on the Cats' schedule. He's a big fan of rivalry games and understands their importance in recruiting the state's top players and building women's basketball. "People that tell you they aren't important are silly," he said. Rivalry games "are why I was hugging some guy I didn't know when Stevie Johnson scored that touchdown (to beat Louisville). It's not because it was Kent State. It's because it was Louisville. It was delicious that we beat them in football, and we want to beat them in basketball. We need to beat them in basketball."

9. Are the starting spots of Kentucky's four returning starters safe?

Mitchell doesn't believe they are, and said he's made that clear to his players. "It's discussed every day," Mitchell said. "No guarantees." He points to Sarah Elliott, UK's leading returning scorer, as a good example. "I tell her all of the time, 'Elliott, you don't have anything promised to you, I don't care where you are on the school's all-time leading scorers,' " he said. The freshmen and other returnees are pushing the starters to get better, too.

10. With UK's leading three-point shooter graduated, where will the treys come from this season?

The Cats were eighth in the league in three-point shooting last season and lost Jenny Pfeiffer to graduation. But outside shots will still come, most likely from players like Carly Morrow, a 5-11 freshman who was recruited for her pure shooting from the outside. Mitchell also is looking for improved three-point shooting from Ormerod, whose accuracy dropped nearly 12 percent from her freshman to sophomore seasons. Samantha Mahoney's three-point shooting has improved every season. Franklin and Smith should contribute in that area as well.