» Audio: Trivia | 1-on-1

Number: 1

Class: Sophomore

Height: 6-7

Weight: 223

Hometown: Maysville, Ky.

High school: Mason Co.

How do you feel about being talked about as a key player for this season? A few people have talked to me about it, but I try not to pay attention to it.

Would you like a lead role on this season's team? I'd love to have more responsibility. I think a lot of players would like to have that. Hopefully, that does happen. But right now, I don't know that's going to happen.

Would you say you are much better prepared going into this season as opposed to last season? That has a lot to do with experience. I know what to expect now. Coming in (last season), I didn't know what to expect. I think a lot of freshmen are like that. I might have a little more confidence in myself. That comes from experience and knowing what to expect.

What experiences from last season boost your confidence? I played against the best. We played the national champions (North Carolina). I know what to expect, and I'm ready for whatever's coming.

What did you think of playing for the U.S. team in New Zealand over the summer? It was a lot of fun. I met a lot of people, and it was a great experience just to represent the country in something I love to do. I never dreamed of doing anything like that, and I'm just happy to have been a part of it.

How might that experience help you playing for Kentucky this season? It will help a lot, especially defensively, because every time we stepped on the court, I had to guard a great player or a player who was pretty good. So every time I stepped on the court, I had to play 100 percent and go as hard as I could.

Toward the end of last season, you got opportunities to go one-on-one against your defender. How well-suited are you for the dribble-drive offense? As of right now, I'm really comfortable with it. I think I'll do pretty well in it. Hopefully, I'm right. I'm not trying to jump ahead or jump to any conclusions.

You don't seem especially quick, so how are you able to get past the defender? I don't know (laughs). I don't know how to explain it.

CAREER HIGHS

Points: 17 (Tennessee, Feb. 21, 2009)

Rebounds: 10 (Miami, Dec. 6, 2008)

Assists: 6 (Tennessee, Feb. 21, 2009)

Field goals: 6 (Tennessee, Feb. 21, 2009)

Field-goal attempts: 10 (Ole Miss, Jan 27, 2009)

Free throws: 5 (South Carolina, Feb. 25, 2009)

Free-throw attempts: 6 (South Carolina, Feb. 25, 2009)

Three-point field goals: 3 (Tennessee, Feb. 21, 2009)

Three-point field-goal attempts: 6 (Ole Miss, Jan. 27, 2009)

Steals: 3 (two times)

Blocked shots: 2 (Alabama, Jan. 24, 2009)

Minutes: 34 (Miami, Dec. 6, 2008)