DeAndre is De-spark

A couple of weeks ago, I'm not so sure anyone thought that DeAndre Liggins was going to be able to provide any help to this UK basketball team. However, Deandre Liggins was THE ONLY player who did anything off the bench in Kentucky's win over Georgia. He was the difference in the game. He came off the bench to score 6 points, get 3 steals, grab 1 rebound, and take a charge in only 14 minutes of play. He played great, hard-nosed defense, and the tough lay up that he made came at a crucial time in the game.

The telling stat though has to be that when the game was on the line, when Kentucky had to have their best players on the floor to win the game, who was out there? DeAndre Liggins.

I have never been a big "Liggins fan". I really thought he embarrassed the UK program last year when he refused to re-enter the game out in Las Vegas. This year when the Cats are rolling "win after win", he's on the bench, suspended for undisclosed reasons. The Cats kept winning, and Liggins kept sitting.

Here is a guy that had every reason to quit on this team and quit on himself, but all he's done is continue to work hard, keep his nose clean, and play as hard as he can when his number gets called. Liggins screwed up. He got in trouble, but he "paid his dues", took his punishment, and appears to be a better man for it.

You also know he'll just continue to get better and better this year because he's going up against John Wall and Eric Bledsoe every day in practice. The more minutes he plays the better he is going to get in his "role" on this team. I think he is bringing more to the team that Darius Miller. I also argue that he can help this team more than Ramon Harris. Harris doesn't help you much on the offensive end. Liggins can, and Liggins can do everything on the defensive end that Harris can do.

My momma used to say something like, "Everyone gets in trouble, but it's what your learn from it that matters!" Liggins.....lesson learned!