Frontcourt
Jamaal Magloire has never averaged more than 7.0 points a game. His five career technical fouls are believed a record by a UK player. He has been suspended three times.
And yet: He is this season’s most likely savior.
‘‘He’s going to be a different player,’’ sophomore forward Tayshaun Prince said. ‘‘He has been showing it.’’
Magloire’s reputation is that of often being too physical. Of Magloire, Tennessee forward C.J. Black said, ‘‘I don’t like the dude. He’s a dirty player.’’
He’s now an all-around player. Magloire led all scorers in UK’s Blue-White scrimmage with 33 points, then totaled 17 points, 13 rebounds, six blocks and nine deflections against the California All-Stars.
‘‘It has been a lot of hard work, a lot of long nights (practicing),’’ Magloire said. ‘‘I’m taking nearly 500 shots a day.’’
Though 6-foot-10 Michael Bradley transfered to Villanova, UK still has plenty of size. Sophomore Jules Camara (4.4 ppg) at 6-11 should bloom soon, and coach Tubby Smith calls 6-10, 256-pound freshman Marvin Stone ‘‘potentially the best big man here ever.’’ And 6-9 junior-college transfer Nate Knight is a capable reserve.
Prince (5.8 ppg) is the only true small forward. He’s stronger and faster than last year. Expect him to be this team’s leading scorer.
Backcourt
Yes, that’s Saul Smith running the team now. Don’t expect him to be Wayne Turner.
‘‘Wayne was one of the best point guards ever to play college basketball,’’ Smith said. ‘‘I’m a totally different kind of player. But he taught me a lot that’s going to be helpful.’’
What UK needs is him improving his .356 shooting percentage from last season. That, plus J.P. Blevins proving valuable in a reserve role.
Desmond Allison, the lone returning starter, gets an early nod at shooting guard. His defense and physical nature make him invaluable, but it may be hard to keep backup Keith Bogans out of the lineup. Basketball Times’ Prep Player of the Year should see plenty of playing time, so either he or Allison may have to shift to point guard or small forward occasionally.
Todd Tackett is a wild card. The pure-shooting sophomore scored just 12 points last season, but this team needs any 3-point threats it can find. It’s unlikely he’ll play more than Allison or Bogans at shooting guard, but he’ll be in the rotation.
Tackett could be this team’s Cameron Mills, a zone buster off the bench. There may be no greater need this winter.
Bench
This was an embarrassment of riches last year, when Tubby Smith often would send in a new platoon of five players to rest his starters for long stretches. With just 11 players this year — one of them little-used senior Steve Masiello — that won’t happen.
‘‘Hopefully we can develop some kind of depth coming off the bench like the last two years,’’ Smith said.
The center, power forward and shooting guard spots are deep, so no one playing those positions will have to play 35 or more minutes a game. But Blevins hasn’t proven he can spell Saul Smith extensively, and Prince lacks a true backup.
That’s where Derek Smith and Dennis Johnson come in. Those big bodies are expected to walk on when football season ends, and Smith — last year’s Kentucky Mr. Basketball runner-up from Highlands — could be just the puzzle piece UK needs behind Prince.
Coaching
Expect Tubby Smith to speed up the tempo. Despite the lack of depth, UK should run and press more than any UK team since the 1996 NCAA champions.
‘‘I think we’ve helped ourselves athletically,’’ Tubby Smith said. ‘‘We lost a lot of experience from last year, but we feel the guys in our program improved themselves in strength and speed.’’
With Smith, the focus remains on defense. The Wildcats held opponents to .381 shooting each of the past two seasons — the best two defensive seasons since 1962.
‘‘Defense is going to have to be our calling card until we gain that confidence and can shoot the ball better from the outside,’’ Smith said.
Intangibles
For the youngest UK team in 11 years, expectations have been lowered accordingly. With the pressure off, ‘‘youthful enthusiasm could pay off,’’ Tubby Smith said.
‘‘This team has a very high basketball IQ,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s very team-oriented. There’s not a lot of egos to address.’’
There’s a lot of love in this locker room.
‘‘We have a really close-knit group,’’ Saul Smith said. ‘‘We go to movies together, we go to dances, we go eat out. Whenever we go somewhere, it’s all of us.’’
It seems certain these Wildcats will improve as the season goes on, but there’s a danger if they absorb too many defeats in the tough early-season schedule. Every loss hurts when NCAA Tournament seedings are set, and a low seed could impede a long postseason run.
Games to watch
Like last year, UK plays its toughest game just before Christmas. It’s the Dec. 23 visit from third-ranked Michigan State, which ended the Wildcats’ season in the Elite Eight in March. MSU’s All-American point guard, Mateen Cleaves — out with a foot injury — is expected to miss that game.
Others:
• Friday, probably vs. Utah. Next-door neighbors in the polls, No. 14 UK and No. 15 Utah should meet in a second-round Preseason NIT matchup. UK is 4-0 against Utah in the NCAA Tournament this decade.
• Nov. 29 vs. Dayton at Firstar Center. It’s UK’s annual trip to Cincinnati.
• Dec. 18 vs. Louisville. Tubby Smith is 0-2 against his in-state rival.
• Feb. 1 vs. Tennessee. A harbinger game. UK was narrowly picked ahead of the Volunteers as No. 2 in the SEC East. If the Wildcats lose here, Lexington groundhogs may not show their faces the next morning: Spring (and UK’s offseason) may come early this year.
• March 4 vs. Florida. Senior Day in Rupp Arena. If all goes well, the SEC title could be on the line.
