LEXINGTON, Ky. — Christmas may be right around the corner, but Kentucky coach Tubby Smith hasn't had much of an opportunity to enjoy the spirit of the season.

UK vs. INDIANA

• When: 9 p.m. today.   • Where: Freedom Hall (18,865), Louisville.   • Records: Kentucky 3-5; Indiana 7-4.   • TV: ESPN.   • Radio: WSAI-AM (1530).   INDIANA   Player-Ht-Yr-Avg   Jared Jeffries -6-9-Fr.-13.8   Jeff Newton-6-9-So.-6.4   Dane Fife-6-4-Jr.-5.0   Kyle Hornsby -6-5-So.-8.2   Tom Coverdale-6-2-So.-11.4   Coach: Mike Davis (7-4, first season; 7-4 overall)   KENTUCKY   Player-Ht-Yr-Avg   Tayshaun Prince -6-9-Jr.-13.1   Marvin Stone -6-10-So.-7.8   Jason Parker -6-8-Fr.-8.0   Saul Smith -6-2-Sr.-9.6   Keith Bogans -6-5-So.-17.0   Coach: Tubby Smith (89-28, fourth season; 213-90 overall)   BY THE NUMBERS   • 22-21: UK's series lead.   • 83-75: IU's winning score in the teams' last meeting, Dec.4, 1999, at the RCA Dome.

        The Wildcats (3-5) have dropped two straight games — against Georgia Tech and defending national champion Michigan State — they easily could have won going into today's annual border showdown with Indiana (7-4).

        If that wasn't enough to have Smith feeling more like the Grinch than jolly old St. Nick, he's having to deal with reports that 6-foot-10 sophomore Marvin Stone is considering leaving the team.

        The Huntsville (Ala.) Times reported Wednesday that Stone has become frustrated with the team's unusually poor start and his role in Smith's offense. The report said Stone and Smith met for four hours Tuesday and that Stone then practiced with the team.         Junior guard J.P. Blevins said the rumors about Stone's status have overshadowed the fact that this is a game he and his teammates feel they must win.

        “It's a huge game any time Kentucky plays Indiana, but especially for us this year because we're 3-5,” Blevins said. “With that kind of a record, a win is very necessary and kind of doubles in importance for us when you look at implications down the road.”

        It's not as if Kentucky has played poorly. Its five losses have come by a total of 14 points.

        “We feel like we're so close to putting together a complete game,” Smith said. “We've been working hard all week on scrimmaging and late-game situations.”

        Smith said he knows it will not be easy to right the ship against the Bob Knight-less Hoosiers.

        Center Kirk Haston leads IU in both scoring and rebounding with 16.9 points and 9.6 rebounds off the bench. Freshman swingman Jared Jeffries leads Indiana's starters in scoring at 13.8 points a game.

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