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Billy Gillespie makes coaching debut for No. 22 Kentucky

Nov 6, 2007 - 3:27 PM Central Ark (0-0) at No. 22 Kentucky (0-0) 7:00 pm EST

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (Ticker) -- The Billy Gillispie Era officially begins Tuesday when No. 22 Kentucky takes on Central Arkansas in the season opener during the first round of the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer.

After Tubby Smith departed for Minnesota, Kentucky named Gillespie its coach after failing to lure Billy Donovan away from Florida.

Gillespie has a career record of 100-56 and led Texas A&M to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances the past two seasons.

The Wildcats, who have been ranked in the preseason every year since 1991-92, are led by senior guards Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford.

The duo combined to score 27.4 points per game and will be helped by 6-9 freshman Patrick Patterson, who will look to make an impact in the vacancy left by last year's starting big man Randolph Morris.

In just their second year as a Division I program, Central Arkansas went 4-12 in the Southland Conference en route to a 10-20 season.

Senior forward Durrell Nevels averaged 12.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game last season and set the school record with 99 blocked shots for the Bears.

It is the first meeting between the two teams. The winner faces either Gardner-Webb or Alabama A&M in the next round on Wednesday.