LEXINGTON, KY. (WKYT) - UK coach John Calipari is conditioning his team early in the morning and he wants to see his young players putting in extra time on their own. Coming off Tuesday nights 88-56 win over Samford, The Cats will return to the Rupp flor Saturday against Portland.

Early in the season, Calipari has talked repeatedly of last year's players working out on their own. Kyle Wiltjer did that last season and the sophomore forward is doing it again. He's in the midst of a terrible shooting slump. "I'm just trying to get a lot of extra work in, work my way out of this and just become a better basketball player."

Freshman Willie Cauley-Stein is among those who are now putting in extra time. "Before it was one guy in the gym, it was Archie (Goodwin). And Julius (Mays) was in there and then I was in there and
now it's just collective, everybody's gonna start going in there."

Cauley-Stein said Calipari has told the Cats the extra work that was done last season as Kentucky won the NCAA Title. "He ws preaching about Kyle and Jarod (Polson) was in there all the time last year and it showed last year with Kyle. He's challenging Kyle to get back in the gym so he can get his stroke down."

Kentucky's game with Portland starts at Noon Saturday and will be televised by ESPNU.