Homeward bound: Kentucky forward Julius Randle has helped Big Blue Nation reach Big D

Kentucky's Julius Randle, left, and Wisconsin's Ben Brust participate in a news conference for their NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball semifinal game Thursday, April 3, 2014, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) (The Associated Press)

Kentucky's Julius Randle, left to right, Wisconsin's Ben Brust, Connecticut's Niels Giffey and Florida's Scottie Wilbekin participate in a news conference for their NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball semifinal games Thursday, April 3, 2014, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) (The Associated Press)

ARLINGTON, Texas – Kentucky forward Julius Randle has helped Big Blue Nation reach Big D, and along the way given his mother at least one more chance to see her big boy play in a college game.

The freshman averaged a team-leading 15.1 points and 10.7 rebounds for the Wildcats, who face Wisconsin in the national semifinals on Saturday night at AT&T Stadium. Randle built his stock to such a point that many predict him to be an NBA lottery pick in June.

First, though, there's a little bit of business to attend to in his backyard.

Randle will have his mother, Carolyn Kyles, and dozens of friends and family in the stands when the Wildcats play just down Interstate 30 from the Dallas neighborhood where he grew up.