No. 7/5 Kentucky Wildcats (27-5, 14-2 SEC)
vs.
No. 18/17 Utah Utes (29-5, 13-1 MWC)
2005 NCAA Tournament – Sweet 16
Friday, March 25 – 9:40 p.m. Austin, Texas ? Frank Erwin Center (16,755)
News:
Kentucky returns to the Sweet 16 for the 41st time in school history and ninth time in the last 11 years to face Mountain West champion Utah Friday. It is sixth NCAA Tournament matchup in the last 13 years between the Wildcats and Utes.
The Wildcats advanced to the regional semifinal with a pair of wins in Indianapolis – a 72-64 first-round win over in-state rival Eastern Kentucky and a 69-60 second-round win over No. 23 Cincinnati. UK shot 51 percent from the floor in both games last weekend and were led by junior Kelenna Azubuike, who averaged 17.5 ppg.
All six Kentucky-Utah NCAA Tournament pairing have occured since 1993, including matchups in three consecutive tournaments (1996-98). Their last meeting came in the 2003 NCAA Tournament?s second round in Nashville, a 74-54 UK win.
Senior Chuck Hayes, with 108-consecutive starts, is two starts shy of the school record for most consecutive starts (110, Alex Groza, 1946-49.
NCAA Cat Scratches
Kentucky earned an at-large bid to the 2005 NCAA Tournament … The Cats are appearing in their 46th NCAA Tournament and own a 95-40 (.704) record … The Wildcats own NCAA records for most appearances (46), most games (135) and most wins (95) … Kentucky is 8-4 against the 2005 tournament field … The Wildcats earned a No. 2 seed for the sixth time since seeding began in 1979. UK was also a No. 2 in 1981, 1988, 1992, 1998 and 2001 … UK is 15-4 as a No. 2 seed, winning the title from that spot in 1998 … Kentucky has been a No. 1 seed nine times, including 2003 and 2004 … This is UK?s 14th-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, which is the third-longest current streak (Arizona, 21, and Kansas, 16) … Kentucky has appeared in 13 Final Fours, 27 Elite Eights and 41 Sweet 16s … UK has advanced to nine of the last 11 Sweet 16s … Tubby Smith is 26-10 in NCAA Tournament action, including a 20-6 mark at UK.
Tourney Report
Since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, Kentucky has appeared in the regional semifinal 12 times and owns a 9-3 record. The Cats won their last appearance in the Sweet 16, 63-57 over Wisconsin in 2003. Prior to that, UK had dropped its last two Sweet 16 games.
This is the ninth time in the last 11 years that Kentucky has appeared in the regional semifinals, the only team in the nation to achieve the feat. Tubby Smith has coached three different teams to the Sweet 16 in nine of the last 12 years.
UK is 37-9 in tournament openers and has won its last 14 first-round games. Kentucky has earned a 11-3 record in the second round since 1992.
Since 1992, UK is 76-15 (.835) in postseason play (SEC and NCAA).
Tubby Smith is 26-10 in NCAA Tournament play, 20-6 at Kentucky. As the higher-seeded coach in the tourney, he?s 20-4.
Scouting Utah ….
Utah advanced to the round of 16 after earning victories over UTEP and Oklahoma in the opening weekend of NCAA Tournament play. The Utes own a 29-5 record and were 13-1 in Mountain West action this year.
Andrew Bogut, a contender for several National Player of the Year honors, averages a double-double for the Utes with 20.4 ppg and 12.2 rpg. Two other Utah players average double figures with Marc Jackson contributing 10.7 points and Bryant Markson adding 10.5 points.
Coach Ray Giacoletti is in his first season at Utah, replacing Rick Majerus. Giacoletti had previously spent four seasons as head coach at Eastern Washington (2000-04) and three years guiding the North Dakota State program (1997-00).
Series History
Kentucky and Utah have met 10 times in school history and an astounding five times in NCAA Tournament action in the past 12 years. UK owns an 8-2 overall record and is 5-0 against Utah in the NCAA Tournament. The Cats have won the last six meetings in the series.
The teams last met on March 23, 2003 in the tournament?s second round. Kentucky won the game, 74-54.
The teams have met in regular-season play just three times, including a 56-48 UK win in the 2000 Preseason NIT.
Kentucky and Utah met in NCAA Tournament action every season from 1996-98, with UK coming out on top all three times. The most memorable game was the 1998 title game when UK rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to win its second NCAA Championship in three seasons and seventh overall.
Probable Starters
KENTUCKY Pos. # Name Ht. Wt. Cl. PPG RPG Notes F 44 Chuck Hayes 6-6 242 Sr. 10.7 7.9 Hasn?t missed a FT in postseason F 24 Kelenna Azubuike 6-5 208 Jr. 15.0 4.8 Avg. 17.5 ppg in NCAA Tourney C 33 Randolph Morris 6-10 266 Fr. 8.6 4.3 First career double-double vs. UC G 4 Rajon Rondo 6-1 171 Fr. 8.0 *3.5 Shooting 66.7% FG in NCAA play G 22 Patrick Sparks 6-0 180 Jr. 11.1 *3.8 UK is 19-0 when he hits 2 threes *assists per game
