Feb 26, 2003

Box Score?|?Quotes?|?Notes?|?Photo Gallery

By CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Tennessee’s Ron Slay glanced at the nearly expired shot clock, then sank a 3-pointer over Kentucky’s Chuck Hayes.

“`Jawbreaker,”‘ Hayes remembered Slay saying as the two trotted to the other end of the court in the second half.

Not so fast.

Keith Bogans scored 15 points and the second-ranked Wildcats used balanced scoring to extend the nation’s longest winning streak to 17 games with an 80-68 victory Wednesday night.

Slay, the Southeastern Conference’s leading scorer, dominated the individual matchup with Hayes, outscoring him 22-12 and outrebounding him 14-1.

But Hayes’ team had more than enough offense to cancel out Slay’s efforts.

We had quality play and very balanced scoring. Coach Tubby Smith

Jules Camara added 12 points, Cliff Hawkins 11 and Marquis Estill had 10 points and nine rebounds for Kentucky (23-3, 13-0), which tied its longest winning streak under coach Tubby Smith.

“We don’t have just one guy. We all want to go out and play,” Bogans said.

Slay, a notorious trash talker, humbly gave Kentucky its due after the game.

“Even when they don’t do something right, they look like they’re doing something right,” Slay said. “Even when they make an offensive mistake, they usually make up for it on the defensive end.”

Tennessee (15-9, 7-6) went 27-of-46 from the field (59 percent), the best shooting performance by a Wildcats opponent this season. But the Volunteers made only 12 baskets and committed 11 turnovers after halftime to lose for the 25th time in 28 meetings at Rupp Arena.

Hawkins said the Wildcats got a tongue-lashing from Smith at halftime, not unlike the one they got at Vanderbilt on Jan. 14. Kentucky trailed 36-28 at halftime that night, then won 74-52.

“The second half, we know what we’ve got to do,” Hawkins said. “It was a whole lot of Coach Smith. He told us we weren’t challenging shots. We just kind of settled in and started doing what we do best.”

The Volunteers outrebounded the Wildcats 29-21. It was just the sixth time Kentucky was outrebounded in a game this season.

Smith said the Vols’ good shooting limited the number of boards available. He was pleased his team countered Tennessee’s shooting by scoring 26 points off 18 turnovers.

Still, the Wildcats won by double digits for the 11th time in 12 games, committing only nine turnovers and going 25-of-29 (86 percent) from the free-throw line.

“We took their best shot and came away with a win,” Smith said.

The Vols used a 9-0 run to trim a 15-point deficit early in the second half to six.

Camara converted a three-point play with 7:14 left and the Wildcats steadily rebuilt the lead. Camara scored again a minute later and Hayes dunked after a steal by Hawkins.

The Vols never got within double digits after that.

The fans started chanting, “Tubby! Tubby!” in the final minute, and the Kentucky coach held back a smile as he clapped his hands.

“We had quality play and very balanced scoring,” Smith said.

Kentucky’s defense leads the SEC in four categories in league play, but the Volunteers shredded it early, hitting seven of their first 11 shots.

Tennessee still trailed 23-19, and seldom-used reserve Josh Carrier sank a 3-pointer with 9:39 left to push the lead to seven.

But the Vols continued to find cracks in Kentucky’s defense, sinking six straight shots during a 13-4 run. Elgrace Wilborn hit a reverse layup with 5:23 left before halftime to give the Volunteers a 32-30 lead.

Bogans, a senior who’s averaged 16 points against Tennessee in his career, scored seven straight points over a two-minute stretch to restore Kentucky’s lead. His three-point play with 2:50 left in the half moved him past former teammate Tayshaun Prince and into seventh place on Kentucky’s career scoring list.

“We were a little sluggish. I finally just told the guys I wanted the ball,” Bogans said.

But the Wildcats led only 39-36 at halftime, the highest-scoring first half by an SEC opponent this season.

The Wildcats’ trademark defense returned after halftime. The Volunteers missed five of their first seven shots and committed five turnovers in the first nine minutes of the second half.

Tennessee lost its third straight after a six-game winning streak.

“I saw a lot of fire and intensity from our guys,” Tennessee coach Buzz Peterson said. “I told them they have nothing to hang their heads about. They got beat by a very good team.”