The Wildcats shot 53.8 percent from the field as the White squad rolls, 104-78.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Marquis Estill totaled 28 points and Keith Bogans scored 24 as Kentucky held its annual Blue/White Scrimmage before 2,300 fans at Memorial Coliseum on Saturday.
Coach Tubby Smith interchanged his Cats between both teams but it was Estill’s play early that led the White squad to a 104-78 victory. Estill, who missed his freshman season as a partial qualifier last year, canned his first seven shots, including two three-pointers, as he played in his first competitive game since arriving on the UK campus. The Richmond, Ky., native finished the day hitting 11 of 16 shots, including two of three from beyond the arc.
Bogans, who made the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman team a year ago, was nearly as hot, finishing the day 10 of 19 from the field and four of 11 from three-point range. Tayshaun Prince and Marvin Stone both added 20 points and Jules Camara finished with 19.
Smith had promised an improved shooting effort this season and the Cats’ first and only public scrimmage proved him true. The teams combined to hit 77 of 143 shots for 53.8 percent shooting from the field. From three-point range, UK was 19 of 46 for 41.3 percent. Last season, the Wildcats shot 42.3 percent from the field and an all-time low 29.2 percent from long range.
Senior Saul Smith hit three of his four three-point attempts to score 11 points, adding eight assists and only one turnover. Freshman Cory Sears was 3-6 from beyond the arc to finish with 12 points and fellow freshman Gerald Fitch finished 2-5 from deep en route to 13 points.
Kentucky’s late addition, freshman Jason Parker, scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to tie Prince for team-high rebounding honors.
The Wildcats open exhibition play at Rupp Arena next Thursday, Nov. 2, against the E.A. Sports/California All-Stars at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 and on sale at the UK ticket office in Memorial Coliseum or the Rupp Arena box office. Fans can purchase seats online on this website.
In addition, follow the Wildcats all season long here at ukathletics.com for enhanced coverage, including Totalcasts – live stats and pictures throughout the game – of all UK home games and the radio broadcasts of each game this season.
White - 104Hawkins 1-2 0-0 - 2Blevins 0-3 0-0 - 0Fitch 3-6 1-1 - 8Bogans 8-14 0-0 - 20Smith 2-4 0-0 - 6Heissenbuttel 1-1 0-0 - 3Prince 6-10 5-5 - 18Stone 6-7 1-1 - 13Sears 4-8 1-1 - 12Parker 6-13 2-2 - 14Estill 3-3 1-2 - 8Totals 40-71 11-12 - 104 |
Blue – 78Hawkins 2-3 0-0 – 4Blevins 4-9 0-0 – 10Fitch 2-6 0-0 – 5Bogans 2-5 0-0 – 4Smith 2-5 0-0 – 5Heissenbuttel 1-5 0-0 – 2Prince 1-5 0-0 – 2Stone 2-4 2-4 -7Camara 9-17 1-2 – 19Estill 8-13 3-4 – 20Totals 33-72 6-10 – 78 |
Halftime - White 59, Blue 39Three-point goals - Bogans 4, Smith 3, Blevins 2, Estill 2, Fitch 2, Heissenbuttel, Prince, Stone. Fouled out - none. Rebounds - White 39 (Parker 11), Blue 34 (Camara 9).Assists - White 20 (Smith 7), Blue 19 (Blevins 5). Total fouls - White 9, Blue 16.A - 2,300. |