Dec. 26, 1999
Alaska-Anchorage (5-2) at Kentucky Wildcats (6-4)
Dec. 27, 1999
8:07 p.m. EST
Rupp Arena (23,000)
Lexington, Kty.
ON THE AIR
UK Radio Network — 6:30 p.m. ET
Ralph Hacker, Sam Bowie, Dave Baker
UK Television Network — Live
Rob Bromley, Martin Newton, Dick Gabriel
To follow the Wildcats in cyberspace, log onto www.ukathletics.com. Live stats, notes and information on this year’s team is available.
Wildcats Look To Extend Home Win Streak
The Kentucky Wildcats entertain Alaska-Anchorage as UK nears the end of its pre-conference schedule. Other than UAA remaining, the Cats will face Missouri later this week in the Sugar Bowl Classic before battling Georgia Tech next week. The Southeastern Conference schedule begins Jan. 8 and UK will have just one non-conference opponent remaining: at Miami (Fla.) on Jan. 29.
With back-to-back home victories over Louisville and Michigan State, Kentucky will try to extend its home winning streak to 12 games against the Seawolves. UK is 5-0 at Rupp Arena this season.
Kentucky enters the contest after its most impressive week of the season. The Wildcats demolished cross-state rival Louisville, 76-46, and followed up with their third win over a ranked opponent this season, beating No. 5 Michigan State, 60-58. Against the Spartans, UK registered its first come-from-behind victory this season, rallying from a 15-point first half deficit. The MSU victory marked the second straight season the Wildcats had beaten a top five opponent in Rupp Arena in December.
The Wildcats are one-third of the way through their ’99-2000 schedule. With 10 games complete, UK has 20 remaining — 16 SEC contests, four vs. non-conference opponents — prior to postseason play.
UK center Jamaal Magloire, the school’s all-time blocked shot leader, has recorded three consecutive double-doubles, highlighted by an 18-point, 11-rebound performance against the Spartans last Thursday. He now has eight in his career.
The Wildcats just completed a tough pre-conference schedule where they played six Top-25 opponents in a nine-game stretch and eight of their first 10 games against 1999 NCAA Tournament teams. UK survived with a 3-3 record against the ranked teams, a 6-4 mark overall.
The Cats’ next game is in the Big Easy — Missouri at the Sugar Bowl Classic in New Orleans. The game is the first of an SEC vs. Big 12 double-header which includes LSU and Oklahoma State in the nightcap. The games will be played in the just-opened New Orleans Arena, adjacent to the Louisiana Super Dome.
Probably Starters
KENTUCKY
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Ppg Rpg Hometown 21 Tayshaun Prince G/F 6-9 215 So. 14.3 6.2 Compton, Calif. 32 Desmond Allison G/F 6-5 214 So. 7.3 2.6 Tampa, Fla. 42 Jamaal Magloire C 6-10 260 Sr. 11.2 8.1 Toronto, Ontario 11 Saul Smith G 6-2 175 Jr. 7.5* 3.1 Athens, Ga. 10 Keith Bogans G 6-5 205 Fr. 8.5 2.2 Hyattsville, Md. Key Cats Off The Bench 3 J.P. Blevins G 6-2 181 So. 2.9* 0.8 Edmonton, Ky. 40 Jules Camara F 6-11 223 So. 7.4 3.6 Dakar, Senegal 24 Marvin Stone F/C 6-10 256 Fr. 5.5 5.5 Huntsville, Ala.
ALASKA-ANCHORAGE
25 Glen Newbold F 6-6 210 Jr. 4.1 7.4 Wanganui, N. Zeal. 24 Greg Freeman F 6-4 200 Jr. 11.3 4.0 Helena, Mont. 55 Serge Using C 7-1 240 Sr. 11.1 8.9 Oranienburg, Germ. 11 Scott Larrabee G 5-10 165 Sr. 6.3* 2.9 Anchorage, Alaska 3 Chris Hamey G 6-5 200 Sr. 11.3* 3.3 Juneau, Alaska
* Assists per game
Team Comparisons UK UAA Record 6-4 5-2 Scoring Off. 66.4 83.4 Scoring Def. 58.7 71.1 Scoring Margin +7.7 +12.3 FG % 41.9 44.5 Def. FG % 40.4 40.1 3FG % 29.2 34.1 Def. 3FG % 32.5 25.7 FT Pct. 70.0 78.0 Reb. Avg. 37.8 40.7 Opp. Reb. Avg. 32.9 35.3 Rebound Margin +4.9 +5.4 TO Avg. 16.5 13.4 Opp. TO 17.5 14.7 TO Margin +1.0 +1.3 Blocks Avg. 6.1 4.1 Steals Avg. 7.6 4.9 Coaching Comparisons Orlando “Tubby” Smith (High Point ’73) Overall (9th year) 193-79 (71.0%) at UK (3rd year) 69-17 (80.2%) SEC Tournament (4 yrs.) 10-2 (83.3%) NCAA Tournament (6 yrs.) 15-5 (75.0%) vs. Alaska-Anchorage 0-0 Charlie Bruns (Eastern Washington ’68) Overall (7th year) 113-60 (65.3%) at Alaska-Anchorage same vs. Kentucky 0-1
Happy Holidays
The Skinny on the Seawolves
Alaska-Anchorage enters the contest with 5-2 record after earning two victories over Adams State last week at home. Its only two losses were to Division-I squads Washington and Louisville in the Great Alaska Shootout last month. Louisville, the Cats and ‘Wolves only common opponent, beat UAA 108-76 for fourth place in the eight-team tournament. The Seawolves have beaten one D-I team, Grambling State in the second round of the GAS.
UAA suffered a blow last week when star guard Ed Kirk suffered a fractured jaw in the first game against Adams State last week (Dec. 21). The senior was involved in a collision with 2:08 remaining in the game and will be out for at least six weeks. Kirk was UAA’s leading scorer, averaging 18.2 ppg, and top assists’ man with 23 through six games. He was named to the All-Tournament team at the Great Alaska Shootout after scoring 22 points against Washington and Louisville and 21 in the second-round win over Grambling State.
The Series
Series Facts
Overall Record: UK leads 4-0
In Lexington: UK leads 2-0
In Anchorage: UK leads 2-0
At Neutral Sites: 0-0
Alaska-Anchorage travels to Lexington for a return of the Wildcats’ trip to the 1996 Great Alaska Shootout. UK won the ’96 tournament, beating UAA, 104-72, in second-round action. It’s the Seawolves first trip to Lexington since Dec. 28, 1987, a 100-58 win by Eddie Sutton’s Wildcats.
Coach Tubby Smith has never coached against Alaska-Anchorage while Charlie Bruns is 0-1 against the Cats.
This is UK’s first Division II opponent since the last time the two teams met, Nov. 29, 1996.
Rupp Arena
The Kentucky Wildcats, in their 24th season of basketball at Rupp Arena, are 308-35 (89.8%) in the facility. UK has recorded seven perfect home seasons and four years with only one defeat since Rupp Arena opened in 1976-77. The Big Blue earned its 300th victory in the 23,000-seat gymnasium on Jan. 30, 1999, an 86-62 win over LSU. Kentucky was 12-1 in the facility last year.
With a 5-0 record at Rupp this season, the Wildcats have won 11 straight games in the facility.
Smith Thru 86
Through his first 86 games, Tubby Smith has the second-best record of any UK coach since 1930. Smith is 69-17 which trails only Hall of Fame coach Adolph Rupp, who was 76-10 through his first 86 games spanning 4-plus seasons. Eddie Sutton began with a 68-18 mark while Joe B. Hall and Rick Pitino each had 59-27 records.
Three Straight Doubles
Jamaal Ma-gloire’s three consecutive double-doubles is a rarity. Not since Reggie Hanson accomplished the feat 10 years ago has another Wildcat had at least three straight in a season. Hanson had 24 points and 14 rebounds vs. Ohio, 13 and 11 vs. Indiana, 19 and 10 against Mississippi State and 18 and 10 against Tennessee Tech to start the 1989-90 season, reeling off four consecutive double-doubles.
Owning the Glass
After outrebounding their opponents in five straight games, including a domination of Louisville by 17 boards, UK was outrebounded by Michigan State, 34-28. But the Spartans had been outrebounding their opponents by 13.7 per game. It marked the third time this season UK lost the battle of the boards.
Did You Know?
With Jamaal Magloire increasing his rebounding averaging to 8.1 rpg, who was the last Wildcat to average at least eight rebounds per game during a single season? Antoine Walker, who grabbed 8.4 caroms during the Cats’ championship campaign of 1996.
UK vs. Top 25
Kentucky is 3-3 against teams ranked in the AP Top 25 this season. UK has wins against No. 16 Utah, 56-48, No. 24 Maryland in the Preseason NIT, 61-58, and No. 5 Michigan State, 60-58. The Cats have lost to No. 8 Arizona, No. 23 Indiana and at No. 21 Maryland on Dec. 11. AP rankings were current at the time of the game.
While Kentucky has played six teams ranked in the Top 25 prior to their conference slate, all the other Southeastern Conference teams combined will play eight. Auburn lost to No. 2 Stanford, Florida played No. 24 Purdue in Maui, Georgia has faced No. 8 Kansas and No. 25 Wake Forest, and South Carolina has lost to both No. 5 Michigan State and No. 19 DePaul. Arkansas lost to No. 23 Wake Forest and Mississippi State played No. 1 Stanford on Dec. 21. Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Vanderbilt are not scheduled to face a ranked opponent prior to the league schedule. In the eight games the SEC teams have played against ranked opponents, they have a combined record of 1-7.
UK’s first 10 opponents have a combined record of 64-30 (68.1%), which includes UNC Asheville’s 1-9 start.
UK Out of Top 25
With a 6-4 record, the Wildcats remained out of the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the second consecutive week last Monday. On Dec. 13, UK was out of the AP poll for the first time since Dec. 4, 1990. The streak ended at 164 consecutive weeks in the rankings, the fifth-longest streak on record. UCLA owns the most consecutive weeks in the poll with 221 between 1966-80, followed by North Carolina’s 171 (1972-82), North Carolina’s current streak of 168 and Marquette’s mark of 166 weeks (1969-79).
Double-Trouble
Jamaal Magloire has registered three consecutive double-doubles. At Maryland, he had 12 points and 16 rebounds before a 12-point, 10-rebound performance against Louisville. He followed up with 18 points and 11 rebounds against Michigan State. His 18 points matched his career high. The big Canadian now has eight double-doubles in his career.
Freshman Marvin Stone became the first Wildcat this season to record a double-double. The Huntsville, Ala., native had 12 points and 10 rebounds against UNC Asheville.
Lineup Change
Only twice this season has Coach Tubby Smith altered the starting lineup. Against Louisville, he inserted freshman Keith Bogans at shooting guard, moved Desmond Allison to small forward and Tayshaun Prince to power forward, and brought Jules Camara off the bench. He used the same lineup against Michigan State. The latest move has earned wins over Louisville and No. 5 Michigan State.
Bogans’ Emergence
Keith Bogans made his first collegiate start against Louisville and answered the challenge with 12 points, four assists and two steals while shooting 5-of-6 from the field. He’s scored in double figures five times and is third on the team in points per game. The freshman from Alexandria, Va., tallied a season-high 17 points against Maryland in the Preseason NIT before following with 11 points vs. Indiana, 12 vs. UNC Asheville and 14 at Maryland.
December Results
At home in December, the Wildcats are 270-37 all-time, a winning percentage of 87.9 percent. Overall — home, away and neutral — UK is 416-98 (80.9%).
Youthful Contributions
Sophomore Tayshaun Prince is the Wildcats’ leading scorer, averaging 14.3 ppg. If Prince finishes the season as UK’s top scorer, he’ll become the fourth sophomore in the last decade to accomplish that feat, joining Jamal Mashburn, Tony Delk and Ron Mercer with that honor. He’s led UK in scoring in four games and twice tallied at least 20 points this season.
Freshman Keith Bogans is third on the team in scoring averaging 8.5 ppg. The 6-2 guard could become the first frosh since Jamal Mashburn to finish in the top three in scoring. Mashburn averaged 12.9 ppg during his first season in 1991, good for third on the team.
Consecutive Threes
The Cats have hit three-pointers in 383 consecutive games. The last time UK was held without a three-point field goal was Nov. 26, 1988, a “three-point” loss to Seton Hall in the Great Alaska Shootout (63-60). UK’s current streak ranks fourth nationally. UNLV, Vanderbilt and Princeton have had a three-pointer in every game since the rule was implemented in 1986-87.
Smith’s Overtime Success
With an exciting 92-88 victory over Kansas in the second round of the 1999 NCAA tourney, the Wildcats won all three overtime games last season. UK also defeated host Georgia, 91-83, and Indiana, 70-61.
The Cats are 5-0 in overtime games since Tubby Smith took over as coach. In ’98, the Wildcats earned overtime victories over Arkansas, 80-77, and Stanford, 86-85. The Cats had lost seven of their last eight overtime games prior to the five-game win streak.
Overall, UK is 42-33 in overtime games, dating back to Feb. 12, 1907.
Smith is 13-3 in overtime games during his eight-year coaching career. He’s 5-0 at UK, 2-1 at Georgia and 6-2 at Tulsa, which includes a 2-1 mark in double overtime. His one overtime loss at Georgia was an 83-81 defeat to Syracuse in the 1996 NCAA Tournament and one of his OT defeats at Tulsa came at the hands of top-ranked Arkansas in 1994.
Season Highs/Lows
Category Kentucky Opponent 1st Half Points High 41 vs. UNCA 45 by Indiana Low 25 vs. Arizona 16 by UNCA 2nd Half Points High 45 vs. UNCA 38 Twice Low 21 vs. Md(G1) 12 by Louisville Total Points High 86 vs. UNCA 83 by Indiana Low 51 vs. Arizona 45 by UNCA FG Made High 31 Twice 29 by Indiana Low 18 vs. Mich St 15 by UNCA FG Attempts High 68 vs. UNCA 62 by Maryland (G1) Low 47 Twice 44 Twice FG Percentage High 59.6 vs. Lville 54.7 by Indiana Low 35.6 Twice 29.8 by Louisville 3FG Made High 7 Twice 7 Twice Low 1 vs. Utah 2 by UNCA 3FG Attempts High 23 Twice 26 by Penn Low 10 vs. Utah 8 by UNCA 3FG Percentage High 50.0 Twice 54.5 by Indiana (min. 8) Low 10.0 vs. Utah 22.7 by Louisville FT Made High 25 vs. Indiana 19 by Indiana Low 3 vs. Arizona 5 by Maryland (G1) FT Attempts High 33 vs. Indiana 28 by Indiana Low 8 vs. Arizona 7 by Utah FT Percentage High 86.4 vs. UNCA 87.5 by Louisville Low 37.5 vs. Arizona43.8 by Penn Off. Rebounds High 21 vs. Md (G1) 19 by Maryland (G1) Low 9 vs. Arizona 6 by Indiana Def. Rebounds High 32 vs. Penn 31 by Arizona Low 20 vs. Utah 13 by Louisville Rebounds High 43 Twice 45 by Maryland (G1) Low 28 vs. Mich St 24 by Louisville Assists High 16 vs. UNCA 21 by Maryland (G2) Low 7 vs. Mich St 4 by Louisville Turnovers High 21 vs. Arizona 29 by UNCA Low 7 vs. Utah 12 by Indiana Blocked Shots High 9 Twice 4 Twice Low 2 vs. Mich St 0 by Mich. State Steals High 10 vs. Md (G1) 15 by Arizona Low 5 Twice 2 by Penn Fouls High 25 vs. Indiana 26 by Indiana Low 10 vs. Utah 14 by Louisville
Individual Superlatives
Points
21 Tayshaun Prince vs. Maryland 11/24/99
Field Goals
8 Tayshaun Prince vs. Louisville 12/18/99
Field Goal Attempts
18 Tayshaun Prince vs. Maryland (G1)/Arizona
Field Goal Percentage (5 made min.)
100.0 Desmond Allison (5-5) vs. UNC Ash. 12/7/99
Three-Point FG
5Saul Smith vs. Maryland 12/11/99
Three-Point FG Attempts
10Saul Smith vs. Maryland12/11/99
3FG Percentage (2 made min.)
100.0 Desmond Allison (3-3) vs. UNC Asheville 12/7/99
100.0 Saul Smith (2-2) vs. Penn 11/17/99
100.0 Keight Bogans (2-2) vs. Louisville 12/18/99
Free Throws
9 Jamaal Magloire vs. Indiana 12/4/99
Free Throw Attempts
13 Jamaal Magloire vs. Indiana 12/4/99
Free Throw Percentage (6 made min.)
85.7 Keith Bogans (6-7) vs. Maryland 11/24/99
85.7 Tayshaun Prince (6-7) vs. Dayton 11/29/99
Rebounds
16 Jamaal Magloire vs. Maryland 12/11/99
Assists
6 Saul Smith vs. Maryland 12/11/99
Steals
4 Saul Smith vs. Utah 11/19/99
4 Desmond Allison vs. Penn 11/17/99
Blocks
5 Tayshaun Prince vs. Louisville 12/18/99
’99-2000 Trends
5-1 When leading at halftime
0-0 When tied at halftime
1-3 When trailing at halftime
6-2 When UK scores first
0-2 When opponent scores first
6-0 When leading with 5 minutes to play
0-3 When trailing with 5 minutes to play
0-1 When score tied with 5 minutes to play
6-0 When leading with 2 minutes to play
0-4 When trailing with 2 minutes to play
0-0 When score tied with 2 minutes to play
2-1 In games decided by three points or less
1-2 In games decided by 4-10 points
0-0 When UK shoots 60% or better FG
1-0 When UK shoots 50% or better FG
5-4 When UK shoots less than 50% FG
1-2 When UK shoots less than 40% FG
2-1 When UK makes more 3FG
3-1 When opponent makes more 3FG
1-2 When 3FG made are the same
4-3 When UK outrebounds opponent
2-1 When opponent outrebounds UK
0-0 When rebounds are the same
5-4 When playing on national TV
0-0 When playing on regional TV
1-2 When playing on the weekend
5-2 When playing on a weekday
0-0 When starting after 10 p.m. ET
1-2 When starting after 9 p.m. ET
4-1 When game starts between 7-9 p.m.
1-1 With an afternoon start
0-0 In overtime games
3-2 In November
3-2 In December
0-0 In January
0-0 In February
0-0 In March
6-2 In home white uniforms
0-2 In away blue uniforms
Wildcats vs. Conferences
0-1 vs. Atlantic 10
1-1 vs. Atlantic Coast
1-0 vs. Big South
1-1 vs. Big Ten
1-0 vs. Conference USA
1-0 vs. Ivy
1-0 vs. Mountain West
0-1 vs. Pac-10
Record vs. Lineup
4-3 Prince, Camara, Magloire, Smith, Allison
0-1 Prince, Knight, Magloire, Smith, Allison
2-0 Prince, Allison, Magloire, Smith, Bogans
America’s Team of the Century
The Wildcats own an unparalleled tradition of success. Since 1903, the University of Kentucky has fielded 97 basketball teams. The first national championship was an NIT title in 1946. The first NCAA Championship came in 1948 and the latest, No. 7, occurred in 1998. No other program can claim the unparalleled success that matches the Wildcats’ efforts throughout the century.
Highlights include:
Seven NCAA titles (1948, ’49, ’51, ’58, ’78, ’96, ’98),
The all-time winningest team in college basketball.
1. Kentucky 1,754
2. North Carolina 1,741
3. Kansas 1,697
The highest all-time winning percentage in college basketball — 76.4% (1,754-542-1),
Three NCAA runner-up trophies,
13 Final Four appearances,
A national-record 40 NCAA tournament appearances,
39 SEC Championships,
22 SEC Tournament titles,
10 30-win seasons,
37 players chosen All-American 54 times,
86 Wildcats drafted by the NBA.
SEASON REVIEW
Preseason NIT Final Four Results
Kentucky earned wins over Penn, Utah and Maryland before losing in the championship of the Preseason NIT to Arizona. It was the “western” Wildcats third straight win over UK, dating back to an overtime win in the 1997 NCAA Championship game. UK finished second in the 16-team tournament field that included Ohio State, Notre Dame and Tulane. The final four results from New York’s Madison Square Garden:
Nov. 24
Arizona 76, Notre Dame 60
Kentucky 61, Maryland 58
Nov. 26
Maryland 72, ND 67
Arizona 63, Kentucky 51
Prince Makes All-Tourney
Tayshaun Prince, UK’s leading scorer and rebounder, had a career-high 21 points and nine rebounds in the Cats’ win over Maryland in the semifinals and followed up with an 18-point, five-rebound performance against Arizona to earn All-Tournament team honors at the Preseason NIT.
Joining Prince on the All-Tournament team were Notre Dame’s Troy Murphy, Maryland’s Lonny Baxter and Arizona’s Jason Gardner and Richard Jefferson. The MVP was Arizona’s Gilbert Arenas.
America’s Team of the Century Posts #1,750 — Both Lexington Herald-Leader columnist Billy Reed and popular television analyst Dick Vitale have made claims that Kentucky, the all-time winningest team in college basketball, is “America’s Team of the Century.”
The Wildcats became the first team to record 1,750 wins with their victory over Utah on Nov. 19.
UK is in its 97th season of college basketball, and its record number of victories include seven NCAA Championships, two (postseason) NIT titles, a record 84 NCAA Tournament victories and 39 Southeastern Conference Championships, more than all the other league teams combined.
November Blues
For the fifth consecutive year, UK lost a game in the month of November. In 1995, UK lost to UMass in the Great Eight. In ’96, the Cats fell to Clemson in the BCA Classic. In ’97, Arizona knocked UK into the loser’s bracket of the Maui Invitational. Last season, Pittsburgh sent the Cats to the third-place game of the Puerto Rico Shootout. This November, Arizona earned a win over UK in the Preseason NIT final before the Cats fell to Dayton.
For the 11th time in the last 12 seasons, the Cats lost one of their first five games of the season. The dubious streak began in 1988-89 with a loss to Duke in the Tip-Off Classic.
Home In November
Since 1980, Kentucky has only lost two home games in November, establishing a mark of 18-1 during the past two decades, including its victories over Penn and Utah. The only defeat? To Pittsburgh in the second round of the Preseason NIT in Nov. 1991.
All-time in November, UK is 45-10, including a 28-1 mark at home, a 3-0 record on the road and a 14-9 slate at neutral sites.
Season Openers
After its Penn victory, Kentucky has now won 10 of its last 11 season openers. UK’s one defeat came at the hands of Clemson, a 79-71 overtime loss in the BCA Classic double-header at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis on Nov. 15, 1996.
UK has not lost a home opener since Northwestern State upset the Cats in 1988-89, a streak of 11 consecutive victories.
PRESEASON CAT SCRATCHES
Cats Short on Experience, Long on Talent
Seven of the 11 Wildcats on the ’99-2000 roster are freshmen or sophomores. UK lost its top four scorers, its top three rebounders and its top three assists men. The Cats’ leading returning scorer and rebounder is senior Jamaal Magloire, who averaged 7.0 ppg and 4.4 rpg, while the leading returning assist man is Saul Smith, who averaged 1.6 apg last season. The only returning starter is Desmond Allison.
Returning production includes:
Points: 35.8%
Rebounds:38.9%
Assists: 33.1 %
Blocks 63.8%
Steals: 37.8%
The NBA Connection
Kentucky led all Southeastern Conference teams with 10 Wildcats on 1999-2000 opening day NBA rosters. No other SEC team had more than six former players in the league. For UK, the Cats had Derek Anderson (Clippers), Tony Delk (Kings), Rex Chapman (Suns), Jamal Mashburn (Heat), Ron Mercer (Nuggets), Nazr Mohammed (76ers), Walter McCarty, Antoine Walker and Wayne Turner (Celtics) and Scott Padgett (Jazz). Turner has since been waived.
Magloire Earns Preseason All-SEC Honor
In early November, media members at the Southeastern Conference Media Days in Birmingham picked the Wildcats to finish second in the Eastern Division behind Florida and selected Jamaal Magloire to the preseason All-SEC team. Auburn, which returns Chris Porter and Doc Robinson from last year’s Sweet 16 team, was chosen to win the regular-season crown.
SEC Media Day Predictions
Champion (Votes)
Auburn 29 Florida 10 Kentucky 5
Eastern Division Western Division Florida (30) 227 Auburn (40) 240 Kentucky (3) 188 Arkansas 177 Tennessee (7)181 Alabama 142 Vanderbilt 100 Miss. State 121 Georgia 85 LSU 67 South Carolina56 Ole Miss 58 All-SEC G – Tony Harris, Tennessee 27 G – Doc Robinson, Auburn 41 F – Chris Porter, Auburn 49 F – Mike Miller, Florida 37 C – Jamaal Magloire, Kentucky 17 SEC Player of the Year Chris Porter, Auburn 45 Doc Robinson, Auburn 1 Mike Miller, Florida 1
Team of the Decade
Kentucky staked its claim for the title of “Team of the Decade” during the 1990s. Only two NCAA Division I schools can claim two national titles during the last 10 years, UK and Duke.
NCAA Championships 2 Final Four Appearances 4 NCAA Runner-up 1 NCAA Tourney Record (App.) 31-6 (8) NCAA Tourney Winning % 83.8% Decade Wins (Pct.) 282 (81.7%) 30-Win Seasons 4 Losing Seasons 0 AP Top-10 Finishes 9 All-Americans 3 NBA Draft Picks (1st Rd.) 10 (8) SEC Championships 3 SEC Tournament Titles 7
News from the Summer Drought
The ’99-2000 schedule includes 17 teams that played in the 1999 NCAA Tournament, including Final-Four qualifier Michigan State. There will be 14 home dates during the regular season since Kentucky advanced in the Preseason NIT. The Cats will appear on national TV 18 times, including 12 times on ESPN or espn2 and five games on CBS. SEC games televised on “Super Tuesdays” by ESPN will begin at 9 p.m. instead of 9:30 p.m.
Tubby Smith spent nearly all of July as an assistant coach for the 1999 USA Senior National Team. After winning the Tournament of the Americas in Puerto Rico, the squad qualified for the 2000 Olympics next September in Sydney, Australia. Smith will continue to serve on that staff as well, coaching such NBA greats as Tim Hardaway, Kevin Garnett, Steve Smith and Gary Peyton.
Point guard Saul Smith competed for the SEC All-Stars, which toured Japan in August. Smith helped the team to a 4-1 record against the Japan National Team.
Steve Masiello was awarded a scholarship for his senior season. The former walk-on from White Plains, N.Y. has been a member of UK’s ’97 NCAA runner-up squad, its ’98 NCAA Championship team and the Elite-Eight qualifier last season.
Jamaal Magloire declared his intentions for the NBA Draft in May, but withdrew one week before the event and decided to return to UK for his senior season.
Scott Padgett became the seventh Wildcat in the last four years to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft when he was taken 28th by the Utah Jazz. Padgett was one of 11 Wildcats on NBA rosters as of opening day. In addition, seven other Cats are playing professionally, including Heshimu Evans, who is participating in a French league this winter. (See pages 154-157 of the 2000 UK Media Guide.)
Fall Signees
Cliff Hawkins, a 6-1, 180-pound guard at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., and Michael Southall, a 6-10, 225-pound forward/center from West Salem, Wis., have both signed national letters-of-intent during the fall signing period to play their college basketball at the University of Kentucky.
Hawkins, a native of Dumfries, Va., helped the Warriors to a perfect 32-0 record last season and a final No. 1 ranking by USA Today, ESPN and The Associated Press, earning the crown of national champions.
“Cliff is a tough and tenacious defender who’s been an important part of a championship program,” Coach Smith said. “He understands what teamwork is all about and works to make others better. He’s not interested in padding his own stats, which was one of the first things that attracted us to him. He’s a point guard that knows how to push the ball up the court and he’s been well-schooled in the game.”
As a junior, Hawkins averaged 11.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game last season while starting every contest. The southpaw, who his coach called the “best on-the-ball defender he’s ever coached,” also led the team in steals, averaging 3.9 per game. He shot 50.0 percent from the field, 62.5 percent from the foul line and 30.0 percent from three-point range during the ’99 season.
Hawkins played his sophomore season at Potomac High School, leading the squad to a state runner-up finish. In the state semifinals, he held Ronald Curry, the 1998 National Player of the Year, to six points, while tallying 31 in the winning effort. He earned first-team Class AAA All-State honors before transferring to Oak Hill.
Hawkins, who chose UK over New Mexico, played on the 1998 DC Team Assault summer AAU squad with current Wildcat Keith Bogans.
Southall, who plays at West Salem High School, was the Coulee Conference and Region Player of the Year last season, averaging 20.7 points and 13.0 rebounds per game. He was named the team’s Most Valuable Player and earned third team All-State honors from the Lacrosse Tribune after leading his squad to a 14-8 record. He shot 65.0 percent from the field, 66.0 percent from the foul line and recorded 146 blocked shots (6.7 bpg) last season.
“Michael is a player that exemplifies the student-athlete we want in our program,” Coach Smith said. “He has set high goals and ambitions and has a great work ethic. With the loss of Jamaal Magloire to graduation next season, he’ll make an immediate impact. He’s a player that possesses excellent hands and agility and will obviously keep a shot-blocking presence on our front line.”
Southall also was named team MVP during his sophomore year, averaging 13.7 points and 12.0 rebounds a game while leading West Salem to the sectional final.
He chose UK over Utah, Georgia Tech, Michigan and Ohio State.
