February 24, 1999
By TIM WHITMIRE
AP Sports Writer
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – Seniors Wayne Turner, Scott Padgett and Heshimu Evanseach scored in double figures in their final home game as 13th-ranked Kentuckycelebrated Senior Night with a 88-63 victory over Vanderbilt Wednesday night.
Fans who came to see Turner, Evans and Padgett in their final Rupp Arenaappearance got plenty of extra excitement, including a short-lived injury toTurner, the ejection of Kentucky center Jamaal Magloire and a dominatingperformance by the Wildcats at both ends of the court.
Padgett led Kentucky (22-7, 11-4 Southeastern Conference) with 16 points and10 rebounds, Turner had 15 points and Evans 14.
Kentucky shot 53 percent from the floor, including 9-of-17 from 3-pointrange, and held Vanderbilt (13-14, 4-11) to just 33 percent.
Dan Langhi led the Commodores with 18 points. He and Vince Ford each hadeight rebounds.
Vanderbilt has never won at Rupp Arena – the Commodores’ last victory atKentucky came in 1974, when the Wildcats still played at Memorial Coliseum.
Turner added some drama to Senior Night, throwing a scare into the Ruppfaithful when he left the game in the first half with a knee injury. But hereturned, as good as new, to score 13 second-half points.
The Wildcats point guard, who has played in the last three national titlegames, strained his left knee as he went for a breakaway layup attempt afterstealing the ball from Atiba Prater with eight minutes left in the first half.He appeared to leave his feet awkwardly and missed the shot, landing in a heapunder the Kentucky basket.
He was helped off the court to the locker room and was not expected toreturn, but came back out to start the second half, sporting a black bandaround his knee and showing no ill effects. He stripped the ball from Pratertwice more at the start of the half, converting layups both times to helpKentucky to a 45-26 lead.
Magloire exited with 9:25 left in the game after an elbow under the basketgot him called for his second technical of the game.
Under SEC rules, the ejection means a likely suspension for Magloire whenKentucky closes the regular season Sunday at Tennessee.
Kentucky jumped ahead 19-5 on seven early points by Evans and two 3-pointersby Saul Smith. Leading 35-23 at the half, the Wildcats outscored Vanderbilt24-6 to begin the second half.
Each of the seniors enjoyed a moment in the spotlight during that surge.Turner scored seven straight points, including his two layups off of steals.Padgett then ran off nine straight points, with a put-back, a 3-pointer andconsecutive dunks.
Finally, it was Evans hitting a layup, then a 3-pointer as Kentuckystretched the lead to 59-29.
