January 16, 1999
OXFORD, Miss. – Scott Padgett scored all 13 of his points in the secondhalf, including six in a row that put No. 6 Kentucky ahead for good, as theWildcats won 63-57 at Mississippi on Saturday.
The Wildcats (15-4, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) made all six of their freethrows in the final 53 seconds – two by Padgett – to avoid losing to the Rebelsfor the third year in a row and dropping their second game this week.
Ole Miss (12-6, 2-3) was ahead 44-43 when Keith Carter went high in the airfor a one-handed slam of a missed free throw with about 10 minutes left. Thatwas the first Rebel field goal, and one of only six, in the second half.
Padgett then put the game away for the Wildcats, who lost 47-46 at homeTuesday night to Tennessee. Padgett had a 3-pointer at the 9:37 mark andfollowed that with 3-of-4 free throws in the next minute.
Kentucky built its overwhelming lead in the series to 84-10, but theWildcats had lost the last two regular season games, including a 73-69 loss inOxford, also as defending national champions, two years ago. Ole Miss won 73-64in Lexington last year.
That Ole Miss victory in January 1997 started a school-record 29-game homewinning streak that was snapped just last Wednesday in a 74-59 loss to No. 8Auburn.
Ole Miss, which had more turnovers (21) than field goals (17), has lostconsecutive games at home for the first time in three years.
Carter led Ole Miss with 18 points.
The Rebels led 34-31 at halftime, but Padgett’s first basket – a layup with16:57 left – made it 37-36 for Kentucky’s first lead since the 6:21 mark of thefirst half.
The lead then changed hands for seven minutes before Padgett’s six points ina row.
Ole Miss was within 57-53 after two Jason Smith free throws with 1:36 left.But the Rebels were forced to foul, and Kentucky made all six free throws,twice following Smith baskets with two free throws at the other end.
Jason Harrison, a 5-foot-5 Ole Miss guard, keyed a 10-4 run in the firsthalf that gave the Rebels a 32-27 lead, their largest. His two free throwsstarted the spurt and put Ole Miss ahead.
After a Kentucky miss, Harrison broke into the lane, stopped and passed toJason Flanigan, who had a nifty underhand shot in traffic. A 15-foot jumper byHarrison with 1:58 put the Rebels up by five.
Saul Smith led Kentucky with 17 points, 11 in a row in a first-half spurt.He had two 3-pointers before his three free throws put the Wildcats ahead18-14.
By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer
