December 7, 1998
#11 Indiana Hoosiers (8-1)
Vs.
#5 Kentucky Wildcats (7-1)
Dec. 8, 1998
7:36 p.m. ET
Freedom Hall (18,865)
Louisville, Ky.
RADIO
UK Radio Network — 6:30 p.m. ET
WVLK 590 AM & 92.9 FM (flagship stations)
Ralph Hacker (play-by-play), Sam Bowie (analyst),
Dave Baker (host), Tom Leach (scoreboard)
TELEVISION
ESPN — 7:30 p.m. ET
Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Dick Vitale (analyst)
WEB
Follow the Cats in cyberspace at www.ukathletics.com.
Kentucky Wildcats (7-1)
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Ppg Rpg34 Scott Padgett F 6-9 240 Sr. 10.4 6.014 Heshimu Evans F 6-6 215 Sr. 12.8 6.233 Michael Bradley C 6-10 235 So. 11.9 5.8 5 Wayne Turner G 6-2 190 Sr. 12.1 *3.321 Tayshaun Prince G 6-8 206 Fr. 7.0 4.0
Key Cats Off The Bench
32 Desmond Allison G/F 6-5 206 Fr. 4.0 1.040 Jules Camara F/C 6-11 213 Fr. 5.9 4.822 Ryan Hogan G 6-3 185 So. 2.2 0.742 Jamaal Magloire C 6-10 260 Jr. 2.2 3.711 Saul Smith G 6-2 175 So. 5.4 2.9
Indiana Hoosiers (8-1)
4 Luke Recker F 6-6 200 So. 16.9 3.943 Jarrad Odle F 6-8 210 Fr. 2.4 1.930 William Gladness F 6-8 220 Sr. 11.1 7.911 Dan Fife G 6-4 190 Fr. 4.1 2.025 A.J. Guyton G 6-1 175 Jr. 13.8 *3.4
* Assists per game
Tubby Smith (High Point 1973)
Overall (8th year): 166-67 (71.2%)
at UK (2nd year): 42-5 (89.4%)
NCAA Appearances: (5) 12-4 (75.0%)
vs. Indiana: 1-0
Bob Knight (Ohio State 1962)
Overall (34th year): 728-271 (72.9%)
at Indiana (28th year): 626-221 (73.9%)
vs. Kentucky: 14-16
UK IURecord 7-1 8-1Scoring Off. 75.1 72.3Scoring Def. 60.2 64.1Scoring Margin +14.9 +8.2FG % 48.3 44.9Def. FG % 37.4 39.33FG % 24.7 38.4Def. 3FG % 28.5 33.3FT Pct. 56.5 69.1Reb. Avg. 42.6 37.0Opp. Reb. Avg. 34.6 38.0Rebound Margin +8.0 -1.0TO Avg. 15.6 14.6Opp. TO 17.6 17.2TO Margin +2.0 +2.6Blocks Avg. 6.0 3.2Steals Avg. 8.0 9.2
Rivalry, Ranked Teams, Milestone Highlight UK-IU
In arguably the nation,s greatest regular-season atmosphere for collegebasketball, the Kentucky Wildcats and the Indiana Hoosiers, both rankedteams, will square off in the annual border war taking place this year atLouisville,s Freedom Hall. With the tickets split evenly between the teams– and divided across the midcourt stripe at the Fairgrounds facility — UKand IU will meet for the 42nd time, the 29th year in a row.
This will be the 1,000th game in the career of IU coach Bob Knight. ,TheGeneral0/00 has served as head coach at both Army and Indiana, but spent 28 ofhis 34 years at the helm for the Hoosiers. He owns a 728-271 (72.9%) recordas the winningest active coach in college basketball.
This will be the Wildcats, third game against a ranked opponent in thelast four outings. UK was victorious in the two previous meetings againstranked teams, defeating No. 10 UCLA, 66-62, and shocking No. 7 Kansas,63-45. The Cats then battled Miami, also a team from the OE98 NCAA
Tournament field, before coming away with a 74-65 victory at home on Saturday. The Wildcats are in the midst of an eight-game stretch that featuresfive teams ranked in the Top 25. Six of the eight teams played in lastseason,s NCAA Tournament.
Lexington and Indianapolis are separated by 167 miles and Lexington isjust 71 miles from Louisville, the site of this year,s UK-IU game.
The Wildcats, next opponent: Second-ranked Maryland in Rupp Arena. Thegame will mark the first of three straight contests against teams from theAtlantic Coast Conference. The Cats and Terrapins will tip off at 8:30 p.m.on ESPN, which follows the cable network,s Heisman Trophy show. In arelated note, UK quarterback Tim Couch has been invited to New York as oneof the four finalists for football,s most recognized individual honor.
Cats-Hoosiers Series
While the game marks Coach Knight,s 1,000th game as a college headcoach, it will be the 42nd meeting between the two squads. UK holds a 21-20advantage in the series and has won the last four meetings and six of thelast seven. At neutral sites, UK holds an 11-8 series lead.
The series has alternated between the RCA Dome in Indianapolis andFreedom Hall in Louisville since 1991. The last time this game was playedon either teams, home court was 1990, when host IU defeated UK, 87-84.
Seven of the last nine games in the series have been decided by sevenpoints or less, with six of those seven games decided by a two- orthree-point margin. Since the 1978-79 season the teams have played 21 timesand 15 of the meetings have been decided by seven points or less, includingtwo overtime games. Kentucky has won 13 of those 21 decisions.
The last time a team was blown out in the series occurred in Freedom Halltwo years ago, when Kentucky handed Coach Knight one of his worst lossesever, 99-65, as Derek Anderson tallied 30 points and Ron Mercer scored 26.
The last time these two teams met in Louisville, a crowd of 20,074 wasin attendance, the largest to ever watch a UK game in Freedom Hall.Kentucky holds a 5-4 edge in Louisville against Indiana.
Home-Sweet-Freedom Hall
Kentucky is 44-14 all-time in Freedom Hall. The Wildcats have playedthere every season since it opened in 1958. The Wildcats christened the newfacility with two victories in the 1958 Final Four, defeating Temple,61-60, and Elgin Baylor-led Seattle, 84-72, to win Coach Adolph Rupp,sfourth and final NCAA crown.
The Cats have won 11 of their last 12 games in Freedom Hall, including a70-67 victory there last season over Alabama. The only blemish during thestreak was an 88-86 loss to Louisville during the 1994-95 season. The Hallserves as the Cardinals, home court.
In Louisville, UK has a 107-28 record all-time. As mentioned, UK has wonan NCAA Tournament title there, as well as nine Southeastern ConferenceTournament games. Thirty-two times in the past, Kentucky faced Notre Damein the state,s largest city.
This will be the first of two games for the Wildcats in Freedom Hallthis season. UK will face host Louisville there on Dec. 26.
UK has one player who hails from Louisville, senior forward ScottPadgett, who played at St. Xavier High School.
More than 30,000 UK alumni members reside in Louisville.
UK vs. the Big Ten
Indiana is the only Big-10 opponent on UK,s regular-season schedule. TheWildcats own an 81-47 all-time record against Big Ten teams. Kentucky haswon its last 10 games in a row against Big 10 teams. Indiana was the lastBig 10 team to defeat the Wildcats, winning 96-84 at the RCA Dome in 1993.
Preseason Tourney Losses
Both UK and IU own losses in November preseason tournaments. Kentucky fellto Pittsburgh in the second-round of the Puerto Rico Shootout while Indianalost to Syracuse in the finals of the Maui Invitational.
Smith vs. IU
Tubby Smith is 1-0 vs. Indiana, earning the win last season when the Catsdefeated IU, 75-72.
Smith also served as an assistant on Coach Rick Pitino,s first staff thattraveled to the RCA Dome to face IU on Dec. 2, 1989. The Wildcats, who hadjust been placed on NCAA probation and were comprised of eight scholarshipplayers, none taller than 6-7, nearly upset the Hoosiers before falling,71-69. The following year, Smith was associate coach when the Cats lost87-84 in Bloomington.
The Red, White and Blue Matchups
Other hotly contested games in the UK-IU series include the Hoosiers,90-89 double-overtime victory on Dec. 11, 1971. It was Adolph Rupp,s lastUK team and Bob Knight,s first Indiana squad.
The Hoosiers defeated the Cats five straight years to start the Knight Eraat IU, before Kentucky earned a 92-90 win over Indiana on March 22, 1975 inthe NCAA Mideast Region Championship in Dayton. Earlier that season, UK hadlost to IU, 94-78. The Wildcats, victory ended Indiana,s 34-game win streakand allowed UK to advance to the Final Four.
Pigskin Connections
One name on the Indiana roster recognizable to UK football fans will beNo. 10, Antwaan Randle El, a 5-11 freshman guard. Randle El was thestarting quarterback for the Hoosiers when they nearly upset Kentucky inLexington on Sept. 19. Randle El finished the game with 16 carries for fiveyards and one TD while completing 12 of 34 passes for 162 yards and oneinterception. The UK defense also sacked the frosh three times.
However, Randle El broke his hand in basketball practice on Nov. 28 andwill be lost for three more weeks.
Anthony Leaves Team
Sophomore Myron Anthony quit the UK team on Dec. 3. The 6-7 forward fromJacksonville, Fla., had seen action in three games this season. He,sexpected to transfer following the end of the semester.
Sagarin Rankings
In the latest Jeff Sagarin Power Rankings dated Dec. 5, Kentucky was rated11th (88.70) based on its won-loss record and schedule strength. Marylandleads the power poll with a 97.66 rating, followed by Duke (91.99) andMurray State (91.85). Indiana is rated 16th with an 87.73 rating.
Last Outing
Miami, following closely the outcome of the football Hurricanes vs. UCLAlast Saturday, attempted its own upset bid before falling to Kentucky,74-65 in Lexington. The Wildcats, who were tied 31-31 at halftime, used a9-2 run early in the second half, capped off by a Saul Smith three-pointer,to grab a 44-37 lead.
The Hurricanes pulled to within two, 52-50 with 9:01 remaining, beforeScott Padgett hit the second of his three second-half three pointers tokeep the OECanes at bay. Padgett, who had misfired on 18 straightthree-pointers before the second half, added his third inside the finalthree minutes as eighth-ranked UK won for the seventh time in eight tries.Michael Bradley led UK with 19 points while Miami,s Tim James had 22 pointsand 10 rebounds.
Thru 45
Tubby Smith has a 42-5 (89.4%) record during his brief two-years as headcoach at UK, but through his first 45 games, he had more wins than anyother former Kentucky basketball coach. His 40 wins through the first 45games ranked ahead of Adolph Rupp, who began his career with a 38-7 record,Joe B. Hall, who started with a 29-16 slate, Eddie Sutton, who had a 39-6mark and Rick Pitino, who won 29 of his first 45 games.
Cat Scan
A balanced attack has been a strength for the Wildcats this season. UK hasfour players averaging double figures in scoring and seven Cats areaveraging 3.0 rebounds per game or more.
Six different Wildcats have led the Cats in scoring through the firsteight games.
Passing Big Men
Kentucky,s starting front line –Michael Bradley, Heshimu Evans and ScottPadgett — have totaled 45.8 percent of the team,s assists. Evans leads thesquad with 31 assists, Padgett has 23 dimes and Bradley has 11 (total = 65).
The Cats are averaging 17.8 apg, which means 60.2 percent of all fieldgoals scored this season have followed an assist.
Center Production
UK has gotten solid play from its center combo of Michael Bradley, JamaalMagloire and F/C Jules Camara.
The trio is averaging 20.0 ppg, 14.3 rpg and 3.9 bpg.
Turner Climbs Steals, Assists Lists
Wayne Turner continues to climb the steals and assists lists at UK. Note: Turner already holds the UK record for most steals in a season with79 as a sophomore.
UK,s All-Time Steals List
1. Tony Delk (1993-96) 2013. Ed Davender (1985-88) 1914. Jared Prickett (1993-97) 1875. Anthony Epps (1994-97) 1846. John Pelphrey (1989-92) 173
UK’s All-Time Assists List
1. Dirk Minniefield (1980-83) 6462. Anthony Epps (1994-97) 5443. Roger Harden (1983-86) 4984. Sean Woods (1989-92) 4825. Kyle Macy (1978-80) 4706. Ed Davender (1985-88) 4367. Travis Ford (1992-94) 4288. Wayne Turner (1996-99) 375
Muuuuuu
Heshimu Evans, who served as UK,s spark plug off the bench during lastseason,s drive to the title, now leads the team in scoring, rebounding andassists. Evans, a 6-6 small forward, averages 12.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg and 3.9apg. He also leads the squad in minutes played at 28.4 mpg.
Evans also has totaled 1,167 points and 567 rebounds in his four-yearcareer split between Manhattan College and Kentucky.
“D0” it Up
The Wildcats held opponents to 38.4 percent shooting last season, thelowest field goal percentage for UK opponents in 36 years, dating back to1962. This season, UK is off to an even greater start defensively. Throughthe first seven games, opponents have converted just 37.4 percent of theirshot attempts. The season,s highlight occurred against Kansas, when theWildcats held the Jayhawks to 29.4 percent shooting.
SEC Leaders
Sophomore Michael Bradley is second in the Southeastern Conference infield goal percentage, Wayne Turner is ninth in the league in free throwpercentage and Jamaal Magloire is second in the conference in blocked shotsthis week.
Through the first eight games, Bradley is hitting 70.5 percent of hisshots. Turner, a career 59.3 percent free throw shooter entering theseason, has canned 71.8 percent of his tosses from the charity stripe.Magloire, who has played only 17 minutes per game, is averaging 2.7 bpg insix outings.
Forward Heshimu Evans is ninth in the league in assists, averaging 3.9 apg.
Rupp Arena
UK, in its 23rd season at Rupp Arena, has a 294-34 (89.6%) record in the23,000-seat, city-owned facility. The Wildcats need six victories to reach300. They have recorded seven perfect home seasons and three seasons withonly one loss. The building opened in 1976. The Wildcats, 3-0 at home, willplay 13 games at Rupp Arena during the 1998-99 season.
Big Blue Trivia
Which former Wildcat appeared on the very first cover of SportsIllustrated? (Answer later)
Long November
UK played more games in November than ever before, finishing with a 5-1record. The OE99 Wildcats also were the first UK team to win five gamesduring the month. Last season, the Wildcats played five games, and in 1989,they played four.
For the third consecutive year, UK lost a game in November whenPittsburgh defeated the Wildcats, 68-56, in the P.R. Shootout. And for the10th time in 11 seasons, the Wildcats lost one of their first five games ofthe season.
Youth Movement
Kentucky returns nine lettermen, including two starters, from the OE98squad crowned as the ,Comeback Cats.0/00 But nine of the 14 Wildcats arefreshmen or sophomores. Only 11 teams in Division I college basketball havemore freshmen and sophomores on their rosters than UK.
UK’s returning production includes — points: 52.1%; rebounds: 62.8%;assists: 59.8%; blocks: 60.5%; steals: 59.5%.
The Wildcats, roster includes three seniors, two juniors, four sophomoresand five freshmen.
Caribbean Cat Tour
While the Wildcats finished the Puerto Rico Shootout with a 2-1 record anda third-place trophy, the trip proved to be an adventure.
First, the Wildcats returned to Lexington from its Wright State game inCincinnati at 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 23. Six-and-one-half hours later(7 a.m. that day), the team departed for the Louisville airport for itstrek to the Caribbean.
UK caught a chartered 747 with 598 Big Blue fans, the same plane (AmericanAirlines) and the same pilot used in the filming of the movie Air Force One.
Upon arrival, the Wildcats headed to American University for practice.After sitting nearly 90 minutes in San Juan traffic, Coach Tubby Smithturned the bus around and headed for the team hotel, another one hourdrive, while canceling practice in the process. Oh, and one more thing…the team hotel was located nearly 90 minutes from the Puerto Rico Shootoutheadquarters.
The Wildcats returned to Lexington at noon last Sunday.
Puerto Rico Shootout Results
First Round
Kentucky def. Colorado 64-52
Maryland def. American-P.R. 82-32
Pittsburgh def. Xavier 94-76
UCLA def. San Francisco 69-62
Second Round
Pittsburgh def. Kentucky 68-56
Maryland def. UCLA 70-54
Xavier def. Colorado 74-61
USF def. American U. 82-69
Final Round
Colorado def. American U. (7th) 101-56
USF def. Xavier (5th) 82-69
Kentucky def. UCLA (3rd) 66-62
Maryland def. Pittsburgh (1st) 87-52
Cat Streaks Ended
The UK loss to Pittsburgh last month ended the Wildcats, 17-game winningstreak, the school,s 10th best streak overall. Kentucky,s streak began witha 79-54 win over Florida on Feb. 18, 1998. The loss to the Panthers alsoended UK,s 16-game win streak at neutral sites.
The Wildcats have also:
won 14 straight road games. The last team to defeat UK on the road wasSouth Carolina (Feb. 4, 1997);
played in the last three Final Fours;
played in the last four regional championship games;
won six of the last seven SEC Tournament titles, including the last two;
have hit three-pointers in 342 consecutive games. The last time UK washeld without a three-point field goal was Nov. 26, 1988, a ,three-point0/00loss to Seton Hall in the Great Alaska Shootout (63-60).
Turner Chases NCAA Record
Senior guard Wayne Turner has a chance to play in more college basketballgames than anyone on record. Turner, who has logged time in 122 gamesduring his career, has a chance to break the mark of 148 games held byDuke,s Christian Laettner.
The Wildcats have a 30-game regular-season schedule and Turner must playin 35 games to claim the record. The Boston native has missed only one gameduring his UK career — the 1996 NCAA Championship game against Syracuse,when Anthony Epps played the entire 40 minutes at point guard.
In addition, Turner hopes to become the first non-Duke player to play infour Final Fours. Bryan Davis (1989-92), Greg Koubek (1988-91) andChristian Laettner (1989-92) all participated in the Final Four for theBlue Devils.
Double-Doubles
Heshimu Evans recorded his first double-double of the season with 11points and 11 rebounds (eight offensive) against seventh-ranked Kansas inthe Great Eight. Evans has four double-doubles at UK and two at Manhattan.
Scott Padgett recorded his seventh career double-double with 21 pointsand 12 rebounds in the season-opener against Eastern Kentucky. Padgett hadfive double-doubles last season and one as a sophomore.
Freshman Jules Camara tallied his first double-double with 10 points and11 rebounds in 23 minutes in the opener. He followed up the effort with15-points and eight rebounds against Mercer.
1,000-Point Race
Seniors Scott Padgett and Wayne Turner hope to join the prestigious44-member 1,000-point club at UK. Padgett has scored 868 points in hiscareer and Turner has posted 879 career points.
AP Trivia
The Kentucky Wildcats have been ranked in The Associated Press collegebasketball poll every week since the second week of the 1990-91 season, aspan of 146 consecutive weeks.
UK has been ranked in the Top 10 by the AP in the last 77 weekly polls,dating back to Feb. 21, 1994, when the Wildcats fell to 11th after 34straight weeks in the top 10 that began in 1992.
Teams of the Decade
Despite starting the decade with a 14-14 record, UK is second in wins inthe 1990s with 261, trailing only Kansas.
Consider this: In the last three years, UK has averaged 34.7 wins per season.
Team Wins ('99)1. Kansas 268 (5-1)2. Kentucky 261 (7-1)3. North Carolina 256 (8-1)4. Arkansas 242 (5-2)
For the past eight seasons, UK has been the winningest basketball team inthe nation.
Team Wins ('99)1. Kentucky 234 (7-1)2. Kansas 210 (5-1)3. North Carolina 205 (8-1)
Season Openers
With its win over Eastern Kentucky, UK has won nine of its last 10season openers. The one loss was a 79-71 overtime defeat to Clemson on Nov.15, 1996 at the BCA Classic in Indianapolis.
This is UK’s second earliest start to the season in school history. TheClemson-UK game on Nov. 15, 1996 was the school,s earliest tipoff. The Catsalso played Duke on Nov. 17, 1979, an 82-76 overtime loss in the Tip-OffClassic in Springfield, Mass.
PRESEASON NOTES
UK Signs Four
Kentucky received four national letters of intent during the Novembersigning period. Keith Bogans of Hyattsville, Md., Marquis Estill ofRichmond, Ky., John Stewart of Indianapolis and Marvin Stone of Huntsville,Ala., all signed to play basketball for the Wildcats in 1999-2000.
Bogans, a 6-4 guard who averaged 19.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per gamelast season at DeMatha Catholic, is rated as one of the top guards in thenation by nearly every recruiting expert. He was a second-team All-Americanby Parade Magazine last season while leading DeMatha to a 34-1 record and aNo. 3 ranking nationwide. He picked Kentucky over Connecticut, Michigan andNorth Carolina.
Estill, a 6-9, 265-pound forward/center at Madison Central, played only 10games last season due to an injured left knee, but averaged 16.8 points and11.7 rebounds per game. As a sophomore, he led the state in shooting,canning 76.9 percent of his shots. He tallied 14.0 ppg and 7.7 rpg as theIndians advanced to the regionals with a 21-9 record. He chose UK overLouisville.
Stewart, a 7-0, 285-pound center from Lawrence North High School, averaged15.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game last season. He earnedAll-County honors and played on the Junior All-Star team last summer inIndiana.
Stone, a 6-9, 244-pound power forward, averaged 19.1 points, 12.7rebounds, 4.5 blocks and 3.0 assists last year in leading Grissom High to a25-5 record. He was named Class 6A Player of the Year in Alabama and athird-team Parade Magazine All-American. He chose the Cats over Alabama andAuburn.
White House Tour
The 1998 NCAA Champion Kentucky Wildcats toured the White House and metPresident Clinton on Mon., Nov. 9. Clinton honored the Wildcats and theTennessee Lady Vols on their respective 1998 titles in an East Roomceremony which was broadcast live on radio and TV across Kentucky.
Seniors Cameron Mills and Jeff Sheppard presented Clinton with a No. 1Kentucky jersey. “We gave you one of these back in 1996, and I never recallyou wearing it.”, Mills said during the ceremony. “But I’m going to give youanother one in good faith that you,ll wear it.”
“Cameron,”, Clinton responded, “for all you know, I slept in it.”
The ceremony concluded a day that began with lunch at Grevey’s, a popularrestaurant in Falls Church, Va., that’s owned by former UK All-AmericanKevin Grevey. From there, the Wildcats toured the Supreme Court beforetheir trip to the White House.
SEC Media Picks
UK was the favored squad to repeat as Southeastern Conference Champion andScott Padgett was selected to the five-man All-SEC team when voting wasconducted at SEC Media Days in early November.
The Cats received 17 of the 21 votes to repeat as league champion withTennessee earning three votes and Arkansas getting one.
Padgett was the Cats, lone member of the All-SEC team. Wayne Turnerreceived one vote for preseason MVP, but was left off the All-SEC squad.
SEC Media Day Predictions
ChampionKentucky 17Tennessee 3Arkansas 1
Eastern Division Western DivisionKentucky (24) 159 Arkansas (25) 160Tennessee (3) 129 Auburn (1) 114South Carolina 96 Ole Miss (1) 108Georgia 92 Mississippi St. 69Florida 67 Alabama 63Vanderbilt 33 LSU 38
All-SEC
G - BJ McKie, South Carolina 27G - Tony Harris, Tennessee 12F - Jumaine Jones, Georgia 23F - Scott Padgett, Kentucky 21C - Tyrone Washington, Miss. State 16
MVP
BJ McKie, South Carolina 16Jumaine Jones, Georgia 3Wayne Turner, Kentucky 1Tony Harris, Tennessee 1
Just Like Big Brother
Two Wildcats this season are younger brothers of other college basketballplayers. Michael Bradley,s older brother David is a senior forward atCharleston Southern. Tayshaun Prince,s older brother Tommie is a seniorforward at Pepperdine.
Trivia Answer
Louisville native Ralph Beard appeared on the very first cover of SportsIllustrated in 1948. The magazine was later purchased by Time-Warner in 1954.
