February 13, 1999
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – Scott Padgett scored 13 points to lead five Kentuckyplayers in double figures as the eighth-ranked Wildcats used a 22-3 second-halfrun to beat South Carolina 74-40 Saturday.
Charged with cutting down their turnovers by coach Tubby Smith aftercommitting 36 in back-to-back losses at Florida and Georgia last week, theWildcats had just 10 against the Gamecocks. The Wildcats used their press toforce 20 South Carolina turnovers, leading to 23 points.
Wayne Turner and Michael Bradley scored 11 points each for Kentucky (20-6,9-3 Southeastern Conference), and Heshimu Evans and Jamaal Magloire had 10apiece. Jules Camara had seven rebounds.
BJ McKie had 13 points for the Gamecocks (7-17, 2-10), while Bud Johnson andAntonio Grant had seven rebounds. South Carolina outrebounded Kentucky 40-38,but shot just 15-of-61 from the floor (25 percent).
The Gamecock’s scoring output was not their worst performance of the year -they lost 84-37 at Syracuse on Jan. 24.
Kentucky was 31-of-62 from the floor (50 percent) and 7-of-28 on 3-pointers.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 10-0 lead on baskets by Evans, Padgett andTurner but allowed the Gamecocks to pull within 19-15 on a McKie layup with7:05 left in the first half.
The Wildcats built their lead back to double digits over the remainder ofthe half, then took control early in the second half.
Padgett was the key in igniting the 22-3 run that gave Kentucky controlearly in the second half, opening the surge with a feed to Bradley for a layupwith 17:22 remaining that made the score 40-27.
Within minutes the senior forward had added another assist to Bradley, asteal and slam dunk, a 9-foot jump shot and a 22-foot 3-pointer from the leftside, making the score 51-28 with 12:17 left.
Magloire’s layup and free throw with 7:53 remaining pushed the lead to60-30. The Wildcats would score the last nine points of the game to push thefinal margin to 34 points.
By TIM WHITMIRE
AP Sports Writer
