November 18, 1998
Cats Battle Bears The Kentucky Wildcats will play their second game in three days when they battle the Mercer Bears at Rupp Arena. UK opened its 96th season of college basketball with a 99-64 victory over Bluegrass State foe Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday.
The victory extended the Wildcats winning streak to 14 games. UKs last defeat occurred on Feb. 14, 1998 to Ole Miss. Coach Tubby Smith, in his second season at UK, has won 36 of his first 40 games (90.0%) for the Big Blue. Through their first 40 games, Adolph Rupp was 35-5, Joe B. Hall was 26-14, Eddie Sutton was 35-5 and Rick Pitino was 24-16.
Tickets Unclaimed student tickets remain on sale to the general public for the Mercer game this week. Seats are priced at $15 each and can be purchased at the UK ticket office (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) or at the Rupp Arena box office (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Seats also can be ordered over the phone with a Visa or MasterCard by calling 606-233-3535 or 800-928-CATS.
Series Notes This will be the first meeting between the two teams in 76 years. Kentucky has played Mercer twice — Jan. 26, 1921, a 49-25 UK victory, and Feb. 25, 1922, a 35-22 Mercer win.
Former Wildcat Bill Bibb, who lettered at Kentucky during its undefeated season of 1954 (25-0), once served as athletics director at Mercer. Bibb is now commissioner of the Trans America Conference, the league in which the Bears are a member.
Coach Mark Slonaker played for the Georgia Bulldogs from 1976-80. He also served as an assistant coach for the Dawgs from 1989-95 before taking the head coaching job at Pensacola Junior College for two years. Coach Tubby Smith owns one victory over Mercer. Smiths first team (1995–96) at Georgia defeated the Bears, 95-68. Mercer is located in Macon, Ga., 70 miles south of Atlanta.
MERCER BEARS (0-2)
vs. #4/#6 KENTUCKY WILDCATS (1-0)
Nov. 19, 1998 8 p.m. ET
Rupp Arena (23,000) Lexington, Ky.
RADIO
UK Radio Network — 7 p.m.
WVLK-AM 590 & WLRO-FM 101.5 (flagship)
Ralph Hacker (play-by-play), Sam Bowie (analyst),
Dave Baker (host), Tom Leach (scoreboard)
TELEVISION
UK Television Network — Live 8:08 p.m. WKYT-TV (flagship)
Rob Bromley (play-by-play), Martin Newton (analyst), Dick Gabriel (sidelines)
Probably Starters
Kentucky Wildcats (1-0)
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Ppg Rpg 34 Scott Padgett F 6-9 240 Sr. 21.0 12.0 14 Heshimu Evans F 6-6 215 Sr. 15.0 6.0 33 Michael Bradley C 6-10 235 So. 13.0 7.0 11 Saul Smith G 6-2 175 So. 1.0 *4.0 5 Wayne Turner G 6-2 190 Sr. 11.0 *1.0
Key Reserves 32 Desmond Allison G/F 6-5 206 Fr. 9.0 2.0 3 JP Blevins G 6-2 186 Fr. 3.0 1.0 40 Jules Camara F/C 6-11 213 Fr. 10.0 11.0 21 Tayshaun Prince G/F 6-8 206 Fr. 10.0 4.0 12 Todd Tackett G 6-2 180 Fr. 3.0 1.0 Mercer Bears (0-2) 5 Mark Adamson F 6-6 225 Jr. 13.0 6.0 4 Evans Davis F 6-3 220 Sr. 5.5 4.5 11 Terry Lawyer F 6-8 205 So. 2.5 4.5 21 Earnest Brown G 6-2 190 Jr. 13.0 *2.0 22 Korey McCray G 6-1 185 So. 7.0 3.5 * Assists per game
Coaching ComparisonsOrlando Tubby Smith (High Point 73) Overall (8th year) 160-66 (70.8%) at UK (2nd year) 36-4 (90.0%) NCAA Appearances (5) 12-4 (75.0%) vs. Mercer 1-0 Mark Slonaker (Georgia 80) Overall (2nd year) 5-23 at Mercer (2nd year) same vs. Kentucky 0-0
Rupp Arena UK is in its 23rd season at Rupp Arena and needs just eight victories to reach 300 in the 23,000-seat facility. The Wildcats are 292-34 (89.6%) overall in Rupp. They have recorded seven perfect home seasons and three seasons with only one loss. The building opened in 1976. The Wildcats will play 13 games at Rupp Arena during the 1998-99 season.
November To Remember UK will play six games this November, the most regular-season games ever played by a UK team during the month. Last season, the Wildcats played five games, and in 1989, Kentucky played four. The six games will be played in 12 days. After the Mercer game, UK will battle Wright State on Monday, Nov. 23, at the Crown in Cincinnati before departing for three games in the Puerto Rico Shootout beginning Thanksgiving Day.
Latest Power Rankings According to the first Jeff Sagarin rankings released Monday, Nov. 16, UK is rated the No. 1 team in the nation. The top five:
1. Kentucky 97.74
2. Kansas 96.60
3. North Carolina 95.84
4. Duke 93.91
5. Temple 93.25
EKU Highlights Scott Padgett recorded his seventh career double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds against Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday. Padgett had five double-doubles last season and one as a sophomore. His 21 points against the Colonels give him 806 in his career. Freshman Jules Camara tallied his first double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds in 23 minutes.
Four of the five freshmen made their first shot attempts as Wildcats. JP Blevins, Tayshaun Prince and Todd Tackett all hit three-pointers to start their UK careers while Desmond Allison converted a layup on his first field goal attempt.
Center Michael Bradley made his first career start a memorable one. The 6-10 sophomore had career highs in points (13), rebounds (7), field goals (6), field goal attempts (11), assists (4) and steals (4). Padgetts 10 made field goals also were a personal best.
Season Openers With its win over Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday, Kentucky has won nine of its last 10 season openers. The one loss was a 79-71 overtime defeat to Clemson on Nov. 15, 1996 at the BCA Classic in Indianapolis. This is UKs second earliest start in school history. The Clemson-UK game on Nov. 15, 1996 was the schools earliest tip-off. The Cats also played Duke on Nov. 17, 1979, an 82-76 overtime loss in the Tip-Off Classic in Springfield, Mass.
Three Wildcats Out Sophomores Myron Anthony and Ryan Hogan, along with junior Jamaal Magloire, are currently serving four-game suspensions and will not be in uniform against Mercer. All are expected back when UK faces Wright State on Nov. 23 in Cincinnati.
In addition, Anthony will not travel with the team this semester to road games that would require him to miss class time.
The Smith File
Orlando Tubby Smith
Personal
Birthdate: June 30, 1951
Hometown: Scotland, Md.
Family: Wife Donna, Sons G.G. (21), Saul (19) and Brian (14); Coach Smith is one of 17 children.
Education
High School: Great Mills (Md.), 1969
College: High Point (N.C.), 1973
A four-year letterwinner (1970-73), he was team captain as a senior and co- captain as a junior… An All-Carolina Conference selection.
Coaching Record
1979-86 Asst. Coach VCU
1986-89 Asst. Coach S. Carolina
1989-91 Asst. Coach Kentucky
Tulsa
1991-92 17-13
1992-93 15-14
1993-94 23-8 (NCAA 16)
1994-95 24-8 (NCAA 16)
Total 79-43 (64.8%)
Georgia
1995-96 21-10 (NCAA 16)
1996-97 24-9 (NCAA 64)
Total 45-19 (70.3%)
Kentucky
1997-98 35-4 (89.7%)
1998-99 1-0 (100.0%)
Total 36-4 (90.0%)
Totals
7th year 160-66 (70.8%)
Highlights In his first UK season, Tubby Smith won the NCAA title, the SEC regular-season championship, the league tournament title, the Eastern Division crown, and the regional title. He was named 1998 National Coach of the Year by Basketball Weekly and the Black Coaches Association and co-SEC Coach of the Year by the AP. Following the season, he was presented with the Winged Foot Award and the Victor Award for his coaching success and he was named Parent of the Year by Parent Magazine. Previously, he had won Missouri Valley Conference titles and MVC Coach of the Year honors at Tulsa in 1994 and 95 after posting identical 15-3 records in league play.
As an SEC coach, he is 33-15 (68.8%) against SEC competition during the regular season. In the SEC Tournament, hes 7-2. In the NCAA Tournament, hes compiled a 12-4 record in five tournament appearances. Smith has coached four of his last five teams to at least the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tourney — two at Tulsa, one each at Georgia and UK — and recorded the first back-to-back 20-win seasons in UGA history.
Unparalleled Tradition
The Wildcats own an unparalleled tradition of success. For example, the Cats:
Have won seven national titles
(1948, ’49, ’51, ’58, ’78, ’96, 98);
Are the all-time winningest team in college basketball. 1. Kentucky 1,721
2. North Carolina 1,711
3. Kansas 1,667
Own the highest all-time winning percentage of any team in college basketball — 76.4% (1,721-529-1);
Have three NCAA runner-up trophies;
Have made 13 appearances in the Final Four;
Own a national-record 39 NCAA tournament appearances; Won 39 SEC Championships;
Won 21 SEC Tournament titles.
In the 90s alone, the Cats have…
Won two NCAA titles (96, 98);
Played in three title games;
Played in four Final Fours;
Tallied 255 wins, second only to Kansas 265.Cats Win Both Exhibitions The California All-Stars came loaded with former UCLA stars Charles OBannon and Jelani McCoy, along with former U of L players Damion Dantzler and B.J. Flynn, but after a 22-8 first-half burst, the Wildcats cruised in their exhibition opener, 103-74 on Nov. 3. Six Wildcats scored in double figures, led by Heshimu Evans 20 points and seven assists. UK compiled 26 assists — 18 by the UK starting front line. Scott Padgett contributed 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists and Michael Bradley had 15 points, seven boards and five assists. UK shot 53.9 percent from the field while holding the All-Stars to 34.6 percent. Last week, UK bettered the Aussie All-Stars 88-74. Freshmen Tayshaun Prince, Todd Tackett, JP Blevins and Jules Camara led the Cats charge from a five-point deficit to a seven-point lead just before halftime. For the game, Padgett led UK with 19 points and eight rebounds while Evans had 12 points, seven rebounds and nine assists.
UK Gets Four Signees Kentucky has received four national letters of intent during the early signing period which began Nov. 11. Keith Bogans of Hyattsville, Md., Marquis Estill of Richmond, Ky., John Stewart of Indianapolis and Marvin Stone of Huntsville, Ala., have 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 game last season at DeMatha Catholic, is rated as one of the top guards in the nation by nearly every recruiting expert. He was a second-team All-American by Parade Magazine last season while leading DeMatha to a 34-1 record and a No. 3 ranking nationwide. He picked Kentucky over Connecticut, Michigan and North Carolina.
Estill, a 6-9, 265-pound forward/center at Madison Central, played only 10 games last season due to an injured left knee, but averaged 16.8 points and 11.7 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 the Indians advanced to the regionals with a 21-9 record. He chose UK over Louisville.
Stewart, a 7-0, 285-pound center from Lawrence North High School, averaged 15.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game last season. He earned All-County honors and played on the Junior All-Star team last summer in Indiana.
Stone, a 6-9, 244-pound power forward, averaged 19.1 points, 12.7 rebounds, 4.5 blocks and 3.0 assists last year in leading Grissom High to a 25-5 record. He was named Class 6A Player of the Year in Alabama and a third-team Parade Magazine All-American. He chose the Cats over Alabama and Auburn.
Rule Changes The biggest rule change for the 1998-99 season concerns a held ball situation created by the defense. In previous years, the offense retained possession of the ball if it owned the possession arrow. With the change, the ball will be awarded to the defense at the spot nearest to where the held ball occurred. The arrow then, does not change. All other situations — i.e. two players diving for a loose ball and both gaining possession at the same time — will be governed by the direction of the possession arrow.
In another change, when a double personal foul is called, the ball will be awarded to the team in possession of the ball when the foul occurred. The arrow will not change and the shot clock will not be reset. Also, a rim that is pulled down and contacts the ball before it returns to its original position is basket interference.
White House Tour The 1998 NCAA Champion Kentucky Wildcats toured the White House and met President Clinton on Mon., Nov. 9. Clinton honored the Wildcats and the Tennessee Lady Vols on their respective 1998 titles in an East Room ceremony which was broadcast live on radio and television across Kentucky. Seniors Cameron Mills and Jeff Sheppard presented Clinton with a No. 1 Kentucky jersey, just like the 96 UK champs had done two years prior. We gave you one of these back in 1996, and I never recall you wearing it, said Mills during the ceremony. But Im going to give you another one in good faith that youll wear it.
Cameron, Clinton responded, for all you know, I slept in it. The ceremony concluded a day that began with lunch at Greveys, a popular restaurant in Falls Church, Va. thats owned by former UK All-American Kevin Grevey. From there, the Wildcats toured the Supreme Court before their trip to the White House.
Youth Movement Kentucky returns nine lettermen from the 98 squad known as the Comeback Cats, including two starters. But nine of the 14 Wildcats are freshmen or sophomores. Only 11 teams in Division I college basketball have more freshmen and sophomores on their rosters than UK. UKs 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 sophomores and five freshmen.
Cat Streaks The Wildcats are currently on a 14-game winning streak. Kentuckys last defeat came on Feb. 14, 1998, a 73-64 loss to Ole Miss in Rupp Arena. The most consecutive wins in UK history is 32, dating from 1953-55. With two more victories, UK will equal the schools 10th-best streak overall. The Wildcats have also: won 14 straight road games. The last team to defeat UK on the road was South Carolina (Feb. 4, 1997); won 14 consecutive neutral site games, dating back to the Arizona loss in Maui in November 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 335 consecutive games.
Multiple Season Victories The Kentucky Wildcats continue to set NCAA records for wins in multiple seasons. In 1997 and 98, UK tied its own NCAA record with 70 victories (six defeats), a mark it set originally in 1947 and 48. During a three-year span from 1996-98, UK tallied 104 victories (11 losses) and during a four-year period from 1995-98, the Wildcats have 132 wins (16 losses), all national records.
SEC Media Picks UK was the favored squad to repeat as Southeastern Conference Champion and Scott Padgett was selected to the five-man All-SEC team when voting was conducted at SEC Media Days in early November. The Cats received 17 of the 21 votes to repeat as league champion with Tennessee earning three votes and Arkansas getting one. Padgett was the Cats lone member of the All-SEC team. Wayne Turner received one vote for preseason MVP, but was left off the All-SEC squad.
SEC Media Day Predictions
Champion
Kentucky 17
Tennessee 3
Arkansas 1
Eastern Division Western Division
Kentucky (24) 159 Arkansas (25) 160
Tennessee (3) 129 Auburn (1) 114
South Carolina 96 Ole Miss (1) 108
Georgia 92 Mississippi St. 69
Florida 67 Alabama 63
Vanderbilt 33 LSU 38
All-SEC
G – BJ McKie, South Carolina 27
G – Tony Harris, Tennessee 12
F – Jumaine Jones, Georgia 23
F – Scott Padgett, Kentucky 21
C – Tyrone Washington, Miss. State 16
MVP
BJ McKie, South Carolina 16
Jumaine Jones, Georgia 3
Wayne Turner, Kentucky 1
Tony Harris, Tennessee 1
Turner Chases NCAA Record Senior guard Wayne Turner has a chance to play in more college basketball games than anyone on record. Turner, who has logged time in 115 games during his career, has a chance to break the mark of 148 games held by Dukes Christian Laettner.
The Wildcats have a 30-game regular-season schedule and Turner must play in 35 games to grab the record. The Boston native has missed only one game during his UK career — the 1996 NCAA Championship game against Syracuse, when Anthony Epps played the entire 40 minutes at point guard.
Turner Climbs Assists, Steals Lists Wayne Turner continues to climb the steals and assists lists at UK. In steals, Turner has amassed 184, tying him for fourth place with Anthony Epps (1994-97), 17 behind leader Tony Delk (1993-96) with 201. He holds the UK record for most steals in a season with 79 as a sophomore. In assists, Turner has tallied 350 during his career, which ranks eighth on UKs all-time list. Dirk Minniefield (1980-83) is the schools all-time leader with 646 assists. If Turner can duplicate last years total, he can finish his career third behind Minniefield and Anthony Epps, (1994-97) who totaled 544 career assists. He trails seventh place (Travis Ford) by 78 assists.
UKs All-Time Steals List
1. Tony Delk (1993-96) 201
2. Ed Davender (1985-88) 191
3. Jared Prickett (1993-97) 187
4. Anthony Epps (1994-97) 184
4. Wayne Turner (1996-99) 184
6. John Pelphrey (1989-92) 173
1,000-Point Chase Seniors Scott Padgett and Wayne Turner hope to become the 45th and 46th players to join the prestigious 1,000-point club at UK. Padgett, the teams leading returning scorer, has scored 806 points in his career and Turner, the teams second-leading returning scorer, has posted 793 career points.
AP Trivia The Kentucky Wildcats have been ranked in The Associated Press college basketball poll every week since the second week of the 1990-91 season. UK has been ranked in the Top 10 by the AP in the last 77 weekly polls, dating back to Feb. 21, 1994.
Tough Schedule Kentucky could face 14 teams that played in last seasons NCAA Tournament, including top seeds Kansas and Duke. The Wildcats also could face 19 teams that participated in postseason play in 1998 (NCAA or NIT).
Teams of the Decade
Despite starting the decade with a 14-14 record, UK is second in wins in the 1990s with 254, trailing only Kansas. Consider this: In the last three years, UK has averaged 34.7 wins per season. Team Wins (99)
1. Kansas 265 (2-0)
2. Kentucky 255 (1-0)
3. North Carolina 250 (2-0)
4. Arkansas 239 (2-0)
For the past eight seasons, UK has been the winningest basketball team in the nation.
Team Wins (99)
1. Kentucky 229 (1-0)
2. Kansas 207 (2-0)
3. North Carolina 199 (2-0)
