January 26, 1999

ATHENS, Ga. (AP)–Kentucky coach Tubby Smith knows how to handle Bulldogs.

Before leading the Wildcats to last season’s national championship, Smithcompiled a two-year record of 45-19 en route to a pair of NCAA tournamentappearances at Georgia.

On Tuesday, he will look for his third straight win against his former teamwhen No. 6 Kentucky (17-4, 6-1 SEC) travels to Athens to take on the Bulldogs(12-7, 3-4).

The Wildcats come off a 76-49 rout of Mississippi State to give the teamsole possession of first place in the SEC’s Eastern Division. In the victory,Kentucky held MSU to its lowest point total since 1996.

“This was very close, if not our best effort defensively,” Smith said.”We played man-to-man the whole game, and we did an excellent job of trapping,rotating out of traps and contesting shots.”

The Wildcats were paced by forward Heshimu Evans’ 13 points.

Evans leads a balanced attack, scoring 12.1 points per game. Forward-centerMichael Bradley and forward Scott Padgett also average in double figures forKentucky.

Center Jamaal Magliore will return to action for Tuesday’s contest afterserving a one-game suspension for missing curfew.

Georgia, which suffered a nine-point loss to Mississippi on Saturday, willbe looking to snap a three-game losing streak.

Explosive forward Jumaine Jones had 16 points and 14 rebounds to lead theBulldogs in the loss. Jones averages a team-best 19.5 points and 9.5 boards,while guard Michael Chadwick adds 10.8 points per game.