Nov. 19, 1999
By TIM WHITMIRE
AP Sports Writer
Box Score
Postgame Notes
Postgame Quotes
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – Saul Smith and Desmond Allison made clutch jump shotsin the final two minutes as No. 14 Kentucky held off No. 16 Utah 56-48 Fridaynight and advanced to the Preseason NIT semifinals.
With Kentucky leading 48-46, Smith stripped Tony Harvey and raced the lengthof the floor, pulling up on the left baseline for a turnaround 6-footer to putKentucky up by four with 1:58 left.
With 1:05 left, following a putback by Utah’s Nate Althoff, Allison hit abaseline 12-footer to push the lead back to 52-48.
Smith and Tayshaun Prince each added free throws in the final minute to sealthe win and send Kentucky to New York’s Madison Square Garden, where they wereto play the winner of Friday night’s Tulane-Maryland game in the tournamentsemifinals Wednesday.
It was the fifth time in five games this decade Utah has lost to Kentucky.The previous four losses all came in the NCAA tournament, including the 78-69Kentucky win that gave the “Comeback ‘Cats” the 1998 national championship.
Utah coach Rick Majerus had been unhappy about having to play thesecond-round game on the road, saying he was promised two home games when hesigned the Utes up for the tournament.
Jamaal Magloire led the Wildcats with 15 points. Prince had 11 points and ateam-high seven rebounds.
Jeremy Killion scored 15 points for Utah, including 3-of-4 shooting from3-point range, while Alex Jensen had nine rebounds.
Kentucky used its half-court trap effectively, forcing 18 Utah turnoversthat led to 22 Wildcat points. The Wildcats also outrebounded the Utes 11-7 onthe offensive glass.
Utah rallied from a 12-point deficit to pull even, and the teams battledback and forth over the final nine minutes.
Kentucky dominated the first half, shooting 13 of 27 from the field andusing an effective half-court trap to force nine Utah turnovers. Magloire ledthe way with 12 points.
The Utes stayed in the game by hitting 6 of 12 3-pointers, including threeby Killion.
Still, they trailed 31-19 late in the first half and by 35-26 early in thesecond half, when Kentucky’s offense stalled.
The Utes rallied with a 15-6 run spaced out over nine minutes of clock time.With nine minutes remaining, Jensen finally evened the score at 41 with aputback and running layup on consecutive possessions.
The teams went back and forth down the stretch, with Kentucky taking thelead and Utah retying the game three times over the next four minutes.
The Utes were never able to take the lead, though, and Kentucky went aheadfor good on
Marvin Stone‘s free throw with 3:48 left.
