Dec. 16, 1999
LEXINGTON – I-64 Battle — Cats-Cards Rumble in Rupp
Kentucky and Louisville renew their ‘Dream Series’ when the two teams battle for the 18th consecutive season. Both teams enter the contest unranked but Louisville has won five consecutive games after opening with an 0-2 slate while UK has lost four of its last five games after opening the season by advancing to the finals of the Preseason NIT. But in this hotly contested rivalry, records seldom matter. For example, in 1986, UK won the regular-season meeting, 69-64, before U of L went on to win the NCAA title, in 1998, the Cardinals won the regular-season meeting, 79-76, before Kentucky advanced to win its second NCAA Championship in three seasons.
UK center Jamaal Magloire needs one blocked shot to set the UK record. The 6-10 senior has 226 in his career, tying him with former Wildcat Melvin Turpin (1981-84).
The Wildcats are in the midst of a tough pre-conference schedule in which they play six Top-25 opponents in a nine-game stretch and eight of their first 10 games are against 1999 NCAA Tournament teams. The Cats conclude the rugged stretch with a home date with Michigan State next week.
Kentucky has not played since a six-point defeat at Maryland last Saturday. The Wildcats were taking final exams for the fall semester throughout the past week. Louisville recorded a 78-58 win over Central Florida on Wednesday.
This is Kentucky’s second appearance on CBS this season and its eighth appearance on national TV in nine games. UK will appear on national TV 18 times this season.
The Cats’ next game is a rematch of the 1999 Midwest Region Championship game with Michigan State on Dec. 23 at Rupp Arena. The game is the first of an ESPN double-header at 7 p.m. which features North Carolina at Louisville in the 9 p.m. tip-off.
Probable Starters
KENTUCKY
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Ppg Rpg 21 Tayshaun Prince G/F 6-9 215 So. 13.2 6.2 40 Jules Camara F 6-11 223 So. 8.2 4.2 42 Jamaal Magloire C 6-10 260 Sr. 10.2 7.5 11 Saul Smith G 6-2 175 Jr. 8.1 *3.6 32 Desmond Allison G/F 6-5 214 So. 6.9 2.8
Key Cats Off The Bench
3 J.P. Blevins G 6-2 181 So. 2.5 *1.0 24 Marvin Stone F/C 6-10 256 Fr. 6.4 6.2 5 Nate Knight F 6-8 225 Jr. 1.4 2.3 10 Keith Bogans G 6-5 2-5 Fr. 8.4 2.2
LOUISVILLE
33 Dion Edward F 6-9 235 Sr. 6.6 8.9 21 Nate Johnson F 6-6 215 Sr. 16.9 4.6 3 Tony Williams F/G 6-8 220 Sr. 18.9 5.7 5 Marques Maybin G 6-3 180 Jr. 15.3 1.3 22 Reece Gaines G 6-6 185 Fr. 6.4 *3.7
* Assists per game
Team Comparisons
UK UL Record 4-4 5-2 Scoring Off. 66.0 84.3 Scoring Def. 60.4 70.7 Scoring Margin +5.6 +13.6 FG % 40.2 47.2 Def. FG % 41.3 43.8 3FG % 25.2 36.0 Def. 3FG % 32.6 31.9 FT Pct. 69.5 71.9 Reb. Avg. 38.6 36.3 Opp. Reb. Avg. 33.9 37.9 Rebound Margin +4.8 -1.6 TO Avg. 16.8 16.0 Opp. TO 18.0 24.6 TO Margin +1.2 +8.6 Blocks Avg. 6.2 5.4 Steals Avg. 7.8 11.7
Coaching Comparisons
Orlando ‘Tubby’ Smith
(High Point ’73)
Overall (9th year) 191-79 (70.7%) at UK (3rd year) 67-17 (79.8%) SEC Tournament (4 yrs.) 10-2 (83.3%) NCAA Tournament (6 yrs.) 15-5 (75.0%) vs. Louisville 0-2
Denny Crum
(UCLA ’58)
Overall (29th year) 649-266 (70.9%) at Louisville same vs. Kentucky 7-11
The Skinny on the Cardinals
Louisville opened the season with losses at Virginia Commonwealth and to Xavier in the first round of the Great Alaska Shootout. Since then, the Cards have won five straight, including two wins over Southeastern Conference opponents Georgia (85-62 in the GAS) and Alabama (87-72 last week in Louisville). This season, U of L has forced opponents into 24.6 turnovers per game, including a season-high 31 by Alabama.
Louisville native Tony Williams, a 6-7 senior forward from Doss High School, leads the Cards in scoring (18.9 ppg) while shooting 51.2 percent from three-point range (21-of-41).
The Series
This is the 31st meeting between the cross-state rivals. Louisville has won the last two meetings in the series. On three other occasions, the Cards have won two straight against UK but have never won three straight in the series or two straight in Lexington.
Series Facts —
Overall Record: UK leads 20-10
In Lexington: UK leads 11-3
In Louisville: UK leads 7-5
At Neutral Sites: Tied at 2-2
The series began in 1913 with UK winning seven of the first nine contests. The teams then met three times in the NCAA Tournament between 1948 and ’59 with UK holding a 2-1 advantage. After a 24-year layoff, the teams met in the inaugural ‘Dream Game’ during the 1983 NCAA Tournament in Knoxville, with Louisville winning 80-68 in overtime to advance to the Final Four. The meeting jump-started the annual series the following season. Since 1983, UK leads the rivalry 11-7.
Coach Tubby Smith is 0-2 against Louisville while Hall of Fame coach Denny Crum is 7-11 against UK.
Kentucky is 122-43 against Conference USA teams.
Did You Know?
Did you know this is the first season since 1994 that UK is without a Louisville native on its roster? Most recently, Scott Padgett (1995-99) and Derek Anderson (1996-97) both hailed from the Derby City and chose to play at Kentucky.
Smith’s Threes/Assists
Saul Smith hit five three-pointers last Saturday against Maryland for a career high 15 points. It’s the most threes by a Wildcat since Jeff Sheppard canned six-of-10 at South Carolina on Feb. 28, 1998.
Smith added six assists to his line at Maryland. In the last three games, he’s tallied 16 assists (5.3 apg).
Magloire’s Boards
Jamaal Magloire’s 16 rebounds against Maryland last Saturday was one shy of his career high of 17 set two years ago against Missouri in the Maui Invitational. But while the big man had his sixth career double-double (12 points, 16 rebounds), he’s reduced his foul total from the previous two seasons. In 1998, Magloire played 200 minutes and totaled 29 fouls. Last season, he had 27 fouls in his first 205 minutes and this season, he’s totaled 209 minutes and 24 fouls and has yet to be disqualified in a contest.
Bogan’s Emergence
Keith Bogans has become UK’s third-leading scorer this season, averaging 8.4 ppg. He’s scored in double figures four times, including the last three games in a row. The freshman from Hyattsville, Md. tallied a season-high 17 points against Maryland in the Preseason NIT and has followed with 11 points vs. Indiana, 12 vs. UNC Asheville and 14 against Maryland last Saturday.
UK vs. Top 25
Kentucky is 2-3 against teams ranked in the AP Top 25 this season. Against No. 16 Utah, the Wildcats recorded a 56-48 win, and against No. 24 Maryland in the Preseason NIT, UK tallied a three-point win, 61-58. The Cats’ losses have come against No. 8 Arizona, No. 23 Indiana and at No. 21 Maryland on Dec. 11. AP rankings were current at the time of the game.
While Kentucky is slated to play six teams ranked in the Top 25 prior to their conference slate, all the other Southeastern Conference teams combined will play six total, possibly seven. Auburn battled No. 2 Stanford, Florida played No. 24 Purdue in Maui, Georgia has faced No. 8 Kansas and No. 25 Wake Forest, and South Carolina has lost to both No. 5 Michigan State and No. 19 DePaul. Arkansas played Oklahoma before they were ranked and are scheduled to face No. 25 Wake Forest on Monday, which may or may not be ranked next week. Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, Miss. State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt are not scheduled to face a ranked opponent prior to the league schedule. In the six games the SEC teams have played against ranked opponents, they have a combined record of 1-5.
UK’s previous seven opponents (the Cats have played Maryland twice, hence 4-4 record) have a combined record of 36-19, which includes UNC Asheville’s 0-9 start.
UK Out of Top 25
With a 4-4 record, the Wildcats slipped from The Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time since Dec. 4, 1990. The streak ended at 164 consecutive weeks in the rankings, the fifth-longest streak on record. UCLA owns the most consecutive weeks in the poll with 221 between 1966-80, followed by North Carolina’s 171 (1972-82), North Carolina’s current streak of 167 and Marquette’s mark of 166 weeks (1969-79).
Cats From the Foul Line
The Wildcats are shooting 69.5 percent from the foul line this season, their best free throw shooting mark since the 1996 season (71.3%). Over the last four games, UK has made 88-of-115 attempts (76.5%) while averaging 28.8 trips to the line per game. Last season, UK shot 63.9 percent.
Saul Smith leads the team in free throw shooting, hitting 87.5% from the line, followed by Desmond Allison (84.6%).
Keightley’s Birthday
Bill ‘Mr. Wildcat’ Keightley, the Wildcats’ beloved equipment manager, turned 73-years old on Friday, Dec. 17. Keightley, who witnessed his 900th UK victory when the Wildcats beat UNC Asheville, joined the staff in 1962 at the tender age of 35. Now in his 39th season, he has seen 900 UK wins and 274 losses, including three NCAA Championships and three NCAA runner-up finishes.
Double-Doubles
Freshman Marvin Stone became the first Wildcat this season to record a double-double. The Huntsville, Ala., native had 12 points and 10 rebounds against UNC Asheville.
Jamaal Magloire followed with a 12-point, 16-rebound performance at Maryland last week. It was Magloire’s sixth double-double of his career.
Rupp Arena
The Kentucky Wildcats, in their 24th season of basketball at Rupp Arena, are 306-35 (89.7%) in the facility.
UK has recorded seven perfect home seasons and four years with only one defeat since Rupp Arena opened in 1976-77. The Big Blue earned its 300th victory in the 23,000-seat gymnasium on Jan. 30, 1999, an 86-62 win over LSU. Kentucky was 12-1 in the facility last year.
UK is 3-0 there this season.
December Results
At home in December, the Wildcats are 268-37 all-time, a winning percentage of 87.9 percent. Overall — home, away and neutral — UK is 414-98 (80.9%).
Youthful Contributions
Sophomore Tayshaun Prince is the Wildcats’ leading scorer thus far, averaging 13.2 ppg, while freshman Marvin Stone is second on the team in rebounding, averaging 6.2 rpg.
If Prince finishes the season as UK’s top scorer, he’ll become the fourth sophomore in the last decade to accomplish that feat, joining Jamal Mashburn, Tony Delk and Ron Mercer with that honor.
If Stone finishes at the top of the rebounding charts at the end of the season, he’ll join an elite list of three UK freshmen who have accomplished the feat– Rick Robey (’75), Sam Bowie (’80) and Chris Mills (’89). Rebounds were first charted in the 1950-51 season.
Consecutive Threes
The Cats have hit three-pointers in 381 consecutive games. The last time UK was held without a three-point field goal was Nov. 26, 1988, a ‘three-point’ loss to Seton Hall in the Great Alaska Shootout (63-60). UK’s current streak ranks fourth nationally. UNLV, Vanderbilt and Princeton have had a three-pointer in every game since the rule was implemented in 1986-87.
Smith’s Overtime Success
With an exciting 92-88 victory over Kansas in the second round of the 1999 NCAA tourney, the Wildcats won all three overtime games last season. UK also defeated host Georgia, 91-83, and Indiana, 70-61.
The Cats are 5-0 in overtime games since Tubby Smith took over as coach. In ’98, the Wildcats earned overtime victories over Arkansas, 80-77, and Stanford, 86-85. The Cats had lost seven of their last eight overtime games prior to the five-game win streak.
Overall, UK is 42-33 in overtime games, dating back to Feb. 12, 1907.
Smith is 13-3 in overtime games during his eight-year coaching career. He’s 5-0 at UK, 2-1 at Georgia and 6-2 at Tulsa, which includes a 2-1 mark in double overtime. His one overtime loss at Georgia was an 83-81 defeat to Syracuse in the 1996 NCAA Tournament and one of his OT defeats at Tulsa came at the hands of top-ranked Arkansas in 1994.
Trends ’99-2000
4-1 When leading at halftime 0-0 When tied at halftime 0-3 When trailing at halftime 4-2 When UK scores first 0-2 When opponent scores first 4-0 When leading with 5 minutes to play 0-3 When trailing with 5 minutes to play 0-1 When score tied with 5 minutes to play 4-0 When leading with 2 minutes to play 0-4 When trailing with 2 minutes to play 0-0 When score tied with 2 minutes to play 1-1 In games decided by three points or less 1-2 In games decided by 4-10 points 0-0 When UK shoots 60% or better FG 0-0 When UK shoots 50% or better FG 4-4 When UK shoots less than 50% FG 1-2 When UK shoots less than 40% FG 1-1 When UK makes more 3FG 3-1 When opponent makes more 3FG 0-2 When 3FG made are the same 3-3 When UK outrebounds opponent 1-1 When opponent outrebounds UK 0-0 When rebounds are the same 3-4 When playing on national TV 0-0 When playing on regional TV 0-2 When playing on the weekend 4-2 When playing on a weekday 0-0 When starting after 10 p.m. ET 1-2 When starting after 9 p.m. ET 3-1 When game starts between 7-9 p.m. 0-1 With an afternoon start 0-0 In overtime games 3-2 In November 1-2 In December 0-0 In January 0-0 In February 0-0 In March 4-2 In home white uniforms 0-2 In away blue uniforms
Wildcats vs. Conferences
0-1 vs. Atlantic 10 1-1 vs. Atlantic Coast 1-0 vs. Big South 0-1 vs. Big Ten 1-0 vs. Ivy 1-0 vs. Mountain West 0-1 vs. Pac-10
Record vs. Lineup
4-3 Prince, Camara, Magloire, Smith, Allison 0-1 Prince, Knight, Magloire, Smith, Allison
America’s Team of the Century
The Wildcats own an unparalleled tradition of success. Since 1903, the University of Kentucky has fielded 97 basketball teams. The first national championship was an NIT title in 1946. The first NCAA Championship came in 1948 and the latest, No. 7, occurred in 1998. No other program can claim the unparalleled success that matches the Wildcats’ efforts throughout the century.
Highlights include:
- Seven NCAA titles (1948, ’49, ’51, ’58, ’78, ’96, ’98),
- The all-time winningest team in college basketball.
- 1. Kentucky 1,752
- 2. North Carolina 1,740
- 3. Kansas 1,695
- The highest all-time winning percentage in college basketball — 76.3% (1,752-542-1),
- Three NCAA runner-up trophies,
- 13 Final Four appearances,
- A national-record 40 NCAA tournament appearances,
- 39 SEC Championships,
- 22 SEC Tournament titles,
- 10 30-win seasons,
- 37 players chosen All-American 54 times,
- 86 Wildcats drafted by the NBA.
Season Highs/Lows
Category Kentucky Opponent 1st Half Points High 41 vs. UNCA 45 by Indiana Low 25 vs. Arizona 16 by UNCA 2nd Half Points High 45 vs. UNCA 38 Twice Low 21 vs. Maryland (G1) 22 by Penn/Utah Total Points High 86 vs. UNCA 83 by Indiana Low 51 vs. Arizona 45 by UNCA FG Made High 31 vs. UNCA 29 by Indiana Low 20 Twice 15 by UNCA FG Attempts High 68 vs. UNCA 62 by Maryland (G1) Low 47 vs. Dayton 44 Twice FG Percentage High 45.6 vs. UNCA 54.7 by Indiana Low 35.6 Twice 31.0 by Penn 3FG Made High 6 Four times 7 by Penn Low 1 vs. Utah 2 by UNCA 3FG Attempts High 23 Twice 26 by Penn Low 10 vs. Utah 8 by UNCA 3FG Percentage High 30.0 vs. Penn 54.5 by Indiana (min. 8) Low 10.0 vs. Utah 25.0 by UNCA FT Made High 25 vs. Indiana 19 by Indiana Low 3 vs. Arizona 5 by Maryland (G1) FT Attempts High 33 vs. Indiana 28 by Indiana Low 8 vs. Arizona 7 by Utah FT Percentage High 86.4 vs. UNCA 85.7 by Utah Low 37.5 vs. Arizona 43.8 by Penn Off. Rebounds High 21 vs. Maryland (G1) 19 by Maryland (G1) Low 9 vs. Arizona 6 by Indiana Def. Rebounds High 32 vs. Penn 31 by Arizona Low 20 vs. Utah 20 Three times Rebounds High 43 Twice 45 by Maryland (G1) Low 31 vs. Utah 26 by Indiana Assists High 16 vs. UNCA 21 by Maryland (G2) Low 8 vs. Dayton 5 by Penn Turnovers High 21 vs. Arizona 29 by UNCA Low 7 vs. Utah 12 by Indiana Blocked Shots High 9 vs. UNCA 4 Twice Low 5 Three times 1 Three times Steals High 10 vs. Maryland (G1) 15 by Arizona Low 5 vs. Indiana 2 by Penn Fouls High 25 vs. Indiana 26 by Indiana Low 10 vs. Utah 15 by Arizona
Individual Superlatives
Points 21 Tayshaun Prince vs. Maryland 11/24/99 Field Goals 7 Tayshaun Prince vs. Maryland (G1)/Arizona Field Goal Attempts 18 Tayshaun Prince vs. Maryland (G1)/Arizona Field Goal Percentage (5 made min.) 100.0 Desmond Allison vs. UNC Asheville 12/7/99 Three-Point FG 5 Saul Smith vs. Maryland 12/11/99 Three-Point FG Attempts 10 Saul Smith vs. Maryland 12/11/99 3FG Percentage (2 made min.) 100.0 Desmond Allison (3-3) vs. UNC Asheville 12/7/99 100.0 Saul Smith (2-2) vs. Penn 11/17/99 Free Throws 9 Jamaal Magloire vs. Indiana 12/4/99 Free Throw Attempts 13 Jamaal Magloire vs. Indiana 12/4/99 Free Throw Percentage (6 made min.) 85.7 Keith Bogans (6-7) vs. Maryland 11/24/99 85.7 Tayshaun Prince (6-7) vs. Dayton 11/29/99 Rebounds 16 Jamaal Magloire vs. Maryland 12/11/99 Assists 6 Saul Smith vs. Maryland 12/11/99 Steals 4 Saul Smith vs. Utah 11/19/99 4 Desmond Allison vs. Penn 11/17/99 Blocks 4 Jamaal Magloire vs. Utah 11/19/99 4 Jules Camara vs. Arizona 11/26/99
UPDATED PLAYER BIOS
DESMOND ALLISON
Had his best game vs. UNC Asheville, tallying a career-high 15 points with a perfect shooting performance, 5-5 FG, 3-3 3FG and 2-2 FT… He added four assists and no turnovers in 25 minutes… Against Arizona in the Preseason NIT final, scored 12 points and set personal bests in FG made/attempted and rebounds (6)… His baseline jumper with 1:07 remaining gave UK a four-point lead in the win over Utah… Recorded a career-high seven rebounds against Penn while also tying his mark for steals in a game with four.
Career Highs
Opponent Date Points 15 UNCA 12/7/99 FG Made 5 Twice FG Atts Arizona 11/26/99 3FG Made 3 UNCA 12/7/99 3FG Atts 4 Four times FT Made 5 Arkansas 2/20/99 FT Atts 6 Arkansas 2/20/99 Rebounds 6 Arizona 11/26/99 Assists 6 Arkansas 2/20/99 Turnovers 4 Arizona 11/26/99 Blocks 2 N. Mexico St. 3/12/99 Steals 4 Georgia 1/26/99 Minutes 32 Arkansas 2/20/99
J.P. BLEVINS
Has played in all eight games… Against Dayton, tallied nine points in 22 minutes, thanks to a 4-for-4 effort from the foul line, all personal bests… Played 20 minutes with a personal best two assists vs. Maryland in the Preseason NIT semifinals… Against Penn, set career highs in FGM (2), 3FGM (2) and 3FGA (3), and tied his career best with two rebounds.
Career Highs
Opponent Date Points 9 Dayton 11/29/99 FG Made 2 Twice FG Atts 5 Dayton 11/29/99 3FG Made 2 Penn 11/17/99 3FG Atts 3 Twice FT Made 4 Dayton 11/29/99 FT Atts 4 Dayton 11/29/99 Rebounds 2 Twice Assists 2 Twice Turnovers 2 Three times Blocks 0 Steals 1 Four times Minutes 22 Dayton 11/29/99
KEITH BOGANS
Has reached double-figure scoring in the last three games — 11 vs. IU, 12 vs. UNC Asheville and 14 at Maryland — to become UK’s third leading scorer (8.4 ppg)… Played a season-high 29 minutes at Maryland and had four rebounds… Scored eight of his 11 points in the first half vs. Indiana… Followed up with a solid outing vs. UNC Asheville — 12 points and a career high in rebounds (3), blocks (1) and steals (3)… Break-out game came against Maryland in the Preseason NIT, finishing with 17 points, including a 6-of-7 performance from the foul line… Saw first collegiate action against Penn… Scored his first collegiate points vs. Utah.
Career Highs
Opponent Date Points 17 Maryland 11/24/99 FG Made 5 Twice FG Atts 12 UNCA 12/7/99 3FG Made 2 UNCA 12/7/99 3FG Atts 5 Twice FT Made 8 Maryland 12/11/99 FT Atts 11 Maryland 12/11/99 Rebounds 4 Maryland 12/11/99 Assists 2 Twice Turnovers 4 Three times Blocks 1 UNCA 12/7/99 Steals 3 UNCA 12/7/99 Minutes 29 Maryland 12/11/99
JULES CAMARA
Played a career-high 31 minutes at Maryland, finishing with nine points and three rebounds… Solid performance vs. UNC Asheville: 11 points, seven rebounds and three steals… Has started at power forward in all but one game… Tallied 10 points, eight rebounds and three blocks against Indiana off the bench… Had 10 first-half points against Dayton but held to two points in the second half… Tied his career high with four blocks against Arizona… Made his first career start against Penn.
Career Highs
Opponent Date Points 15 Mercer 11/19/98 FG Made 7 Mercer 11/19/98 FG Atts 11 UNCA 12/7/99 3FG Made 1 Four times 3FG Atts 5 Utah 11/19/99 FT Made 5 UNCA 12/7/99 FT Atts 6 UNCA 12/7/99 Rebounds 11 EKU 11/17/98 Assists 2 Four times Turnovers 3 Five times Blocks 4 Arizona 11/26/99 Steals 4 Tennessee St 12/29/98 Minutes 31 Maryland 12/11/99
NATE KNIGHT
Has played in all but one game for the Cats… Grabbed a season-high five rebounds vs. UNC Asheville and had a season-best two blocks… Made his first UK start vs. Indiana… Had four points and two assists vs. Maryland in the Preseason NIT… Scored his first points as a Wildcat against his home-state school Utah.
UK Career Highs
Opponent Date Points 4 Maryland 11/24/99 FG Made 2 Maryland 11/24/99 FG Atts 3 Twice 3FG Made 0 3FG Atts 0 FT Made 2 Indiana 12/4/99 FT Atts 2 Indiana 12/4/99 Rebounds 5 UNCA 12/7/99 Assists 2 Maryland 11/24/99 Turnovers 2 Dayton 11/29/99 Blocks 2 UNCA 12/7/99 Steals 1 Three times Minutes 13 Three times
JAMAAL MAGLOIRE
Tied the school record for career blocked shots after swatting two at Maryland last Saturday, matching Melvin Turpin’s record of 226… Leads the team in blocks (15) and rebounding (7.5 rpg)… Had his first double-double of the season at Maryland, his sixth of his career, with 12 points and 16 rebounds… A career 59.3% free throw shooter, he’s hit 69.0% of his foul shots in the last four games, including a nine-of-13 performance against the Hoosiers, both career highs… Finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in the eight-point IU defeat.
Career Highs
Opponent Date Points 18 Missouri 11/26/97 FG Made 7 Twice FG Atts 13 Utah 11/19/99 3FG Made 0 3FG Atts 0 FT Made 9 Indiana 12/4/99 FT Atts 13 Indiana 12/4/99 Rebounds 17 Missouri 11/26/97 Assists 3 Auburn 2/25/98 Turnovers 6 Arizona 11/26/99 Blocks 6 Five times Steals 3 Twice Minutes 34 Tennessee 1/12/99
STEVE MASIELLO
Has seen action in three games this season… With the Cats trailing by 11 inside the final six minutes vs. Indiana, played three productive minutes.
Career Highs
Opponent Date Points 6 South Carolina 3/8/98 FG Made 2 South Carolina 3/8/98 FG Atts 4 Canisius 1/9/97 3FG Made 1 Four times 3FG Atts 2 Three times FT Made 3 Indiana 12/7/96 FT Atts 4 Indiana 12/7/96 Rebounds 2 Five times Assists 2 Four times Turnovers 2 Canisius 12/10/97 Blocks 1 Auburn 3/7/97 Steals 1 Five times Minutes 9 Wright State 11/23/98
TAYSHAUN PRINCE
Made the All-Tournament team at the Preseason NIT after tallying a career-high 21 points and nine rebounds against Maryland and 18 points and five boards against Arizona… Followed up against the Terrapins (12/11) with 14 points and eight rebounds… His steal and layup cut the Terps’ lead to two with 1:11 remaining… Leading the team in scoring (13.2 ppg) and tied for second in rebounding (6.2 rpg)… Has led the Wildcats in scoring three times.
Career Highs
Opponent Date Points 21 Maryland 11/24/99 FG Made 7 Twice FG Atts 18 Twice 3FG Made 3 Three times 3FG Atts 9 Arizona 11/26/99 FT Made 6 Twice FT Atts 8 Twice Rebounds 9 Maryland 11/24/99 Assists 6 Arkansas 3/7/99 Turnovers 3 Three times Blocks 3 Twice Steals 4 Florida 1/2/99 Minutes 38 Arizona 11/26/99
SAUL SMITH
Leads the team in free throw shooting (87.5%), assists (29) and steals (12)…Hit a career-high five three-pointers for a personal best 15 points at Maryland and added six assists… Has tallied 16 assists in the last three games… His steal and contested jumper with 1:58 to play against Utah gave the Cats a convincing four-point lead… Tied his career high with four steals against the Utes… Made his first career start at point guard vs. Penn.
Career Highs
Opponent Date Points 17 Ole Miss 1/16/99 FG Made 5 Twice FG Atts 13 Indiana 12/4/99 3FG Made 5 Maryland 12/11/99 3FG Atts 10 Maryland 12/11/99 FT Made 5 Twice FT Atts 6 Twice Rebounds 6 Kansas 12/1/98 Assists 6 Maryland 12/11/99 Turnovers 6 Twice Blocks 1 Five times Steals 4 Twice Minutes 34 Utah 11/19/99
MARVIN STONE
Recorded the team’s first double-double of the season, 12 points and 10 rebounds vs. UNC Asheville… It was his second double-figure rebounding performance after tallying 13 against Maryland (11/24)…Tied for second in rebounding, averaging 6.2 rpg, and leads the team in field goal percentage, 54.1%, the only Cat shooting better than 50.0% from the field… Had eight points after hitting all three of his field goals against Indiana, and added six rebounds… The big man had three steals vs. Arizona… Scored 12 points in his collegiate debut vs. Penn, shooting 4-of-6 from the field, and added six points, three assists, a block and no turnovers.
Career Highs
Opponent Date Points 12 Twice FG Made 4 Twice FG Atts 6 Twice 3FG Made 0 3FG Atts 0 FT Made 4 Twice FT Atts 6 Penn 11/17/99 Rebounds 13 Maryland 11/24/99 Assists 3 Penn 11/17/99 Turnovers 3 Maryland 11/24/99 Blocks 2 Twice Steals 3 Twice Minutes 22 Dayton 11/29/99
TODD TACKETT
Best stats of the season vs. UNC Asheville: career-high four points, three rebounds and one assist in 11 minutes… Has seen action in six of the eight games this season… Recorded a career-best two assists against Indiana.
Career Highs
Opponent Date Points 4 UNCA 12/7/99 FG Made 2 UNCA 12/7/99 FG Atts 6 Mercer 11/19/98 3FG Made 1 Twice 3FG Atts 2 Mercer 11/19/98 FT Made 1 Twice FT Atts 2 Twice, Rebounds 6 Mercer 11/19/98 Assists 2 Indiana 12/4/99 Turnovers 2 Twice Blocks 0 Steals 1 LSU 1/30/99 Minutes 13 Indiana 12/4/99
SEASON REVIEW
Preseason NIT Final Four Results
Kentucky earned wins over Penn, Utah and Maryland before losing in the championship of the Preseason NIT to Arizona. It was the ‘western’ Wildcats third straight win over UK, dating back to an overtime win in the 1997 NCAA Championship game. UK finished second in the 16-team tournament field that included Ohio State, Notre Dame and Tulane. The final four results from New York’s Madison Square Garden:
Nov. 24
Arizona 76, Notre Dame 60
Kentucky 61, Maryland 58
Nov. 26
Maryland 72, ND 67
Arizona 63, Kentucky 51
Prince Makes All-Tourney
Tayshaun Prince, UK’s leading scorer and rebounder, had a career-high 21 points and nine rebounds in the Cats’ win over Maryland and followed up with an 18-point, five-rebound performance against Arizona to earn All-Tournament team honors at the Preseason NIT.
Joining Prince on the All-Tournament team were Notre Dame’s Troy Murphy, Maryland’s Lonny Baxter and Arizona’s Jason Gardner and Richard Jefferson. The MVP was Arizona’s Gilbert Arenas.
America’s Team of the Century Posts #1,750
Kentucky, the winningest college basketball team in the nation, became the first team to record 1,750 wins with its victory over Utah on Nov. 19. UK is in its 97th season of college basketball, and its record number of victories include seven NCAA Championships, two (postseason) NIT titles, a record 84 NCAA Tournament victories and 39 Southeastern Conference Championships, more than all the other league teams combined.
November Blues
Home In November
Since 1980, Kentucky has only lost two home games in November, establishing a mark of 18-1 during the past two decades, including its victories over Penn and Utah. The only defeat? To Pittsburgh in the second round of the Preseason NIT in Nov. 1991.
All-time in November, UK is 45-10, including a 28-1 mark at home, a 3-0 record on the road and a 14-9 slate at neutral sites.
Season Openers
After its Penn victory, Kentucky has now won 10 of its last 11 season openers. UK’s one defeat came at the hands of Clemson, a 79-71 overtime loss in the BCA Classic double-header at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis on Nov. 15, 1996.
UK has not lost a home opener since Northwestern State upset the Cats in 1988-89, a streak of 11 consecutive victories.
PRESEASON CAT SCRATCHES
Cats Short on Experience, Long on Talent
Seven of the 11 Wildcats on the ’99-2000 roster are freshmen or sophomores. UK lost its top four scorers, its top three rebounders and its top three assists men. The Cats’ leading returning scorer and rebounder is senior Jamaal Magloire, who averaged 7.0 ppg and 4.4 rpg, while the leading returning assist man is Saul Smith, who averaged 1.6 apg last season. The only returning starter is Desmond Allison.
Returning production includes:
Points: 35.8% Rebounds: 38.9% Assists: 33.1 % Blocks 63.8% Steals: 37.8%
The NBA Connection
Kentucky led all Southeastern Conference teams with 10 Wildcats on 1999-2000 opening day NBA rosters. No other SEC team had more than six former players in the league. For UK, the Cats had Derek Anderson (Clippers), Tony Delk (Kings), Rex Chapman (Suns), Jamal Mashburn (Heat), Ron Mercer (Nuggets), Nazr Mohammed (76ers), Walter McCarty, Antoine Walker and Wayne Turner (Celtics) and Scott Padgett (Jazz). Turner has since been waived.
Magloire Earns Preseason All-SEC Honor
In early November, media members at the Southeastern Conference Media Days in Birmingham picked the Wildcats to finish second in the Eastern Division behind Florida and selected Jamaal Magloire to the preseason All-SEC team. Auburn, which returns Chris Porter and Doc Robinson from last year’s Sweet 16 team, was chosen to win the regular-season crown.
SEC Media Day Predictions
Champion (Votes) Auburn 29 Florida 10 Kentucky 5 Eastern Division Western Division Florida (30) 227 Auburn (40) 240 Kentucky (3) 188 Arkansas 177 Tennessee (7) 181 Alabama 142 Vanderbilt 100 Miss. State 121 Georgia 85 LSU 67 South Carolina 56 Ole Miss 58 All-SEC G - Tony Harris, Tennessee 27 G - Doc Robinson, Auburn 41 F - Chris Porter, Auburn 49 F - Mike Miller, Florida 37 C - Jamaal Magloire, Kentucky 17 SEC Player of the Year Chris Porter, Auburn 45 Doc Robinson, Auburn 1 Mike Miller, Florida 1
Team of the Decade
Kentucky staked its claim for the title of ‘Team of the Decade’ during the 1990s. Only two NCAA Division I schools can claim two national titles during the last 10 years, UK and Duke.
NCAA Championships 2
NCAA Runner-up 1
NCAA Tourney Record (App.) 31-6 (8)
NCAA Tourney Winning % 83.8%
Decade Wins (Pct.) 282 (81.7%)
30-Win Seasons 4
Losing Seasons 0
AP Top-10 Finishes 9
All-Americans 3
NBA Draft Picks (1st Rd.) 10 (8)
SEC Championships 3
SEC Tournament Titles 7
News from the Summer Drought
The ’99-2000 schedule includes 17 teams that played in the 1999 NCAA Tournament, including Final-Four qualifier Michigan State. There will be 14 home dates during the regular season since Kentucky advanced in the Preseason NIT. The Cats will appear on national TV 18 times, including 12 times on ESPN or espn2 and five games on CBS. SEC games televised on ‘Super Tuesdays’ by ESPN will begin at 9 p.m. instead of 9:30 p.m.
Tubby Smith spent nearly all of July as an assistant coach for the 1999 USA Senior National Team. After winning the Tournament of the Americas in Puerto Rico, the squad qualified for the 2000 Olympics next September in Sydney, Australia. Smith will continue to serve on that staff as well, coaching such NBA greats as Tim Hardaway, Kevin Garnett, Steve Smith and Gary Peyton.
Point guard Saul Smith competed for the SEC All-Stars, which toured Japan in August. Smith helped the team to a 4-1 record against the Japan National Team.
Steve Masiello was awarded a scholarship for his senior season. The former walk-on from White Plains, N.Y. has been a member of UK’s ’97 NCAA runner-up squad, its ’98 NCAA Championship team and the Elite-Eight qualifier last season.
Jamaal Magloire declared his intentions for the NBA Draft in May, but withdrew one week before the event and decided to return to UK for his senior season.
Scott Padgett became the seventh Wildcat in the last four years to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft when he was taken 28th by the Utah Jazz. Padgett was one of 11 Wildcats on NBA rosters as of opening day. In addition, seven other Cats are playing professionally, including Heshimu Evans, who is participating in a French league this winter. (See pages 154-157 of the 2000 UK Media Guide.)
Cliff Hawkins, a 6-1, 180-pound guard at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., and Michael Southall, a 6-10, 225-pound forward/center from West Salem, Wis., have both signed national letters-of-intent during the fall signing period to play their college basketball at the University of Kentucky.
Hawkins, a native of Dumfries, Va., helped the Warriors to a perfect 32-0 record last season and a final No. 1 ranking by USA Today, ESPN and The Associated Press, earning the crown of national champions.
‘Cliff is a tough and tenacious defender who’s been an important part of a championship program,’ Coach Smith said. ‘He understands what teamwork is all about and works to make others better. He’s not interested in padding his own stats, which was one of the first things that attracted us to him. He’s a point guard that knows how to push the ball up the court and he’s been well-schooled in the game.’
As a junior, Hawkins averaged 11.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game last season while starting every contest. The southpaw, who his coach called the ‘best on-the-ball defender he’s ever coached,’ also led the team in steals, averaging 3.9 per game. He shot 50.0 percent from the field, 62.5 percent from the foul line and 30.0 percent from three-point range during the ’99 season.
Hawkins played his sophomore season at Potomac High School, leading the squad to a state runner-up finish. In the state semifinals, he held Ronald Curry, the 1998 National Player of the Year, to six points, while tallying 31 in the winning effort. He earned first-team Class AAA All-State honors before transferring to Oak Hill.
Hawkins, who chose UK over New Mexico, played on the 1998 DC Team Assault summer AAU squad with current Wildcat Keith Bogans.
Southall, who plays at West Salem High School, was the Coulee Conference and Region Player of the Year last season, averaging 20.7 points and 13.0 rebounds per game. He was named the team’s Most Valuable Player and earned third team All-State honors from the Lacrosse Tribune after leading his squad to a 14-8 record. He shot 65.0 percent from the field, 66.0 percent from the foul line and recorded 146 blocked shots (6.7 bpg) last season.
‘Michael is a player that exemplifies the student-athlete we want in our program,’ Coach Smith said. ‘He has set high goals and ambitions and has a great work ethic. With the loss of Jamaal Magloire to graduation next season, he’ll make an immediate impact. He’s a player that possesses excellent hands and agility and will obviously keep a shot-blocking presence on our front line.’
Southall also was named team MVP during his sophomore year, averaging 13.7 points and 12.0 rebounds a game while leading West Salem to the sectional final.
He chose UK over Utah, Georgia Tech, Michigan and Ohio State.
