Jan. 5, 2000
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – Tayshaun Prince had 21 points and 10 rebounds to leadNo. 25 Kentucky to an 80-71 victory over Georgia Tech on Wednesday night, theWildcats’ fifth straight win.
Kentucky (9-4) led most of the way in a home-away-from-home game atLouisville’s Freedom Hall, but never quite shook Georgia Tech (7-5).
Tech rallied from nine points down in the first half to take a 40-36 leadearly in the second half. The Yellow Jackets lost that lead, but refused to letKentucky string together a game-ending run until the final seconds.
With Kentucky leading 74-68, Georgia Tech point guard Tony Akins hit hisfourth 3-pointer of the game with 1:24 left to cut the lead to three. That wasthe closest Georgia Tech would get.
At the other end, Tech center Alvin Jones fouled out defending a dunkattempt by Prince, who made one of two free throws for a 75-71 lead.
On Georgia Tech’s next possession, Akins missed a drive in the lane andKeith Bogans got the rebound to Prince, who again made one of two free throws.
Desmond Allison later added two more free throws and Prince had a final dunkon an alley-oop from Bogans with four seconds left.
Jason Collier led Georgia Tech with 21 points and added eight rebounds.Jones, who spent much of the game in fierce elbow-to-elbow combat with Kentuckycenter Jamaal Magloire, had nine rebounds.
Jules Camara scored 15 points for Kentucky, while Bogans had 14 and Magloire12.
On a night when they once again struggled with their shooting, the Wildcatsovercame a lack of quality with quantity, making 30 of a season-high 73 shots(41.1 percent).
Against Georgia Tech’s free-wheeling style, the Wildcats abandoned theirnormally patient half-court offense, shooting their way out of an 0-for-16slump that bridged the end of the first half and the start of the second.
Tech, meanwhile, was shooting 28-of-66 from the field (42.4 percent), afigure that included 12-of-34 from 3-point range. In addition to Akins’ four3s, Collier had three.
Though the Georgia Tech tandem of the 7-foot Collier and the 6-11 Jones wasthe tallest Kentucky had faced this season, the Wildcats finished with a 49-34rebounding edge, including a 20-9 advantage on the offensive boards.
