Jan. 8, 2000
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – Vanderbilt came into Rupp Arena making more than halfits field-goal attempts and over 40 percent of its 3-point tries.
The Commodores left the same way they left Rupp the other 22 times theyfaced Kentucky there – as losers, this time by a score of 72-52.
The 25th-ranked Wildcats dominated Saturday’s Southeastern Conference gameby giving the Commodores (10-2, 1-1 SEC) the most stifling defensive pressurethey had seen all season, forcing 29 Vanderbilt turnovers that led to 36Kentucky points.
“The game was dictated by them,” Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings said.”They played harder than we did, they played smarter than we did.
“There was nothing about the game that indicated we could win.”
The Wildcats (10-4, 1-0) have won six straight since losing four of five andtemporarily dropping from the Top 25 for the first time in nine years. Kentucky limited the Commodores to just 18-of-48 shooting overall and9-of-24 from 3-point range, both 37.5 percent.
Vanderbilt was coming off an 87-77 home upset of No. 6 Florida on Wednesdaythat raised hopes the Commodores might finally end their 0-for-Rupp streakagainst Kentucky.
However, Dan Langhi, who scored 31 points against the Gators, had just 14 onSaturday on 6-of-14 shooting. Sam Howard, who made 7-of-8 3-pointers againstFlorida, was 4-of-9 from beyond the arc against Kentucky.
“The emphasis was guarding the 3-pointer and limiting Dan Langhi’stouches,” Kentucky coach Tubby Smith said.
By constantly switching the player who was defending Langhi, sometimes inmid-possession, Kentucky kept him under control.
“You have to give him different looks all the time,” Smith said. “If thesame guy is always guarding him he’ll get used to the defense and have a bignight.”
Tayshaun Prince led the Wildcats with 17 points, including five 3-pointers,while Jamaal Magloire had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Keith Bogans and J.P.Blevins each scored 10.
Kentucky has won 14 straight over Vanderbilt, which has not beaten Kentuckyin Lexington since January 1974, when the Wildcats still played at MemorialColiseum.
In the first half, as the Wildcats built a 35-27 lead, the Wildcats made5-of-10 3-pointers to Vandy’s 4-of-13.
Smith, however, wasn’t happy, as he watched the Wildcats miss a number ofopen shots, Prince miss a slam-dunk attempt and Bogans and Jules Camara misfireon an alley-oop try.
“We really couldn’t convert the first half,” Smith said. “We can do somespectacular things, but to do those you have to do the fundamental things.”
The second half was all Kentucky, which blew the game open with a 13-0 runthat made it 62-40 with 3:41 remaining.
Prince, a sophomore from Compton, Calif., continued to show why he hasbecome Kentucky’s best all-around player. With 9:09 remaining and Kentucky up51-40, the 6-foot-9 forward leaped to block a 3-point attempt by Howard, thenblew past Howard to grab the ball, taking it downcourt for a dunk and a 53-40lead.
“Coach said if you keep your hands down, no matter where you are on thecourt, he’ll shoot,” Prince said. “So I had my hands down and I knew he had aslow release, so the key was just that he got it off slow and I was able toblock it and control the basketball.”
Minutes later, Prince lobbed the ball high off the inbounds play to Camara,who threw down a dunk for a 58-40 lead.
“I saw Langhi guarding Jules and he looked a little tired, he was leaningdown at the knees,” he said. “I just threw it up to the rim and Jules is agreat leaper and Saul (Smith) set a great pick, so it was great play.”
The loss brought Stallings, the Commodores’ first-year coach, back to earthafter the win over Florida.
“It doesn’t matter what kind of team you think you are, it matters what youplay like,” he said.
