Jan. 19, 2000
By TIM WHITMIRE
AP Sports Writer
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – If Jamaal Magloire is just a role player for Kentucky,right now he’s playing a leading role.
The senior center had 19 points and 14 rebounds Wednesday night, as the18th-ranked Wildcats used their inside dominance to overcome poor shooting anda lackluster effort in a 74-69 victory over Mississippi.
It was the 12th straight game in which Magloire has scored in double figuresand the sixth time in 10 games in which he has reached double figures in bothrebounds and points.
“I think I did OK,” Magloire said. “I’m just a role player, trying to dowhat it takes to help this team be successful and do well.”
On this night, the Wildcats (12-5, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) neededMagloire’s interior presence to overpower the undersized Rebels (12-6, 0-5) andmake up for their shooting struggles.
The SEC’s least-accurate team continued to miss the mark againstMississippi, shooting 24-of-59 from the field (40.7 percent) and only 3-of-17from 3-point range (17.6 percent).
However, the Wildcats outrebounded the Rebels 45-35 overall and 18-13 on theoffensive boards, leading to 17 second-chance points.
Magloire was in the middle of much of the banging, pulling down fiveoffensive rebounds and blocking two shots. His jostling with Mississippi’sRahim Lockhart provoked the Rebels forward to a technical foul midway throughthe first half, when Lockhart wrestled Magloire to the ground during a battlefor a rebound.
Afterward, Magloire sported a bump on his forehead and a scratch on his leftforearm in addition to the smile of satisfaction on his face.
“I play physical, but I knew they were taking themselves out of the game,which they did by throwing me down and stuff,” he said. “So I really didn’thave to do anything but pick up my team and help them continue to play well.”
Marcus Hicks led Mississippi with 27 points, including three 3-pointers, and10 rebounds.
Keith Bogans had 12 points for Kentucky, including all three of theWildcats’ 3-pointers, while Tayshaun Prince scored 10. Each player had fourassists.
Kentucky took the game in hand with a 15-4 run late in the second half thatgave the Wildcats an 18-point lead. Bogans had two 3s in the surge, which endedwith a free throw by Saul Smith that put Kentucky up 65-47 with 3:22 left.
The Wildcats held off a late Mississippi flurry of fouls and 3-pointers, asRay Waddell’s 3 at the buzzer cut the final margin to five.
“It wasn’t a pretty win,” Kentucky coach Tubby Smith said. “With a youngteam, you have to force them to concentrate.”
The Wildcats struggled at the line as well as from the perimeter, makingjust 23 of 39 free throws.
The win was Kentucky’s eighth in nine games, while Mississippi continued tostruggle against the SEC’s top teams. After losses to Kentucky, Florida andTennessee over the last 11 days, the Rebels have a Saturday home date with No.4 Auburn.
“Our team came out and gave a great effort,” Mississippi coach Rod Barnessaid. “I was really proud of our kids. We’ve been through a tough period thelast couple of weeks.”
In addition to Lockhart’s technical, the referees also called technicals onBarnes, Magloire and Bogans.
Barnes was whistled for comments to the referees in the early going andBogans was called for pushing Mississippi’s Jason Flanigan as the Rebelsinbounded the ball after a Kentucky basket later in the first half.
With 16 minutes left in the game, Magloire received the eighth technical ofhis Kentucky career for grabbing the net as he went up to block a shot byMississippi’s Jason Harrison.
