Kentucky Wildcats (15-7, 8-2)
vs.
Tennessee Volunteers (18-6, 5-5)
Game 23 – Feb. 14, 2001 – 8:07 p.m. ET
Thompson-Boling (24,535) – Knoxville, Tenn.
RADIO
UK Radio Network — 90+ stations
Ralph Hacker, Sam Bowie and Dave Baker
TELEVISION
JP Sports –Tom Hammond, Larry Conley
INTERNET
UKathletics.com — UKs official website has up-to-date information on the 2001 Wildcats available as well as the live audio broadcast and a Totalcast, featuring live in-game statistics and photos.
Probable Starters WILDCATS No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Ppg Rpg Hometown21 Tayshaun Prince F 6-9 215 Jr. 15.3 5.9 Compton, Calif.42 Jason Parker F 6-8 255 Fr. 8.4 4.9 Charlotte, N.C.4 Gerald Fitch G 6-3 185 Fr. 5.7 4.1 Macon, Ga.10 Keith Bogans G 6-5 205 So. 15.9 4.7 Alexandria, Va.11 Saul Smith G 6-2 175 Sr. 6.8 *4.1 Athens, Ga.VOLUNTEERS22 Vincent Yarbrough F 6-7 210 Jr. 13.6 7.2 Cleveland, Tenn.44 Isiah Victory F 6-9 220 Sr. 14.0 7.2 Hopkinsville, Ky.55 Charles Hathaway C 6-10 265 Sr. 5.7 4.9 Nashville, Tenn.42 Jon Higgins G 6-3 190 So. 6.9 3.4 Shaker Heights, Ohio2 Jenis Grindstaff G 6-2 185 Jr. 3.1 1.6 Spruce Pine, N.C. * Assists per game |
Cat Scratches
Rankings: For the first time since Nov. 20, the Cats are in The Associated Press poll ranked 22nd and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll ranked No. 25. The Cats appeared in the first two coaches polls and the first three AP polls but fell out of both rankings on Nov. 27 for 11 consecutive weeks. Tennessee is ranked 15th in the AP, 13th in the Coaches poll. Its the Vols first appearance outside the AP top 10 this season.
Series Record: UK leads 128-61
In Knoxville: UK leads 43-42
Last meeting: UK 84-74, Jan. 16, 2001
Streak: UK has won two of the last three
Websites: UKathletics.com; utsports.com
SEC East Leaders Invade Volunteer State
With three weeks remaining in the regular season, Kentucky begins its final stretch of games on the road at Tennessee. The Wildcats, winners of five straight games and 12 of their last 14, face the Vols, who are unbeaten in 11 games at home this season. Since the two teams met on Jan. 16 in Lexington, UK has won five of seven while the preseason league favorite, UT, has gone 2-4. The Cats lead Tennessee by three games in the Eastern Division race thanks to the Vols losing five SEC road games. In addition, UT senior guard Tony Harris is listed as questionable after suffering a sprained ankle against Arkansas on Feb. 7.
The Cats are 8-2 in SEC play and have not lost to an Eastern Division team this season. In fact, UK has swept the regular-season series with Georgia and South Carolina. The Wildcats, 4-3 on the road this season including 2-2 away from home in the SEC, will have a chance to sweep both Tennessee and Vanderbilt this week.
Tubby Smith, who recently captured his 100th UK win and the 225th in his career, has averaged 25.3 wins per season at UK, 22.5 wins per year as a head coach the last decade.
This is the 10th time UK has played a ranked opponent this season. The Wildcats are 5-4 against ranked opponents, 3-1 against top-10 teams including UKs 10-point win over No. 4 Tennessee in the teams last meeting. UK has a 4-4 record against teams in this weeks AP Top 25.
Four of the Wildcats final six games are on the road in the SEC. Kentucky sandwiches its final six games between games at Tennessee and at Florida, both ranked opponents. After the UT game, UK travels to Nashville to face Vanderbilt on Saturday.
Kentucky has shot 50% or better from the field in three of the last four games. The Cats are 8-0 this season when topping 50% FG shooting.
The Wildcats lost five of their first eight games by 14 total points, an average of 2.8 ppg. Overall, UK has seven losses by 4.9 ppg and 15 wins by 17.6 ppg.
Since Tubby Smith inserted Gerald Fitch into the starting lineup for Marvin Stone against Indiana on Dec. 22, UK has won 12 of 14 games.
Series History
Kentucky has played Tennessee more than any other team in college basketball. This will be the 190th meeting between the old rivals, who first met on the hardwood on Feb. 16, 1910, when UK captured a 26-5 victory.
While Kentucky leads the series 128-61, the Cats hold a one-game advantage over Tennessee in Knoxville, 43-42, but have lost the last two played in Thompson-Boling Arena. Overall, UK is 7-6 vs. the Vols in TBA since it opened in 1987-88.
The UT series underwent a rebirth two years ago when the Vols swept the regular-season matchups. Tennessee has won three of the last five meetings between the two schools.
The Wildcats are 2-0 against Tennessee on Valentines Day, but both games were played in Lexington (1942: UK 36-33; 1948: UK 69-42).
On Jan. 16, UK registered an 84-64 win over fourth-ranked Tennessee. For a complete box score and recap, see page 22 of this release.
Valentine Cats
Kentucky has played basketball 26 times on Valentines Day. UK owns an 18-8 record on Feb. 14.
Tubby and Jerry
Among current coaches, Tubby Smith and Jerry Green hold the top two spots in winning percentage vs. SEC teams. Smith, in his sixth SEC season, has won 70.2% (63-26) of his league games while Green has won 66.7% (38-19) of his regular-school games during the past four years.
Coaching ComparisonsOrlando "Tubby" Smith (High Point 73) Overall (10th year) 225-92 (71.0%) at UK (4th year) 101-30 (77.1%) SEC Tournament (5 yrs.) 10-3 (76.9%) NCAA Tournament (7 yrs.) 16-6 (72.7%) vs. Tennessee 8-4Jerry Green (Appalachian St. 68) Overall (18th year) 307-209 (59.5%) at Tennessee (4th year) 85-31 (73.3%) vs. Kentucky 3-4Team Comparisons blue orangeRecord 15-7 18-6Scoring Offense 77.8 82.6Scoring Defense 67.8 74.5 Scoring Margin +10.0 +8.1 FG % 47.8 46.3 FG % Defense 39.2 41.03FG % 32.2 36.33FG % Defense 33.3 32.0Free Throw % 66.0 69.7Rebound Average 38.8 40.3Opp Rebound Av 36.3 39.2Rebound Margin +2.5 +1.1TO Average 15.6 16.8Opponent TO 16.7 16.3TO Margin +1.1 -0.5Blocks Average 4.6 6.1Steals Average 7.0 6.9 |
Oak Hill Connection
Kentuckys Cliff Hawkins and Tennessees Ron Slay were teammates at Oak Hill Academy in 1999. The duo led Steve Smiths club to a final No. 1 national ranking that season. Hawkins, then a junior, averaged 11.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 5.4 apg and 3.9 spg while earning the nod at shooting guard.
Slay, a senior that season, averaged 17 points, nine boards and 2.5 blocks as Oak Hill went unbeaten, 31-0.
Bogans Loves Orange
In three games against Tennessee, Keith Bogans is averaging 19.0 ppg and 5.3 rpg. Earlier this season, Bogans “guaranteed” a win over UT then tallied 21 points and nine boards in the Cats victory.
Did You Know?
Notre Dame and North Carolina are two of the hottest teams in college basketball. No. 14 Notre Dame has won seven consecutive games while the top-ranked Tar Heels have won 18 straight. Did you know the last team to earn a victory over both squads was Kentucky?Smith Joins UKs Top 10
Senior guard Saul Smith joined UKs top 10 in career assists when he dished out two against Mississippi State last Saturday. Smith, one of 12 Cats to record 300 assists at UK, continues his climb up the chart as he trails John Pelphrey at No. 9 by seven.
Smith suffered a bruised right knee against Louisville on Jan. 2 and reinjured the knee against Miss. State last Saturday. He played a season-low 17 minutes against the Bulldogs after exiting early in the second half with two points, two assists and six rebounds. Hes expected to play against Tennessee.
UK's Career Assists Leaders No. Assists Wildcat (Years)1. 646 Dirk Minniefield (1980-83)2. 544 Anthony Epps (1994-97)3. 498 Roger Harden (1983-86)4. 494 Wayne Turner (1996-99)5. 482 Sean Woods (1990-92)6. 470 Kyle Macy (1978-80)7. 436 Ed Davender (1985-88)8. 428 Travis Ford (1992-94)9. 327 John Pelphrey (1989-92)10. 320 Saul Smith (1998-01)11. 319 Larry Johnson (1974-77)12. 301 Dickey Beal (1981-84)13. 293 Larry Conley (1964-66) |
Royal Performances
Tayshaun Prince continues to play well. In the last four games, hes shot 61.7% from the field and 50% from three-point range to average 22.3 ppg. He won the SEC Player of the Week Award on Feb. 5 after totaling 52 points in back-to-back road wins. He followed up the effort by hitting the game-winning bucket against Florida on Feb. 6 with 3.3 seconds remaining.
Prince is averaging a career-best 15.3 ppg, and in the SEC, he leads the squad in scoring, averaging 16.8 ppg. Against league competition, Prince ranks third in scoring, fourth in FG percentage (54.5%), seventh in 3FG percentage (39.0%) and ninth in blocks (1.3 bpg). Hes also shooting 81.8% from the foul line in the SEC but doesnt have enough makes (2.5 pg) to qualify for the rankings.
Prince Named Player of the Year Finalist
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named Kentucky forward Tayshaun Prince one of the 15 finalists for the USBWA’s Player of the Year award.
Joining Prince on the national list is Duke’s Jason Williams and Shane Battier, Alabama’s Rod Grizzard, Notre Dame’s Troy Murphy, Stanford’s Casey Jacobsen, Michigan State’s Jason Richardson, North Carolina’s Joseph Forte and Brendan Haywood, Arizona’s Michael Wright, Iowa State’s Jamaal Tinsley, Indiana’s Kirk Haston, Central Michigan’s David Webber, Boston College’s Troy Bell and Xavier’s David West.
The Player of the Year and the USBWA All-America teams will be announced in March.
Fantastic Fitch
Gerald Fitch has scored 12 points in each of the last two games. Last week, he averaged 12 points, 5.5 rpg, 3.5 apg and 1.5 spg as the Cats earned wins over Florida and Mississippi State.
Against Florida, he was superb in the final three minutes. With 2:12 remaining, his three-pointer tied the game at 67. On the next UK possession, he penetrated and dished to Marvin Stone, whose dunk cut the lead to one, 70-69, with 1:35 left. After Saul Smith missed a jumper in the lane late, Fitch grabbed the rebound and called a timeout with 10 seconds left as UK set up its final game-winning play.
Surprising for a 6-3 guard, Fitch has blocked six shots this season.
SEC Cats
Kentucky owns the leagues best record at 8-2 this season, and in return, the Cats dominate the SEC stats (conference games only) as well. UK ranks 2nd in scoring, 2nd in scoring defense, first in scoring margin, 2nd in FG percentage, 1st in FG percentage defense, 2nd in turnover margin and 3rd in blocks. (See page 6 of these notes.)
Tubby D
Teams rarely shoot better than 50% from the field against the Wildcats. Through 131 games of the Smith era at UK, only nine teams have shot better than 50% from the field against the Wildcats. Alabama was the most recent team to accomplish the feat, and only the second team this season, making 21 of its 39 shots (53.8%) while visiting the foul line 34 times.
Indiana also shot 50.0% but lost to the red-hot Cats (68.9%), 88-74 in December.
Many teams struggle to shoot 40% from the field against UK. This season alone, teams have combined to shoot 39.2% from the field against Smiths ball-line defense, and 12 of the Cats 22 opponents have failed to top 40% shooting. Last week, UK held Mississippi State to 26.9% shooting from the field including a 0-19 performance from three-point range.
Tubby O
Tubby Smiths Wildcats are shooting 47.8% from the field this season. The three times in the last decade UK shot 48% from the field or better, the Cats advanced to the Final Four — 48.0% in 93, national semifinal appearance; 48.7% in 96, NCAA champs; 48.2% in 98, NCAA champs.
Kentucky has shot over 60 percent three times this season. Against Indiana, the Wildcats hit 68.9% from the field, including a 79.2% second-half. UK also hit 60.8% vs. Jacksonville State and 64.5% vs. South Carolina last Saturday, including a 70.6% second half.
The Cats hit 13-of-21 three-point attempts vs. South Carolina (2/3/01) for a blistering 61.9%. It was the second time this season UK made 13 three-pointers, following their 13-of-36 effort vs. UCLA on Nov. 10. It was the highest 3FG percentage since a 63.6% (7-of-11) effort vs. Wake Forest on March 23, 1996, as UK eliminated Tim Duncans squad in the Midwest Region final.
Milestones
The following milestones deserve watching when the Cats battle the Vols:
Saul Smith needs seven assists to tie John Pelphrey for No. 9 on the UK assists list.
Keith Bogans needs two assists to record 100 in his career.
Tayshaun Prince needs 23 points to become the 48th Wildcat to join UKs 1,000-point club.
The Cats are looking for their sixth straight win, their 13th in their last 15 games.
UK is looking for a sweep of Tennessee this season, the Cats third sweep against an SEC Eastern Division opponent.
UK in the Polls
The Wildcats were ranked in the first two AP Top-25 polls this season and in the first three ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls. But after a 1-3 start, the Cats fell out of both polls on Nov. 27. But after missing the rankings for 11 straight weeks, UK reappeared this week at No. 22 in the AP, No. 25 in the Coaches.
Last year, UK was out of the rankings for three weeks following a 4-4 start.
Cats vs. Top 25 The Cats have played nine ranked (AP) teams this season, more than any other SEC team, and six of those nine games were away from Rupp Arena. After its win over No. 8 Florida last week, UK is 5-4 against ranked opponents, including a 3-1 record vs. top-10 teams. In fact, UK almost has two more wins against ranked opponents, barring a pair of possessions. UK lost to No. 19 UCLA in overtime and fell at No. 2 Michigan State, 46-45. Seven of the nine teams are still ranked in this weeks AP poll.
AP Rankings
Opponent Then Now Result vs. UCLA 19th 24th L, 97-92 at North Carolina 6th 1st W, 93-76 at Michigan State 2nd 5th L, 46-45 Notre Dame 25th 14th W, 82-71 Tennessee 4th 15th W, 84-74 at Ole Miss 21st 16th L, 65-55 at Alabama 18th 21st L, 70-60 at Georgia 25th -- W, 85-70 Florida 8th 11th W, 71-70
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Power Polls
The Cats are ranked seventh nationally and own the nations second-toughest schedule, according to the Jeff Sagarin Power Rankings through Saturdays games.
Kentucky TennesseePoll Rank/Sched. Rank/Sched.Sagarin 7/2 12/7RPI 14th/4th 5th/3rdCBN RPI 14th/8th 5th/3rd
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SEC Tradition
Kentucky is the all-time winningest team in the SEC and the only squad to record more than 700 victories in SEC regular-season action, owning a 766-204 (79.0%) record. Entering this year, the Cats averaged 11.3 wins and 3.0 losses per regular SEC season since becoming a charter member in 1933.
UK has won more SEC Championships (40) and more SEC Tournament titles (22), than all the other league teams combined.
Cats Scoring
Keith Bogans leads UK in scoring, averaging 15.9 ppg, which ranks sixth in the SEC. Teammate Tayshaun Prince ranks eighth in the league in scoring, averaging 15.3 ppg.
No Wildcat in Coach Tubby Smiths three previous seasons had averaged more than 13.7 ppg. In 98, Jeff Sheppard averaged 13.7 ppg, Scott Padgett followed with 12.6 ppg in 99 and Tayshaun Prince totaled 13.3 ppg last season. Bogans mark is the highest average by a Wildcat since Ron Mercer scored 18.1 ppg en route to All-America honors in 97.
Cats Trends
The Wildcats have shot over 50% from the field in three of the last four games. UK is 8-0 when shooting 50% or better from the field this season and three times the Cats have topped 60.0% shooting.
In 17 games, UK has entered the last five minutes of regulation with the lead and 15 times came away with the victory. St. Johns three-point play in the final seconds led the Red Storm to victory in the season opener. Alabama rallied from a seven-point deficit with 5:38 to play for the victory.
After finishing the 2000 season with nine players on the roster, Tubby Smith stated he would need more depth in 2001. Thus far, 10 Wildcats are averaging more than 10 minutes per game.
One Lineup Change
Only once this season has Tubby Smith juggled his starting lineup. Against Indiana, Smith inserted Gerald Fitch in a three-guard look. The move was prompted by Marvin Stones absence in practice due to academic reasons. It moved Keith Bogans to small forward and put Tayshaun Prince back at power forward, a position he played most of last season.
Fitch has played well in the role, averaging 6.1 ppg and 4.5 rpg in SEC play. He scored a career-high 13 points on 3-of-6 shooting from 3FG range vs. Notre Dame last month.
The move also has paid off for Prince, who leads the team in rebounding, averaging 5.9 rpg.
Double-Doubles
After three Wildcats had scattered double-doubles across the first 18 games, two tallied double-doubles vs. Georgia on Jan. 31 — Keith Bogans and Tayshaun Prince.
Bogans had 26 points and a career-high 11 rebounds vs. Georgia (Jan. 31) to record his first double-double at UK.
Prince recorded his third double-double of his career — 23 points and 10 boards — against Georgia on Jan. 31. In December, he had 20 points and 10 rebounds vs. Georgia Tech. Last season, Prince had 21-10 against Tech.
Jason Parker had 15 points and 15 rebounds against Penn State for the first double-double by a Cat this season.
Marquis Estill registered a 19-point, 11-rebound effort at North Carolina.
Three Mania
Kentuckys streak of hitting a three in consecutive games has reached 429 games, the second-longest among teams who have failed to make a three in every game since the rule was adopted in 1987.
Overall, it’s the nation’s fourth-longest streak, trailing UNLV, Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech. UNLV, Vanderbilt and Princeton have hit a three-pointer in every game since the rule was adopted. The Wildcats’ last game without a three-pointer came against Seton Hall on Nov. 26, 1988, a three-point loss in the Great Alaska Shootout.
Rupps 25th
This is the 25th season that Kentucky has played basketball in Rupp Arena. It was opened as the largest built-for-basketball arena in the nation and has since seen UK achieve a 326-36 record, a sterling 90.0% winning percentage.
This season, UK is 9-1 at home. Overall, the Cats have not had a losing season at home in 72 years, the longest streak in the nation. The winning seasons began at Alumni Gym in 1927-28 when the Cats were 6-2.
Kentucky has won nine straight games in Rupp this season, 20 straight against SEC opponents and 36 of its last 38 overall.
UK has won 13 national attendance titles since the building opened, including the last five.
2000-01 Trends 13-3 When leading at halftime 0-0 When tied at halftime 2-4 When trailing at halftime 7-3 When UK scores first 8-4 When opponent scores first 15-2 When leading with 5 minutes to play 0-5 When trailing with 5 minutes to play 0-0 When score tied with 5 minutes to play 14-2 When leading with 2 minutes to play 0-5 When trailing with 2 minutes to play 1-0 When score tied with 2 minutes to play 2-3 In games decided by three points or less 3-4 In games decided by 4-10 points 3-0 When UK shoots 60% or better FG 8-0 When UK shoots 50% or better FG 7-7 When UK shoots less than 50% FG 1-3 When UK shoots less than 40% FG 8-3 When UK makes more 3FG 5-4 When opponent makes more 3FG 2-0 When 3FG made are the same 8-4 When UK outrebounds opponent 7-3 When opponent outrebounds UK 0-0 When rebounds are the same 7-6 When playing on national TV 4-0 When playing on regional TV 6-4 When playing on the weekend 9-3 When playing on a weekday 0-0 When starting after 10 p.m. ET 2-2 When starting after 9 p.m. ET 9-1 When game starts between 7-9 p.m. 4-4 With an afternoon start 0-1 In overtime games 1-3 In November 4-2 In December 7-2 In January 3-0 In February 0-0 In March 11-2 In home white uniforms 3-5 In away blue uniformsWildcats vs. Conferences 1-1 vs. Atlantic Coast 1-1 vs. Big East 1-0 vs. Big South 1-2 vs. Big Ten 1-0 vs. Conference USA 1-0 vs. Ohio Valley 0-1 vs. Pac-10 8-2 vs. SEC 1-0 vs. Trans AmericaRecord vs. Lineup 3-5 vs. Prince, Stone, Parker, Smith, Bogans 12-2 vs. Prince, Bogans, Parker, Smith, Fitch |
SEASON NOTES
Prince Saves The Day, Again
Tayshaun Prince canned his patented left-handed baby hook in the lane with 3.3 seconds left to give UK a 71-70 victory over Florida on Feb. 6. It wasnt the first time the junior swingman had stepped up at crunch time.
Against South Carolina on Jan. 10, he broke a 61-61 tie with a bucket in the lane with two minutes left to spur the Cats to victory. Against Louisville, he canned two free throws with 26 seconds left to set the final margin at 64-62. Those gut checks followed last seasons stunners:
His clutch three with six seconds left in regulation sent the game to overtime as UK escaped with an 85-80 double-OT win over St. Bonaventure in the NCAA Tournaments first round;
Against Miami (Fla.), his runner in the lane gave UK a 58-57 lead with 23 seconds remaining en route to the win;
With UK leading by two at Vanderbilt and the shot clock expiring, he hit a double-pump, game-clinching three with 27 seconds left in OT to seal the Cats victory.
51 Champs Reunited
The 1951 NCAA Champion Kentucky Wildcats returned to Lexington on Feb. 10 and celebrated their 50th anniversary of winning UKs third national title. Cliff Hagan, Shelby Linville and Bobby Watson, among others, were recognized at halftime of the UK-Mississippi State game. The Cats, led by college basketballs Player of the Year, Bill Spivey, defeated Kansas State in the finals in Minneapolis.
Prince Named SEC POW
On Monday, Feb. 5, Tayshaun Prince became the second Wildcat this season to earn the SEC Player of the Week award. Prince averaged 26.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg and 3.0 apg for the week and scored a career-high 29 points vs. South Carolina. He shot 65.6% from the field and 66.7% from the three-point line as UK earned road wins at Georgia and USC.
The honor was Princes second double-double of his career. He earned his first award last January after recording a double-double vs. Ga. Tech. Marquis Estill earned the Cats first SEC weekly award this year in early December.
Carolina Ripples…
Not only did the Cats record their highest three-point percentage of the season against South Carolina on Feb. 3, but Kentucky hit season highs in FG made (40), 3FG made (13), 3FG percentage (61.9%) and assists (25). In addition, UK matched its second-highest point total (94), its second-best FG percentage (64.5%) and equaled its second-most blocked shots (6) in a game.
The Cats also recorded season lows in FTs and FT attempts. Gerald Fitchs trip to the line with 23 seconds left was UKs only appearance at the charity stripe during the game. He went 1-for-2. The last time UK made that few trips was in 1997 against Vanderbilt in Cincinnati as Scott Padgett split a pair from the line.
Dawg Meat
Kentucky picked up its first road SEC victory with its come-from-behind 85-70 win at Eastern Division leader Georgia on Jan. 31.
The Cats held UGA to 37.7 percent shooting and UKs two fat Cats — Keith Bogans and Tayshaun Prince — combined for 49 points and 21 rebounds to rally UK from a 10-point deficit in the second half.
Bogans equaled his career high with 26 points and recorded his first career double-double by grabbing 11 rebounds. Prince scored a then- season-high 23 points and registered his third career double-double with 10 boards. It was the first time in a year that UK had two Cats record double-doubles in the same game. Jamaal Magloire and Jules Camara achieved the feat against Georgia in Lexington last season.
For the third time in four games, Marquis Estill came off the bench to pour in double figures, tallying 16 points in 23 minutes.
Cross-Country Excursion
Tayshaun Princes father, Thomas, traveled across country from Compton, Calif., to witness his sons first college basketball game in person when the Cats played Tennessee in Lexington. Thomas Prince, who doesnt fly, arrived with various aunts and uncles after a stopover in Mississippi to visit other relatives. The group also took in the UK-Ole Miss game before returning to California.
Two Freshmen Starters
With Fitch and Jason Parker both starting against Indiana, it marked the first time since 1988 that two true freshmen had started a game for the Wildcats. On Feb. 28, 1988, LeRon Ellis and Eric Manuel both got the starting nod at Rupp Arena in a win over Syracuse. On March 4, 1989, Deron Feldhaus and Chris Mills both started at Miss. State, but Feldhaus was playing as a redshirt freshman.
Parker was the first true freshman to start the season opener in the Tubby Smith era at UK.
Tough Non-Conference
While Tubby Smith meshed seven newcomers and two new coaches into a championship-caliber team, UK played a demanding non-conference schedule that featured only four home games. Five of the 12 non-SEC games were played at neutral sites and three games were traditional road games.
Only one other league school had that few home games in non-SEC play — Georgia. No other SEC team had fewer than seven non-conference homes games, highlighted by Vanderbilts 11 home games and Arkansas 10.
New Era
With the installation of new video boards at Rupp Arena as well as new lighting, UK went lights out, using spotlights, a music video and fireworks to introduce the Wildcats when they took the floor against Georgia on Jan. 6. It was the first time for spotlight introductions since the Cats moved to Rupp Arena in 1976. UK plans to use the new introductions throughout the remainder of the season.
Home at Freedom Hall
The home of the Cards has been great to the Cats this season. UK defeated Indiana in Freedom Hall in December, 88-74, before knocking off host Louisville, 64-62, to start the new calendar year. Since 1908, UK is 111-29 in the River City and 48-15 in Freedom Hall. Kentucky has won 15 of its last 17 games played in Freedom Hall.
Back-to-Back Shooting
With Kentucky hitting 68.9% from the field against Indiana, then following up with a 51.3% effort vs. High Point, it marked the first time in two seasons UK had back-to-back 50.0%-plus shooting efforts. In the 99 NCAA Tournament, the Cats nailed 61.0% against New Mexico State and 50.0% vs. Kansas.
UK duplicated the feat again this season at Georgia and at South Carolina.
Tarred Heels
Kentuckys upset of No. 6 North Carolina was notable for the following reasons:
Who wouldve predicted a UK victory with Jason Parker and Marvin Stone both battling foul trouble? Parker finished with six points and three boards in 12 minutes and Stone tallied four points and three boards in eight minutes.
It gave UNC its second-worst beating in the Dean Dome, matching Temples 17-point victory there and falling just short of a 20-point win by Duke in the Smith Center;
It snapped a six-game losing streak to the Tar Heels, UKs first win over UNC since 1974; the Cats now trail in the series 16-7;
It avoided a 1-4 UK record, which would have matched the Cats worst start since 1984-85.
November Losses
Annually, UK plays a demanding schedule thanks to invitations to play in numerous pre-conference tournaments. Consequently, UK has lost a game in the month of November in each of the past six seasons.
Nov. 95 1-1 Nov. 96 3-1 Nov. 97 4-1 Nov. 98 5-1 Nov. 99 3-2 Nov. 00 1-3 |
Coaches vs. Cancer IKON Classic
Thursday — Nov. 9
Kansas 99, UCLA 98
St. Johns 62, Kentucky 61
Friday — Nov. 10
UCLA 97, Kentucky 92 – OT
Kansas 82, St. Johns 74
Season Openers
The loss to St. Johns was the first loss in a season opener since the Cats fell to Clemson on Nov. 15, 1996, the earliest start to a season prior to this year. Kentucky is now 81-17 overall in season openers.
Home Openers
After a shocking upset to Penn State, Kentucky is 84-14 all-time in home openers. Nine of those losses occurred before Adolph Rupp began coaching in 1930. The Cats are 65-5 since 1930, losing the home opener in 1955 to Temple, 1962 to Va. Tech, 1972 to Iowa and 1988 to Northwestern State.
The PSU victory was the second home-opening loss in the Rupp Arena era (1976-present).
Gamecocks I
The Wildcats beat the Jacksonville State Gamecocks, 91-48, in mid-November, shooting 60% from the field for the first time since March 12, 1999, when the Cats hit 61.2% of their shots in an NCAA Tournament first-round win over New Mexico State.
The Cats defense, a staple of a Tubby Smith-coached team, forced Jacksonville State into 33 turnovers, the most by an opponent in the Smith era. The last time the Cats forced 33 turnovers in a game was Feb. 5, 1995, a 77-71 win over Syracuse. The Rupp Arena record is 42 by UT-Martin earlier that same season (11/26/94).
UK totaled 16 steals vs. JSU, the most since tallying 16 against Georgia Tech and Florida during the 1999 season.
BIG BLUE MANIA
Keightley Working 40th Season
Kentucky equipment manager Bill Keightley is in his 40th season on the UK sidelines. The beloved Mr. Wildcat has served UK since 1961-62, watching the Cats roll to a 934-287 record during that era.
Keightley, who has a jersey retired in the rafters of Rupp Arena, has worked under five different head coaches at UK — Rupp, Hall, Sutton, Pitino and Smith.
Wiggins Keeps on Coming
Big Blue fan Bob Wiggins continues his amazing streak of following the basketball Cats. Wiggins, who is retired and lives in Falmouth, Ky., saw 615 consecutive games — home and away — from 1977 until he suffered a heart attack just before the 1996 Great Alaska Shootout. Its the second-longest streak on record at UK.
The illness forced him to miss four games, but he has since returned to see every contest in person, a streak of 165 games.
Meanwhile, his home court streak is still intact. Wiggins has not missed a home game in 40 years, a streak spanning 573 games. During that period, which dates back to 1960-61, UK has a home record of 510-63.
In all, hes in his 48th season watching the Cats in person and through his own record keeping, has attended 1,179 UK games.
Cheerleader Title No. 11
The Kentucky cheerleaders captured their 11th national title on Jan. 13 at the UCA Championships in Orlando, Fla. Unrivaled in competition, the UK squad outdistanced runner-up Ohio State for the Wildcats seventh consecutive crown.
The competition will be aired on ESPN this spring.
Kentucky has won championships in 1985, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001.
UK No. 2 with Most NBA Players
Kentucky is tied with Georgetown and Michigan for the second-most lettermen participating in the NBA, according to a USA Today report. UK trails only North Carolina, which has 13 Tar Heels in the NBA. Arizona, Duke and Georgia Tech are tied for third, each with nine players in the league. The current Cats are:
Derek Anderson San Antonio Tony Delk Phoenix Walter McCarty Boston Jamaal Magloire Charlotte Jamal Mashburn Charlotte Ron Mercer Chicago Nazr Mohammed Philadelphia Scott Padgett Utah Mark Pope Milwaukee Antoine Walker Boston |
Rex Chapman, with 12 years under his belt in the NBA, retired from Phoenix after an injury this past summer. Jeff Sheppard was waived late by Toronto and returned to Italy to continue his professional career. He recently participated in a court case forcing Italian teams to allow more than two non-Europeans on each roster. The league countered with a new rule that only allows two Americans in the game at the same time for any team. Hes playing for Rosato this season after leading Benetton to the championship series last season.
Blue Boy
Freshman James Monroe is easy to spot at UK home games. Hes the young man standing in the *student section wearing blue paint from head to toe, highlighted by a blue wig, blue shorts and a white K on his chest.
Monroe has attended every game this season and it takes 3.5 ounces of paint to cover his exposed body at a cost of $10 per game. It takes him 90 minutes to apply the paint, and since he discovered a mechanics solvent, only two hours to get cleaned up. Before, it took nearly three days to wash off the grease paint.
He passes along one warning: Do Not Touch.
Miller Time
Derrick Miller, who was the three-point ace of Coach Rick Pitinos first UK team, is back in school at Kentucky completing his degree thanks to the Cawood Ledford Scholarship Fund. Miller will graduate next July with a degree in social work.
The fund helps student-athletes complete their degree requirements after their eligibility has expired. The scholarship was named after UKs former radio play-by-play man, who spent 39 years on the Kentucky sidelines calling the action. Ledfords enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.
Spotted Around the Globe
Former Wildcat Wayne Turner, who played last season for the Cincinnati Stuff of the IBL, is currently touring with the Harlem Globetrotters.
The group visited Rupp Arena on Jan. 15, a red, white and blue return for the Boston native.
PRESEASON CAT SCRATCHES
Coaching Staff Changes
It was quite the coaching carousel for the Wildcats this past off-season. In July, assistant coach Shawn Finney was named the new head coach at Tulane. With the departure of administrative assistant Simeon Mars, Coach Tubby Smith hired David Hobbs as an assistant coach, promoted George Felton to associate head coach and brought in former UK star Reggie Hanson as the teams administrative assistant. Hansons position was quickly upgraded to Director of Basketball Operations.
In October, Felton accepted a scout position with the Indiana Pacers the week before practice was set to begin at UK. Hanson was then promoted to assistant coach and will assume an off-campus recruiting role as well.
Prince, Bogans Make All-SEC;
Cats Picked 2nd in Eastern Division
University of Kentucky junior Tayshaun Prince was picked a preseason first-team All-Southeastern Conference performer and teammate Keith Bogans was named to the second team in a vote by the media at the conclusion of the annual SEC Basketball Media Days on Nov. 2.
Prince, the Wildcats’ leading returning scorer and rebounder, was a second-team selection at the end of last season. Arkansas’ Joe Johnson was named the SEC’s Preseason Player of the Year. Joining Johnson and Prince on the first team were Tennessee’s Tony Harris and Vincent Yarbrough and Florida’s Udonis Haslem.
Bogans, who made the All-SEC Freshman team last season, joined D.A. Layne of Georgia, Rod Grizzard of Alabama, Chuck Eidson of South Carolina and Greg LaPointe of Vanderbilt on the preseason second team.
Tennessee was picked to win the SEC Championship. Kentucky was tabbed to finish second in the Eastern Division followed by Florida, South Carolina, Georgia and Vanderbilt. Arkansas was picked to win the Western Division followed by Alabama, Miss. State, Auburn, LSU and Ole Miss.
Exhibition Results
Kentucky defeated the E.A. Sports/Cali-fornia All-Stars 98-82 on Nov. 2 behind freshman Jason Parkers team-high 20 points.
After an 0-2 start in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, UK returned to face Athletes in Action, picking up a 94-84 victory thanks to a 24-point effort from Keith Bogans.
