Nov 25, 2002
By JIM O’CONNELL
AP Basketball Writer
LAHAINA, Hawaii – Kentucky is going to need Keith Bogans to bounce back from a disappointing junior year. He got his senior season off to a nice start.
Bogans scored 20 points and No. 15 Kentucky opened its 100th season of basketball with an 82-65 victory over Arizona State on Monday night in the first round of the Maui Invitational.
Bogans finished 7-for-10 from the field, including 3-for-4 from 3-point range, and had a team-leading seven rebounds and four assists for the Wildcats (1-0), who opened a 20-point lead in the first half and were up 43-30 after shooting 53 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes.
“I wasn’t putting everything on getting off to a good start but I came out and played a good game like I want to every game,” said Bogans, whose scoring average dropped from 17.0 as a sophomore to 11.6 last season.
Kentucky coach Tubby Smith was expecting this kind of effort from Bogans.
“We were able to set the tempo with Keith scoring in the first half,” he said. “It was one of Keith’s better all-around games. He’s an All-American and we expect him to do that every night.”
Kentucky, which shot 51 percent for the game (29-for-57) advanced to Tuesday’s semifinals and will play Virginia, which beat Chaminade 86-72.
Marquis Estill scored eight of his 14 points in the final seven minutes for Kentucky, while junior college transfer Antwain Barbour and Gerald Fitch each had 13.
Jamal Hill had 16 points, all but four in the first half to lead Arizona State (1-1), playing without leading returning scorer Curtis Millage who is sitting out over academic eligibility questions.
“Kentucky came out aggressive and knocked us on our heels early,” Arizona State coach Rob Evans said. “We came back and competed in the second half but they had the momentum and you can’t play a good team from behind.
“We had to have all our components working and tonight we didn’t have that.”
Chuck Hayes made two free throws with 9:49 to play to give Kentucky its biggest lead of the game, 66-45. Arizona State then went on a 9-0 run capped by a 3-pointer by Kenny Crandall with 7:22 to play.
Kentucky then started going to Estill, a 6-foot-9 senior, down low and the Sun Devils were never able to get closer than 12 points the rest of the way.
Smith was impressed with Estill’s defense, especially his four blocked shots.
“We’ve been one of the best defensive teams over the years and shot-blocking has been a big part of that,” Smith said. “It’s important to eliminate the easy baskets, but tonight we even blocked jump shots. Marquis came out and challenged shots and that set the tone.”
Estill said that’s his aim every game.
“Coach always tells us to challenge shots,” he said. “We won’t give up easy baskets.”
Ike Diogu had 13 points and eight rebounds for Arizona State, which shot 37 percent from the field (23-for-63), including 4-for-18 from 3-point range.
Kentucky was playing without 6-8 junior forward Erik Daniels, who was suspended by the NCAA for four games for playing in unsanctioned summer games.
The last time Kentucky was in the Maui Invitational was 1997, the start of coach Tubby Smith’s first season. The Wildcats finished third before going on to win the national championship.
