Jan. 4, 2003

Recap?|?Box Score?|?Quotes?|?Photo Gallery

Kentucky wins the game, 83-75. The Wildcats improve to 9-3 on the season, while Ohio falls to 3-6. The Cats now lead the all-time series with the Bobcats, 13-1.

Kentucky moves to 7-1 all-time in U.S. Bank Arena (formerly the Firstar Center, The Crown and Riverfront Coliseum).

The game closes pre-conference action for Kentucky. The Cats will open Southeastern Conference play on Wednesday, Jan. 11 at Tennessee. UK will face its final non-conference opponent, Notre Dame, on Jan. 18 in Rupp Arena.

Kentucky opened the game with a 5-0 run and never trailed. The Cats led by as many as 19 early in the second half. With UK leading by 15 with 6:39 to go in the game, Ohio used a 21-9 run to cut it to three with just two minutes remaining. An Erik Daniels’ putback with 34 seconds to go put the Cats back up by five and Keith Bogans sealed with win with a bucket and a free throw.

Bogans led all scorers with 21 points. He has topped the 20-point mark in seven of the 12 games this season and two of the last three.

Kentucky had four players in double figures including Bogans (21), Daniels (14), Gerald Fitch (12) and Chuck Hayes (11).

Hayes totaled 11 points and 12 rebounds for his second career double-double. His last double-double came on March 8, 2002 with 10 points and 13 rebounds in UK’s opening-round loss to South Carolina in the SEC Tournament. It was the third double-double by a Wildcat this season.

Fitch, who finished the game with 12 points, had his first double-figure scoring performance in the last four games.

Junior point guard Cliff Hawkins had a season-best seven assists in the win.

Cincinnati native Daniels had an impressive homecoming, recording 14 points and six rebounds. For his career, Daniels has averaged 12.3 ppg playing in his hometown while at UK.

The Wildcats outrebounded the Bobcats, 42-38, but were outrebounded 26-12 in the second half. UK has won the rebounding battle in eight of 12 games this season.

UK shot 51.6% from the field in the win, marking the seventh time this season that the Cats have shot above the 50.0% mark.

UK led the game 41-25 at the half, led by Bogans’ 11 points on 3-for-3 three-point shooting. Hayes had a solid opening half with seven points and seven rebounds.

Kentucky returns to the court on Wednesday, Jan. 11, when the Wildcats open SEC play at Tennessee. The game tips off at 8 p.m. in Knoxville’s Thompson-Boling Arena.