Feb. 14, 2003
LEXINGTON, Ky. –
LSU Tigers (14-8, 3-7 SEC)
vs.
No. 3/3 Kentucky Wildcats (19-3, 9-0 SEC)
The Louisiana State Game
Lexington, Ky.
Rupp Arena (23,000)
February 15, 2003
1:05 p.m. ET
RADIO
UK Radio Network (80+ stations): Tom Leach, Mike Pratt, Dave Baker.
TELEVISION
JP Sports: Tom Hammond and Joe Dean Jr.
Wildcats Look for 20th Win Against LSU
With the nation’s longest win streak intact, third-ranked Kentucky will play host to LSU in Rupp Arena in hopes of securing its 13th consecutive 20-win season. The Cats’ 13-game win streak became the nation’s longest after losses this week by Louisville and Manhattan. In addition, the Cats’ look to record the longest single-season win streak in the Tubby Smith era with a win over the Tigers. UK won 13 straight in 1998 en route to the national championship.
LSU comes to Lexington having won just two of its last six games, including a 79-60 pounding of Vanderbilt in Baton Rouge Wednesday. Senior Ronald Dupree, an all-conference candidate, leads the Tigers, averaging 15.9 ppg. While the Tigers are sub-.500 in league play, they have already beaten one top-five team this season, knocking off Arizona, the nation’s top-ranked team then, and now, 66-65 on Dec. 21 in Baton Rouge.
There are three weeks remaining in the regular season, and of its remaining seven games, Kentucky will play four at home. After the LSU contest, UK travels to Fayetteville where it has won just twice in six tries. The Wildcats close on the road at Georgia and Florida in two of its final three games.
Series Information
Kentucky leads LSU 72-21 overall in a series dating back to the 1933 season. The Cats are 35-4 in Lexington and hold a 17-3 advantage in Rupp Arena.
The Wildcats have won 11 of the last 12 meetings, with a 70-57 loss on Feb. 13, 2000 in Baton Rouge. The teams met just over a year ago in the Bayou with UK earning the 68-56 win.
Tubby Smith owns a 7-1 record against LSU as a head coach, including a 4-1 record at UK. John Brady is 1-4 against the Cats as a head coach. Brady served two stints on the Mississippi State coaching staff, first as a graduate assistant in 1977 and as an assistant coach from 1982-90. The Bulldogs were 4-16 against UK during those years.
Memorable games for Cat fans include the shocker in 1990, when UK, with Tubby Smith serving as an associate coach and Reggie Hanson playing his senior season, beat Shaquille O’Neal and Chris Jackson in rowdy Rupp Arena, 100-95. And then there was the “Mardi Gras Miracle” in 1994, when the Wildcats rallied from a 31-point deficit with 15:34 to play for a 99-95 win in Baton Rouge. In 1996, UK scored an SEC-record 86 points in the first half en route to a whopping 129-97 victory.
Common Opponents
Kentucky and LSU have had eight common opponents this season. UK is 9-0 against those teams, while LSU is 3-5.
Opponent UK LSU Tulane W, 76-60 W, 74-62 Georgia W, 87-67 L, 63-89 Ole Miss W, 80-62 L, 57-67 Florida W, 70-55 L, 53-70 Alabama W, 63-46 L, 66-75 S. Carolina W, 62-55 W, 71-58 W, 87-69 Auburn W, 67-51 L, 54-56 Vanderbilt W, 74-52 W, 79-60
Vs. SEC West
Kentucky is 3-0 against SEC Western Division teams this season. With its win over Ole Miss on Feb. 8, the Cats are currently riding a five-game win streak against the West, dating back to last season. UK’s last loss against a team from the West came against Alabama last year.
Overall, UK is 52-17 (.754) against SEC West Division teams since the league split in ’92.
Tasting Twenty
The Wildcats will attempt to win their 20th game of the season for the 13th year in a row. It will mark the 38th time UK has recorded 20 wins in its 100 seasons of basketball. Coach Tubby Smith will look to record his 10th consecutive 20-win season as a head coach. He’s accomplished the feat in each of his five previous seasons in the Bluegrass.
Inside the Numbers
The Wildcats are 19-3 overall and 9-0 in SEC play… Kentucky is undefeated in league play and owns the nation’s longest win streak but has won SEC Player of the Week honors just once – Gerald Fitch in early December… Six different Cats have tied or led the team in scoring this season… Five Cats are shooting 50% or better from the field… Four Cats are shooting 39% or better from 3FG range… With a minimum of 20 attempts, six Cats are shooting better than 71% from the foul line… Four Cats are averaging at least five rebounds per game in SEC play… UK has topped 50% shooting 11 times this season, after achieving the mark only six times all of last season… Marquis Estill has won the opening tip in 21 of the 22 games for UK; He got the tip vs. Alabama but the Cats didn’t gain possession… The Cats are 14-1 since Cliff Hawkins returned to the lineup… The Cats have won all 18 games when leading inside the last five minutes… UK has used just four starting lineups.
National Win Streaks
(Through 2/13)
1. Kentucky13T2. Marquette10T2. Weber State10
Note: Louisville and Manhattan both lost their respective win streaks this week, vaulting UK to the top of the charts.
Smith’s Success
Cat coach Tubby Smith continues to receive accolades for the team’s success this season. Last Sunday, CBS analyst Clark Kellogg named him one of his top candidates for national coach of the year honors.
Why? Smith has guided his team to a 19-3 record this season and a perfect 9-0 start in SEC play. He earned his 150th win at UK over Ole Miss on Feb. 8, doing so in just 196 games. Against Georgia, Smith earned his 275th career win. Including the 19 wins this season, Smith has averaged 25.2 wins per season since taking over the UK program in 1997-98.
Smith was Basketball Weekly’s National Coach of the Year in 1998 and co-SEC Coach of the Year that same season with Tennessee’s Jerry Green.
Dynamite Daniels
When the Cats traveled to Ole Miss on Feb. 8, Erik Daniels was listed as questionable for the game. The junior was battling pain due to an infected gland beneath his right arm.
Infection or not, the Cincinnati native scored a career-high 20 points on 10-for-12 shooting to lead the Cats. His 10 made baskets also were a career best. Daniels added four boards, three assists and a steal in the win.
Daniels has stayed below most people’s radar this season, but is averaging 10.3 ppg and 5.6 rpg. He’s started 14 of the 18 games he’s played and has topped 60.0% shooting seven times.
On Sunday, he had the infection surgically drained. He now wears a t-shirt under his jersey to assist in protecting the ailment.
He totaled 12 points and six boards against Georgia on Tuesday.
Win Streak
The Wildcats have won 13 straight games, matching the longest single-season win streak in the Tubby Smith era. Smith’s 1998 champs won 13 straight en route to the title. UK then won the first four of the 1999 season to extend that streak to 17 games. The Cats’ longest SEC win streak under Tubby Smith is 10 games, which includes seven to close the 1998 season and three to open the 1999 slate. His 9-0 start to league play this season is the longest single-season SEC win streak in his UK tenure and the longest since the Cats swept the conference slate in 1996 (16-0). Other highlights of the current streak include:
The Cats have beaten five ranked opponents during the run and won its last seven games by 15 points or more.
In the last nine games, dating back to the South Carolina game on Jan. 11, UK has had just 20 lead changes.
UK has held five of its last eight opponents below 40% shooting and has beat its last eight opponents by an average of 17.6 ppg.
During the 13-game stretch, opponents have averaged 18.4 turnovers per game and topped 40% shooting only five times.
During the 13-game stretch, eight Cats have averaged 10 minutes or more per game led by Keith Bogans’ 27.9 mpg.
Offensively in the last 13, UK has shot 49.8% FG and averaged 80.3 ppg while holding opponents to 40.5% FG shooting and 63.5 ppg.
Improving Offense
In UK’s last outing against Georgia, six Cats scored in double figures, the most since seven hit the mark vs. UGA in 1999.
The Wildcats are shooting 49.0% from the field this season, the best mark by a UK team since the 1986 season, the last year without the three-point shot.
The Cats have topped 50.0% shooting in 11 games this season, including four of the last eight. Last year, UK topped the mark just six times.
Rupp Arena
Kentucky is in its 27th season at Rupp Arena, where the Wildcats own a 348-40 (89.7%) record, just two wins shy of 350 in the legendary venue.
The Cats have won seven straight home games since losing to Michigan State in early December. UK is 8-1 at home this season.
The Cats have won the national attendance title the past seven seasons. Overall, the Wildcats have won 15 national attendance titles in the building.
UK set a new attendance record with 24,459 fans at the Florida game on Feb. 4. The arena holds 200 more patrons due to the new standing-room only student section in one end zone, the “e-Rupp-tion Zone.” The previous record was 24,340 fans at the UK-Louisville game on Dec. 23, 1995.
SEC Domination
UK is a charter member of the SEC and since the league’s inception in 1932-33, the Cats have been the most dominant team, recording a 789-212 mark (78.8%) during regular-season SEC play. The Cats’ victory over Ole Miss on Feb. 8 was UK’s 1,000th SEC game. No other team has won more than 649 regular-season SEC games (Alabama) and no other team has a better winning percentage. UK has averaged 11.3 wins and 3.1 losses per season during its SEC tenure.
The Wildcats have won 41 SEC titles and 23 SEC Tournament Championships, more titles than the other teams combined.
Kentucky has won eight of the last 11 SEC Tournament titles.
Tubby Smith is in his eighth season in the SEC, his sixth at Kentucky. In SEC regular-season play, he’s 87-34 (71.9%) the best record and most wins of any active coach in the league. He’s captured three SEC Championships and four SEC Eastern Division crowns in five seasons in the Bluegrass. He also owns a 13-4 record in seven SEC Tournament appearances, winning three titles.
Vs. Ranked Opponents
Kentucky has faced nine ranked opponents this season. UK is 8-1 in those games, including wins over three top-10 teams, including No. 1 Florida. (AP ranking at time of game)
Opponent Date Result Score#20 Gonzaga 11/27 W 80-72#12 North Carolina 12/7 W 98-81#21 Michigan St. 12/14 L 67-71#6 Indiana 12/21 W 70-64#10 Notre Dame 1/18 W 88-73#24 Auburn 1/22 W 67-51#15 Alabama 1/25 W 63-46#1 Florida 2/4 W 70-55#20 Georgia 2/11 W 87-67
The Cats also lost at Louisville, a team unranked at the time that currently has moved to No. 2 on the charts.
SEC Leaders
In nine league games, UK leads the league in scoring defense, scoring margin, FG percentage defense, 3FG defense, assists and turnover margin. The Cats rank second in scoring offense and FG percentage.
Road Warriors
UK owns a 7-1 record on the road this season. It marks the most road victories in a season since the ’98 champs went 11-0 on the road.
Even more impressive, UK is 5-0 on the road in the SEC in ’03.
Away from Rupp Arena, home and neutral-site games, the Cats are an impressive 11-2.
Power Rankings
Jeff Sagarin ranks the Wildcats second in his latest power poll. UK’s schedule rates sixth nationally. Two independent polls are listed below (schedule strength in parentheses):
Sagarin CollegeRPI.comKentucky 2nd (6th) 6th (23rd)LSU 8th (103rd) 61st (59th)
Vs. Top 50
According to ESPN’s bracketology, UK has more victories against top-50 teams in the RPI than any other team in America. The Cats are 9-3 vs. top-50 teams.
Opponent’s Top Target
On several occasions over the last three weeks, Kentucky has singled out the opponent’s top gun and severely limited his production in the first half of those games.
Against Auburn, UK limited the SEC’s No. 2 scorer, Marquis Daniels, to just two first-half points. Daniels totaled just 11 points, eight below his average.
Against Alabama, Erwin Dudley finished the game 0-7 shooting and teammate Kenny Walker to 0-6 shooting. Dudley scored no points in the first half.
Against Florida, Matt Bonner had no points on 0-6 shooting in the opening stanza.
Against Ole Miss, Justin Reed was 0-6 in the first half and had no points at halftime.
Against Georgia, Ezra Williams canned his first shot with 13:41 left to play, finishing with five points for the game.
The ‘SuffoCats!’
Other outstanding defensive performances by UK this season include:
Holding Indiana’s Tom Coverdale to an ineffective six points, eight below his average.
Limiting Vanderbilt to four second-half FGs while outscoring VU by 30, 46-16 during the final 20 minutes to dispel the “Memorial Gym Magic.”
Forcing the nation’s No. 8 assists leader, Notre Dame’s Chris Thomas, into nine turnovers.
Holding Alabama to 10 made FGs, 23.8% shooting and 46 total points, the fewest since 1969 at home.
Limiting the Gators to 20% shooting in the decisive first half, 34% for the game and a season-low 55 points.
Leveling Georgia with a 20-point loss. The Dawgs had lost their previous six games by 27 total points.
Allowing only three teams to shoot 50.0% from the field against the Cats this season — Tennessee State, host Tennessee and South Carolina in Columbia. UK won all three outings.
Four in Double Figures
Thanks to Erik Daniels’ career-high 20 points vs. Ole Miss on Feb. 8, UK now has four players averaging double figures in scoring — Keith Bogans (16.5 ppg), Gerald Fitch (12.4), Marquis Estill (11.3) and Daniels (10.3).
The last time at least four Cats averaged double figures for an entire season was 1991, when Reggie Hanson, John Pelphrey, Jamal Mashburn, Deron Feldhaus and Richie Farmer led the surprising Cats to the best record in the SEC.
Bogans’ Bombs
Keith Bogans has hit a three-pointer in every game this season to extend his streak to 25 consecutive games. The streak ranks third all-time at UK.
1. Tony Delk (1994-95) 342. Travis Ford (1993-94) 323. Keith Bogans (2002-03) 25
*Note: All three streaks have occurred over two seasons.
Estill Holds Record Mark
Senior Marquis Estill owns the school record for FG percentage. So far this year, he’s 104-of-174 from the field (59.8%), and for his career, he’s shooting 60.9%.
Estill ranks ahead of the school’s previous record holder, Charles Hurt (1980-83), who shot 59.3 percent. Estill will own the school record should he maintain the pace throughout the season. He captured the record once he surpassed the minimum 200 made during the Maui Invitational. The 6-9 center can earn a fourth year of eligibility should he graduate by the start of the fall semester of 2003.Career FG Percentage (Min. 200 made)
60.9 Marquis Estill (300-493) 2001-0359.3 Charles Hurt (303-511) 1980-8359.1 Melvin Turpin (626-1059) 1981-8458.1 Rick Robey (533-917) 1975-7857.1 Kenny Walker (765-1339) 1983-86
Estill is seven shots shy of the career minimum 500 attempts to qualify for the SEC rankings. If he were to qualify now, he’d rank fourth in league history.
Double-Doubles
Kentucky got two double-double performances in the same game for the first time since 2001 in Tuesday’s win over Georgia. The marks by Chuck Hayes (11-10) and Marquis Estill (16-12) were UK’s sixth and seventh double-doubles of the season. It was Hayes’ fifth career double-double and the fourth of the season.
Estill has three career double-doubles and two this season. On Dec. 30, Marquis Estill had a 15-point, 11-rebound effort against Tennessee State.
Earlier this year, Jules Camara totaled 12 points and 10 rebounds in relief against Virginia, his fifth career double-double.
Cats in the Polls
Kentucky bounced back into the nation’s top five this week after its convincing win over top-ranked Florida on Feb. 4. At No. 3, its the highest ranking for the Cats since Dec. 1999. UK last appeared in the regular season top five in 1999, but was ranked No. 4 in last season’s preseason AP poll.
The Wildcats were ranked 17th in both preseason polls.
National Exposure
The Georgia game marked UK’s 13th appearance on national television this season. UK is 10-3 on either ESPN or CBS. The Cats will appear on national TV 16 times during the 2002-03 regular season, including 10 ESPN appearances and six games on CBS.
Next Opponent
The Cats return to the road on Wednesday, Feb. 19 when they travel to Fayetteville, Ark., to face the Razorbacks. UK has dropped four of its last six games in Bud Walton Arena.
Three Mania
Kentucky ranks third nationally in consecutive games with a made three-pointer. The Wildcats have hit a three-pointer in 495 consecutive games, which trails UNLV and Vanderbilt.
The Wildcats’ last game without a three-pointer came 14 seasons ago against Seton Hall on Nov. 26, 1988, a “three-point” loss in the Great Alaska Shootout.
Bogans Cracks Top 10
Keith Bogans’ 13 points against Auburn moved him past Ed Davender into UK’s top-10 on the all-time scoring list. His 17 points at Ole Miss last Saturday propelled him past the 1,700-point plateau. He now has 1,721 points and needs 23 more to reach Alex Groza in ninth place.
Bogans becomes the second Cat in two years to crack the school’s top 10 and the fourth since 1993. He ranks first among active SEC players.
February Fury
Kentucky owns a 586-182-1 (.762) record in February after finishing last month with a perfect 8-0 record, its first perfect January since 1998.
UK is 4-0 to start the month this year. Last season, the Wildcats were 5-3 in February with three SEC road losses.
Foul Shooting?
Kentucky has significantly improved its free throw shooting this season, hitting 70.9%, the best since the 1996 championship season. In 10 of the last 14 games, UK has topped 70.0%.
Chuck Hayes has been Kentucky’s most consistent shooter from the charity stripe, hitting 79.7% of his shots this season. He’s hit 42 of his last 49 attempts.
In the Cats’ 13-game win streak, they’ve hit 72.1% of their attempts, after shooting 69.0% in the first nine games.
Kingfitch?
On several occasions, Gerald Fitch has become a second-half offensive weapon. Fitch’s 2003 scoring averages by half are 4.7 ppg in the first 20 minutes, 7.7 ppg in the second half.
Fitch has totaled 16 points or more seven times this season. Against North Carolina, he had a career-high 25 points, including 16 in the second half. At Vanderbilt, he scored 16 of his 18 points after the break. Then against Auburn, he had 15 of his 16 points in the final 20 minutes, after shooting 0-6 in the first half against the Tigers.
SEASON NOTES
100th Season
The Cats are playing their 100th season of basketball this year. The Cats have a number of events planned throughout the season, including fan balloting, which concluded at the end of December, for the program’s greatest players, games and moments. The celebration includes replays of the top-10 games on radio, a 25-year reunion of the 1978 NCAA Champs (Jan. 18) and four special-edition bobble-head dolls that fans can collect. The festivities conclude with an all-letterman reunion on Feb. 23 at the MSU game.
Kentucky celebrates unparalleled tradition, including seven NCAA titles, the most wins in college basketball, the best winning percentage in college hoops, the most consensus All-Americans, the most AP top-10 finishes, the most SEC Championships and tournament crowns and 15 national attendance titles.
Its first bobble-head promotion was held at the home opener when 500 lucky students received a Kyle Macy bobble-head. The second bobble-head was Adolph Rupp, which debuted against Michigan State. A third made its way out of the bag before the Indiana game — Tubby Smith. The last of the series, Cawood Ledford, was unveiled for the Notre Dame game, Jan. 18.
Vs. Top-Five Opponents
After the rout of No. 1 Florida on Feb. 4, UK improved to 49-43 all-time against top-5 teams. Based on the AP ranking at the time of the game, UK owns a 5-9 mark against No.1 teams, 8-9 vs. No. 2, 7-8 vs. No. 3, 14-8 vs. No. 4 and 15-9 vs. No. 5.
UK vs. No. 1 teams since 1949:Opp. Result Date SiteOhio St. L, 74-87 3-18-61 N-LouisvilleOhio St. L, 64-74 3-17-62 N-Iowa CityIndiana W, 92-90 3-22-75 N-DaytonUCLA L, 85-92 3-31-75 N-San DiegoIndiana L, 68-77 12-15-75 N-LouisvilleIndiana W, 69-58 12-15-79 H-LexingtonUNC L, 69-82 12-26-81 N-MeadowlandsDuke L, 80-55 11-19-88 N-SpringfieldDuke L, 103-104* 3-28-92 N-PhiladelphiaArkansas W, 90-78 3-12-94 N-MemphisUMass W, 81-74 3-30-96 N-MeadowlandsArizona L, 74-89 11-25-97 N-MauiDuke L, 92-95* 12-18-01 N-MeadowlandsFlorida W, 70-55 2-4-03 H-Lexington*Overtime
Glue Times Two
On Jan. 7, UK’s Chuck Hayes was named to cnnsi.com’s All-Glue team. The squad, chosen by Sports Illustrated’s Seth Davis, celebrates those players in the game who ‘by virtue of their toughness and smarts help their teams win in subtle but important ways’.
It marks the second straight year that a UK sophomore has earned the honor. Gerald Fitch was named captain of the squad last season.
Joining Hayes on this year’s squad is captain Rick Anderson (Arizona), Jaron Brown (Pittsburgh), Justin Hamilton (Florida), Robert Johnson (Oregon), Ellis Myles (Louisville) and Tony Robertson (UConn).
Quick Start
UK played at South Carolina’s new Carolina Coliseum for the first time on Feb. 1, and got off to a quick start, tallying 57 points in the first half.
It was the most points in a half by a USC opponent this season, as the Cats led 57-32 at the break. UK went on to win the game, 87-69, marking the most total points by a Gamecock foe this year as well.
The Cats’ dominated inside, tallying 52 of their 87 points in the paint. Kentucky topped 50.0% shooting for the 10th time this season.
Low Tide
Against Notre Dame, basketball analyst Clark Kellogg described Kentucky’s defense as the “saran-wrap defense.” Against Alabama, that “D” produced tremendous results.
UK held the Tide to just 10 made baskets, the lowest by an opponent since Morehead State made nine FGs in a 96-32 loss to the Cats on Dec. 16, 1995.
Bama’s 46 points was its lowest point total since the 1996 season and the fewest at home since 1969.
UA’s 23.8% FG shooting was the lowest by an opponent this season and the worst by a UK opponent since Georgia Tech shot 24.2% against UK on Dec. 19, 1998.
2002 SEC Player of the Year Erwin Dudley shot 0-for-7 from the field while teammate Kenny Walker was 0-for-6. It marked the first time in Dudley’s four-year career he was held without a FG.
Hayes Fever
Chuck Hayes has been a consistent threat for the Wildcats over the past two seasons, but on Jan. 18 against 10th-ranked Notre Dame, Hayes had his best game at Kentucky.
The Modesto, Calif., native recorded 17 points, 16 rebounds, three blocks and five assists, all career bests.
Hayes collected three blocks within the first six minutes of the game and dominated the glass, pulling down 13 defensive rebounds in the win.
Hayden Dies
Basil Hayden, the Wildcats’ first All-American in 1921, passed away on Jan. 9, in Paris, Ky. He was 103.
Hayden lettered for the Wildcats from 1919-22, leading the Cats to the 1921 Southern Intercollegiate Tournament Championship. The four-game event, played in Atlanta, was the first basketball tournament held in the South, and many believe, the first played in the nation. The Cats beat Tulane, Mercer, Mississippi A& M and Georgia to capture the trophy and finish the season with a 13-1 record.
Hayden injured his knee in the high jump prior to his senior season and while he played, was less effective. He later returned as coach of the Wildcats, but after leading UK to a 3-13 record, decided coaching was not in his blood.
Season Turning Point?
Kentucky battled back from a 14-point first-half deficit against Vanderbilt on Jan. 14 to win the game, 74-52.
Down 36-28 at the half, UK used a 25-3 run to start the second half, virtually shutting the Commodores down in the final period. The Cats outscored VU 46-16 in the half. Prior to the game, UK was outscoring its opponents by 7.0 ppg in the first half, but just 1.9 ppg in the second stanza.
The Wildcats tallied 12 second-half steals, converting to 17 points off turnovers in the final period. UK limited Vandy to just one offensive rebound in the second half and the ‘Dores had more turnovers (13) than FGs (4) in the second half.
SEC Openers
With the win over Tennessee on Jan. 8, Kentucky is 54-16 all-time in SEC openers and has won 15 of its last 16 league debuts. Its only loss during the stretch came last year at Mississippi State, a 74-69 decision in overtime.
Bogans Off the Bench
In his four-year career at UK, Keith Bogans has played a reserve role just 13 times, but he’s played the role well. The senior averages 10.8 ppg off the bench and has scored in double digits eight times.
Bogans’ most recent outing as a reserve came against Tennessee in January where he led the team with 20 points and nine rebounds. He’s started 13 of 14 games this year and 100 games in his career.
GOOD-bye 2002!
Kentucky ended the 2002 calender year with a bang, earning a 115-87 win over Tennessee State on Dec. 30. The victory included many season highs, including: points (115), three-pointers (11), rebounds (52), rebounding margin (+31), steals (12) and margin of victory (+32).
The Wildcats were 21-11 overall in 2002.
December Embers
The Wildcats completed a rugged December schedule, which included three road games and games against three ranked opponents, with a 5-2 record.
All-time, UK holds a 431-103 mark (.807) in the month of December. Last season, the Cats went 5-1 in the year’s final month with their only loss coming at the hands of then-No. 1 Duke in the Jimmy V Classic.
New Year’s Cats
UK finished January with an unblemished 8-0 mark to start 2003. Last year, the Cats were 6-3 in January with all three losses coming at the hands of ranked SEC teams.
Throughout the 100-season history of the basketball program, Kentucky has enjoyed success in the month of January. UK owns a 518-176 overall record in the year’s first month for a .746 winning percentage.
The Cats’ last undefeated January was 1998.
The Hawk Returns
Point guard Cliff Hawkins returned to the court against IU on Dec. 21 after missing the Cats’ first seven games. The junior was ineligible for the fall semester after academic troubles.
Hawkins showed he hadn’t missed a beat when he entered the game mid-way through the first half. The Dumfries, Va., native totaled four points, five rebounds and five assists in 26 minutes.
The highlight of his return came late in the game when he timed an alley-oop pass to Jules Camara for a dunk.
Fitch Named SEC and TSN’s POW
Gerald Fitch recorded back-to-back career highs – 18 points against High Point, 25 against No. 12 North Carolina – in early December to lead the Wildcats to consecutive wins, earning SEC Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career. He also was recognized nationally as The Sporting News’ Player of the Week.
Fitch shot 68.2% from the field for the week and 75.0% from three-point range against the two teams. Against High Point, he totaled a career-high six assists as well. Against UNC, he scored 16 of his 25 in the decisive second half as UK rallied from a 43-40 halftime deficit. Fitch, normally a two-guard, was playing at point guard in the absence of 2002 starter Cliff Hawkins. He averaged 21.5 ppg and 4.0 apg for the week.
Triple Trouble
Three Wildcats topped the 20-point mark in UK’s win over UNC on Dec. 7, making it the first time in 13 seasons that three players scored 20 points in the same game. Gerald Fitch led the team with a career-high 25 points, while Keith Bogans and Marquis Estill each added 20. All of Estill’s points came in the decisive second half.
The last group to accomplish the feat included current UK assistant coach Reggie Hanson. With Tubby Smith on the sidelines as an assistant coach, Hanson combined his 20 points with 21 by Deron Feldhaus and a 40-point burst from Derrick Miller for a 100-73 win over Vanderbilt on Feb. 7, 1990.
Long-Range Love
UK was 10-of-16 from treyville against UNC, connecting on 62.5% of its shots, which would be a school record had the Cats made the minimum 20 threes needed.
It was the highest three-point percentage since UK hit 63.6% of its shots against Wake Forest during its 1996 march to the national title. UK was 7-of-11 from outside in that game.
Daniels’ Solid Return
Junior Erik Daniels, who was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating NCAA rules governing summer league play, had a stellar return against North Carolina on Dec. 7. Daniels shot a perfect 4-for-4 from the field, including 1-of-1 from three-point land, for nine points, while grabbing five rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes.
His productive start was reminiscent of his freshman season when the Cincinnati native missed the opener after having his knee scoped in the preseason. He returned against UCLA and over the course of the next three games was a perfect 9-for-9 from the field.
Home Openers
With the win over High Point, Kentucky is now 85-15 all-time in home openers. Nine of those losses occurred before Adolph Rupp began coaching in 1930. The Cats are 66-6 since 1930, losing the home opener in 1955 to Temple, 1962 to Va. Tech, 1972 to Iowa, 1988 to Northwestern State, 2000 to Penn State and last season to Western Kentucky.
UK now stands at 24-3 in home openers at Rupp Arena.
Maui Invitational Results
Kentucky finished in third place at the 19th annual Maui Invitational. Kentucky beat Arizona State in the first round before getting upset by Virginia in the semifinals. The Wildcats then beat No. 20 Gonzaga in the consolation game. It was the third appearance for UK in the Maui Invitational. The Cats are now 7-2 all-time in the tournament, earning a championship in 1993 and a third-place finish in 1997 in their two previous appearances.
Keith Bogans averaged 16.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game to earn All-Tournament team honors. UK rival Indiana beat Virginia to claim the 2002 title.
Well more than 500 Kentucky fans made the trip to the Maui Invitational to cheer on the Cats. UK chartered an L1011, and along with an official traveling party of 55 team and school personnel, an additional 300 fans were aboard the plane. Also, another 150 fans purchased the trip through Lexington’s Commonwealth Travel and flew commercially. Others made the trip via additional travel agencies or on their own to help give the Wildcats the largest cheering section among the eight participating teams.
PRESEASON NOTES
The Zone
Once again this season, Rupp Arena debuts new upgrades, including all blue seats in the lower level, a new concourse, a standing-room only “eRUPP-tion Zone” for the student body and a media press box, all totaling $5.1 million. The new purple concourse is two levels, replacing the old one-level boxed concession stand. It features greater concession stand access and more restrooms. The “eRUPPtion Zone” moved 400 season ticket holders to other seats in lower arena and moves the band and nearly 700 students into the end zone nearest UK’s bench. It also gives students access to floor-level seating, er, standing. A UK junior from Lincolnton, N.C., Andy Acker, named the area in a contest among the student body. His entry was picked from nearly 200 submissions.
Returning Production
UK lost just one starter off its 2002 Sweet 16 team (Tayshaun Prince), but returned just 67.1% of its scoring from a year ago. Here’s the complete breakdown:
Points 67.1% Rebounds 76.6% Assists 81.7% Blocks 67.3% Steals 77.4%
SEC Preseason Poll
The Wildcats were picked to finish third in the SEC Eastern Division in a preseason poll of media members. UK, which has not finished lower than second since the league split into divisions in 1992, also was predicted to finish fourth in the race for the SEC regular-season crown.
Keith Bogans was the only Wildcat picked as either first- or second-team preseason All-SEC poll. The first team included Erwin Dudley (Alabama), Mario Austin (Miss. State), Jarvis Hayes (Georgia), Maurice Williams (Alabama), and Brett Nelson (Florida). The second team included Bogans, Ronald Dupree (LSU), Matt Bonner (Florida), Ezra Williams (Georgia) and Derrick Zimmerman (Miss. State).
BIG BLUE MANIA
Great Games Replayed
Host Communications and the UK Radio Network are re-broadcasting the top-10 UK games as voted on by the fans this past fall.
This Sunday night, the 1996 NCAA title game against Syracuse will be replayed. Tony Delk tied a championship game record with seven three-pointers to lead UK to a 76-67 win.
The games are airing on the UK Radio Network, which includes WLAP in Lexington, WHAS in Louisville and WCKY in Cincinnati.
Previous games already aired include, No. 10 — UK -Louisville 1983, the original “Dream Game”; No. 9 — UK-LSU in ’90, when the outmanned Wildcats shot down Shaquille O’Neal and Chris Jackson; and No. 8 — UK-Kansas in ’78, when Dwight Anderson and Kyle Macy led the Cats to a 67-66 win after trailing by six with 30 seconds to play; No. 7 — UK-Duke ’92, arguably the greatest college basketball game ever played and the last with the legendary Cawood Ledford behind the microphone; No. 6 — 1975 Kentucky-Indiana regional final as the Cats earned a trip to the Final Four and No. 5 — 1978 NCAA Championship game between UK and Duke with Jack Givens scoring 41points to lead UK.
Mashburn, Walker Earn All-Star Recognition
Former Wildcats Jamal Mashburn (’93) and Antoine Walker were both named to the 2003 NBA All-Star team. The “Monster Mash,” who plays for the New Orleans Hornets, earned his first NBA award while averaging 20.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game this season.
Walker has the Boston Celtics in playoff contention once again, averaging 21.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 4.3 apg. He was on the All-Star team in 1998 and 2002. Walker was the Cats’ sixth former letterman to be named an NBA All-Star while Mashburn, a 10-year NBA veteran, becomes the Cats’ seventh NBA All-Star.
It marks the first time since 1951 that two Wildcats have earned All-Star recognition in the same season — Alex Groza and Ralph Beard.
Cheerleaders’ String Snapped
The Kentucky cheerleaders had their string of eight consecutive national championships ended on Jan. 11 when UK finished second to Central Florida at the UCA Championships in Orlando.
Kentucky has won the title 12 times, but not since 1994 has a team other than the Wildcats captured the crown until Central Florida.
The UK pom squad finished ninth nationally and Scratch, one of two UK mascots, placed 11th in the mascot competition.
Nice Fit
Collegeinsider.com’s Angela Lento annually tracks the nation’s best dressed head and assistant coaches. In the latest Fashion Power Index, UK assistant coach Reggie Hanson is the top ranked assistant. Kentucky was named the best dressed staff of 2002 and looks to be making a run at a repeat performance in 2003.
Lento’s Runway to the Fashionable Four is in its sixth year.
Keightley’s Been a Part of Half of UK’s Games
Incredible.
Bill Keightley is in his 42nd season as equipment manager of the UK basketball team. The beloved “Mr. Wildcat” began assisting in the equipment room during the 1961-62 season and since then, UK has played 1,285 games, owning a 984-301 (.766) record.
The Wildcats, who are celebrating their 100th season of basketball, have played 2,408 games, meaning Keightley has played a role in 53.4% of the games.
The Lawrenceburg, Ky., native, 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. The current cats have a modern nickname for the 75-year-old Keightley — “Smooth.”
Wiggins In 50th Season
Big Blue fan Bob Wiggins, 75, continued his amazing streak of following the basketball Cats. He’s starting his 50th season watching Kentucky play in person and through his own record-keeping, has attended 1,243 UK games.
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. It’s the second-longest streak on record at UK. The longest record is the late Steve Reardon’s 626 games.
The illness forced Wiggins to miss four games, but he has since returned to see every contest in person, a streak of 228 games.
Meanwhile, his home court streak is still intact. Wiggins has not missed a home game in 42 years, a streak spanning 598 games. During that period, which dates back to 1960-61, UK has a home record of 531-67.
UK’s NBA Players
To start the 2002-03 NBA season, the following Wildcats were active:
Derek Anderson PortlandTony Delk BostonJamaal Magloire New OrleansJamal Mashburn New OrleansWalter McCarty BostonRon Mercer IndianaNazr Mohammed AtlantaScott Padgett UtahMark Pope New YorkTayshaun Prince DetroitAntoine Walker Boston
In addition, former UK assistant coach Jim O’Brien is the head coach of the Boston Celtics while former UK All-American Pat Riley coaches the Miami Heat.
Other Wildcats participating in professional basketball include Heshimu Evans, Jared Prickett, Andre Riddick and Wayne Turner, who are all playing overseas, and Saul Smith, who plays for Columbus of the NBDL.
UKathletics com 100-Year Catalog and Online Store
UK Athletics has released an official catalog and online store with products celebrating the 100 years of UK hoops. The product line includes memorabilia, Tubby Smith autographed items, 100-year videos and DVDs and a full-line of Nike apparel. The catalog is a special 100-year basketball that features UK’s national champions, All-Americans, great coaches and 100-year logo. Fans may call 888-234-9350 or log on to ukauthentic.com to purchase items.
