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2005 SEC Tournament – Quarterfinals
[E1] No. 4/4 Kentucky Wildcats (23-4, 14-2 SEC)
vs.
[E5] Tennessee Volunteers (14-16, 6-10 SEC)
Friday – March 11, 2005 – 7:30 p.m.
Georgia Dome (26,000) – Atlanta, Ga.
News:
News:
SEC regular-season champion and fourth-ranked Kentucky tries to win its 26th SEC Tournament title when it begins play in the 46th league postseason event Friday night. UK has claimed the last two SEC Tournament crowns and 10 of the last 13 league tourney trophies. The Wildcats have won more SEC Tournament titles (25) than all the other league teams combined (19).
As the Eastern Division?s top seed, Kentucky takes on the fifth seed in the East, Tennessee, who advanced to the quarterfinals with a 65-46 win over Arkansas on Thursday night. Kentucky swept the season series with Tennessee, winning 84- 62 in Knoxville and 73-61 at home on Senior Night.
SEC Coach of the Year Tubby Smith has a remarkable 19-4 (.826) career SEC Tournament record, having won five out of the last seven tournaments at Kentucky (1998, 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2004) after guiding Georgia to the final game in 1997.
Inside the SEC Numbers
UK is the only team to own 100 SEC Tournament wins … Kentucky is 105-17 overall in SEC Tournament action, 48-12 since the tourney was renewed in 1979, and 32-3 since the league expanded in 1992 … This is the 26th SEC Tournament, and UK has won more than half (25) the titles despite playing in just 43 previous events … UK has won 32 of its last 35 SEC Tourney games … Since the tournament was renewed in 1979, UK is 17-0 in semifinal games and 13-4 in title games … Georgia (0-8) and Ole Miss (0-12) have never beaten UK in the SEC Tournament … Since the league split in 1992, UK has earned the No. 1 seed eight times and the No. 2 seed six times … A Wildcat has been named tournament MVP 13 times since the renewal … At 19-4 in SEC Tournament play, Tubby Smith is tied with John Mauer (19-7 at Tennessee and Florida) and Harry Rabenhorst (19-16 at LSU) for third in league tournament wins. Smith trails only Kentucky?s Adolph Rupp (57-6) and Alabama?s Wimp Sanderson (25-7) … UK Associate Head Coach David Hobbs has a 31-10 SEC Tournament record (with 7 titles), including his time as an assistant and head coach at Alabama (1985-98).
Wildcats Earn Another First-Round Bye
Since 1992, when the Southeastern Conference split into two divisions and implemented its current postseason tournament format that allows first-round byes for four teams, Kentucky has earned a bye in all 14 tournaments. UK has not played in the SEC Tournament?s first round since the first season of the renewal in 1979.
The Wildcats earned this year?s bye by capturing the 2005 SEC Championship by two games (Alabama, LSU and Florida all finished league play with 12-4 records.).
UK has won or shared 11 SEC East titles since the divisional format began in 1992.
Current Cats in the SEC Tourney
Ten players on this year?s roster have SEC Tournament playing experience.
Chuck Hayes has played in seven SEC Tournament games, averaging 10.6 points and 7.6 rebounds in 28.1 minutes. He has shot 57 percent from the floor in his three tourneys and 86 percent from the charity stripe.
Kelenna Azubuike has averaged 10.4 points in his five league tourney games, shooting 54 percent from the floor.
At Home in the Dome
Kentucky is 16-2 all-time in the Georgia Dome, including a 13-2 record and four titles (1995, 1998, 1999 and 2004) in six SEC Tournament appearances. Kentucky went 3-0 at the Dome to claim the 2004 SEC Tournament title.
Prior to last season, Kentucky had lost its previous two games at the Georgia Dome, both in league tourney action, losing to Arkansas (2000) and South Carolina (2002) in the tournament quarterfinals.
The Cats also played the first and second rounds of the 1998 NCAA Tournament in the Georgia Dome.
Probable Starters
Pos. # Name Ht. Wt. Cl. PPG RPG Notes F 44 Chuck Hayes 6-6 242 Sr. 10.8 8.1 First-Team All-SEC (AP) F 24 Kelenna Azubuike 6-5 208 Jr. 14.7 4.9 Second-Team All-SEC (AP) C 33 Randolph Morris 6-10 266 Fr. 8.7 3.9 Frosh has started 26 games G 4 Rajon Rondo 6-1 171 Fr. 8.0 *3.3 25 assists in last four games G 22 Patrick Sparks 6-0 180 Jr. 11.7 *3.8 Third-Team All-SEC (AP) *assists per game
