Friday, November 12, 1999
Kentucky 98, AIA 77
'Cats run away in second half
Louisville Courier-Journal
LEXINGTON, Ky. — In the mid-1990s the University of Kentucky basketball team made devastating scoring spurts a trademark. The UK team that will close out the decade showed signs of having the same capability last night in Rupp Arena, running and gunning past Athletes in Action for a 98-77 exhibition game victory.
The romp was the final tuneup for next week's opener against Pennsylvania, and if this was a glimpse of the future, UK fans had better prepare themselves for a much more up-tempo team than coach Tubby Smith's first two.
They were especially proficient at running in the second half Thursday night when their older competitors began to tire. UK forced 11 turnovers, shot a sizzling 59 percent and outscoring the collection of former collegians 55-34 over the final 20 minutes.
“That's more to our liking,” Smith said. “Getting the ball and pushing it up the court.”
Point guard Saul Smith agreed.
“If we can get the game going at our tempo, at our pace, shooting it up, it's better for us,” he said. “We get higher percentage shots, we get dunks, we get open 3-point shots off the break and off the press. It's all for the better.”
Tayshaun Prince led UK with 22 points, five rebounds and five assists. But one of his biggest plays was coming up with a loose ball midway through the second half. That started a fast break that freshman guard Keith Bogans completed with a two-handed dunk off a lob pass from Desmond Allison.
When Allison spotted the 6-foot-5 Bogans sprinting down court, he and knew exactly what to do. He slowed his dribble, swung wide of the lane to pull the defender toward him, then lobbed the ball toward the goal. Bogans caught it and slammed it.
That dunk fueled a 9-0 spurt over a three-minute stretch that helped the Cats break open what was a close game for 30 minutes.
It gave UK its first double-digit advantage, 65-54, and seemed to wake up a lethargic
crowd of 18,441.
Bogans was shaky from outside, missing all four of his 3-point attempts. But the heralded freshman reached double figures with 11 points and showed he has a flair for the dramatic with a two-handed slam.
“It's not just two points, its two points with emphasis,” he said.
“It gets your whole team and crowd into it.”
Three other Cats scored in double figures. Center Jamaal Magloire matched most of the night against 7-1, 340-pound Lorenzo Coleman had 17 points and eight rebounds. Saul Smith hit 3 of 4 3-pointers and added 11.
Tubby Smith experimented liberally with his lineup. Ten players played at least 12 minutes, and all 11 Cats who suited up scored.
Freshman forward Marvin Stone had eight points, seven rebounds and three steals, meaning UK's young duo of Bogans and Stone accounted for 19 points, 11 boards and four take-aways.
“Those are special players, Keith and Marvin,” Tubby Smith said. “They're the best pair of freshmen I've ever coached.”
Forward David Wood and guard Josh Hall led AIA with 17 points apiece.
They kept the visitors in the game in the first half. Hall scored 10 points in the half, and Wood drained a long 3-pointer right before the buzzer, forging a 43-43 tie.
ATHLETES IN ACTION: Daniels 4-5 4-5 13, King 3-8 5-8 12, Williams 2-6 0-0 4, Coleman 2-2 2-4 6, Wood 5-9 5-6 17, Dorsey 1-3 2-2 4, Hall 5-12 4-4 17, Brown 1-2 0-0 3, Williams 0-2 1-2 1, Bond 0-0 0-0 0, Warner 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-49 23-31 77.
KENTUCKY: Prince 8-11 4-6 22, Camara 2-4 1-1 6, Magloire 5-10 7-12 17, Smith 4-5 0-0 11, Allison 1-3 0-0 3, Bogans 4-9 3-4 11, Tackett 2-3 0-1 4, Stone 2-5 4-6 8, Knight 2-2 0-2 4, Blevins 2-4 0-0 6, Masiello 1-2 3-4 6. Totals 33-58 22-36 98.
Halftime—Kentucky 43, Athletes In Action 43. 3-point goals—Athletes In Action 8-18 (Daniels 1-1, King 1-3, Williams 0-1, Wood 2-4, Hall 3-7, Brown 1-2), Kentucky 10-23 (Prince 2-5, Camara 1-1, Smith 3-4, Allison 1-2, Bogans 0-4, Tackett 0-1, Blevins 2-4, Masiello 1-2). Fouled out—Coleman, Williams. Rebounds—Athletes In Action 25 (Wood 6), Kentucky 37 (Magloire 8). Assists—Athletes In Action 5 (Daniels 2), Kentucky 19 (Prince 5). Total fouls—Athletes In Action 29, Kentucky 23. A—18,441.
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