Wednesday, December 08, 1999
3-point shooting still deserts 'Cats
KENTUCKY NOTEBOOK
BY NEIL SCHMIDT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Woe is three.
Kentucky's outside shooting continued its season-long siesta Tuesday night.
The Wildcats made five of 18 3-point tries (.278); take away the 3-of-3 night Desmond Allison enjoyed and they're 2-of-15.
UK's percentage Tuesday actually raised its season 3-point shooting mark to .246, which is still last in the Southeastern Conference. Their season bests for made threes in a game is six and for percentage in a game is .300.
Pitino's Bombinos, these aren't.
“We're not going to dwell on it,” junior point guard Saul Smith said. “No matter how bad we shoot, we're going to keep our defensive composure and work to get the ball back. The shots will eventually start falling.”
Future shock
How much do UK fans enjoy watching freshmen Marvin Stone and Keith Bogans? When the starting five were re-inserted with 7:36 left Tuesday, the fans booed.
“I was just shocked,” Bogans said. “I think they just wanted to see us young guys play.”
They had just glimpsed the future in one run: Stone made two baskets, then Bogans sank a 3-pointer, then Stone made two more baskets.
Stone finished with his first double-double — 12 points, 10 rebounds — while making four of five shots and four of four free throws and adding three steals and two blocks. Bogans totaled 12 points, three steals, three rebounds and a block.
Tough schedule
Kentucky's slow start has been a product of its schedule. Five of its first six opponents played in the 1999 NCAA Tournament, and the only one that didn't, Dayton, is undefeated and on the fringes of the Top 25.
The danger is in dodging the next few bullets before the Wildcats' collective psyche suffers. Plus, too many early losses could scar UK's seeding come NCAA Tournament time.
After Tuesday's catch-your-breath date with UNC-Asheville, the pace now picks back up. The 23rd-ranked Wildcats visit No.21 Maryland on Saturday, then meet archrival Louisville — against which Tubby Smith is 0-2 — at home Dec.18. And No.4 Michigan State visits Rupp Arena Dec.23.
Missouri (Dec.30 in New Orleans) and Georgia Tech (Jan.5 in Louisville) are good opponents that will loom dangerous on neutral floors. But after Michigan State, UK won't face a ranked opponent until Jan.11 at No.8 Auburn.
Waiting for Derek
The curiosity about whether freshman football player Derek Smith will join the basketball team may not be decided this century. UK plays Syracuse in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 29, and the Highlands grad has said he wouldn't make his decision until a few days after football season.
His last public comments on the matter, made late last month, made the possibility look less likely.
“I would think if we go to a bowl game that would lower the odds of me going out for basketball,” he said. “But if I don't play (basketball) this year, I'd like to try it some year before I graduate.”
Up next
UK visits No.21 Maryland (7-2) at 9p.m. Saturday. That will be just 17 days after the teams met in the Preseason NIT semifinals, a game UK won 61-58 in New York City.
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