Wednesday, December 08, 1999
Kentucky 86, UNC-Asheville 41
Allison provides answer for slumping Wildcats
BY NEIL SCHMIDT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Two weeks earlier, Desmond Allison was being likened to Vince Carter. Entering Tuesday, his comparison was cancer.
“If a person messes up, it's like a cancer that spreads through the team,” Allison said. “And I had been messing up.”
Kentucky's sophomore swingman offered quite an answer, asserting himself with a career-high 15 points to lead all scorers in an 86-41 beating of UNC-Asheville at Rupp Arena. He offered a needed lift for a team in a definitive scoring slump, saving his starting job in the process.
Allison made all five of his field-goal attempts — including three 3-pointers — and added four assists and a rebound with no turnovers. He scored 12 of his points in the first half, helping UK build a 41-16 lead at intermission.
It was billed as a breakthrough game for a player who so far had distinguished himself with defense but had been shy about shooting. With a warning from coach Tubby Smith to turn up his intensity or be benched in favor of freshman Keith Bogans, there was little choice.
“I'm happy to see Desmond break out of his slump and play so well,” Smith said. “He had good looks, and his jump shot was perfect. But I don't care if he gets no shots off if he plays well defensively.”
Allison's was a feel-good story on a night UK (4-3) needed one. The 23rd-ranked Wildcats had lost three consecutive games for the first time in 10 seasons, and Asheville offered an antidote.
The 0-8 Bulldogs, off to their worst start ever, offered an opportunity for UK to fine-tune its game. Since the next three games are against No.21 Maryland, archrival Louisville and No.4 Michigan State, the Wildcats needed to wash away the taste of a losing streak.
UK shot 45.6 percent from the field, holding Asheville to 34.1 percent and forcing 29 Bulldog turnovers. UK placed four other scorers in double figures: senior center Jamaal Magloire with 14 points, freshmen Bogans and Marvin Stone had 12 apiece, and Jules Camara added 11.
Allison's scoring was unexpected. The lone starter returning from last season, Allison entered the game averaging just 6.3 points a game — seventh on the team.
But Allison's defense was a greater concern. After Utah coach Rick Majerus compared him with Carter and Tom Gugliotta in mid-November, Allison's game went into a funk. Smith told Allison Monday he would be benched if he didn't improve.
“It was a big message,” Allison said. “It got into my head that I needed to play harder. (When) you're a starter, you do not want to sit on the bench.”
Offense is an afterthought. But after averaging 4.7 points in 15.5 minutes a game last season, most experts figured his scoring would soar when his minutes did.
Not yet. Allison is averaging 22.2 minutes a game, but he tends to vanish at times. He scored just five points against Utah, three against Maryland and none against Indiana. He took no more than three shots in any of those games.
It's not that Allison can't light it up: He averaged 34.5 points a game his senior year at Tampa (Fla.) Robinson. He just needs to shoot. When he scored 11 points against Pennsylvania, he was 3-of-6 shooting; in setting his previous career high of 12 points against Arizona, he was 5-of-9.
“He just needs to stay in his comfort zone,” Magloire said. “When he gets going, we look for him.”
Bogans will have his time, but UK needs Allison also to remain in the picture.
“Tonight picked me up a lot,” Allison said. “I think I've got my confidence back. Let's hope everything's back on track now.”
3-point shooting still deserts 'Cats
NC ASHEVILLE (41)
fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
Risinger 21 4-8 2-2 0-0 0 2 11
Osikowicz 26 1-5 1-2 0-3 2 2 3
Earnhardt 22 2-4 1-1 2-7 0 4 5
Smith 29 1-7 0-1 1-3 1 4 2
Carey 26 2-7 0-0 1-2 1 3 5
Mcdevitt 6 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 0
Shaw 16 1-3 0-1 0-1 0 0 2
Carter 20 2-5 2-2 0-1 1 0 6
Jackson 8 2-3 2-2 0-1 0 0 6
Ezell 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Joyner 4 0-1 0-0 1-1 0 0 0
Mcgonagil 17 0-0 1-2 0-1 0 3 1
Horton 3 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
_______________________________________________
TOTALS 200 15-44 9-13 5-20 6 18 41
_______________________________________________
Percentages: FG-.341, FT-.692. 3-Point Goals:
2-8, .250 (Risinger 1-2, Smith 0-1, Carey 1-3,
Shaw 0-1, Carter 0-1). Team rebounds: 8. Blocked
shots: 1 (Jackson). Turnovers: 25 (Osikowicz 5,
Carey 4, Smith 3, Carter 2, Earnhardt 2, Joyner
2, Mcdevitt 2, Risinger 2, Jackson, Mcgonagil,
Shaw). Steals: 7 (Shaw 2, Carey, Earnhardt,
Osikowicz, Risinger, Smith).
KENTUCKY (86)
fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
Prince 25 3-8 2-2 2-4 0 2 8
Camara 28 3-11 5-6 3-7 0 2 11
Magloire 20 6-11 2-4 3-4 2 2 14
Smith 25 2-3 2-2 0-1 5 0 6
Allison 25 5-5 2-2 0-1 4 2 15
Blevins 10 1-3 0-0 0-1 1 1 2
Masiello 5 0-3 0-0 0-1 2 1 0
Knight 14 1-3 0-0 4-5 0 0 2
Bogans 18 4-12 2-2 1-3 1 1 12
Tackett 11 2-4 0-0 2-3 1 1 4
Stone 19 4-5 4-4 3-10 0 2 12
_______________________________________________
TOTALS 200 31-68 19-22 18-40 16 14 86
_______________________________________________
Percentages: FG-.456, FT-.864. 3-Point Goals:
5-18, .278 (Prince 0-4, Smith 0-1, Allison 3-3,
Blevins 0-2, Masiello 0-2, Bogans 2-5, Tackett
0-1). Team rebounds: 3. Blocked shots: 9
(Magloire 3, Stone 2, Knight 2, Smith, Bogans).
Turnovers: 15 (Camara 3, Smith 3, Magloire 2,
Stone 2, Tackett 2, Knight, Masiello, Prince).
Steals: 14 (Bogans 3, Camara 3, Stone 3, Smith 2,
Blevins, Knight, Prince).
__________________________________
Nc Asheville 16 25 - 41
Kentucky 41 45 - 86
__________________________________
Technical fouls: None. A: 21,378. Officials:
Michael Stewart, David Day, Joe Lindsay.
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