Saturday, January 29, 2000
Kentucky steps outside SEC
No. 16 Wildcats to face Miami's defensive pressure
The Associated Press
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Even with temperatures in Central Kentucky below the freezing mark, Kentucky coach Tubby Smith would rather not be taking his team to balmy south Florida for today's non-conference game against Miami.
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UK at MIAMI (FLA.)
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• When: 1 p.m. today
• Where: Miami Arena (15,388), Miami
• Records: UK 14-5, Miami 12-7
• TV: Ch.12, 7
• Radio: WSAI-AM (1530); WNKR-FM (106.5)
BY THE NUMBERS
• 11: Years since a UK player recorded four consecutive double-doubles; Jamaal Magloire has three in a row
• +5.7: Miami's average turnover margin; it forces an average of 19.8 turnovers per game
• 12: Seasons Leonard Hamilton spent as a UK assistant coach (1975-86)
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“We had this open date and it was a game that we committed to play, but I'll be honest with you, I'd much rather not step outside the conference,” Smith said Friday.
The game is the second in a two-year, home-and-home series between the Wildcats and the Hurricanes, who are coached by Leonard Hamilton, a Kentucky assistant from 1975 to 1986. Kentucky won the opening game, 74-65, at Rupp Arena in December 1998.
Though Smith would rather his team be focused on the tight Southeastern Conference race, particularly Tuesday's home confrontation with No.11 Tennessee, he said there are some benefits to playing a non-SEC opponent.
“When you step outside the conference this time of the year, it can be difficult, but sometimes it helps in a way that you start to get a feel for teams in other conferences who will make it to postseason play,” he said. “Miami is a team that has been to the NCAA the last couple of years, and they're talented enough to go this year.”
At 12-7 overall, 5-2 in the Big East, Miami is unranked. Kentucky (14-5, 5-1) is ranked 16th in the country after having won 10 of its last 11 games.
The Hurricanes have won four of five, including road wins at Seton Hall, Villanova and Notre Dame. In the last two weeks, Miami's defense has shown sharp improvement, with the Hurricanes holding opponents to 33.6 percent shooting and 22.5 percent from 3-point range during a stretch in which opponents have averaged just 58.5 points a game.
Particularly effective has been the Hurricanes' interior defense, which has held opponents' starting centers to an average of just 5.5 points and 3.5 rebounds so far this season. But Miami will get one of its toughest challenges of the season from Kentucky center Jamaal Magloire, who is playing the best basketball of his college career.
Magloire has scored in double digits in 14 straight games and has hit double figures in points and rebounds in eight of Kentucky's last 12 games. With another double-double against Miami, the senior would become the first Wildcat since Reggie Hanson in 1989 to record four consecutive double-doubles.
“He's always been probably the most important defensive player we've had in our pro gram since I've been here,” Smith said. “I would suggest that he's been our best defensive player for the last three years. Now, when his offense has been honed to a point that he can score and have the confidence that he can score, he becomes even more important offensively.”
Miami is led by guard Johnny Hemsley and his 18.5 points a game. Six-foot-seven, 265-pound center Mario Bland is averaging 13.1 points and a team-high 7.2 rebounds a game.
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