Sunday, February 27, 2000
UK NOTEBOOK
Streaky Allison comes up empty
BY NEIL SCHMIDT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LEXINGTON, Ky. — First, Desmond Allison disappeared on the court. Then he pulled the same vanishing act for the media.
Kentucky's sophomore guard left the locker room before the media arrived so as not to address the latest “miss” in his hit-or-miss season. Allison didn't get a point or rebound in 23 minutes Saturday, having his only shot blocked and turning the ball over once with no assists.
“We didn't get much out of Desmond,” UK coach Tubby Smith said. “That kind of limits your bench when he's unproductive.
“Twenty-three minutes with no rebounds — it's hard to say what's going through his head.”
Allison had averaged 7.9 points and 3.8 rebounds before Saturday, but his tendencies are either to come up big or come up empty. He led UK with 15 points last Tuesday at Tennessee and has scored as many as 23 points in a game this season. But he has been shut out three times and scored three or fewer points on nine occasions.
Big Bogans
Freshman guard Keith Bogans rescued UK again, totaling 22 points and nine rebounds. His drives to the basket found holes in Arkansas' zone defense, and his five points in succession rallied UK from its last deficit (48-47).
“Bogans came up big,” Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson said. “I didn't realize he was that strong. It seemed like every time they needed something, he came up with the basket.”
Bogans has lifted his scoring average from 9.1 to 11.7 in the last 10 games. He credits extra time spent working on his shot.
“I'm just spending my free time going up to the gym to shoot,” he said.
Prince adjusts
Tayshaun Prince remained in a shooting slump, but the 6-foot-9 sophomore forward redeemed himself with a career-high 11 rebounds, two assists and no turnovers.
“Tayshaun is still struggling from the outside, but he can go inside and grab those high rebounds,” Smith said. “He's so long.”
Prince was just 3-of-9 shooting and 1-of-4 from the free-throw line, and he scored all eight of his points in the second half.
“When my shots aren't falling, I'm trying to go to the glass and get rebounds,” he said. “There's a lot of things you can do other than shooting.”
'Cat tales
UK has won 20 games for the 10th consecutive season and the 45th time overall. ... Its 19-game home winning streak is tied for the seventh-longest in the nation. ... UK's 21 offensive rebounds Saturday marked the third consecutive game of 20 or more in that category.
Up next
UK visits Mississippi State at 9 p.m. Tuesday (ESPN). The Bulldogs are 9-3 at home.
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