Princeton High graduate Erik Daniels led the Kentucky Wildcats to their first victory of the season, scoring 19 points in a 91-48 rout of Jacksonville State in front of 10,140 in Cincinnati's Firstar Center.

        Kentucky pretty much had the win wrapped up at halftime, leading 42-17, but added a 14-0 run to start the second half for good measure.

Kentucky's Marvin Stone shoots over Jacksonville State's Brant Harriman. ([name of photographer] photo) | ZOOM |

        With Marquis Estill suspended for violating a team rule, Daniels received extra minutes and made the most of them. He made all three of his field goal attempts, including a 3-pointer, and went 12-for-14 from the free throw line. Daniels was playing in front of 83 family and friends.

        “He must have been pretty excited about playing at home,” Kentucky coach Tubby Smith said. “He wants to be a player and he works extremely hard. If he hadn't had knee surgery he may have been in our start ing lineup. He'll see a lot of minutes.”

        Daniels was one of five Wildcats to reach double figures in scoring. Junior Tayshaun Prince put in a fine all-around effort, scoring 14 points, grabbing five rebounds with four assists, all while committing just one turnover. Freshman Jason Parker made all six of his field goal attempts, mostly dunks or layups, and finished with 13.

        The Wildcats shot 61 percent from the field but their defense may have been even more impressive. Kentucky forced Jacksonville State into 33 turnovers while allowing just 15 field goals. For more than 34 minutes, Jacksonville State

        had more turnovers than points.

        “We have to come right out and attack opposing point guards,” senior Saul Smith said. “If I get tired we'll run another guy at them, and if he gets tired we'll run another guy. Disrupting the point guard is the key to disrupting an opponents offense.”

        Smith and freshman Cliff Hawkins did just that Tuesday. Smith had five steals and Hawkins added four.

        Smith also played a fine offensive floor game. He answered a smattering of boos during the player introductions by making a 3-pointer just 15 seconds into the game and finished 2-for-3 from the field for seven points with six assists and committing just one turnover.

THE GAME

Kentucky: 91 Jacksonville State: 48 Next for UK: Home vs. Penn State, 8 p.m. Saturday

        Jacksonville State led early, 7-5, but never put up much of a fight after that. The Gamecocks were picked to finish eighth in the Trans America Athletic Conference and were a welcome reprieve from the barrage of elite opponents Kentucky usually faces.

        The scariest moment of the game wasn't a run by Jacksonville State, but a Kentucky injury. With 7:23 left in the first half, sophomore center Marvin Stone bumped knees trying to take a charge and fell to the floor in pain. He said he has tendinitis in both knees and that the collision was very painful, but he returned in the second half and ended up scoring 10 points and leading the team with six rebounds.

        The Wildcats will not play in a Thanksgiving tournament and will spend the holiday together on campus. After this easy victory they will return to facing prime-time competition in a matchup with Penn State Saturday. Tubby Smith said the win will be an emotional boost.

        “Everybody got to play and now everyone feels better about themselves because they got that chance,” Smith said. “They'll be hearing positive things from their girlfriends, their families and everybody else. Now our kids will be really eager to come in and practice tomorrow.”

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