Friday, March 22, 2002
The bigger the game, the sharper the Cats
UK comfortable in underdog role against Maryland
By Rusty Hampton
The Courier-Journal
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Slapstick pratfalls threatened to ruin the season, but the University of Kentucky also has shown a knack this year for seeking out the spotlight.
Build the stage big enough and these Wildcats become virtuoso performers.
Tayshaun Prince's 41-point outburst that carried the fourth-seeded Cats (22-9) past Tulsa Saturday and into tonight's NCAA East Region semifinal matchup against top-seeded Maryland (28-4) comes immediately to mind.
But there have been other performances to support the theory that although Maryland is a six-point favorite, the Cats might have the Terrapins just where they want them.
The Cats took then-top-ranked Duke to overtime before losing in a thriller at the Meadowlands. They waxed an Indiana team that went on to claim a share of the Big Ten title, they annihilated North Carolina behind Prince's pyrotechnical 3-point shooting, and then they ran their former coach out of the building when Rick Pitino brought Louisville to Rupp Arena in December.
In Southeastern Conference play, UK twice trumped its biggest rival, Florida.
The bigger the name, the more pumped-up the Cats get for the game.
“You've got to leave more on the floor, because if you don't bring your "A' game, you can get embarrassed,” Prince said.
Maryland does not have the basketball lineage of a Duke or North Carolina. Just the mention of the Terrapin name does not raise Big Blue blood pressure the way Hoosiers or Cardinals can.
Still, this is a Maryland team that reached last year's Final Four, one CBS TV analyst Clark Kellogg calls — along with Kansas — “one of the two most complete teams in the tournament.”
The Terps survived a first-round scare from Siena, pulling away at the end for an 85-70 victory. Then they destroyed Wisconsin 87-57, prompting guard Juan Dixon, who scored 29 in each game, to proclaim: “I think we feel like we are unbeatable right now.”
Dixon, the school's career scoring leader, and rugged center Lonny Baxter have led the Terps to a school-record-tying 28 victories. Point guard Steve Blake is a three-year starter and poised floor general. Chris Wilcox is a long-armed, explosive-dunking, 6-foot-10 forward. And guard Byron Mouton, who came to Maryland with the reputation of a scorer, has become a defensive stopper.
One more thing: Maryland, not defending national champion Duke, won the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title. The last time Maryland played Duke, the Terps won by 14.
The Terps split with the Blue Devils in the regular season, losing 99-78 at Duke, winning 87-73 at Maryland.
UK nearly upset Duke in December, going to overtime before succumbing 95-92 behind Jason Williams' 38-point starburst.
The UK players know they're supposed to prepare for each opponent in the same way, but several said Thursday that human nature sometimes doesn't allow that to happen.
“That's a problem we've had all year,” center Marquis Estill said. “We haven't looked at every team as a great team.”
Added center Jules Camara: “When we play big teams, everybody's so focused we're already thinking about it a week ahead, but when we play the teams that aren't as good, we don't give it that much focus. That's the main reason we've played so good in this tournament, because we know how much the tournament means.”
Both coaches said Thursday that UK's difficult nonconference schedule could be a factor in the way the Cats play.
“Guys like Tayshaun and Keith (Bogans) have been in big games before,” said UK's Tubby Smith, who has a 20-7 record in NCAA Tournament games. “So I think it helps, when you get a stage like this.”
Maryland coach Gary Williams noted UK's close loss against Duke and its wins over North Carolina, Indiana and Louisville.
“That comes from pride and tradition and all those things that make Kentucky a great basketball program,” said Williams.
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The bigger the game, the sharper the Cats
