By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Kentucky's Marquis Estill, 50, puts up what proved to be the go ahead shot against Indiana's George Leach. (Gary Landers photo) | ZOOM |

LOUISVILLE - For two states so passionate about basketball, it might have been fitting that their game Saturday ended with a passionate debate.

Foul? Or no foul?

Indiana's Bracey Wright drove to the hoop in the closing seconds, and Kentucky's Jules Camara made contact with him as he attempted a wild shot.

Not enough that the officials blew their whistles. But enough that Indiana coach Mike Davis sprinted onto the Freedom Hall court before play had even stopped.

Davis' show, matching anything predecessor Bob Knight ever did at IU, earned him two technical fouls and ended the sixth-ranked Hoosiers' chances to rally in the final seconds of what would be a 70-64 UK victory.

"I went up, drew contact, and the rest was a blur," Wright said.

There was even debate about a possible admission of guilt. Wright claimed UK's Keith Bogans, preparing to shoot free throws for the technical fouls, approached Wright and told him Camara had, indeed, fouled him.

Bogans later denied Wright's claim, saying: "He said I told him that I got hit. But I really couldn't see it."

There were even conspiracy theories that UK's Marquis Estill had made the more significant contact with Wright and should have been whistled. Asked about it by reporters, Estill said, "You've got the wrong guy."

Camara's take: "I want to see the replay. But I had a piece of the ball. I don't know if there was body contact."

Indiana trailed 65-64 and Wright was hurrying upcourt with 10 seconds left. He drove to the basket, and his shot caromed off the underside of the backboard with five seconds left and bounced to Camara, who passed it to Bogans before the Hoosiers could foul him with 2.6 seconds left.

Davis was in the middle of the court by that time.

"(Wright) was out of control," Camara said. "It's the end of the game. Unless there's a flagrant foul, you're not going to get the call."

Bogans, before shooting two free throws for being fouled, got to shoot four free throws for the double-technical on Davis. He made five of six to seal the victory.

UK (6-2), ranked No. 18, handed IU (8-1) its first loss.

Kentucky's Marquis Estill , left, blocks a shot against Indiana's Jeff Newton. (Gary Landers photo) | ZOOM |

Davis was repentant about his behavior when meeting the media, saying he cost his team the game. He didn't go into detail about his opinion of the no-call, saying he'd have to see the tape.

"There's been a lot of teams that have won games with two seconds left," Davis said. "You should never put yourself in position to be down more than three points with that (little) time left."

After Wright's shot, Davis ran immediately to official Bert Smith and began screaming at him, even as play continued a few feet away. Some Wildcats said they were startled to see Davis there.

Davis drew both technicals within a few seconds of each other, earning an ejection, and continued to berate Smith as he left the court.

"I don't blame him one bit for going out on the court like that," IU guard Tom Coverdale said.

UK coach Tubby Smith was terse when asked if Wright had been fouled: "I couldn't see it. I was on the other end of the court. Next question."

The ending rendered moot the wild 59:50 that preceded the end-of-game fireworks. The lead changed hands six times in the final 2:15, after UK had rallied from nine points down early and lost a 10-point, second-half lead.

With two minutes left, Camara - who had one point had played just 11 minutes to that juncture - made a 15-foot jumper to put UK up 63-62. IU's Jeff Newton answered with two free throws.

UK's Cliff Hawkins found Camara for an alley-oop dunk to restore the lead. Wright scored on a rebound of a Newton missed free throw with 25 seconds left: 64-63 IU.

UK called time out and set up a play, working the ball to Estill in the low post. He flipped a short hook shot around IU's George Leach, who had six blocked shots, to put UK ahead with 12.7 seconds left.

"I was able to post (Leach) up," Estill said. "He's a great shot-blocker. I was able to keep him away from the shot."

UK held IU to 40.8 percent shooting and outrebounded the Hoosiers 42-34. Estill scored 14 points.

Bogans led UK with 17 points; Gerald Fitch added 16.

• Davis sorry for meltdown
• Wildcats feel Hawkins' presence

Indiana	M	FG	Att	FT	Att	R	A	F	TO	TP
Newton	39	6	15	11	14	11	0	2	1	24
Leach	28	2	5	0	0	6	1	1	2	4
Coverdale	34	2	4	1	1	2	1	3	1	6
Wright	39	7	17	3	5	3	3	2	5	18
Hornsby	21	1	4	0	2	2	0	3	1	3
Moye	15	1	3	4	4	2	0	2	0	7
Stickland	24	1	1	0	0	3	1	3	3	6
Totals	200	20	49	19	26	29	6	16	13	64

Team rebounds - 5.

Kentucky	M	FG	Att	FT	Att	R	A	F	TO	TP
Daniels	27	1	4	2	2	7	2	2	3	4
Hayes	27	4	10	0	0	9	0	4	2	8
Estill	28	7	14	0	1	3	2	4	0	14
Fitch	34	5	12	5	7	5	0	2	0	16
Bogans	37	5	15	5	7	5	2	3	1	17
Hawkins	26	1	6	2	4	5	5	1	1	4
Carrier	4	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0
Azubuike	4	1	3	0	0	1	0	0	1	2
Camara	13	2	3	1	2	1	1	2	1	5
Totals	200	26	67	15	23	37	12	19	9	70

Team rebounds - 5.

Indiana	26	38	-64
Kentucky	33	37	-70

3-pointers - IU 5-17 (Newton 1-2, Coverdale 1-2, Wright 1-7, Hornsby 1-4, Moye 0-1, Stickland 1-1); UK 3-12 (Hayes 0-1, Fitch 1-4, Bogans 2-6, Azubuike 0-1). Technicals - Indiana 2 (bench). Officials - Mike Wood, Tom Eades, Bert Smith. Attendance - 20,053.