xt77d7957j2f https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt77d7957j2f/data/mets.xml Wildcat News Company 1986 Volume 11 -- Number 14 athletic publications  English Wildcat News Company Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. The Cats' Pause UKAW University of Kentucky Men's Basketball (1986-1987) coaches Sutton, Eddie players Jenkins, Cedric Macy, Kyle Lanter, Bo Thomas, Irving three-point shot University of Kentucky Football (1986) Claiborne, Jerry statistics schedules Cats' Pause Combs, Oscar The Cats' Pause,  "December 13, 1986" text The Cats' Pause,  "December 13, 1986" 1986 2012 true xt77d7957j2f section xt77d7957j2f UK's Fres
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SPOTLIGHTING UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE''
VOLUME 11 - NUMBER 14
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1986
LEXINGTON, KEN
Jenkins Still Hopes lb Cherish '87 Goals
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Now Happy In Pacer Land
Nacy Plays Big Role In Upset Of Hawks Then Revisits 'Cats
Kyle Macy. former Kentucky A11 -American and one of the most popular Wildcat players to ever wear the Blue and White, witnessed his first UK basketball game in person since he graduated from Kentucky back in 1980.
"It felt good,'* said Macy of his return to watch the Cats Saturday afternoon in Bloom-ington. "I've always wanted to come back and watch some games, but this is the first time my schedule has permitted."
"Until last season, I was always out west (playing for Phoenix) from October to April and then I didn't have the chance last year in Chicago either." said the young man who probably would have enjoyed another five or six points on his career scoring average if he were playing with the current 3-point college shot.
Macy drove to the UK-IU game from Indianapolis where he now lives and plays for the NBA Pacers.
Macy scored 9 points and play a vital role in the Pacers' 199-113 upset Friday of the Atlanta Hawks, currently the NBA's hottest team.
After his playing days. Macy plans to return to the Lexington area and go into business. Over the years, Kyle has kept his contacts in the Lexington area and spends most of his summers in the region.
Much of his summer workouts include pick-ups games with former and current Wildcats.
After arriving in Bloomington Friday evening with the official team party, several Kentucky reporters and friends of Macy drove to Indianapolis to watch the Pacers-Hawks game.
What they saw was Macy at his best, quarterbacking the Pacer offense and getting the ball low to the power players inside. And he used his long-range weapon when the defense backed off.
Macy bruised his knee in the fourth period and had to leave the contest, but wasn't expected to miss his next game.
Kyle came to the Pacers this summer after one year with the Chicago Bulls. It was like a homecoming for the Peru, Indiana product. The reunion, however, wore off as quickly as any honeymoon and his playing time dipped to an all-time low.
He went to management, explained his concern about not playing and noted that he (Macy) didn't believe the Pacers signed him to ride the pines. And he certainly didn't go to Indy to seat at the end of the bench.
His playing time picked back up and Macy says he's happy once again.
One of the Pacers' civic projects is a classroom series with a Back To School theme which has the Indy players making regular visits to local city schools, ranging from First grade to high school.
On Monday, each of the players were on the road by 8 a.m. with each player assigned to a different school.
Former Georgia guard Vern Fleming was at the Heather Hills Elementary, speaking to fifth graders on '' What It Takes To Be A True Professional.''
Another former SEC star. Auburn's Chuck Person spoke to the entire school at Glenns
Valley Elementary on "Things I Wish I Had Known."
And Macy went to the New Palestine High School and spoke to 100 physical education students on the "Elements Of Success.
In the Market Square Arena audience of 13.490 Friday night were Macy's parents. Bob and Evelyn, just as always.
His mother rarely missed a home game in Lexington during his three years and no one
was happier when the announcement came this summer that Kyle would be a Pacer.
The cider Macys live in Peru, just a hour's drive from Indianapolis. Bob, who was one of the great high school coaches on the Indiana prep scene, retired from those ranks two years ago. -
While young Macs says he wants to enter private business after his playing days, those close to the father say nothing would please Bob more than to see his son someday have a chance to coach the Kentucky Wildcats.
Former Wildcat Kyle Macy C77i& (Dates' (ooa&
A Bright, Bright Future For UK Freshmen
Point one.
If there are two finer freshman guards than Rex Chapman and Derrick Miller, I'd like to meet them.
Point two.
I wonder if Bobby Knight is prepared to challenge this pair of phenoms for the next four years.
Despite risking the possibility of speaking far too early after such a short period of judging, these two youngsters figure to play mighty big roles at the University of Kentucky for the next four years.
And that's only the beginning.
Chapman and Miller alone could win a few games, practically single-handed. But they won't be without tremendous help.
And this is not discounting this current season. To the contrary. By season's end, this Kentucky team could develop into something special if, if Cedric Jenkins should return healthy and if Mike Scott decides to cast his lot with the Big Blue.
Kentucky is no pushover right now. Bobby Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers can attest to that. Ranked No. 1 in the nation last week by The Sporting News, Indiana had to fight for its life at home in Bloomington just to eke out a 71-66 victory in a game in which Kentucky had an opportunity to tie with less than 40 seconds remaining in the contest.
Several good omens surfaced for Kentucky Saturday.
Irving Thomas blossomed like never before. The sophomore from Miami, Fla., hauled down a career-high 10 rebounds and pumped home 10 points against as an aggressive man-to-man defense as UK will ever face.
As a team, Kentucky won a critical rebounding battle (33-29) on the road and forced the home-standing Hoosiers into 15 turnovers while committing only seven on the UK end of the floor.
UK's youngest talent, rookies Chapman and Miller and sophomore Thomas, combined for a torrid 19 of 31 from the field.
In many people's book, a loss is a loss, but the Cats' valiant effort in Hoosierland certainly made several basketball experts take notice Saturday afternoon.
Practically no one gave the younger Wildcats a shot of keeping the margin under double digits, let alone taking the game down to the wire.
While Eddie Sutton would have preferred a victory, it wasn't too hard to understand why the second-year Kentucky coach could squeeze a smile or two when he was asked time and time again about his freshman guards.
The shootout between Rex Chapman and Steve Alford was something else. Each finished the game with 26 points. Each scored ten field goals although Alford needed one more attempt.
Thomas, UK's leading rebounder with 10, logged his number in 28 minutes of action. Rob Lock grabbed five missed shots in just 14 minutes of action and Indiana's Dean Garrett was the game's top rebounder with 12 in 39 minutes.
The one glaring statistic which turned the
tide in the game was the free throw department where IU canned 18 of 23 attempts while the Wildcats were good on only five of 15. Kentucky actually outscored IU six points from the field.
Kentucky Coach Eddie Sutton will be coaching the South squad in the U.S. Sports Festival this summer in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Among the other coaches will be Andy Russo of Washington who will coach the West team and former Maryland coach Lefty Driesell who will coach the East squad. Sutton will coach the South stars.
The basketball games will be held at the Dean Dome on the campus of the University of North Carolina.
Sutton, who has been very active in the National Association of Basketball Coaches, will become president of the group at next March's Final Four.
As his career continues to blossom, you can bet Sutton will be one of the top candidates to become the U. S. Olympic coach in 1992. Next summer could be the first step toward that goal.
In four statistical coaching categories rated by the Southeastern Conference in its annual media guide, Sutton leads his colleagues in three of them and only years in action keeps him from leading in the fourth category.
Sutton has the best winning percentage against SEC opposition. In his only season within the SEC, his team posted a .913 percentage on a record of 21-2. His closest competitor is Alabama's Wimp Sanderson who stands at .590.
His overall record while at an SEC school is tops, that being an .889 clip on 32-4. Sanderson is second at .676 in six seasons.
Career-wise, Sutton is tops again with a .744 clip in 17 years. His overall mark is 374-129. Second is Sanderson again at .676 on a record of 127-61.
In the all-time victory category, Sutton is fourth with 374. Ahead of him is Florida's Norm Sloan with 560 in 34 years, Vander-bilt's C. M. Newton with 452 in 29 years and Georgia's Hugh Durham with 376 in 20 years.
Eddie Sutton once said he couldn't remember the last time that son Sean hadn't sat on his bench at home.
The comment was made this past summer when the recruiting season was just heating up and the Sutton son was preparing to select the college he would attend and play college ball. ,
Well, he picked Kentucky and he's been at every home game, sitting right there at the end of his father's bench just like he did last season and the years before at Arkansas and Creighton.
He won't be there Saturday night when the Cats host Lamar. He'll be on the same bench when the basketball is tipped off the first time next season, but between now and then, well, he'll be somewhere in the seats reserved for the paying customers.
The NCAA has ruled that son Sean can no longer occupy a place on the Kentucky bench, his father said last week.
Any comment, coach? "No, not at all."
Sutton knows when to speak and when to listen. When the NCAA speaks, the elder Sutton is smart enough to keep the lips tight and ears wide open.
Some other time Sutton might have fought such a ridiculous directive, but with all the cry babies moaning this and that about Kentucky, Sutton is well aware he will get little sympathy from the outside.
The NCAA decision is about as absurd as the one which prevents coaches from attending all-star games during non-recruiting periods, even if they have a son or daughter playing.
Such was the situation when Clem Haskins' daughter played in the Kentucky-Indiana All-Star games back a few years ago. Both the boys and girls played in the doubleheader.
Haskins, then coach at Western Kentucky, was spotted at Market Square Arena by a Lexington Herald-Leader who asked him if he knew he had violated a recruiting rule.
Haskins replied that the NCAA was crazy if it thought he wasn't going to watch his daughter play in one of the biggest games of her life.
Three cheers for Clem Haskins.
HITS AND MISSES  ... The
Southeastern Conference sent its best official, Paul Galvan. to Bloomington as its one-third of the officiating crew for the Kentucky-Indiana game Saturday, but Eddie Sutton was a little miffed that Galvan worked a late night game in Memphis. Tenn., the night before. Galvan also called the Memphis State-UNLV game which was televised over ESPN. It started at 10 p.m. which meant Galvan was blowing a whistle right at midnight, got a few hours sleep, caught a very early morning flight to Indianapolis and then hurried over to Bloomington for the 2 p.m. tip-off. There has been a great deal of concern of officials working games two nights in a row and doing a day game after a regular night game. And when the night games begins at 10 p.m., well. . .Fatigue can hit anyone when they're trying to keep up with 20-year-old racehorses . . . Before you get the wrong impression, Galvan worked his usual game, which is the best any coach can expect. There is none better than Galvan. By the way, this figures to be Paul's final season of officiating according to his friends. He is now supervisor of officials in the Southwest Conference and he has already cut his schedule back this season. College basketball and the SEC in particular will miss this one . . . With all the ink devoted to Bobby Knight and his new book about the alleged abuse in the Kentucky program, it was interesting to note how much time Knight took to "sweet talk" Sutton during Kentucky's workout Friday evening at Assembly Hall. Knight spent about 45 minutes with Sutton, trying to explain what he didn't do a good job of explaining in the book. At one point, he grabbed Richard Madison and proceeded to put on a coaching clinic for Sutton. The UK coach said Knight told him nothing was directed at him . . . Lamar University, Kentucky's opponent Saturday, announced last week that it is leav-
ing the Southland Conference to form a new conference  with  Arkansas  State, New Orleans,   Southwestern  Louisiana, Pan American and Louisiana Tech. The teams will not compete as a football conference. The new basketball league will be known as the American South Athletic Conference . . . In a recent poll of sports publications around the Southeastern Conference, Alabama was voted the preseason favorite, but by a narrow 94-84 margin over Kentucky. Auburn was third and Florida fourth with LSU fifth followed by Georgia, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Mississippi and Mississippi State. Alabama's Derrick  McKey and LSU's Nikita Wilson were voted preseason co-MVPs with 10 votes each. UK's Ed Davender received six votes to finish on the second five while Winston Bennett got three votes which had been cast before his injury. James Blackmon got the nod from two vote casters. UK's Rex Chapman was the runaway choice for top newcomer with seven votes with Florida Dwane Schintzius getting two votes and LSU's Fess Irvin received one vote. Which will be the big games this winter? Voters believe the big rivalry to watch will be theKentucky-Alabama series . . . Thanks to a pair of upsets, Florida State is probably the surprise team in the nation at this early stage an.d the victims of the surprise are a pair of SEC clubs which expected to contend for high national rankings. State first thumped arch-rival Florida 80-76 as a state-record crowd of 0,303 looked on as new coach Pat Kennedy won his coaching debut. The second victim was Alabama which was upset by the same State team one week later in Tallahassee by a score of 72-71 . . . Officials of the preseason National Invitation Tournament are considering a proposal to take the Final Four away from New York's Madison Square Garden because of poor attendance. If the NTT put the Final Four on a college campus, it certainly will attracted a huge crowd, but then again, some schools may not want to participate. Right now, schools know they will have a chance to perform on a neutral court in the final two games, rather than playing on someone's home court . . . Rumors are running rampant that the Lexington Herald-Leader will hire Louisville Courier-Journal sports editor Billy Reed as a part-time sports columnist within days. Reed is at odds with his bosses at the Louisville newpaper and he has reported been on paid leave since early last week. Reed's problems began several weeks ago when the newspapers changed sports editors and it became apparent that Reed would no have total freedom, answering only to the managing editor as he had done for several years. Then last week, the newspaper reportedly did not run a column Reed had written praising Bobby Knight. At the same time, Reed was told that another columnist, Rick Bozich, was being assigned to the Kentucky-Indiana game instead of Reed. A couple days later, Reed was quoted by several news sources as saying that the" newspaper had suffered badly since the Gannett Corporation took over from the Barry Bingham family. He also accused the newspaper management of naming a sports
[Continued On Page 22] LSU Slapped With 1-Year Probation, Loses 2 Basketball Scholarships For '88
The NCAA has placed the LSU basketball program on probation for one year and has stripped the school of two basketball scholarships after finding nine violations of NCAA regulations.
LSU will still be eligible for the postseason playoffs and television coverage, and Chancellor James Wharton said last Wednesday (Dec. 3) that the university will not appeal the NCAA's decision.
"Overall we're pleased with the outcome of the NCAA investigation," Wharton said. "However, we regret that the NCAA took away two basketball scholarships. This seems a stern penalty for the violations cited."
LSU attorney Mike Pharis said that he will ask for a better explanation concerning next year's scholarships. The Tigers now have 14 athletes on scholarship, including three high school seniors who have already signed to play next year. With 15 scholarship players allowed by the NCAA and LSU losing two of those, one of the 14 may have to go. Pharis said.
"We plan to talk with the NCAA about that," Pharis said. "We're just not sure."
After an investigation that lasted for more than three years, last month the NCAA cited LSU for 16 violations. 13 of which were disputed by the university.
The NCAA found LSU guilty of nine violations, ranging from athletic director Bob Brodhead's attempt to eavesdrop on NCAA investigators to irregularities between boosters and players.
LSU may issue only two new basketball scholarships next year instead of the six normally allowed, the NCAA said. But the total number of scholarships was reduced by only two. from 15 to 13.
Further penalties may be handed out unless LSU bars the booster activities of at least one Baton Rouge businessman, the NCAA report said.
Lanter Paid Price To Play At Kentucky
Versailles Native Gave Up Glory Elsewhere
A lot of athletes have paid a heavy price to play basketball at the University of Kentucky.
Many have surrendered fame and glory elsewhere for the honor of wearing a Kentucky uniform.
That's particularly true of Bo Lanter. probably one of the most unheralded, yet one of the most talented, players ever to suit up in a Wildcats' uniform.
Everywhere you go. when you hear people talking about Lanter. it's always in wonder of what kind of college basketball career he could have had elsewhere, or what would have happened if he had
	
	Mel Holbrook Cats' Pause Columnist
	
seen more playing time at UK.
A native of Versailles, the Woodford County setting famous for A.B. "Happy" Chandler, Gov. Martha Layne Collins and current home of former National Basketball Association star Dan Isscl and UK head coach Eddie Sutton. Lanter made the UK team as a walk-on in 1979, earning a scholarship in the process. He played three varsity seasons.
"It was the most unbelieveable feeling in the world," said Lanter of playing at UK. "I was honored, very thankful. Fans from across the country have made Kentucky basketball what it is. It's unbelieveable."
Lanter Took Detour On Road To UK
Lanter starred at Woodford County, where he earned All-State honors in 1977 before choosing to play at one of nation's top NAIA schools, Midwestern State of Wichita Falls, Texas. He averaged 21 points per game at Woodford County, once scoring 39 points in game, and earned Ail-American honors at Midwestern State, averaging 23 ppg.
But Lanter always wanted to play at Kentucky and, after one season in football country, decided he would try to make the UK quad as a walk-on. But he impressed then-head coach Joe Hall so much Hall offered Lanter a scholarship after Bo sat out the required one season under NCAA guidelines.
"They laughed at me at Midwestern State when I left to try to make it at UK," said Lanter. "They said I was good, but not good enough to play for them. I guessed you could say I proved them wrong."
The odds were against Lanter when he returned home. UK had a strong unit of guards that included All-American Kyle Macy. Truman Claytor. Dwight Anderson and Jay Shidler in 1978-79. The next season, Macy was back for his senior year and Shidler came on strong, leaving little room for Lanter or freshman sensation Dirk Minniefield. The next season, sharpshooting star Jim Master began making a name for himself. All were prep Ail-Americans. All were looked to ahead of Lanter.
"I was the star at Midwestern, and we were ranked number-one in the nation," said Lanter. "But I always gave 100 percent, like my dad always told me to do. My dad said when the ball hit the floor, it's mine. When I got to Kentucky, it was the same way. I always gave 100 percent. Except this time I was at the bottom looking up. People said here's Lanter. He doesn't get to play that much. But I was still giving 100 percent."
Lanter had good success at Kentucky, when he got to play. That was the problem, playing time. At UK, All-Amerieans sometimes ride the bench.
"I was always the type that when I got into situations when I was needed, I helped them," said Lanter. "I didn't want to go in when we were up by 30 points with two minutes to go. I wanted to be the one they relied upon in clutch situations. I went to coach Hall and told him that. The next game, we were up by 28 points at Florida with four seconds left, and he put me in."
Lanter Liked Clutch Situations
But Lanter usually got into games in clutch situations. "I'll never forget the first game I played," he said. "It was in 1980 against Notre Dame at Louisville. Dwight (Anderson) was no longer on the team. Dirk and Sam (Bowie) were on suspension. At the time, we were ranked either number one or number two and Notre Dame was about the same. The game was on national television. Coach Hall put
me in and told me not to force anything. My first time down the floor. I passed it to Kyle. He was double-teamed and passed it back to me. I shot it and the ball went in. The fans went crazy. Wc won, 86-80. That whole game was a dream come true for me."
Lanter got congratulatory phone calls from all over the country, including from his ex-teammates in Texas.
"That was exciting," said Lanter. "But the biggest thrill for me, emotion-wise, was the last home game of my senior year. I felt like the weight of the whole world was on my shoulders. But I ended up scoring 14 points and never missed a shot. It was incredible. With seven seconds left in the game, I wanted to take the last shot. But the in-bounds pass sailed over my head, and Mississippi State got the ball. They missed a shot, and I beat everyone else for the rebound. As I picked up the ball. I was at the top of the key and somebody grabbed my leg. I heard a whistle blow and thought. What the heck' and threw the ball the length of the court towards our goal. It didn't hit anything but the bottom of the net about 70 feet away. I remember Sam Bowie and Chuck Verderber throwing their heads back and laughing. I was almost embarrassed it went in. It was funny. It didn't count, of course, because the whistle had blown."
Lanter found the season-ending losses tough to take, though. In 1979-80, UK went 29-6, losing to Duke University 55-54 at Rupp Arena in the NCAA Mideast Regional. "Kyle got fouled on that last shot he missed," said Lanter. The next season, Kentucky went 22-6, losing to Alabama-Birmingham 69-62 in the Mideast Regiona'
Bo Lanter Beat Odds To Play For UK
at UAB. "They were better than people thought," Lanter said.
But the most heartbreaking loss was in Lanter's senior season, when Kentucky went 22-8 and lost to Middle Tennesee 50-44 in the Mideast Regional at Nashville. Lanter didn't get to play in that game, and it broke his heart.
"Nobody was playing well," he said. "I should have gotten a chance. I'm not saying I would have performed better than anybody else. But sometimes a coach needs to make a change to try to fix a situation. I was never so angry as I was after that game. We should never have lost to Middle Tennessee."
But Lanter has enough pleasant memories. And he's got more than his share of well-wishers. Even though he didn't play as much as others, Lanter is more popular than most of the former UK stars His 6-2, 180-pound frame is easily recognizable by many fans, and it doesn't hurt his popularity any now that Lanter lifts weights on
[Continued On Page 22] Miller Time
Freshman Guard's Three-Pointers Help 'Cats Shut Down Texas Tech 66-60
By Nick Nicholas
Draw for your guns, mister!
Shut out against Austin Peay, Derrick Miller reloaded and pulled his trigger finger four times against Texas Tech, a scrappy bunch of cow pokes from Southwest Conference territory. The results? A perfect night for this Wildcat wrangler whose play was greatly appreciated by the crowd on hand at Rupp Arena.
Kentucky notched its second win of the season by defeating the Red Raiders 66-60 last Tuesday evening (Dec. 2) at Rupp Arena.
Miller scored 10 points on four field goals, including two three-pointers in the second half. The 6-foot-6 freshman's first connection from three-point land was a big. big play.
The hometown boys held a four-point cushion (47-43). But quicker than you could say Get out of town before sundown. Miller connected beyond 19' 9". pushing UK's lead to 50-43 with 7:23 remaining.
His second three-point pop came from Main Street range, nearly a 25-footer. Hey Derrick, move in a little. There isn't a four-pointer in this league. Not yet anyway. UK now led 56-47 with 5:31 left.
Miller's bonus buckets rekindled some of the fire which fueled the Wildcats to a 15-4 lead early in the first half.
"That was a big basket right there." said Gerald Myers in reference to Miller's first bomb. "We had a freshman in there at the time on him. He was sitting back inside and they (Kentucky) set him up for a little pick and he (Miller) got open on the shot.
2*1
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It was a big shot."
During his postgame press conference, Eddie Sutton, when told of the latter statement by his longtime friend, smiled and said, "I thought it was the turning point. If Gerald said it I'll agree."
Following Miller's three-pointer, the closest Texas Tech got was three points (63-60)
with 15 seconds left.
"When you're out there you're not conscious, at least I'm not, of the (three-point) line," Miller said. "I had the shot so I took it. It felt good."
"I told the squad yesterday (Monday) that we were going to make darn sure that whoever has the hot hand would be getting the ball," Sutton said.
While Miller contributed his fair share, guard Ed Davender carried a big load of UK's offensive production. For the second straight game Davender was the game's leading scorer. He tallied 23 points in 31 minutes of action (seven of ten from the field and nine of 10 free throws). Davender s average after two games is 21.5 ppg (43 points).
A more-relaxed Irv Thomas also added offensive punch, compiling 11 points in a winning effort.
Texas Tech. shot down for the initial time this season, was led by sophomore Sean Gay's 18 points.
Kentucky's Inside Improved But Still Needs Help
Sutton has been sending smoke signals for inside help ever since Winston Bennett and Cedric Jenkins suffered leg injuries. It's apparent Kentucky needs Cedric Jenkins and Mike Scott to come to the rescue if this season is to be continued past SEC Tournament time.
One thing is for sure. . .Thomas, Richard Madison and Rob Lock are getting experience around the paint area. Against Texas Tech, UK's inside game was effective at times. The three combined for 23 points and 12 rebounds. All three Wildcats shot 50 percent or better from the field.
On the defensive end of the court, UK's inside game held its own, too. Against a much taller unit which included 7-footer Kent Wojcieschoski, UK's big men, especially Madison, didn't run away and hide. Both Wojcieschoski and Dewayne Chism (6-7 for-ward) received early exits. On the other hand, Lock fouled out with 1:47 remaining while Thomas finished the night with four infractions. Overall. Tech outrebounded Kentucky 25 to 21.
Thomas' short banker initiated the scoring for second half play, giving the Wildcats a 34-22 at the 19:17 mark. However, some nifty defense by Texas Tech and not-so nifty offense by the 'Cats plugged the cylinder at UK's end of the court. Not until 15:24 did UK score its 35th point of the evening. Two charity tosses by Davender widened the lead, 36-26. And not until 12:33 did the Wildcats score a field goal, a la Davender's 15-footer.
Kentucky was fortunate as the Red Raiders failed to take advantage of the opportunity. During the first 7:27 of the second stanza Tech could only muster 11 points of its own.
Like a tedious game of chess, neither Kentucky nor Texas Tech wanted to make a move. After Davender's basket gave UK a 39-33 lead midway through the half, Gay decided to make a few moves on his own. His eight- and 14-footers, sandwiched around a one-and-one front end miss by Davender, pulled Tech within two points, 39-37.
An 8-4 run by the Wildcats, meanwhile, kept the Red Raiders in check. An assist from freshman Rex Chapman sparked the rally as his fast-break connection hit a trailing Davender. The layup off a two-on-one advantage gave UK a 41-37 lead with 10:18 to play.
Texas Tech still had its chances until. . .
. . .Enter Miller with 9:37 left and Kentucky grasping to a 43-39 lead. It was time for this gang from Texas to mosey on along and head back to Lubbock.
'Cats Put Man-To-Man Defense In Overdrive
"Our ballclub is just not ready, I guess, to play this early against a good defensive team on the road," Myers said.
First half statistics confer that Kentucky played excellent man-to-man defense in the first 20 minutes. Tech turned the ball over 14 times. Kentucky had 27 shots on goal while Tech got 17. Combined Red Raider guards Gay, Wendell Owens and Mike Nelson were guilty of eight miscues as the visitors found themselves down by 10 at halftime.
"They have very quick guards and did a good job defensively," Myers continued. "That was the difference in the game."
Sutton was quick to note the importance of senior James Blackmon on this evening. In UK's opener Blackmon tallied only four points while playing 13 minutes. Though he scored just six points, Blackmon's aggressive-style at the defensive end helped keep the opponents at bay. He also was credited with three boards, three assists, one steal and only one turnover in 34 minutes.
"He didn't play very well the other night," said Sutton, with Blackmon and Miller alongside the UK coach during postgame interviews. "But we had a do-better talk,
didn't we?" Blackmon shook his head in agreement.
"I thought he played super tonight. I thought he played an outstanding basketball game."
Kentu