xt78w950gs74 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt78w950gs74/data/mets.xml Wildcat News Company 1987 Volume 11 -- Number 17 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 Manuel, Eric UK vs. University of Louisville (December 27, 1986) statistics schedules Cats' Pause Combs, Oscar The Cats' Pause,  "January 3, 1987" text The Cats' Pause,  "January 3, 1987" 1987 2012 true xt78w950gs74 section xt78w950gs74 WBTi
ats Finish Early Non-Conference Schedule At 6-1.
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VOLUME 11 - NUMBER 17
SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 1986 I
LEXINGTON, KENT
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PUBLICATION NO. USPS 707340 Published By WILDCAT NEWS COMPANY P.O.Box 7297 Lexington, Kentucky 40522 Second Class Postage Paid at Lexington, Kentucky 40511 and additional Mailing offices
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Shining Star
Kentucky Wildcat Recruit Eric Manuel Lives Up Billing, Scores 37 Points In Thoroughbred Classic
By LARRY VAUGHT
Kentucky recruit Eric Manuel and Marion, Ind., the nation's top-ranked high school basketball team, were supposed to be the feature attractions at the Coca-Cola Thoroughbred Classic.
Manuel lived up to his billing with 37 points as he showcased his all-around talent in a 61-56 loss to Henry Clay.
Marion, featuring Indiana signees Jay Edwards and Lyndon Jones, didn't fare any better than Manuel's Macon Southwest team. Lafayette upset the nation's top-ranked team 78-74.
"We were representing a lot of people today," said Lafayette Coach Don Harville. "This was just a great win for us and the state of Kentucky.
"This means teams in this town and in Kentucky can compete with the best in the nation."
Everyone knew Manuel could play with the nation's best. He has already been touted as the best schoolboy eager ever in a state that has produced Kenny Walker, Pervis Ellison, Dale Ellis, Derek Smith, Al Wood, Cedric Henderson and Elmore Smith.
He had 13 first-half points while playing inside but was at his best in the second half when he moved to the perimeter. He hit 15-foot jump shots, handled the basketball and literally floated in mid-air when he drove the lane.
"We had to get out of our offense to get Eric the ball," said Macon Coach Don Richardson. "I wanted people to see that he could play. He proved that. Of course, he did that a couple of years ago."
Indeed he did. As a sophomore he led his team to a state title. Last year Macon went 22-4 and reached the state semifinals.
"Eric is not flashy," said Richardson. "He's not a hot dog. He is just a great kid.
"He's the kind of player you may not notice but when the game is over he usually has his 20 points and 10 rebounds."
Looking Forward To Days At UK
At Guard Manuel Is At His Best
Manuel reminds UK assistant coach Dwane Casey of former Wildcat Ail-American Jack Givens.
"He is so easy-going just like Jack used to be," said Casey after watching Manuel hit 16 of 33 shots and grab 15 rebounds. "He never gets excited or shows emotion. He's also a great team player just like Givens. That's what will make him so successful in college."
He's also humble and made sure he told media members that his teammates deserved credit for his success even though they did little to help him.
"Normally Eric will pass and rebound better than he did today," said Richardson. "But it is hard to do that when nobody else is moving. Some of our other kids were a little in awe of this place."
Not Manuel. He looked right at home on the Rupp Arena court and UK fans could see some great performances from him during his career.
"I'm looking forward to coming to Kentucky," said Manuel. "One reason I picked UK was because of Coach (Eddie) Sutton's reputation for developing guards."
And make no mistake about it  the big guy is capable of playing guard at UK.
"He's a guard," said Richardson. "He could play either guard spot in college. If he plays any other position it would take away from his game."
And his best basketball is still to come.
"Eric knows the game so well and is so fundamentally sound that he will be even better when he gets with other great players in college," said Richardson.
After all, how many UK signees could come into Rupp Arena and put on the show Manuel did.
"I told him before the game just to relax," said Casey. "That's not easy to do, though, when people are expecting spectacular things. But I don't think anyone left here disappointed."
At least no one from Kentucky did. One For The Record Book
As he removed the headset after his postgame radio show, Eddie Sutton looked Up, smiled and reminded a reporter, "I told you we were going to win this game ... but I certainly didn't think the margin would be anything like this."
Never let it be said Eddie Sutton doesn't enjoy a challenge. The man took on the world and replied in the best-coined Dick Vitale language. "Innnn your face, man."
So went the two-hour ordeal Saturday afternoon at Louisville's Freedom Hall. Some 19,000 die-hard Cardinal fans suffered through the horror flick while a national audience looked on via the CBS-TV network.
The final score of 85-51 was a true barometer of the beating Kentucky put on the Cardinals, not at Rupp Arena mind you, but right in the Birds' own backyard.
And if there is such a thing as "Big Brother vs. Little Brother", then you'd have a difficult time convincing anyone there's a better example than the one Saturday.
For the past 15 or so years, UK has been labeled the bad guys of college basketball in the Bluegrass State. You've heard the line, the Big Blue program is snobbish, overrated when compared to Louisville. Their fans arrogant even ignorant when it comes to judging how talented the Wildcats are.
Pause.
Kentucky 85, Louisville 51. Pause.
Repeat that score please.
UKeighty-five, U of Lfifty-one.
Sure, the Cardinals won the NCAA last season. Sure, Louisville won the 1980 title. Sure the Cardinals are the team of the '80s . . . except when they meet the Kentucky Wildcats ... on the court.
Fact:
The just-concluded four-game regular season series produced a 3-1 record for the University of Kentucky. Since the series started back in 1983, Kentucky has won four of five meetings (the other a victory in the Mideast Regional at Lexington). The only loss was a 71-64 decision in Louisville when Kentucky was rebuilding in its 18-13 season.
These are figures you're not likely to read in certain sports columns (no names please). They have their own reasons for quoting other statistics. And not to confuse you like others might, we shall note that the overall mark is 4-2 in Kentucky's favor when you count Louisville's big 80-68 overtime victory in the finals of the Mideast Regional at Knoxville in 1983. That was the game which most give credit for the just concluded four-year series.
That was the game in which Louisville entered the contest as an eight-point favorite and the nation's No. 2-ranked team. Kentucky, on the other hand, forced the game into overtime with Jim Master's jumper at the end of regulation. Actually, Kentucky had the opportunity to win the game with less than 25 seconds left in regulation and the score tied, but guard Dirk Minniefield took an ill-advised shot, missed and Louisville quickly scored before Master's shot tied the game.
Louisville won in a breeze during the five-minute overtime.
Louisville's domination of the Kentucky Wildcats, according to some, was just around the corner. It hasn't exactly worked out that way.
This is not to contend Louisville is Kentucky's "little brother" on the court. Far from it.
Yes, the Cards appeared to be "baby brother" last Saturday, but we did not see the real Louisville team this particular day.
Comparing programs is another matter.
When you talk of one of the nation's top teams, you speak of a team's ability to compete on the court only. Louisville certainly ranks right up there at the top much like Georgetown and North Carolina.
When you talk of the nation's top programs. you automatically inject features other than just won-loss records and championships, such as:
* Widespread fan support which certainly goes beyond a county borderline. A recent statewide poll by the Louisville Courier-Journal indicates the Cardinals enjoy less than five percent of the public's support outside of Jefferson County.
* Kentucky attracts crowds of 12,000 and more for a public shooting practice before its annual home game at Freedom Hall in Louisville. That figure could be shattered this week when UK prepares to take on Georgia.
* The first weekly collegiate sports publication on a university began in Lexington in September. 1976. when Tlie Cats' Pause began publishing. With a paid circulation of more than 20.000. TCP ranks as the top weekly newspaper in the state and among the top seven newspapers, including the state's daily newspapers. TCP still ranks as the No. 1 circulated collegiate sports weekly in the nation.
* Kentucky's basketball television network is beamed into seven different markets in four states, second only to Notre Dame football.
* Kentucky is the all-time leader in college basketball victories, in all-time NCAA appearances.
* Kentucky has more All-Americans than any other college. Thirty-one different Wildcats have won the honors a total of 49 times.
When you talk of tradition. Kentucky certainly has no match around these parts. As one bystander quipped last week, when you talk about tradition and history, you start at the beginning not where it's convenient to produce a better record.
Now if you talk only in terms of on-the-court success, that's another matter.
As Louisville coach Denny Crum correctly pointed out last week, UL has been the hoop team of the '80s, winning two NCAA titles and going to the Final Four four different times as compared to UK not winning a single NCAA in the '80s and only one Final Four.
True, but the statement is incomplete.
You can do anything with numbers, like conveniently starting with 1980. Why not go over a ten-year period back to 1976 and include UK's NIT title and Kentucky's 1978 NCAA title. Of course, that takes a little of the lustre off the bragging rights.
Since we're talking of numbers, why not dwell on head-to-head confrontations. Since the fall of 1983, Kentucky has won four of five against the Cardinals. The only loss came at Louisville in a contest which the Cards were expected to skin the 'Cats in double digits and escape by seven. There have been only two blowouts, both in UK's favor.
In head-to-head coaching confrontations, Eddie Sutton is now 4-1 against Crum. See how statistics can lead to a different conclusion?
Kentucky's 85-51 victory Saturday did more than just give Big Blue fans bragging rights for another year. The 34-point embarrassment will probably remain in the record books for the rest of Denny Crum's reign in Cardinal Country.
And that's not a knock.
Quite frankly, I didn't believe I would ever see the day that a Denny Crum-coached team would lose by 30 points, either at home or on the road unless he was playing with all walk-ons.
Here's betting you will never see a repeat.
The 34-point loss goes down in the record books as the Cardinals' worst loss in the 30-year history of Freedom Hall. It is also the worst loss during the Crum era. home or away. His previous worst loss was a 22-point decision (North Carolina in 1980).
It is the worst Louisville defeat at home since January 29. 1940 when the Cards lost to Evansville, 80-43.
When last did the Cards lose by a bigger margin? That was at Xavier on February 13, 1956 when UL lost 99-59.
Although Kentucky and Louisville only revived the regular season series back in 1983. the Wildcats did meet the Cards back in the 1920s. The Cards' worst defeat at the hands of UK prior to Saturday was another 34-point loss, back in 1948 in the Olympic Trials.
Entering that game back in 1948. the Cardinals of coach Bernard "Peck" Hickman were 29-5 with three of the losses coming at the expense of Western Kentucky and one at the hands of Murray State.
Earlier in the week, UK coach Eddie Sutton announced Kentucky had put in the mail a new four-year contract for a game with the Cardinals with the first and third games to be played at Rupp Arena and the second and fourth games to be staged in Louisville.
That piece of strategy apparently caught the media and some Louisville officials by surprise as many believed UK would attempt to wiggle out of signing a new deal.
Sutton then went on the offensive by saying that the series is good for college basketball, but that Kentucky would not be crippled if the game ceased to be.
That's when Sutton said Kentucky basketball is bigger than the New York Yankees and the Dallas Cowboys, that Kentucky is big brother with UL being little brother because of all the past tradition.
Sutton's contention that Wildcat basketball is bigger than the Yankees and Cowboys is perhaps true if you limit the scope to the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
But when you talk about the nation as a whole, Eddie certainly was off base. At least temporarily.
After watching the 'Cats enjoy a holiday feasting of bird meat Saturday, one isn't tempted to challenge Mr. Perm. Perhaps he knew all along he would have ample ammunition to fend off the poison media pens Saturday evening about 6 p.m. The scribes certainly were there, armed with swords to destroy the terrible Big Brother.
It was only poetic justice that the great heavyweight boxing champion Muhammand Ali was among the 19,000-plus fans at Freedom Hall. During an early timeout of the game, Ali was introduced to a thunderous
ovation. Ali, the king of kings and a man who backed up his boasts time after time throughout his career, waved gingerly to the fans.
Perhaps a new Ali has arrived in Kentucky. Could his name be Eddie Sutton?
Louisville officials can't seem to agree on how to approach this thing call Kentucky versus Louisville.
On one hand, UL athletics director Bill Olsen wants the game to be part of a big circus, split the tickets between schools and put special premiums on the tickets, hold clinics, etc.
Part of that emphasis can be attributed to the fervor-pitch atmosphere surrounding the game Saturday. Regulars at the Cards' home games said UL considers this the ONLY game during the regular season.
Crum, on the other hand, says the game is just another game and that the ones in March are the ones which really count.
During his post game press conference he reiteriated his stand by saying that the Cards lost to UK last December only to win the NCAA. Crum said he doubted that Sutton wouldn't trade the December win for the NCAA title. -
Placed on every seat in Freedom Hall prior to the game was a "Catbusters" poster with a Cardinal clutching the NCAA title trophy in one hand while jerking at the blue tail of what appeared to be a Wildcat.
One UL fan. Denis Robinson, sat silently in Freedom Hall after the game and was quoted in the Sunday edition of the Louisville Courier-Journal as saying, "It hurts. I'd rather beat Kentucky than win the NCAA."
What was that old slogan. No. 1 in the nation but No. 2 in Kentucky?
Brent Musburger and Billy Packer of CBS-TV were more than impressed with Kentucky in general and Rex Chapman in particular.
You can bet Kentucky will be the hottest product for national television the next four years, thanks to Rex Chapman and Derrick Miller and the recruiting harvest Eddie Sutton is already assured of.
With UK's national television debut this season last Saturday, officials at rival networks like NBC-TV, ABC-TV, ESPN, USA, etc., no doubt have seen the potential this club possesses for the future.
Musburger offered a prediction that Chapman could set a record for television's MVP game awards over the next four years and the CBS crew likened him to a young Jerry West.
While CBS loved the pre-game hype, one has to wonder how Musburger felt about bumping Gary Bender from the play-by-play role when the game turned into a rout early in the second half.
Bender was originally scheduled to work the game according to one of Bender's friends at the game, but Musburger pulled rank for what figured to be a barn-burner to the end.
A tip of the hat to all the Louisville Car-[Continued On Page 26] &7ie Cfa/x' Accuse
Limited Rupp Cups Available Ian. 7
When fans return to Lexington's Rupp Arena on January 7. they'll be able to collect what promises to be the most valuable souvenir Coke cup presented in the current series made available by the Lexington Center.
The new cup honors the late Adolph Rupp for whom the massive basketball facility was named. Only 23.000 cups (a natural limited edition since that is the capacity of Rupp Arena) will be made available to the public and only when a soft drink is purchased.
Two years ago, Rupp Arena concessions manager Denny Williamson came up with the idea of selling soft drinks in a designer collector's cup instead of the usual center cup.
The response has been phenomenal.
"Fans are able to keep a momento of the game and remember a former Kentucky great at the same time." said Williamson. "The series has been a great success thus far."
To date, eight different cups have been released at Rupp Arena, including the current one of the legendary Rupp. Each cup contains the art of a former Wildcat great and a brief sketch of his career. At the top of the cup is a commercial message from Coca-Cola and no doubt makes the cup series a highly profitable item for the Lexington Center.
When fans purchase large Coke drinks at the Alabama game on Jan. 6. they'll have a valuable Rupp souvenir cup, but it won't be the first one.
Ironically, another 23,000 cups of a different Rupp art print are floating around somewhere though.
"The cup we're going to sell is one we had specially designed by noted sports artist Steve Ford," explained Williamson. "The first cup manufactured by our suppliers simply wasn't a good cup and we sent them back to the factory. We want quality and we won't sell it unless it meets our standards."
Adolph Rupp Cup
The new cup on Rupp includes a portrait of the famed coach and a brief sketch about his career at Kentucky, including his many honors.
One fact is very noticeable, and that is his coaching record on the cup (880-190) differs from that recognized by the NCAA. Rupp coached played and won games in Europe at the request of the State Department back in the 1950s. Those victories were included in the UK press guide for years but the NCAA announced a few years ago those victories would not be recognized.
"Our opinion is that we would go along with what the Rupp family said the record was," said Williamson.
[Continued On Page 25]
Kingpin In Kentucky At Kristmas Time:
Looks Like The Kentucky Wildcats
People and things. Kingpin in Kentucky at Kristmas Time A few weeks ago it was suggested in this space that it was likely the best college basketball team in Kentucky would emerge from a contest played in Bowling Green Dec. 10.
Unranked, but defending national champion Louisville would play No. 8 rated Western Kentucky.
UofL played hard enough to win the game 60-58, but then the Cardinals played poorly in losing to DePaul three days later and struggled against Tampa. Too, Western was upset by Central Michigan a night after the UofL loss.
Bob Watkins
Cats' Pause Columnist
Kingpin at Kristmas time? The Kentucky Wildcats.
Eddie Sutton's team does not have as much talent as Western Kentucky or as much size as Louisville, but the Wildcats-seven men stronghave been consistent and played well enough together to win three of four games. UK was impressive even in a 5-point loss at Indiana.
As Sutton's team demonstrated against Lamar, the Wildcats play very well to their strengths  quickness on defense, crisp passing game, unselfishness, terrific shooting, and minimize their weaknesses. What weaknesses?
"Rebounding and the consistency of (James) Blackmon," Lamar Coach Tom Abatemarco said. "And of course, (Rex) Chapman is going to be up and down because he's a freshman."
And free throw shooting.
Abatemarco added, "This is not a franchise Kentucky team. But this is the type of team that could be there at the end, especially if (Robert) Lock comes along and he gets help from (Mike) Scott.
"Other than (Jim) Valvano (and North Carolina State), I'm going to be rooting for Kentucky this year.
"They play the best defense of anybody we've seen," he added.
Despite the injuries and short bench, UK is beginning to exhibit the kind of special chemistry that makes a winning club, the kind of makeup Louisville, for example, simply doesn't have yet and may not have this season, according to Coach Denny Crum after his team's 75-68 loss at home to DePaul.
Western? The big, talented Hilltoppers seem to have left something in New York City. Methinks Coach Murray Arnold will right Western however.
But for now, Kentucky is the best in the Kommonwealth.
New things for a new year
Following are some things I hope come to pass in 1987.
 Bob Knight replaces Billy Packer.
 Billy Packer replaces Bob Knight.
 Howard Cosell retires.
 Pete Rose retires.
 George Steinbrenner sells out; ditto Robert Irsay.
 Oscar Combs and Earl Cox form a real Kentucky Network, clear channel, 50,000 watts. Cox would be in charge of operations.
 Peter Ueberroth replaces Walter Byers.
 The 3-point line is moved to 20 feet, five inches.
 The NCAA rules that television may not change dates and starting times of college football and basketball games.
 The NCAA rules that 75 percent of monies coaches receive from sneaker companies must go into the general scholarship fund.
 LSU and the SEC get into a bidding war over Stan Torgerson. LSU wants him as director of athletics, the SEC wants him to replace Mark Womack.
 Somebody finally understands and tells the rest of us what Dale Brown is really trying to say.
 Rick Shaw (WVLK) and Paul Rogers (WHAS) get an opportunity to show what they can do on a "big game."
 Nick Nicholas changes his name. "Harvey" Nicholas.
 Scotty Baesler becomes president of the University of Kentucky.
 All those who have worn the title Mr. Basketball in Kentucky are recognized at the State Tournament in Rupp Arena.
 Susan Dey (L.A. Law) makes a cameo appearance with the Dance Kats.
 The Universities of Kentucky and Louisville play a football
game in October at Commonwealth Stadium.
 Chuck Broughton will make UK football fans say "Dollar who?"
 Somebody writes to tell us whatever happened to ... Lou Michaels, Mike Siganos, Bob Winkel, Bob Fry and Harvey Sword.
 UK plays one game at Memorial Coliseum against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. In 1988 the Eastern Kentucky Colonels ... in 1989 Morehead State ... in 1990 Murray State.
 Rupp's Runts (1966) are honored before the UK-Western game.
 Dan Issel's No. 44 is retired.
 The 1987 UKIT field includes Arkansas, Oklahoma State and Minnesota.
 Todd Ziegler scores 20 points in a game.
 Somebody writes to tell us whatever happened to ... Ray Mills, LaVon Williams, Shelby Linville, Mike Casey and Ned Jennings.
 Somebody writes what has become obvious about cheerleaders: Their routines have become so boring, they have strained for attention at risk of seriously injuring themselves.
 No more UK, UofL or other college games are played on Tuesday and Friday nights.
 The Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame will be kept alive since Billy Reed revived it two years ago.
 Frank Jacobs of Newport Central Catholic is named Kentucky's first ever Mr. Football.
 The Kentucky High School Athletics Association hires an image consultant and a sports information director.

People...
v Jack 'Goose' Givens, UK All-American and most valuable
Goose Not Fond Of Three-Point Shot
player in Kentucky's NCAA championship victory over Duke in 1978, has a view on the 3-point basket. "I don't like it. I hate it ... and I was a shooter."
Comment Givens scored 2,038 points for UK, third highest in history.
^ Roger Harden, playmaker on last year's UK team, said last week, "When I found out about all of the injuries (to UK squad) and that coach Sutton was taking walk-ons I was the first one to show up. But they (the NCAA) couldn't take me
Harden said he plans to return to classes at UK next semester and plans to be a member of Sutton's coaching staff next season, as a graduate assistant. Parting shot
Quote to remember from 1986: Larry Bird, two time MVP on his place in NBA history  "When I go down the road, people are going to forget how good I was. The main thing is to keep it all in perspective. I don't care if I'm the best in the league, just as long as I'm on the best team. I love to win the world championship. I've never had a greater feeling than that."
Happy New Year.H fanucuys 3,
0ay& 6
UK, UL Headed In Different Directions
You're Hot Stuff One Day, Cold The Next
They went that away. Going up.
Prior to the season, Kentucky, losing Winston Bennett, couldn't imagine in its wildest dreams that it would defeat the defending national champion, Louisville Cardinals. And by 34 points in Louisville? No way.
Going down.
Denny Crum's Cardinals, with sophomore sensation Pervis Ellison, had to have sights set on a victory over Kentucky. It was that obvious.
	
	Nick Nicholas Cats' Pause Columnist
	
Well, things didn't go as planned. To say the least, Kentucky didn't even give the guys from Derby City a chance at trying to contain the visitors' potent outside attack.
The score says it best. Kentucky 85, Louisville 51.
Kentucky ballooned to a 38-28 halftime lead, with Rex Chapman scoring 18 points. Then came a 22-4 spurt following intermission. The Cardinal players, coaches, and most of all the 19.513 packed into Freedom Hall were stunned.
Folks, it was a laugher. But my media cohorts and I would have been laughed out of the state if we'd picked such an outcome.
Chapman's show of shows26 points, four assists, two steals and only two turnovers in 35 minutes of workwas truly amazing.
Now, almost everyone is asking, "Can he get any better?" It's difficult to imagine.
Though depleted in ranks, Kentucky is a lot better than beyond any wildest preseason expectations thought possible. Against Louisville, UK showed everyone in the state, who was either at the game or glued to a television or radio, that it is a team to keep an eye out for. When NCAA tournament time comes around, it might be the 'Cats and not the 'Cards who will make a run at the Final Four. Stranger things have happened, I guess.
Hey. this Kentucky team might be for real. Last Saturday, Louisville found out the hard way.
It's kinda like the mechanics of a golf swingone team's on the upswing (backswing), while the other's on the downswing.
In a way, Crum thought so, too.
It Was lust One Of Those Days
"I've shot 91 one day and turned around and shot 75 the very next day. noted Crum, who received his worst beating ever as coach of the Cards. "Sports is that way. Some nights things go your way and some nights they don't.
"That little thing called momentum can take over. Things kinda snowballed. No matter how hard you try or what you do, things just don't work out."
Yep, the snowball which rolled through Freedom Hall was of monstrous sizes. Afterwards the U of L coach probably was wanting to know the license plate of the Big Blue steam roller which was Lexington bound after the ballgame.
"What else can you say," Crum noted. "They outplayed about us every way you can."
"We're not 34 points better than Louisville," said Sutton, realistically pondering the contest. "It was a game where everything fell into place for us and they (Cardinals) didn't play quite as well."
Kentucky, now ranked 11th in this week's AP poll, is the owner of a sparkling 6-1 mark. On the other hand, U of L falls to 4-6. Those aren't exactly the numbers which champions are made of.
Adding transfer Mike Scott, Cedric Jenkins, Paul Andrews and even Todd Ziegler to the roster will be a great boost to UK's chances of defending its SEC crown. Scott's first game will be against LSU on Jan. 18.
After facing Georgia, the Wildcats will play at Auburn before returning home to face Wimp Sanderson's Alabama squad. Prior to the season at the SEC Media Days, both the Tigers and Crimson Tide were picked to finish ahead of Kentucky in the conference.
"I'm sure our fans now are going to be believers," said Sutton after his Wildcats upended the Cardinals. "I get a lot of mail everyday, and I think there were a lot of people who felt like maybe this would be a year where we may struggle. We'll still struggle because our league is so darn tough.
"I believe this ballclub is going to be pretty good. If we can get
back Cedric, Paul and when Mike Scott becomes eligible we'll be a pretty good basketball team.
"I was really impressed with our front line play."
Center Rob Lock and forwards Richard Madison and Irv Thomas helped neutralize Ellison and Co. Those three combined for 24 points and 29 rebounds. Ellison, who sprained his ankle two nights before the game, was held to four points and four boards in 26 minutes of action.
"It only bothered me when I went up to jump and coming back down," inquired Ellison.
U of L's starting forwardsKenny Payne and Herbert Crook didn't fare much better. Payne scored seven points and grabbed one rebound, while Crook was credited with six points and seven boards.
Madison Too Tough To Handle
Just an eye-catching a figure as Chapman's 26 points was Madison's 17 rebounds. The 6-foot-7 forward/guard hauled down 15 boards in the second half.
Overall, U of L snared only 33 rebounds compared to UK's 41. Not many people would have had the audacity to predict Kentucky would win the battle of the boards. Unless, that person was Denny Crum.
Before Dream Game XI, Crum wasn't too sure his inside game was as productive as his arch-rival's.
"I thought their inside guys played real well," Crum said during his post-game remarks. "Richard Madison had 17 rebounds. And I think a lot of time we forget (such figures). Their guards have certainly have been outstanding for them all year and that's been their so-called strength. But I said (earlier) I didn't know if our front line was better than theirs or not."
Lock, the recipient of boos from the home folks a few weeks
A Happy 'Cat Bench
ago, was all smiles afterwards. You can't help grin from ear to ear when you have two power dunks like he did in the game's final moments.
"We started celebrating with 15 minutes left and we were up by 20," Lock said. "When the final tick went off the clock it was just even a greater feeling because the game was over and there was no way they could win.
"I think they (Louisville) underestimated our guard play. They knew we had good guards but I don't think they knew they were that good. A lot of people have written off our inside play, with Richard. Irv and myself. We're getting better and we're going to continue to get better."
As for Louisville, the production from its backcourt needs to get on track. . .and quickly. U of L has a week to mend its wounds and prepare for visiting Rutgers.
Following an encounter against Nevada-Reno. Louisville will face a couple of stiff road challenges at Florida State and Wyoming. Things don't get any easier, especially with battles against No. 2 Pur