xt7xwd3pwh34 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7xwd3pwh34/data/mets.xml Wildcat News Company 1986 Volume 10 -- Number 26 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 (1985-1986) coaches Sutton, Eddie players Byrd, Leroy (Baby Magic) Rupp, Adolph UK vs. LSU (March 1, 1986) UK vs. University of Tennessee (February 27, 1986) Dean, Joe SEC Men's Basketball Championship (1986) University of Kentucky Football (1986) Claiborne, Jerry Groves, John Rouse, William statistics schedules Cats' Pause Combs, Oscar The Cats' Pause, "March 8, 1986" text The Cats' Pause, "March 8, 1986" 1986 2012 true xt7xwd3pwh34 section xt7xwd3pwh34 Welcome To SEC Tournament Fit Bf SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS PER COPY, BOOKc Unfversity Archives ' Margaret !.jK#g lp;bwy;.- NorlK J j .. ,r) r IS Library 25590 The Cats' Pause "SPOTLIGHTING UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE VOLUME 10 - NUMBER 26 SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 1986 University Archive Margaret I. King Library - H&ffli Univef Lexington &7l (jots' PUBLICATION NO. USPS 707340 Published By WILDCAT NEWS COMPANY P.O. Box 7297 Lexington. Kentucky 40322 Second Class Postage Paid al Lexington. Kentucky 40511 and additional Mailing offices Editor and Publisher OSCAR L. COMBS Staff Writer NICK NICHOLAS Staff Writer TODD HALLUM National Recruiting Columnist BOB GIBBONS Columnist LARRY VAUGHT Columnist BOB WATKINS Columnist JIM GR1ESCH Columnist MEL HOLBROOK Columnist STAN TORGERSON Columnist DICKY BEAL Kentucky Basketball Recruiting RICK BOLUS Contributing Columnist JAMIE VAUGHT Sport Hobby Columnist JACK MAIDEN Business Manager DONNA COMBS Composition Coordinator DON COFFEY Staff Photographer GARY CROMWELL Circulation Coordinator WANDA HOOKER Crossword Puzzle Editor DAN KRUECKEBERG Published Weekly: Sept. I4-Aprtl 12 Monthly: May. June. July. August Advertising Representative WILDCAT NEWS COMPANY 2625 Regency Road Lexington, Kentucky 40503 Subscription Price $25.00 per year in USA $35.00 per year in Canada Phone:(606)278-3474 Postmaster: Send Address Changes to THE CATS' PAUSE.P.O. Box 7297. Lexington. Kentucky 40522 Major College Conference Standings W L Pet W L Pel 17 1 944 26 3 897 13 5 722 19 9 679 13 5 722 19- 8 704 10 8 556 16 11 593 9 9 500 21 10 677 9 9 500 16 11 593 7 11 389 13 14 4B1 5 13 278 12 15 444 4 14 222 11 16 407 3 15 167 6 21 222 SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE Conference Afl Games x-Kentucky ....... Auburn............ Alabama.......... Florida.......... Louisiana St .. Geofgia ........ Vanderbilt ..... Tennessee . .... Mississippi Mississippi St..... x-clinched regular-season title OHIO VALLEY x-Akron Middle Tenn........ y-Yongstwn St...... Murray St Austin Peay..... Tennessee Ten E Kentucky....... Morehead St ...... x-won regular-season title y-won tiebreaker 10 4 714 20 7 .741 10 4 .714 21 9 700 8 6 571 12 15 444 8 6 571 16 11 593 8 6 571 14 13 519 6 8 429 13 14 .481 5 9 357 10 17 370 1 13 071 8 19 296 METRO COLLEGE ATHLETIC Louisville .......... 10 2 833 24 7 774 Memphis Slate ...... 9 3 .750 25 4 862 Virginia Tech ...... 7 5 583 22 7 .759 Southern Miss ........... 6 6 500 17 10 630 Cincinnati 5 7 4I7 11 15 423 Fionda Stale 3 9 250 11 16 .407 Sooth Carolina ........ 2 10 .167 12 15 .444 SUN BELT x CHd Dominio , ......11 3 .786 22 7 759 W Kentucky . ........10 4 714 22 7 .759 y Al -Brmnghm ....... 9 5 643 24 10 .706 Jacksonville . .........: 9 5 643 21 9 700 Va Cmmnwlth .... ... 6 8 .429 12 16 .429 y-South Alabm S 9 357 16 16 500 South Florida ..... ...... 5 9 357 14 14 .500 N C Charlotte ...... ..... 1 13 071 8 20 286 x-won regular-season title y-won tiebreaker ATLANTIC COAST Duke ...... Georgia Tech . N Carolina Virginia....... N. Carolina St.. Maryland Clemson ... Wake Forest . x-St Josephs y-West Vitgini Temple..... St. Bonaventur Duquosne Geo Washngtn Massachusetts y Rhode Island Perm St Rutgers x-won regular-season title y-won tiebreaker BIQ EAST x St John's ........14 2 Syracuse ..............14 Georgetown......... 11 Vtilanova ..........10 Providence ., ....... 7 ...........12 2 857 ?9 2 935 ..........11 3 786 23 5 821 ..........10 4 714 26 4 867 .......... 7 7 500 18 9 667 .......... 7 7 500 18 11 621 ...... 6 8 429 17 12 586 .......... .3. 11 214 17 13 567 ........ 0 14 000 8 20 286 ATLANTIC 10 .........16 2 889 24 5 828 ...........15 3 833 22 9 710 ...........15 3 833 24 5 828 ..... 10 8 556 15 13 .536 ......... 9 9 500 15 14 .517 ....... 7 11 389 12 16 429 .......... 6 12 .333 9 19 321 .......... 5 13 278 9 19 321 ......... 5 13 278 12 17 .414 ...........2 16 111 8 21 276 Pittsburgh ............. 6 Boston College. ., 4 Connecticut . 3 Seton Hall .............. 3 2 5 6 9 10 12 13 13 875 875 688 625 438 .375 .250 27 4 23 4 22 6 871 .852 .786 21 12 636 15 12 556 15 12 .556 IE 13 14 12 14 13 17 481 462 433 x-won regular-season lille BIG EIGHT x Kansas ...... ... N .... 13 1 929 28 3 903 Iowa St ..... .......... 9 5 643 18 9 .667 Oklahoma ..... . .. B 5 .615 24 6 800 Nebraska...... ......... 8 6 571 18 9 667 .......... 8 6 571 21 12 636 Oklahoma St. .......... 5 8 385 14 12 .538 Kansas SI .. ....... 4 10 286 16 13 552 Colorado ...... ... 0 14 000 8 19 296 x-clinched regular-season title BIG SKY N Arizona....... . ... 9 5 643 19 8 704 Montana ......... ...... 9 5 .643 19 9 679 x Idaho St......... ... 8 6 .571 15 12 556 Weber St ...... ...... 7 7 .500 17 10 630 Nevada Reno ..... .... 7 7 500 13 14 481 Boise St ..... . .. 6 8 429 12 15 444 Montana St ...... ...... 6 8 429 11 16 407 Idaho ........ ..... 4 9 308 11 17 393 x-ineHgible lor conference tournament BIO SOUTH Baptist..... . 6 1 857 18 9 667 x-N C.-Ashevill...... 4 2 667 17 8 680 x-Winthrop.......... .. 5 3 625 19 8 .704 x-Armstrng St ........ .. 5 3 625 13 9 .591 Augusta 4 4 .500 11 16 407 Radtord .. 3 4 .429 11 16 407 Campbell.......... 3 6 333 9 18 .333 x-Coasl Caroln..... .. 1 . 7 .125 8 16 333 x-Dtvision 1 eltgibtity 1986-87 BIG TEN Michigan............. . 12 4 750 25 4 .862 Indiana .............. 12 4 750 20 6 769 Michigan SI........... .11 5 688 20 6 .769 Purdue............... 10 6 625 21 8 724 Illinois . . . ....... 10 6 625 20 8 .714 Iowa ....~......... 8 8 .500 18 11 621 Ohio St........... .'. 8 8 .500 14 12 538 Minnesota ............ . 5 It .313 15 14" 517 Wisconsin ....... 3 14 176 11 16 407 Northwestern . 2 15 118 8 19 296 COLONIAL ATHLETIC x-Navy ....... Richmond .. George Mason y-N C -Wlmogtn East Carolina y-Amertcan U . Willim & Mty :. James Madisn 13 1 .929 25 4 862 ..12 2 857 23 5 821 . 10 4 714 17 10 630 6 8 429 16 12 571 . 6 8 429 12 16 .429 . 3 11 214 10 17 370 . 3 11 214 7 20 259 3 11 214 5 23 .179 x won regular-season title y-won tiebreaker x-Drexel Holslra . y-Bucknell Latayene EAST COAST 11 3 786 .9 5 .643 . 8 6 571 .. . 8 6 571 17 11 16 12 17 11 14 14 607 571 607 500 Lehigh ........ 6 8 429 y-Towson SI...... 5 9 357 Rider.......... 5 9 .357 Delaware .. 4 10 .286 x-won regular-season title y-won tiebreaker 13 15 464 8 20 286 9 19 321 11 16 407 ECAC METRO x-F Dickinson . Mansl ...... Loyola. Md. . Wagner ..... SI Francis. P . Robert Morris . Monmoth. N J St Frncs. NY Long Island U . x-clmched 12 3 800 19 7 .731 11 5 688 16 11 593 10 6 625 15 11 577 10 6 625 15 12 556 8 8 500 10 17 370 6 10 375 9 17 346 6 10 .375 9 19 321 4 11 .267 9 17 346 4 12 250 9 18 333 regular-season title ECAC NORTH ATLANTIC x-Northeastern..... 16 2 889 23 4 852 Cantsius ...... .....14 4 .778 20 7 .741 Boston U........ ......13 5 722 19 8 704 Siena ........... .....12 6 .667 20 7 .741 Niagara .......... ..... 10 8 .556 14 13 519 y-Harttord ...... . . . 10 8 .556 12 15 .444 New hampshir . ... 5 13 .278 11 16 407 Vermont . 5 13 .278 9 18 333 Maine .......... ...... 5. 13 278 7 19 269 Colgate .... ..... 0 18 .000 1 24 .040 x-clinched regular-season title y-not eligible tot conference title GULF STAR x-Sm Hstn St ...... 8 1 889 26 4 867 x-Stephen Asm ... 7 3 700 22 5 815 NW Louisiana . 7 3 .700 11 16 407 SE Louisiana ...... 3 5 375 9 17 .346 Nicholls St ........ .... 2 7 222 8 15 348 SW Texas St..... ..... 0 9 000 5 21 .192 x-Division I eligibility 1986 B7 IVY LEAGUE x-Brown ....... ..... 10 4 714 16 10 615 Pennsylvania ...... 9 5 643 15 11 .577 Cornell ......... ..... 9 5 .643 14 12 538 Princeton ......... ..... 7 7 500 13 13 .500 Yale ........... .. 7 7 500 13 13 500 Columbia ....... ....... 6 8 429 12 14 462 Dartmouth ...... 6 8 429 11 15 .423 Harvard ........ ....... 2 12 143 6 20 231 x-won regular-season title METRO ATLANTIC ATHLETIC x-Fairfi9ld..... lona ....... La Salle ..... St Peter's ... Fordham . .. Holy Cross Army ........ Manhattan- .... x-won regular-season title MID-AMERICAN 3 1 929 23 6 .793 9 5 643 14 15 483 8 6 571 14 14 .500 7 7 500 16 12 .571 7 7 .500 13 17 433 6 8 429 12 17 414 5 9 .357 9 18 .333 1 13 .071 2 26 071 x-Miami, Ohio......... 16 2 889 23 5 .821 Ohio U ............. . 14 4 .778 21 6 778 Ball Si......... .... 11 7 .611 18 9 .667 No Illinois......... ... 10 8 .556 15 11 .577 Toledo.......... 8 10 .444 11 16 .407 W Michigan .... ... 7 11 389 12 15 .444 Kent St...... . . 7 11 389 11 16 407 Cent Michtgn ...... 7 11 389 11 16 .407 E Michigan ....... ... 5 13 278 9 18 .333 Bowling Green....... .... 5 13 278 7 20 .259 x-clinched regular season title MORE MID-CONTINENT x-Cleveland St.. . 13 1 .929 24 3 889 SW Missor St....... . 10 4 .714 21 6 778 Z Illinois ........... 8 6 571 18 11 .621 W Illinois............ .... 7 7 .500 13 14 .481 Ill -Chicago ........ .. 7 7 500 12 15 444 Valparaiso ......... 5 9 .357 9 18 333 N. Iowa ........... ... 3 11 .214 9 17 .346 Wis -Green By..... 3 11 .214 5 22 .185 x-clinched regular-season title MISSOURI VALLEY x-Bradley Tulsa ..... Drake ..... Illinois St Wichita St. Creighlon ... Indiana St . West Texas SI.. So. Illinois .. 6 0 1.000 29 1 967 0 6 625 20 8 714 0 6 .625 18 9 .667 9 7 563 14 13 .519 7 9 .438 14 13 519 7 9 .438 12 15 .444 5 11 .313 11 16 407 4 12 .250 10 17 .370 4 12 250 8 20 286 x-clinched regular-season title PACIFIC COAST ATHLETIC x Nev-Las Vgs Cai-lrvtne .... New Mexic St. San Jose St . Fresno St ......... Fullerlon St........ Utah St ........ Cal Santa Barb Long Bech St..... x-ciinched reoular-season lille 16 2 889 28 4 .875 12 6 667 16 11 593 10 8 .556 16 11 593 9 9 500 16 11 593 9 9 500 16 13 552 8 10 .444 15 14 517 8 10 444 15 15 .500 8 10 .444 12 15 444 .7 11 389 12 15 444 3 15 .167 " 77 22 .241 MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC x-N Car A&T ...........12 2 .857 20 7 .741 Howard ...........11 3 .786 18 9 .667 Morgan St ........... 7 6 538 7 19 .269 Delaware St ........... 7 7 500 11 16 .407 Coppin St. ........... 7 7 500 10 17 .370 ..'......... 5 9 357 10 17 .370 Bethune-Ckmn .......4 10 286 6 21 .222 Md East Shor, ........... 2 11 154 . 3 23 115 MIDWESTERN COLLEGIATE x-Xavier, Ohio ..........10 2 833 24 4 857 St Louis ........... 8 4 .667 18 11 .621 Deiroit . ........... 7 5 .583 14 15 .483 Loyola. Ill . .......... 7 5 583 13 16 448 Otal Roberts . .......... 5 7 417 10 18 .357 Evansville .......... 3 9 250 8 19 296 Bullet...... 2 10 .167 9 19 .321 x-won regular-season title PACIFIC-10 Arizona . .. ...........13 3 813 22 7 759 Washington ......... 12 4 .750 18 10 .643 Calrlornia . ........... 9 6 600 17 8 680 UCLA ...... ........... 8 7 .533 14 11 .560 Oregon St. .. ........... 8 7 533 12 12 .500 Stanford ........... a 8 .500 14 14 500 Arizona St .....7 10 412 13 14 .481 Washington St. .......... 6 10 .375 13 16 448 Southern Cal . .....4 12 250 10 16 .385 Oregon ...... ...... 4 12 250 9 17 346 x-Tn -Chattang . y-Davidson Marshall Appalachin SI . y-W Carolina East Tennesse y-VMI ....... Furman ...... Citadel...... SOUTHERN 12 4 .750 21 8 724 10 6 625 19 10 655 10 6 625 19 11 633 9 7 563 17 12 586 8 B .500 14 14 500 8 8 .500 13 16 448 5 11 313 11 17 393 5 11 313 10 17 .370 5 11 313 10 18 .357 9 3 .750 18 9 667 8 4 .667 18 9 .667 7 5 583 17 10 630 6 6 500 15 12 556 6 6 500 18 10 .643 4 8 .333 10 17 370 2 10 167 12 17 .414 x-won regular-season title y-won tiebreaker SOUTHLAr x-NE Louisian...... McNeese St..... Arkansas St ..... y-Louisran Tch . Lamar............ North Texs St . Texas-Arlirvgtn x-won regular season title y-won tiebreaker SOUTHWEST Texas Texas Chrislin Texas A4M So Methodist Texas Tech Houston Arkansas Baylor ...... Rice........ Soulhem U . Alcorn SI Miss Valley .. Jackson St Texas Soutbrn Gramoling Alabama Si Prairie View x-Ark -L. Rock Samtord y-Houston Bpt Hardm-Smmns y-Mercer Ga Southern Centenary Georgia SI z- Stetson y-won tiebreaker z-ineligible for title in 1985-86 WEST COAST ATHLETIC .......12 3 800 17 9 654 ......12 4 750 20 7 .741 . 12 4 750 18 10 643 .....10 6 625 16 9 667 ...... 8 7 533 13 13 500 ...... 8 8 500 14 13 519 4 12 250 12 15 444 3 13 188 11 16 407 14 125 9 18 333 SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC 11 3 786 19 7 731 ........ 11 3 786 15 12 556 .........10 4 714 17 9 654 9 5 .643 13 14 481 .......6 8 .429 9 17 346 4 10 286 14 11 560 ....... 4 10 286 1 1 16 407 1 13 071 2 24 077 TRANS AMERICA .......... 12 2 857 20 10 667 ..... B 6 571 16 12 571 7 7 500 14 14 500 7 7 500 15 13 536 6 8 429 15 13 536 ....... 6 8 429 15 13 536 ..... 6 8 429 12 16 429 .'<'.'. 4 10 267 10 18 357 9 18 333 x-Pepperdine .. ..... 12 1 923 24 4 857 Loyola Calif . . ....... 10 3 769 18 9 667 San Diego ......... 8 5 615 18 9 667 Gonzaga ...... .....7 6 538 14 13 519 Santa Clara .......... 6 7 462 11 16 .407 Portland...... .......... 4 9 308 13 14 481 St Mary's ____-.:., 3 10 231 10 16 385 San Francisco ......2 11 154 7 20 .259 x won regular-season title WESTERN ATHLETIC x-Wyoming . ........ 12 4 .750 18 10 643 Texas-El Paso .....12 4 750 24 5 828 Utah......... ........12 4 .750 20 8 714 Brigbam Yong ...... 11 5 688 16 12 571 New Mexico ....... 8 8 500 16 12 .571 San Diego St. ..... 7 9 .438 9 18 333 Colorado St ..... 6 10 375 11 17 393 Air Force ... .. . 3 13 188 g 18 333 Hawaii..... 1 15 063 4 23 148 :-won regular season Mlp INDPENDENTS Notre Dame Chicago Si E. Washington Pan American Marquette New Orleans Dayton DePaul..... SW Louisiana Miami, Fla. . Tennessee St. Utica..... Florida A&M .. U S Internatnl Brooklyn ., . Cenl. Florida . Texas-San Antn.o 21 5 808 21 6 7 78 20 8 714 19 a 704 17 9 654 16 10 625 17 11 607 15 12 556 15 12 556 14 12 538 14 14 500 14 14 500 12 16 429 8 19 296 8 21 27b 6 20 231 6 24 200 UK Moves Up To No. 3, Eyes SEC Tourney Title Wow! What a weekend. Who would've believed the Kentucky Wildcats would be standing on the threshold of a top four national ranking by March 1? That's exactly the situation Eddie Sutton and his Wildcats are facing as they enter play this week in the Southeastern Conference Basketball Tournament here at Rupp Arena. The question must be asked. Is this a fairy tale season for UK? Has Kentucky discovered Cinderella's slipper? Kentucky has defied the odds all season long. First, it was a coaching change as Sutton replaced Joe B. Hall. Most predicted a season of adjustment. Perhaps a 20-win season could be salvaged, but it would take longer for Sutton's true skills to surface. Just didn't happen that way folks. My goodness, there were wins over Indiana and Louisville as well as the championship of the UKIT in December. Only a 16-point loss at Kansas prevented a perfect start. While December was a marked achievement in anyone's book, the best had not yet arrived. Sutton's Cats fashioned a brilliant 17-1 SEC mark, only the second time since 1970 that a SEC team compiled such a flashy mark. Along the way, UK polished off foes previous Wildcat teams only dreamed of beating. Like ALabama in Tuscaloosa, LSU in Baton Rogue, and heaven forbid, Tennessee in Knoxville. Now comes the SEC Tournament in, of all places, Lexington. Made to the order, you might say. If SEC opponents were able to win only one game in eighteen during the regular season (and that was in Auburn), just how are the Cats going to be beaten in friendly Rupp Arena where the Cats consistenly win over 92 percent of their games each season With Kentucky's victory over LSU Saturday, the Cats should move up again in the na tional polls. Coupled with Georgia Tech's upset loss to Illinois and North Carolina's defeat at the hands of Duke, Kentucky should be ranked No. 3 nationally this week. That's very important since this week's poll will be the last before the NCAA Tournament selection committee makes its decisions this weekend. Just how high will the NCAA Committee rank UK this coming Sunday? That's the big gest question of all. That's hard to say, but there is evidence to support certain theories under certain conditions. Such as UK winning the SEC Tournament. If that happens, Kentucky will be a lock (par don the pun, Rob) for a top regional seed, either in the Southeast or the West. Based on the fact that UK should be rank ed in the top four in this week's poll, the Cats would only solidify their position by winning the conference tournament. Where the NCAA Committee would place them is another matter. Other considerations are given beside the wire services' polls Strength of schedule is considered as well as how well a team plays on the road versus neutral sites and home games. UK's only three losses came on the road Kansas. Auburn and N. C State. In a way, all three losses are almost a plus. Kansas most likely will be ranked No. 2 again this week. Both Auburn and N. C State have been casual members of the Top 20 this season. Only Kansas beat UK decisively and that was early in the season when the team was still adjusting to its now coach. On the plus side is the 26-3 record, including an unbelievable 8-1 mark on the road in the SEC. Wins over Louisville and Kansas, despite being at home, are big pluses. A win over NCAA-bound Pepperdine, which has gone unnoticed by many people, is another plus. The minuses. Kentucky's schedule, by way of strength, is not ranked among the nation's top fifty by the NCAA. There are two reasons. One is that too many cream puffs dotted the December card. We'll get into that a little deeper later on. The other reason is because the higher you're ranked, the tougher it is to get credit for playing a tough schedule. For example, if you're ranked No. 1 in the country, then every school which plays you gets credit for playing the nation's top-ranked team. On the other hand, every team you play is ranked below you. so you're suddenly not playing a level of compeition equal to your rating. What really hurt UK's strength of schedule were early games against Northwestern State of Louisiana. Chaminade. Hawaii and VMI. Other contests were against Cincinnati and East Carolina, but they weren't all that damaging. Now, don't get me wrong. The schedule is the kind of opposition that UK should be competing against, but it could cost UK a No. 1 regional seed in the end. It shouldn't but, if the committee should want to play checkers with the Cats, the NCAA will certainly use the schedule as a means of justifying an all-expenses paid around-the-world trip. Where will the Wildcats go? You can forget the East Regional. It'll be loaded with the likes of ACC people and the city slickers from the Big East. And you don't have to worry about going back to Dayton, Ohio for the Midwest. Kansas has the number one spot there. The only way UK could wind up in the Midwest is for Kentucky not to be ranked among the top four by the NCAA. That leaves the traditional homeground of the Southeast Regional and the West Regional. First, the Southeast. Sub-regionals are in Baton Rouge, La and Charlotte, North Carolina. Regional semifinals and finals will be held at the Omni in Atlanta. This is the natural if UK rated among the top four. Duke, ranked No. 1 would go East, Kansas at No. 2 would go Midwest, Kentucky third would go Southeast and either Georgia Tech or North Carolina (whichever would be No. 4) would go West. Sounds good, but there are those who claim that North Carolina will go no farther West than the stateline for the first round (one of the East sub regionals is also played in the state of North Carolina). The West Regional has been kind to teams east of the Mississippi River before. Remember North Carolina State won the NCAA title by going the West route. Georgetown turned the same trick in 1984. The West has been known to be the weakest among the four regions in the past. Some teams actually want to be sent West. Eddie Sutton isn't talking about where he would like to go. He maintains his only concern right now is winning the SEC Tournament this week at Rupp Arena. But he couldn't be faulted for keeping a watchful eye on the meetings out in Kansas City this weekeend. Another factor to be considered is the role of Georgia Tech which may have severely damaged its own chances of staying home at the Omni when the Rambling Wreck lost a home game to Illinois Saturday. In fact, Tech made sure it didn't jeopardize its chance of playing at home by virtue of an unwritten NCAA policy this past season. The NCAA selection committee decreed about a year ago that no school could play a regional semi-final or championship game in an arena where the school had played more than half its regular season home games. Tech played six games of its 13 home games at the Omni this season. Because of the upset at the hands of Illinois. Because Kentucky has rapidly moved up the ladder and because the Cats are champions of the SEC, which is a part of the Southeast Region. Tech's chances of staying at home as a No. 1 seed have been seriously damaged. Still, Tech could stay as a No. 2 team. Or the NCAA could still seat Tech No. 1 (if Tech should be impressive in the ACC Tourney this week or if UK should get upset early) and send Kentucky to the weaker West Regional as the No. 1 seed where the stiffest regional competition would come from a team UK upset in last year's tourneyUNLV. Back to the SEC Tournament. As always, it should be a dandy. Thursday's quarter-final action should be as exciting basketball as anyone will ever want to see. That afternoon session will have Alabama going against Georgia and LSU taking on Florida. If that's not enough, then how about Auburn battling the winner of the Vanderbilt-Mississippi State game and Kentucky meeting the winner of the Tennessee-Ole Miss contest later that evening? What makes the Thursday's afternoon action so exciting is the fact that both winners will have a second chance to qualify for an at-large NCAA bid while the losers can head home and wait for the NIT folks to call. Both Alabama and LSU would appear to have an automatic NCAA bid already wrapped up. but losses in the first round could leave some committee members wondering if they really deserve such an invitation. And we must not forget that LSU has lost five consecutive SEC Tournament games and hasn't won a tourney game since the opening round of the 1981 tourney. Florida will be no piece of cake for anyone, especially Dale Brown and LSU. Now, our fearless picks. But first we must remind you that it was this space which predicted at this time exactly one year ago that the Auburn Tigers would become the seventh team in seven years to win the SEC Tournament. There were those who snickered or laughed at our suggestion, that a seventh place team could win the SEC title with a lame duck coach. Ole Sonny proved a lot of folks wrong. And just think, had Sonny not won the tourney, he probably wouldn't be coaching Auburn today. And his replacement could have been a fellow by the name of Eddie Sutton. Just thought you Kentucky folks might want to think about that one for a while. Sonny, a few Kentucky fens might come up and shake your hand during your stay in Lexington. Just thought you might want to know why. Back to the predictions. There won't be an eighth different champion in eight years. Mind you. Florida will give it the ole college try, but the Gators just won't have enough firepower. Our crystal ball sees Vanderbilt sending Bob Boyd into retirement and Ole Miss perhaps shipping Don DeVoe north of the Mason-Dixon line, as in Columbus, Ohio. Thursday, we like Alabama turning back Georgia in perhaps the finest game of the entire tournament. And the second best game could be the other half of the afternoon doubleheader when Florida will slip by LSU in another down to the wire event. Auburn should romp over Vanderbilt although the Commodores are too smart to get beat badly while Kentucky will have a tougher time against Ole Miss and should prevail by six or eight. Semi-finals should pit 'Bama against Auburn and Kentucky taking on Florida. Alabama and Auburn have split this season so this one will be bragging rights for the entire summer. Chuck Person has been on a tear lately and while Buck Johnson is a true All-American, Derrick McKey and Terry Coner are no match for Jeff Moore, Chris Moore, Frank Ford and Gerald White. Auburn by six. Last season, Florida defeated UK two of three times and there was quite a roar from the Gator basketball diehards when the NCAA chose Kentucky for the NCAA tourney instead of the Gators. Norm Sloan has brought his Gators a long way this season and Florida could beat the Cats on a given night, but Florida has come up empty twice already this year and this one will be three in a row for UK. Kentucky by six. ChampionshipAuburn versus Kentucky. [Continued On Page 36] Finish 17-1 In SEC 'Cats End Season By Beating Tigers, 68-57 Kentucky wrapped up its regular season in grand style with a 68-57 win against visiting LSU before 23.610 Wildcat partisans and a national-televised audience. The victory capped an unblievable season 26-3 and 17-1 overall. ""I don't think anyone before the season began, in their wildest dreams, would have thought we would have gone through the regular season with a 26-3 record, and a 17-1 record in conference play," Sutton told the media afterwards. "When you go 17-1 in this great conference, you've not only had to be pretty good but also had some good breaks go your way. We've been very fortunate not having any injuries like some of the other ballclubs have had." Only UK in 1970 and LSU in 1981 recorded 17-1 slates since the 18-game round robin schedule was organized. Thursday at 9 p.m. Kentucky, the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tourney, will face the winner of Wednesday's Mississippi-Tennessee contest. On the other hand, LSU, 21-10, will play Florida Thursday. Kenny Walker's 17 points led the way, but it was Winston Bennett who greatly contributed to a crucial 15-4 Wildcat run to start the second half. The junior scored eight of his 12 points in the first 2:53. Clawing back mainly on the strength of Anthony Wilson's downtown jumpers, the Tigers pulled withing 54-50 with 8:28 left. Wilson tossed in 15 of his game-high 21 points in the second half. However, James Blackmon hit two timely jumpers, the second over 6-foot-8 John Williams, to push the lead to eight, 58-50. After a layin by Bennett, referee Paul Galvin helped the Wildcats increase the margin to 12. He accidently got in way of a stray ball as Bennett picked it up near mid-court and dished off to Blackmon. It was the second time in the game that an official had kept the ball from going out of bounds. -And, both times UK converted. Blackmon in turned smoothly canned an 18-footer. UK led 62-50 with 6:04 remaining. Despite Turnovers, Poor Rebounding 'Cats Too Powerful Commiting eight turnovers in each half and only grabbing seven rebounds in the final 20 minutes, Kentucky could have been upset. It wasn't meant to be. "For some reason it seems like we've been kind of snakebit this year," said Dale Brown as he reflected on the season. "This is another one of the long line of problems we've had. I've got to believe that this will eventually wear out and some breaks will go our way." Snakebit is right. From the Tito Horford ordeal to Nikita Wilson's academic problems to the chicken pox of two Tiger players, it's been a season of 'what's going to happen next.' Surely nothing else could happen? Wanna bet. Don Redden, who scored 26 points in LSU last outing, was kneed in the hip by Jose Vargas during warmups. Redden did play 16 minutes, but was not effective. "We played him too long," Brown said. "They scored four transition baskets that probably wouldn't have happened had we not played him. We wanted to take a look at him because we needed him, particularly coming off the 26-point game he had." "It was just one of the cards dealt to us and you've got to suck it up. Unfortunately it came at a bad time because Don's been playing well." Still, LSU has more than 20 victories which should qualify Brown's club for the upcoming NCAA tournament. Brown said for now he would take a "rain check" on the invitation and concentrate on the SEC tournament, which the winner gets an automatic bid. For a while it looked like LSU might spoil the party thrown for Walker and friends. Midway through the second half Robert Lock excited the crowd at both ends of the court. He banked one home from close into widen the Wildcat advantage, 50-42. Derrick Taylor then arched a shot which was rejected by the 6-10 reserve. On UK's next series Lock increased the lead to 10 with a six-foot turnaround. Lock's spurt turned on an already excited crowd. But, Wilson quited things immensely with an 18- and 19-footer followed by a layup. LSU, with 8:51 left, was now back in striking distance, 52-48. Ricky Blanton's follow-up goal, in which the Tigers had four offensive attempts in one series, pulled LSU to within four, 54-50. Walker's turnaround with 1:45 left ended a 10-5 Wildcat run and all but ended the Tigers' chances. Kentucky's second-half shooting was the diffenence. While hitting on a medicore 44.4 percent in the first half, the home team connected on 17 of 24 for a blistering 70.8 percent. In the second stanza from the field the stats read like this: Bennett, 5 of 6; Blackmon, 4 of 6; Roger Harden 2 of 3; Walker, 2 of 4; Lock, 2 of 2; Ed Davender 1 of 2; and Todd Ziegler, 1 of 1. Lock seems to be getting himself in 'tournament' condition. Playing more consistent of late, he scored eight points (3 of 3 from the field) and had two blocked shots in 16 minutes of work. LSU also warmed the nets in the final 20 minutes, connecting on on 30.3 percent from the floor. The Tigers burned the twine on 16 of 26 for 61.5 percent. Brown's club dominated the boards (33 to 25), including 18 to 9 on the offensive end. Walker Goes To War Early Playing hard at both ends, Walker was a dominant figure in the first half. The senior forward scored 12 points grabbed five rebounds (three defense), rejected three shots, and dished out two assists. From the 2-3, box-and-one and man-to-man, LSU showed Kentucky a multitude of defenses.. It confused the Wildcats early as LSU created many turnovers underneath. It was a mishandled LSU pass, though, which resulted in a big play for the 'Cats. Harden took the ball and then flicked it behind his back to Blackmon. Blackmon then flipped it to Harden who in turn lobbed the ball near the cylinder for Walker. The 6 forward laid it in to complete the 3-on-l break giving UK a 11-5 lead. ten J Later in the half Walker was stripped of the ball underneath and Williams took an alley-oop pass from Derick Taylor. The sophomore sensation slammed it through, which caused a hushed silence in the air. The basket pulled LSU within 15-11. But, a Bennett offensive board resulting in a Walker field goal helped increase the lead, following a Davender 18-footer. It was Harden's basket which pushed the lead to 21-13. The all-time single assist leader drilled a jumper from top of the key at the same time Vargas was whistled for pushing Lock. Harden's basket was ruled good and Lock stepped to the line. Lock canned one of two attempts as the lead was now 22-13. Williams' two free throws late in the half pulled his team within five, 26-21. UK. meanwhile, outscored the Tigers 4-3 in the final 3:10. Three Tigers Wilson, Taylor and Williams each had six points in the first 20 minutes to lead their squad. The Seniors' Tribute For UK'