John Calipari downplayed the importance of winning the SEC tournament. I doubt the players felt the same way.The Cats never quit as they came back several times to beat Mississippi State 75-74 in overtime. John Wall was amazing as he hit the desperation 3 in overtime to put the game almost out of reach. His partner in crime(not the UT type), DeMarcus Cousins, had the unbelievable put back at the end of regulation and the huge freethrow to put the nail in the coffin. I have never walked around my house and jumped and screamed at the television in a long time as I did today. It had me crying, angry, and so excited I hit my head on the ceiling fan!!! You have to love this team’s determination and mind set going into the tournament. This is a great time of year. Lets look at the boxscore:
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
[TABLE=”class: tablehead, width: 100%”]
[TR=”class: stathead”]
[TD=”colspan: 13″]MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: colhead”]
[TD=”align: left”]STARTERS
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 5%”]MIN
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]FGM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]3PM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]FTM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]OREB
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]REB
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]AST
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]STL
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]BLK
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]TO
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]PF
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]PTS
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: oddrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=32037″][COLOR=#000000]Jarvis Varnado[/COLOR][/URL], F
[/TD]
[TD]40
[/TD]
[TD]8-13
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD]2-4
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]4
[/TD]
[TD]9
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]5
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]4
[/TD]
[TD]18
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: evenrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=36192″][COLOR=#000000]Kodi Augustus[/COLOR][/URL], F
[/TD]
[TD]18
[/TD]
[TD]1-5
[/TD]
[TD]0-2
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]1
[/TD]
[TD]4
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]3
[/TD]
[TD]4
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: oddrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=32035″][COLOR=#000000]Barry Stewart[/COLOR][/URL], G
[/TD]
[TD]32
[/TD]
[TD]3-9
[/TD]
[TD]3-6
[/TD]
[TD]2-2
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]1
[/TD]
[TD]10
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]5
[/TD]
[TD]11
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: evenrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=36197″][COLOR=#000000]Ravern Johnson[/COLOR][/URL], G
[/TD]
[TD]38
[/TD]
[TD]8-15
[/TD]
[TD]4-8
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]1
[/TD]
[TD]3
[/TD]
[TD]3
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]20
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: oddrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=41832″][COLOR=#000000]Dee Bost[/COLOR][/URL], G
[/TD]
[TD]40
[/TD]
[TD]6-15
[/TD]
[TD]2-6
[/TD]
[TD]2-5
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]3
[/TD]
[TD]6
[/TD]
[TD]5
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]3
[/TD]
[TD]3
[/TD]
[TD]16
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: colhead”]
[TD=”align: left”]BENCH
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 5%”]MIN
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]FGM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]3PM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]FTM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]OREB
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]REB
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]AST
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]STL
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]BLK
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]TO
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]PF
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]PTS
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: evenrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=32036″][COLOR=#000000]Phil Turner[/COLOR][/URL], G
[/TD]
[TD]30
[/TD]
[TD]1-6
[/TD]
[TD]0-2
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]2
[/TD]
[TD]4
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: oddrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=36194″][COLOR=#000000]Riley Benock[/COLOR][/URL], G
[/TD]
[TD]18
[/TD]
[TD]2-4
[/TD]
[TD]1-3
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]0
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]5
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: evenrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=41835″][COLOR=#000000]Romero Osby[/COLOR][/URL], F
[/TD]
[TD]7
[/TD]
[TD]0-1
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: oddrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=46225″][COLOR=#000000]Wendell Lewis[/COLOR][/URL], C
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]0-1
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: colhead”]
[TD=”align: left”]TOTALS
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 5%”][/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]FGM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]3PM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]FTM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]OREB
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]REB
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]AST
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]STL
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]BLK
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]TO
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]PF
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]PTS
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: evenrow bi”]
[TD=”colspan: 2″][/TD]
[TD]29-69
[/TD]
[TD]10-27
[/TD]
[TD]6-11
[/TD]
[TD]12
[/TD]
[TD]38
[/TD]
[TD]13
[/TD]
[TD]7
[/TD]
[TD]7
[/TD]
[TD]13
[/TD]
[TD]18
[/TD]
[TD]74
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”bgcolor: #ffffff”]
[TD=”colspan: 2″][/TD]
[TD]42.0%
[/TD]
[TD]37.0%
[/TD]
[TD]54.5%
[/TD]
[TD=”colspan: 8″][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: stathead”]
[TD=”colspan: 13″]KENTUCKY WILDCATS
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: colhead”]
[TD=”align: left”]STARTERS
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 5%”]MIN
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]FGM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]3PM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]FTM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]OREB
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]REB
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]AST
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]STL
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]BLK
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]TO
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]PF
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]PTS
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: oddrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=36191″][COLOR=#000000]Patrick Patterson[/COLOR][/URL], F
[/TD]
[TD]38
[/TD]
[TD]6-11
[/TD]
[TD]0-2
[/TD]
[TD]3-4
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]1
[/TD]
[TD]6
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]15
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: evenrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=45882″][COLOR=#000000]DeMarcus Cousins[/COLOR][/URL], F
[/TD]
[TD]26
[/TD]
[TD]3-6
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD]4-6
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]2
[/TD]
[TD]10
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]3
[/TD]
[TD]4
[/TD]
[TD]10
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: oddrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=41836″][COLOR=#000000]Darius Miller[/COLOR][/URL], G
[/TD]
[TD]13
[/TD]
[TD]0-2
[/TD]
[TD]0-1
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]0
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: evenrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=45881″][COLOR=#000000]Eric Bledsoe[/COLOR][/URL], G
[/TD]
[TD]43
[/TD]
[TD]7-12
[/TD]
[TD]2-4
[/TD]
[TD]2-5
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]0
[/TD]
[TD]3
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]3
[/TD]
[TD]18
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: oddrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=45885″][COLOR=#000000]John Wall[/COLOR][/URL], G
[/TD]
[TD]40
[/TD]
[TD]5-15
[/TD]
[TD]1-4
[/TD]
[TD]6-9
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]3
[/TD]
[TD]6
[/TD]
[TD]9
[/TD]
[TD]5
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]4
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]17
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: colhead”]
[TD=”align: left”]BENCH
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 5%”]MIN
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]FGM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]3PM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]FTM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]OREB
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]REB
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]AST
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]STL
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]BLK
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]TO
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]PF
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]PTS
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: evenrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=31685″][COLOR=#000000]Perry Stevenson[/COLOR][/URL], F
[/TD]
[TD]7
[/TD]
[TD]1-1
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]0
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: oddrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=35582″][COLOR=#000000]Ramon Harris[/COLOR][/URL], G-F
[/TD]
[TD]6
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: evenrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=36576″][COLOR=#000000]Darnell Dodson[/COLOR][/URL], G
[/TD]
[TD]28
[/TD]
[TD]1-7
[/TD]
[TD]1-5
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]0
[/TD]
[TD]5
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]3
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: oddrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=41837″][COLOR=#000000]DeAndre Liggins[/COLOR][/URL], G
[/TD]
[TD]7
[/TD]
[TD]2-4
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]4
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: evenrow”]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=45884″][COLOR=#000000]Daniel Orton[/COLOR][/URL], F
[/TD]
[TD]17
[/TD]
[TD]3-3
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD]0-0
[/TD]
[TD=”align: right”]1
[/TD]
[TD]2
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]1
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]0
[/TD]
[TD]6
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: colhead”]
[TD=”align: left”]TOTALS
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 5%”][/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]FGM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]3PM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 7%”]FTM-A
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]OREB
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]REB
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]AST
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]STL
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]BLK
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]TO
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]PF
[/TD]
[TD=”width: 6%”]PTS
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: evenrow bi”]
[TD=”colspan: 2″][/TD]
[TD]28-61
[/TD]
[TD]4-16
[/TD]
[TD]15-24
[/TD]
[TD]7
[/TD]
[TD]34
[/TD]
[TD]16
[/TD]
[TD]11
[/TD]
[TD]6
[/TD]
[TD]9
[/TD]
[TD]14
[/TD]
[TD]75
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”bgcolor: #ffffff”]
[TD=”colspan: 2″][/TD]
[TD]45.9%
[/TD]
[TD]25.0%
[/TD]
[TD]62.5%
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[LIST]
[*]John Wall’s line says it all. 17 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, 5 steals, and only 4 turnovers in 40 minutes. Wall is unreal.
[*]Eric Bledsoe had 18 points, and it seemed like most of them were huge baskets. The cream comes to the top when it is gametime, and Bledsoe rose to the occasion in the 2nd half and overtime. Kentucky has the best guard combo in the nation right now.
[*]Patrick Patterson is so solid. He was nasty throughout defensively has he had a huge block on Varnardo late in the overtime. Mr. Dependable has been his job, and he keeps coming through when the Cats need it the most.
[*]DeMarcus Cousins is amaziing. He is by far the best big man in the Nation. I will buy his jersey when he gets in the NBA. I hate the NBA, but I love Boogie!!
[*]Daniel Orton played some good physical minutes and he also had 6 points on a perfect 3-3 shooting. Someone has lit a fire in Orton, and his peronality has been flowing out of him the last couple of games. I look for more minutes from Orton, especially early in the tournament.
[/LIST]This was one of the best, hotly contested games I have seen in a while. I knew the Cats could win late even though it looked bleak of that happening. They just have so much talent, quickness, and the ability to do things at a much faster pace then their opponents. This team, if they could be consistent from the perimeter, could run through the tournament. They could also get beat in the Sweet 16. They have to shoot the 3 with consistency. I can’t wait to see who we draw! Go Cats! SEC Champs!!
