The Kentucky Wildcats were in [I]Catlanta[/I] tonight for the NCAA Tournament’s round of sixteen, taking on the Indiana Hoosiers. Being that IU was the only team who had handed these Wildcats a loss in the regular season, UK would no doubt look to make a statement in this game.
Starting five: Marquis Teague, Doron Lamb, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Terrence Jones, and Anthony Davis.
Terrence Jones opened up with a quick five points, but not from the post as the game usually starts. Terrence hit two perimeter shots, and Anthony Davis followed up with one of his own. The Hoosiers were answering though. They started by taking it to Davis, resulting in baskets and an early foul on AD. Jordan Hulls hit a three of his own to give Indiana a brief 9-7 lead before Doron Lamb tied it up.
Marquis Teague started strong, driving the lane and kicking out to the open man when he didn’t have access to the rim. Teague didn’t kick out every time though, he’s writing his resume in this tournament by getting to the rim and playing defense as much as dishing out dimes.
Anthony Davis collected his second foul and sat down with 14 minutes to go in the first half. Then, Cody Zeller collected his second foul and sat down with about 13 minutes to go in the half. Not a much better scenario than the first time they met up, but I’ll take it.
What was different from the first time these two teams met up was the way Kentucky was hitting their shots tonight, UK was three of five from long range, early.
With no interior defensive threat to keep UK honest, they put the hammer down and one after another, these Kentucky thoroughbred’s got out and ran and jammed. By just under ten to go in the first half they had stretched the lead to nine. Following a Terrence Jones signature dunk and pose, Tom Crean called a time out, scratched the butt crack on his forehead and gave the crazy eyes.
Out of the time out, Crean put Cody Zeller back in the game. Des-per-a-tion.
Perhaps in an attempt to take some of the focus of Zeller, IU Guard Will Sheehey came out of the time out running like Forrest Gump. This must have confused the Cats, because IU got back within three.
MKG, who had not been very active or successful offensively to this point, began to wake up. He poured in a couple of quick buckets. This, before Christian Watford came down for IU putting up a three to say ‘remember this?’ and tie the game.
Kentucky, who had been hot early, was struggling on the losing end of a 21-8 run and was down by four points with just under four minutes to go in the half.
Coach Calipari called a time out and slowed things down. Over the last few minutes of the half Kentucky pulled ahead, taking the ball back inside. That and a viscous block by Marquis Teague (that’s alright Anthony Davis, you relax on the bench, we got this.) UK went to the locker room up 50-47.
Asked the key to the game at half time, Cal said “How about we guard somebody.” Both teams had given up the most first half points of their entire seasons.
In the second half the Davis/Zeller show was back on. And it was apparent early, the focal point of this show was Davis as rebounds and blocks rained down. On the offensive end of floor it was Miller time. Darius poured in a quick eight points off of a couple triples and a trip to the foul line.
Though, threes from Hulls and transition lay-ins from Oladipo kept IU within single digits. For a moment it seemed like the Hoosiers were going to try and run with the Cats for a full forty minutes.
Running is what Kentucky does when they don ‘t have anything else going on though…Anything like turnovers, fouls, or early possession jumpers.
In a game that looked more deserving of an NBA logo than NCAA, Kentucky was the only team who had any business playing on that sort of court. They had hit 70 by twelve minutes to go (to Indiana’s 62) and that point the Cats looked poised and ready for another run. Not a bad strategy by Tom Crean, but not a brilliant one either.
With just over ten minutes to go, UK obtained their first double digit lead of the game. Meanwhile, IU’s players were busy stuffing the foul column of the stat line. Watford picked up his third foul seconds before Oladipo picked up his fourth.
Kentucky was relentless in finding the bucket or foul situation, and it’s only right that Michael Kidd-Gilchrist led the way in this effort. He played a James Brown, [I]It’s a Man’s World[/I] game tonight.
The game was far from over , and coming up on five minutes to go, IU had battled back to within five. Indiana seemed frantic though, as Oladipo committed his fifth foul on the last person he wanted to send to the line, Doron Lamb.
Kentucky slowed it down again under four minutes. Deliberate ball rotation and strong finishes allowed them to stretch the lead back across double digits. Kentucky wound up serving the Hoosiers retribution for Dec. 10, 2011 to the tune of 102-90.
The player of the game is Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, he had twenty four points and ten rebounds. MKG ran up the middle of Indiana’s game plan like a tailback. He was joined by four other players in double digits as Doron Lamb had twenty one points and Darius Miller poured in nineteen points from the bench (he was 6/8 from the floor and 5/5 from the stripe). Marquis Teague had fourteen points and seven assists, while Terrence Jones had twelve points and five rebounds.
The man who Rex Chapman told Jim Rome could be the greatest Wildcat ever, Anthony Davis, had nine points, twelve rebounds and three blocks.
The Wildcats move on to the round of eight on Sunday in Atlanta. They take on Baylor for a trip to New Orleans.
