The University of Kentucky Wildcats play host to the University of Arkansas Razorbacks in Rupp Arena. The Cats are 13-6 with a 3-2 SEC record. Arkansas is 14-5 and they bring a 3-3 SEC record with them to Lexington, KY. The Cats lead the series 19-7 and are 8-2 at Rupp Arena.
My best guess is that Tubby Smith will once again start Central City native Patrick Sparks at point guard. Currently, there is a three-way tie for 2nd in the SEC East between the Cats, Florida and Vanderbilt (as of when I checked the standings). Both Patrick Sparks and Ravi Moss are shooting close to 50% in conference play from beyond the arc. Moss has had a 3 pointer in seven straight games now. Tubby is 11-9 against the Razorbacks and is 9-3 since coming to UK. This will be the 297th game for Tubby Smith from the Wildcat's bench. Patrick Sparks has started in 100 straight games and today's game will move him to 101 straight games. Over the past four seasons, the Cats are 100-21. They will move still be in third after tomorrow's game since Duke won yesterday. The Cats have played 594 consecutive games with at least 1 three-pointer.
CBS airs the game on TV at 1 PM while the Big Blue Sports Network will take care of coverage on the radio with pregame coverage starting at 11:30. It's 11:30 AM and that means it is time for the Texas Roadhouse Countdown to Tip-Off Show with Dave Baker and Oscar Combs.
It's going to be key to keep Randolph Morris out of foul trouble. Oscar says we need to win by 15-20 points, and not in the final two minutes. Morris has to get some rebounds. One caller doesn't think we have chemistry and doesn't like the way that Tubby substitutes. He must be in the LOD. Oscar thinks that a loss will hurt NCAA chances and Oscar ripped the caller on team chemistry. Dave and Oscar laugh off rumors about Bobby Perry going pro and the Cats joining the Conference USA. In alumni news, Chuck Hayes' contract with the Houston Rockets has been extended for the rest of the season.
Tom Leach now speaks to Tubby Smith. They are talking about last Thursday's historic win over Tennessee. We are playing harder and smarter. It looks like we may be having a match-up problem with the size of their players. This will be a challenging game given the height of the Arkansas team. The Cats have to play with confidence. It looks like Sparks is defintely playing at the point again. Tom Leach believes Arkansas is a lot like the Kansas team we played against pre-Morris. The Runts-esque lineup will not work given the height disadvantage. Morris has to stay out of foul trouble as we need the height. Since Randolph has come back, he has played very great offensively. But once he gets in foul trouble, the Cats get screwed.
Mike Pratt's State Farm Insurance Keys to the Game:
-Trips downcourt without a foul for Morris.
-Attack a shot-blocking team
-Get Crawford to draw the fouls.
-Bring an A game defensively.
That ends the pregame show. Tom Leach and Mike Pratt are now taking over. The Wildcats have won 5 straight now against Arkansas. The Cats cannot afford to lose from here on out. After today, only ten games remain before the SEC Tournament. The sounds of "Bittersweet Symphony" and "Right Here, Right Now" can only mean one thing, it's time to meet the starting lineups.
CBS Commentators: Kevin Harlan, Clark Kellogg
Big Blue Sports Network: Tom Leach, Mike Pratt, Dave Baker, Oscar Combs
Starters:
Kentucky
F - Bobby Perry
C - Randolph Morris
G - Joe Crawford
G - Rajon Rondo
G - Patrick Sparks
Arkansas
F - Darian Townes
C - Steven Hill
G - Dontell Jefferson
G - Jonathon Modica
G - Ronnie Brewer
First Half Score Reports
Ark controls the tip. Perry rebound. Morris misses 2. Ark turnover. Morris rebound. Perry loses it. Cats ball. Morris for 2! Rondo steals but gets his layup blocked. UK turnover. That makes 2. Crawford misses 3. Rondo steals and gets fouled.
15:18 (TV Timeout) UK 2, Arkansas 5
The Cats have gotten off to a weak start but have kept Arkansas scoring low. Morris throws it away. Sparks to the bench. Ramel Bradley in. Crawford picks up a foul. Moss in for Joe. Moss with a bad shot. Thomas in for Perry. Bad turnover. Down 9-2. Tubby calls time and it's much needed.
13:11 (UK Timeout) UK 2, Arkansas 9
Woo in for Morris. Pathetic. Moss for 2! Moss misses 3. Bradley rebound and Ark fouls over the back.
11:41 (TV Timeout) UK 4, Arkansas 13
The Cats need a big run now and need to play smart defense and offense. Sparks back. Bradley misses 3. Woo is blocked. Sparks misses a layup and Moss is blocked out of bounds. This is just like UNC, Indiana, and Kansas. Perry for Thomas. Morris for Woo. Morris for 2! 18-6 Ark. Perry rebound. Perry and 2. If they can't make the outside shots, go inside. Perry misses the first one. Makes the second. Sparks misses 3 and another turnover. PATHETIC. We are shooting below 30% and 0-6 from beyond the arc. Sparks and Moss are out. Bradley for 3 and the streak continues. Bradley misses 3. Rondo rebound.
7:11 (TV timeout) UK 10, Arkansas 26
Looks like the Unpredictables showed up today. We're down 16 points. I have faith we will comeback and win but we don't have the height and therefore we have matchup problems. 25% from the field compared to 53%. Cats turnover on a charge. Joe rebound. Perry misses 3. Rondo for 2! He has to shoot and get inside. Perry rebound. Bradley for 3! Rondo assist.
5:09 (Ark Timeout) UK 15, Arkansas 28
Steal! Oops, it went out of bounds. Goaltending. Moss in, Morris out.
4:26 (UK Timeout) UK 15, Arkansas 30
The Cats are starting to make somewhat of a run in the past few minutes. Bradley misses 3. Foul on Rondo.
3:57 (TV Timeout) UK 15, Arkansas 30
The Cats are 2/11 from beyond the arc. Not good the least bit. Morris with 2. Sparks and Thomas back in. Arkansas walks. Rondo misses. Rondo loses it and gets fouled. Morris with the jumper. Travel! 33-19 Ark. The crowd is in the game now. Bradley in for Rondo. Morris is fouled before the shot. Misses. Cats ball. Thomas for 2! 6-0 run. Morris rebound!! Morris misses 2. Sparks to Morris for 2.
HALFTIME
UK 23, Arkansas 35
Arkansas is 13-1 when leading at the half but the Cats should be able to mount a comeback after the run they went on in the last 5 minutes of the game. At this rate, I'm sure that New Hampshire State Rep. Peter Sullivan must be happy. The Wildcats were 39% in the first half. In the paint, they were outscored 16-12. Morris has to get the ball in the second half. Morris did not foul at all in the first half. The Cats have to defend the perimeter.
Second Half Score Reports
Two turnovers so far. Morris goes to the line. Sparks in. Cats turnover but Rondo steals it back. Rondo misses 3. Rondo passes to Perry and he scores 2. Sparks for 2. 40-27. Sparks rebound. Morris misses 2. Rondo steals. Sparks to Moss for 3. 40-30. Fans on their feet. Charge on Jefferson. That's his 3rd. Crawford in. Morris out. Thomas in. Rondo steals. Sparks to Crawford for 3.
15:59 (Arkansas Timeout) UK 33, Arkansas 40
After struggling the first two minutes of the second half, the Cats have started a run and are down by 7. Ashley Judd in the house! The Cats have had 8 points off turnovers and that's where UK has played better. Joe misses 3. Patrick steals and shoots 3. 42-36 Ark! 15:06 remaining
15:06 (TV Timeout) UK 36, Arkansas 42
Mike Sutton is at the game. He's wheelchair-bound but he looks good. Cats rebound. Cats lose it to Arkansas. Rondo gets fouled on a drive. Down 8. Perry to Rondo for 2. Thomas for 3 on a pass from Sparks. Down 5. Thomas picks up a foul. Sparks lays it up. Down 6. Steal! Thomas for 2! Down 4. Thomas rebounds Sparks' missed 3. 51-47 Ark.
10:11 (TV Timeout) UK 47, Arkansas 51
UK is on a 24-12 run. They've hit 4 of 7 from beyond the arc. UK leads 59% to 42% in the second half from the field. Moss and 2. Hill has his 4th. Makes 1 of 2. UK gets the ball as Arkansas deflected out of bounds. Bradley missed 3. Lots of passing on that possession. Perry fouls on the other end. Less than 10 remaining and it's 55-48. Cats rebound. Perry makes 3! That's 7 3's in this game. 55-51. Thomas picks up his 2nd foul. Moss for 2. Down 4. Cats block and rebound. Morris back in for the Cats.
7:46 (TV Timeout) UK 53, Arkansas 57
We're heading down to the wire here. Everytime the Cats inch closer, the Razorbacks hit 3 more. The Cats MUST defend the perimeter. Morris rebound. Rondo for 2. Down 2! Fans on feet. Jefferson picks up his 4th foul! The Cats can tie this thing up! 57-55 Arkansas. Morris ties it up and the fans, including Ashley are going crazy! 57-57. Morris picks up his second foul with 6:32 remaining in the game. The tie didn't last too long but the Cats are still playing. Down 2 again. Off of Arkansas, Cats maintain possession. 32-19 run for the Cats. Sparks misses 3, Morris rebounds for 2 and gets extra shot with the foul. The Cats will take the lead with this shot. 59-59. Modica picks up his first as UK takes the lead. Cats rebound. Sparks for 2.
5:16 (Arkansas Timeout) UK 62, Arkansas 59
The Cats have played back into contention. Up by 3 with a bit over 5 minutes remaining. Sparks' assists have helped. Morris picks up his 3rd foul. He's been playing one of his best games so far this season. The lead shrinks to 2. Perry misses 3 but the Cats lose possession but, wait a minute, Ravi Moss draws the charge! Cats ball! 4:24 remaining! Morris gets blocked but Sparks gets it back with 3 seconds on the on the shotclock and calls time out.
3:52 (UK Timeout) UK 62, Arkansas 60
Hopefully, the Cats know how much is left on the clock. Pass to Morris for the dunk and 2 more. What a pass!
3:37 (TV Timeout) UK 64, Arkansas 60
Both teams in the bonus and both have 2 timeouts remaining. The Cats have been down from 16 points and are now up by 4. The Cats have outrebounded Arkansas. Airball. Moss rebound. Rondo for 2 more. Great control of the clock on that drive. UK ball. 2:37 remaining. Rondo shoots, misses, gets his rebound, and gets 2 more. Morris blocks the shot. 2:16 remaining in the game. 68-61 UK.
2:16 (Arkansas Timeout) UK 68, Arkansas 61
Sparks was forced to call a timeout.
2:09 (UK Timeout) UK 68, Arkansas 61
Two minutes remaining. Rondo drives and gets 2 more.
1:35 (Arkansas Timeout) UK 70, Arkansas 64
The Cats need to control the clock for the next 95 seconds and victory will be ours. The Cats have 1 timeout left while the Razorbacks have none. The Cats, down as many as 18, are now up by 6. Sparks misses 2. Rondo fell and picks up the foul. 1:06 remaining in the game. 70-66 UK. The Cats must maintain as much of the clock as possible and hit everything that they shoot.
1:02 (UK Timeout) UK 70, Arkansas 66
No time outs remaining and UK is one foul away from double bonus. If you are UK, you do not foul. Morris has 17 points and 7 rebounds. Rondo to Morris and 2! Morris heads to the line with exactly 1 minute remaining. The Arkansas Razorbacks must have been confused and thought it was one and one. They took the rebound and ran. Morris makes 1 of 2. Cats rbeound on the other end and they get fouled. 71-66 with 53.6 remaining in the game. The Cats have scored over 40 points this half. Morris, at the line, adds 1 more point and misses the other. Moss rebounds on the other end and gets fouled. He'll head to the line. 74-66 remaining. Brewer gets fouled on the other end. Morris has four fouls. 74-68 with 38.1 remaining in the game. Perry gets fouled by Modica. The Cats are only up by 6 and 36.2 remain in the game. He makes 1 of 2 from the line. The long pass from Sparks to Rondo and he dunks it. 77-70. 77-73 with 17.5 remaining in the game. The Cats miss both. Moss picks up the dropped ball. With 8.7 rmaining, it's 77-73 and Moss goes to the line for 2. Ravi makes the first of two free throws. Brewer makes a 3 but the Cats win it 78-76!
END OF REGULATION
KENTUCKY 78, Arkansas 76
I was right. It was the Unpredictables that showed up today. Down 18 in the first half, they came back to win it!
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