The University of Kentucky Wildcats head down to Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, Mississppi, to face the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Wildcats have a 14-6 record and have a conference record of 4-2. The Bulldogs are 11-9 with a 1-6 conference record. Depending on which Wildcat team shows up, this should be a victory. The Cats lead the series 82-17 and have won nine of the last eleven meetings.
Rajon Rondo has played 53 consecutive games with making at least 1 assist. Tubby Smith is 8-1 against the Bulldogs while at UK, while 9-3 all-time in his coaching career. The projected starting lineup has led UK to a 2-0 record. Patrick Sparks has started in 100 straight games. Tonight will be his 101st straight game. The Cats have hit a three pointer in 594 consecutive games now.
The MSU team has a lot of ties with the commonwealth. Reginald Delk is the nephew of former Wildcat Tony Delk. Head Coach Rick Stansbury is a Louisville native.
JP Sports will air the game on television at 8 PM while the Big Blue Sports Network takes care of radio coverage with the Texas Roadhouse Countdown to Tip-Off Show beginning at 6:30 PM.
JP Sports Commentators: Tom Hammond
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
Mississippi State
F - Jamont Gordon
F - Charles Rhodes
G - Jamall Edmondson
G - Dietric Slater
G - Reginald Delk
First Half Score Reports
30-23 UK Lead when I got back from class. 4:25 remaining. I'll check ESPN to see what I miss. Moss just tied it up. UK BALL.
3:56 (TV Timeout) UK 30, MSU 23
Moss fouls. Thomas misses 2. Thomas fouls. Cats lead shrinks to 4. Sparks gets fouled. Rondo throws it up and gets 2. Charge on MSU! Cats ball. Rondo gets blocked. Another charge by MSU. Cats ball. Thomas with a three. MSU answers. Cats get blocked. Rondo loses it out of bounds. Rondo rebound, drives, passes to Moss to Perry for 2 and 1! Perry heads to the line and makes the 3 point play.
HALFTIME
UK 38, MSU 29
So much for ESPN...not being ranked has it's disadvantages. UK shooting 39% at the half and have hit 8 3's. Sparks and Crawford have contributed 3 a piece. Sparks has 11, Crawford 9, Rondo 7.
Second Half Score Reports
Rondo steals the inbounds pass and hits a lay-up. Charge on MSU! That's Gordon's third. Crawford hits 2. Morris fouls on the other end. Morris has 3. Sheray Thomas will replace him. Rondo turns it over with a travel. Defense fell apart. Crawford spins and misses. Defense blocks them but couldn't get the rebound. Sparks to Rondo and blocked. Defense didn't wake up.
17:20 (UK Timeout) UK 42, MSU 37
Safe to say that with Morris out, we have no defense at the post. The Unpredictables have clearly shown up. Rondo misses 2 more and then the Cats foul on the rebound. 8-0 run for MSU. Thomas picks up the foul. Again, the Cats fell apart on defense. Sparks answers with a 3. 45-39 UK. UK fouls on the rebound
15:42 (TV Timeout) UK 45, MSU 39
Perry fouls on a 3 point shot. Perry is headed to the bench. Turnaround for Sparks and it's good. He has 16 points. Sparks with 3 more. Is this West Virginia?!? Charge for MSU. Nice move, Ravi Moss! Cats lost the ball. Moss fouls on the rebound. Sparks taps the rebound in for 2. Sparks with 21. Morris got fouled at the post. The first shot is not good. Sparks had a piece on the rebound but couldn't hold it. Rondo to Morris for 2. Cats foul again.
11:36 (TV Timeout) UK 57, MSU 49
Sparks had 28 against New Mexico State in 2003 and 25 against West Virginia. At this pace, he'll set a new career high. Sparks misses 3 and Morris tips it in.
10:55 (MSU Timeout) UK 59, MSU 50
Morris picks up his 4th foul with 10:41 left in the game. He'll head to the bench for at least five minutes. Perry comes back in. Morris needs to control his fouling. Ramel Bradley wasn't called and gets fouled on the shot. He'll go to the line for a free throw. Cats aren't helped with the lack of height on defense. Bradley with the jumper for 2. Jump ball. Perry with a jumper for two more.
9:11 (MSU Timeout) UK 66, MSU 52
Rondo steals the rebound and passes to Sparks for 2. He has 23 points. Perry fouls on the baseline. UK has been shooting 51% in their last 4 games averaging 74.5 points. Moss is blocked. MSU answers. Rondo passes to Bradley but it's a shot clock violation. Bad timing.
7:21 (TV Timeout) UK 68, MSU 55
This just in: SLU has ended their WLWL... streak. Sparks needs 5 points to tie his career high. 68% shooting in the 2nd half. Sparks has 11 this half. Moss misses. Traveling on MSU. Crawford to Moss for 3! UK has 12 3's today. That ties a season high from West Virginia and South Carolina. Sparks misses. Sparks to Rondo and he travels. Less than 5. Moss has 3 more! That's a season high 13. Moss called for a foul and we have a timeout on the floor.
3:54 (TV Timeout) UK 74, MSU 62
Thomas rebounds the missed free throw. Bradley drives and gets fouled. Bradley misses the jumper. Thomas rebounds. Moss misses 3. Rondo rebound. Cats are controlling the clock and there's a foul against MSU. Rondo heads to the line for one and one. Misses and they get it back. Under 2 minutes. Sparks gets blocked and rebounds on the other end. He gets fouled immediately. 1:43 remaining. Sparks should tie his season high. Makes the first and the second. That's 25. Rebound on the other end. Sparks gets fouled and misses. Bradley fouled and 1. He makes the free throw but Thomas fouls on the other end. UK has 10 team fouls.
END OF REGULATION
KENTUCKY 81, MSU 66
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