Different Story
This Time LSU Watches In Horror As 'Cats Cruise Past Tigers 95-69; Chapman Breaks Bone In His Back, Could Be Out For Two To Three Weeks
By TCP Staff Writer Jim Easterwood
Some people like their horror stories in surprising packages.
Like Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo." Or Kentucky's "Manuel."
Led by Eric Manuel, a multifarious freshman, the 'Cats cruised past the horrified Tigers of Louisiana State 95-69 Wednesday night at Rupp Arena.
Beating Dale Brown's basketeers was not unexpected. But the margin had to surprise everyone. . .possibly even Brown, the vociferous LSU coach.
But even Brown is a realist.
"Hustle and diving on the floor will only carry you so far," said Brown. "There comes a time when superior talent plays and plays well, they are going to knock your head in."
UK-LSU Was A Horror Story. . .For Both Sides
But there was another horror flick that didn't play well with 'Cat fans Wednesday night.
It was like something out of a Friday the 13th movie.
One could almost hear the collective gasps of shocked fans when sophomore Rex Chapman took the Fall Heard Round the (Basketball) World.
When Chapman hit the floor with 4:33 left in the first half, visions of NCAA championships were no longer dancing in anybody's head.
Evangelist Jimmy Swaggart, who coincidently calls Baton Rouge home, never generated as many groans from his "fans" when he announced his philanderings last week.
As Kentucky coach Eddie Sutton rushed to the floor, a hush stilled what had been loud voices from the audience of 23,164.
After what seemed like hours, Chapman was helped off the court. He started the second half but played only a few minutes before being taken to UK's Medical Center for observation and tests. The diagnosis was a broken transverse process, a small butterly-shaped bone in the lower back. Chapman will likely be out for two to three weeks, but his progress is being checked on a day-to-day basis.
But Manuel's Performance Helps Ease Pain
Losing Chapman for one, possibly two or even three games could be a horror story of great magnitude. But the performance of Manuel makes it less so. He was almost flawless.
The 6-foot-6 swingman scored 14 points, had a team-high seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Manuel also does things that don't show up in the scorebook. Like play defense, free Winston Bennett to play insidewhere he is devastatingand create a smooth offensive flow.
"When Eric is in the game our offense looks a lot better," said Sutton. "I wasn't sure how LeRon (Ellis) would play coming off the bench. Would we get the same amount out of both by starting Eric?"
Sutton's other concern was also unfounded. He had wondered if Manuel could cover Ricky Blanton. That question was answered, emphatically so, in the first half.
Blanton, averaging 16.5 points a game, was held scoreless. He missed all three of his field goal attempts and wound up with only six points.
"He went out early and snuffed him," said Sutton.
The aging of Eric Manuel and the confidence of Ellis should blend nicely together until Chapman makes his return.
The 'Cats will lose a bit on both ends of the court with Chapman out. But the chemistry that Manuel gives them should carry them until the Southeastern Conference tournament.
Manuel's play was contagious. It seemed to create new enthusiasm on the part of the other 'Cats. Like Rob Lock, the oft-maligned 6-11 pivot.
All Five 'Cats Starters Finish In Double Figures
Lock (10 points) was just one of five 'Cats in double figures. Bennett led with 24, followed by Ed Davender (21), Manuel and Chapman (11).
But it wasn't the points Lock scored. It was the way he played with zest and zeal.
Lock was so relaxed he reached out to take a swig of TCP publisher Oscar Combs' Coke with Chapman at the foul line and UK leading 33-23 with 7:57 to go in the first half.
Combs said, laughing, "It (the Coke) has white lightnin' in it. . .watch him go wild."
And Lock did. . .well, sort of.
Sutton liked the fire displayed by the 'Cats.
"That was impressive," said Sutton. "In the games last week we looked like zombies at times. We looked like we were tired. . .and sometimes that's a matter of mind."
Zofnbies one week. . .monsters of Rupp Arena the next.
The 'Cats, for sure, came to play.
Brown had wanted a game in the 50s. For the whole game, however. Not a half.
But the 'Cats turned up the heat of the press in the first few minutes and the Tigers never got into their game plan.
Brown had all sorts of defensive tricks in the Tiger bag. He was going to start off with a diamond-and-one, go to the triangle-and-two. . .then the man and a zoneall part of his much-publicized "Freak" defensive scheme.
UK Press 'Freaked' Out Brown's Bayou Bengals
But the 1-2-M zone press of the 'Cats spoiled the best-laid plans of Brown and men.
The press created 12 turnovers in the first half, including four straight gifts early that sparked Kentucky to a 13-2 romp through the Tiger defense.
Manuel had six straight points during this span as Kentucky led 13-4, with only 3:46 having elapsed. Kentucky never looked back.
The 'Cats hit six of their first nine shots from the field and had a superlative shooting half. They connected on 20 of 29 shots, a 69-percent effort. Sutton just shook his curly locks as if to say, "Where had all that firepower been?"
LSU did have one impressive spurt. The Tigers closed the margin to six (27-21) on a three-point play by Jose Vargas, the Tigers' on-again, off-again center. There was 10:12 left in the half. It was the last gasp of a wounded team.
Kentucky went on a 19-7 tear as Davender and Chapman bagged back-to-back three-point goals to get the 'Cats off and winging. With the 'Cats leading 46-28, the crowd was really into it until Chapman came down the court to attempt a driving layup with 4:33 left in the half.
The 6-foot4 Owensboro star hit the floor with a thud after colliding with LSU's Lyle Mouton. He twisted over and landed on his back. It took hisand the crowd'sbreath away.
But the 'Cats weren't about to let it get them down. They outscored LSU 9-4 the rest of the half to take a commanding 55-32 lead.
The second half?
Sorry you asked. It was anticlimatic as both teams played hard, but ragged basketball.
Sutton was kind to his pal, Dale, as he subbed freely. The biggest 'Cat lead was 62-35 with 17:54 to play.
"They played well. . .we didn't," Brown summed up. "Eddie was kind. If he had wanted to beat us by 35 he could have done it."
Brown's comment referred to a horror story for Sutton last year when LSU wasn't so kind.
The Tigers thrashed the 'Cats by 35 on their home court, the worst UK loss in Rupp Arena and the worst beating a Wildcat team had suffered since 1950. But that was last year. Wednesday night, it was a different (horror) story.
UK-LSU Play-By-Play
Time Kentutkv
Score
4-4
19: U | I 0-2
18:55 Davendei layup 2-2 18:201 Bennett t'ollow layup 4-2 18:01
17:4 1 Manuel layup 17:24 Manuel dunk 16:471 Manuel 16 II. in M ( hapman 21 ft 16:00
15:41 Itx k FT, FT 15:22 Bennett 8 ft.
13:52 Lotk FT, H
}oe follow layup
17-6
1740 19-10
Woodside layup
13:24 Bennett layup
gas 6 tt. tutnarounc
Vargas 4 tt., F
20 tt. 10-:
man 21 It. nrier FT, FT
Griffith 20 it
1:50 Lock layup 1:12 Manuel 15 ft. 0:061 Bennett 8 tt.
HALF
19:17 | Lrxk tip-in
!: W Manuel 15 ft. 17:54 | Bennett 4 ft., FT 17:44 |
,    j 1
16:49 ;!6:02 r. 17 Bennett layup 15:05 Fllis 10 ft. 14:44
14:25 Davender 14 ft. 11:02 Bennett 6 ft. 12:41
12:19 I lavender FT, 11 II: 11
9:21 ] Bennett 15 ft. 8:46 Bennett layup
joe 21 ft.
J62-37 Vargas 6 ft. hook
:62-40l loe 20 ft.
362-42 Sims 15 ft.
J62-44! Blanton follow layup 64-441
Blanton 19 II.
McKenzie 20 ft.
8:32		76-53	Vargas FT, FTA
7:31	Jenkins FT, FTA	77-53	
7:26		77-56	|oe layup, FT
6:57	Bennett FTA, FT	78-56	
6:48		78-58	Joe 18 It.
5:46	Bennett layup	lit) 18	
5:31		[(() 61	loe 20 ft.
5:15	Madison 4 It.	82 61	
4:44	Jenkins 6 ft hook	84 61	
4:24		84-6!	Blanton 18 (t.
I 4:02	Davendef FT, FT	86-63	
3:21	Davendei layup	88 . i	
| 2:29		88-65	Mouton 12 ft.
j 1:54	Davender FT, FT	90-65	
0:41	Madison ttnger toll	92 >65	
0:211		92-6;	Irvin FT, FT
0 17	Hanson FT, FT		
0:09		44-n'	Irvm 17 ft.
0:04	Sutton FT, FTA	95-69	
FINAL		95-69	
Cms' r'ju.st't hurt