PAG
E 40   THE CATS'  PAUSE, DECEMBER 22, 1979
Cats Explode To Destroy Bulldogs 95-69As Macy Scores 28
Make it eight in a row for the Kentucky Wildcats and 1-0 in the Southeastern Conference.
Voted the number three team in the country a few hours earlier by the nation's two top polls, the Wildcats probably won't hear any arguments with that lofty rating as far as the Georgia Bulldogs are concerned.
After all, the previously undefeated Bulldogs fell 95-69 before an almost capacity crowd numbering just under 16,000 at The Omni in Atlanta.
It was Kentucky's first conference game and eighth win in nine outings this season. Georgia dropped to 1-1 in SEC play and 5-1 on the season.
For fifteen minutes of the first half, the Wildcats appeared to suffer from the letdown they had been weary of after their 11-point upset over Indiana Saturday. After that, the Cats caught fire and strolled to an easier than expected win as they wore the canines down.
"It was a very good game," said Kentucky coach Joe B. Hall after the game. "Our depth was very important. It's going to be a lifesaver for us this season.
While Hall's depth proved a factor, it was his starting guards that filled up fie baskets in The Omni. Kyle Macy and Dwight Anderson-combined for 48 points as they led UK to a torrid 62.3 shooting percentage from the field on 43 of 68 shots.
Macy showed his SEC tournament form of ?. year ago by scoring 28 points, hitting 12 of 18 shots.
"It just worked out that way," said Macy. "I got a few open shots and they started to fall. I did call a few of my own numbers."
Joe Hall knew a good thing when he sees it and he wanted the senior guard taking the shots.
"Macy had a very good night shooting," said Hall. "We were running "special plays we set up for him. He had the hot hand and we encouraged him to shoot."
Anderson combined his lightning-quick speed with an improved outside shot to score 20 points, which didn't go unnoticed by his running mate.
"He did a great job," Macy said of Anderson. "We wanted to him to push the ball up the floor and apply the offensive pressure and he did. He went inside when it was there and hit from the outside when he had the shot."
While the Cats' offense was devastating, it was their defense that brought the biggest smile to Hall's face. Georgia entered the game hitting over 60 percent from the field as a team, but managed only 37.1 percent
against the Cats.
"Our defense had something to do with that," smiled Hall. "That's the big statistic I'm really proud lof."
He could also be proud of the rebounding charts where Kentucky again outdid the opponents, this time by a 40-33 count as Sam Bowie led the way with 7.
Bowie opened the game's scoring with a stuff shot and Anderson scored on a goaltending call. Dominque Wilkins scored the Bulldogs' first basket on a stuff but Anderson made it 6-2 with a jumper from the corner at 18:04 in fast and furious action.
Derrick Floyd made it 6-4 before Macy hit from the left of the lane as the Cats hit their first four shots.
The UK lead was 10-7 before both offenses went in a cold spell until Chuck Verderber broke the ice with a free throw. During the frigid spell, UK hit only one of its next ten shots.
The UK lead stayed between two and four before a Macy shot from the right of the lane gave UK its biggest lead at 17-11. The Bulldogs scored the next four points before Bowie took a Dirk Minniefield pass and slammed it home, making the score 19-15.
LaVon Mercer, who led Georgia with 12 rebounds, hit for Georgia and Wilkins tied the score at 19-19 with a jumper. Charles Hurt put UK back in front again with slam dunk off the break, but Wilkins came back to knott the game at 21-21.
Georgia took this first lead when Terry Fair, another much-heralded freshman, hit a pair of free throws. Fred Cowan tied it with a 15-footer off the baseline, but Eric Marburv matched that to give the Dogs a 25-23 lead with 6:04 left in the half.
Then, Georgia went ice cold and did not score another field goal in the half while the Wildcats ignited behind the
KENTUCKY-95
PLAYER	FG	FT	REB	PF	TPS	A	TO	M1N
LaVon Williams	3-4	0-1	6	4	6	2	2	16
Fred Cowan	3-7	1 -2	5	i:	 7	0	ills	21
Sam Bow i e	5-7	o-o	7	5	10	0	j -	19
Kyle Macy	12-18	4-4	' 1	3	28	2	0	30
Dwight Anderson	9-15	2-2	3	2	20	4	2	25
Dirk M i nn i ef i eld	2-3	o-o	1	2	4	4	i	14
Jay Shidler	2-3	o-o	l	-- 1 -	4	1	2	11 22
Derrick Hord	3-6	0-0	Sip	mi	6	1	1	
Tom Heitz	0-0	o-o	2	0	0	0	0	4
Chuck Verderber	2-3	2-3	2	2	6	0	1	18
Charles Hurt	2-3	0-0	5	3	4	0	5	20
Team Rebounds			4					
TOTALS	43-69	9-12	4o	26	95	14	16	20n
GEORGIA - 69
PLAYER	FG	FT	REB	PF TPS		A	TO	M 1 M
Terry Fair	1-9	7-8	7	1	9	1	4	33
Dominique Wilkins 9"22		3-4	7	3	21		. 4	35
Lavon Mercer	5-9	7-8	12	3	17	1	3	30
Jimmy Daughtry	1-6	0-1	2	5	2	0	4	32
Derrick Floyd	3-6	1-3	0	0	7	1	2	19
Lamar Heard	1-1	2-2	0	0	4	1	2	12
Eric Marbury	3-9	3-5	; 1	0	9	2	1	30
Mike Morris	o-o	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	7
Jeff Thomas	o-o	o-o	0	0	0	0	0	2
Team Rebounds			2					
TOTALS	23-62	23-31	33	1 2	69	7	20	200
UNIVERSITY OF	KENTUCKY		45	50				95
UNIVERSITY OF	GEuRG1A		28	41				69
OFFICIALS: Olah, Dunn S Lauderdale
TECHNICAL FOULS: UK Bench, Bowie (Grabbing Rim)
ATTENDANCE: 15,700
outside shooting of their guards and the inside work of the intimidating Bowie.
Jay Shidler tied it at 25-25 with a 22-footer from the top of the key. Anderson hit a pair of free throws to give UK the lead for good and Shidler connected on another 25-footer. Bowie took a Macy lob for another stuff and a pair of Macy free throws at 3:30 enabled the Cats to surge to a 33-25 score.
The onslaught continued as UK's man-to-man defense shut down the Bulldog offensive machine. Macy hit two more outside shots and Bowie took an Anderson pass for another dunk, making it 39-25.
Lamar Heard broke Kentucky's string of sixteen straight points with two free throws. Anderson then hit from 18 feet and Macy swished the nets from 20 feet out.
Within a six-minute period, the Georgia 25-23 lead had melted into a 45-28 bulge for Kentucky as the Wildcats were true on their final eight shots of the first half.
The Kentucky guards combined for 28 first half points, with Macy netting 14 and Anderson 10. Bowie added eight to the cause while Wilkens led Georgia with ten points.
"We really started running. Dwight Anderson was pushing the ball up court real good," Hall said of the streak which enabled Kentucky to shoot 64.5 percent from the field for the opening twenty minutes.
Kentucky opened the second half where the Cats left off a few minutes earlier, hitting their first three shots. Two were long Macy jumpers as Kentucky continued the blow-out before a stunned Georgia crowd, the largest to ever watch a Georgia basketball game in that state.
Despite the easy win, Macy still expects Georgia to be heard from before the season is over.
"They are very talented. It is just a matter of time before they play up to their greatness," said Macy.
Hall was just glad to open the conference race with a win against a team expected to contend for conference honors.
"We played spirited and didn't let up after the Indiana,win. This win was very satisfying. We felt Georgia was one of the teams that would be tough to beat on the road."
Macy is just hoping that this Kentucky squad is, as Minniefield has suggested, a team with destiny.
"I hope so. I'd like to go out in style like the '78 seniors did," added Macy.
Merry Christmas From The Cats And The Cats3Pause