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Great Alaska Shootout
Miller's 36 points help gun down California Bears; 'Cats finish 3rd
The temperature outside the Anchorage arena would chill even the furriest of polar bears. But that was outstide. Inside, before 3,652 spectators Derrick Miller blazed the nets for 36 points, helping Kentucky capture the third-place game 89-71.
Miller, who did not start, was blistering hot from the field. The 6-foot-6 guard connected on 13 of 15 shots from the field, including a Shootout record seven of eight three-pointers. His torrid jumper was so consistent that he hit his first 10 attempts. Only two points separated Miller from having the highest output in the Alaska Shootout history.
"I've had so many great guards," head coach Eddie Sutton said afterward, "but I don't believe I've ever seen a guard shoot any better. He was on fire. Any time he looked, it was in the basket."
Prior to the start of the season. Miller told Tlie Cats' Pause that one reason his jumper was off target in 1987-88 was because he had changed his shot. According to Miller he went back to the form which produced him into a three-point threat his freshman year.
The junior's previous high came back in his freshman year when he scored 15 points in a losing cause to Georgia. In that game in 1986 Miller scored all of his points from beyond the three-point line.
Freshman Chris Mills, named the Most Valuable Player of the Shootout, scored 21 points while LeRon Ellis added 14. Ellis was the team's leading rebounder, grabbing eight boards.
Mills also turned in an outstanding percentage from the fieldseven of 10.
The 'Cats shot 50.8 percent from the field (31 of 61) while California connected on 45.5 percent from the field (25 of 55).
Five Golden Bears were listed in double figures. Keith Smith led California with 19 points, followed by: Leonard Taylor (16), Ryan Drew (13), Matt Beeuswaert (11) and Roy Fisher (10).
With an incredible shooting performance from Miller, UK was able to overcome the balanced California attack.
"Look where he was shooting from," inquired California coach Lou Campanelli.
He then noted: "Downtown with a hand in his face.
"You roll the dice in a tournament like this. "You know you could always run int a great team and a great player."
The game was close in the first 20 minutes as the Wildcats trailed 38-34. California early even looked like it would send the 'Cats packing with a 1-3 record instead of 2-2.
Nearly matching the temperature outside, Kentucky's shooting percentage after 10 shots was a piercing zero percent. That's right, 0 for 10. And the Golden Bears took advantage by racing out to a 16-6 lead.
"We played about as poorly as you can," noted Sutton of the 'Cats' slow start. "We were flat and I don't know why."
But Kentucky chipped away, thanks in part to two three-pointers by Miller, and entered the final 20 minutes of play trailing by just four.
Sutton and his staff noted on a chalkboard before the game that an "unknown Wildcat" had to appear. . .had to take charge along with the team's top two scorers LeRon Ellis and Chris Mills. The unknown Wildcat on this night? Derrick Miller answered the call.
A Miller three-pointer early in the second stanza gave Kentucky its first lead of the night, 45-42.
Miller's fifth three-pointer of the game gave UK a 52-48 advantage. The California team
Mills Shootout MVP
had to be wondering, "When would his shooting streak end?" Well, another three-point bomb waved through the nets giving' UK a commanding 58-51 lead and on its way to avoiding a second straight loss. It wasn't for the championship, but UK's win had to make the plane trip to Lexington much more enjoyable.
And someone said after the game that after his amazing 36-point performance Derrick Miller himself could fly back to the Bluegrass State.
California-UK Notes
After the game, the Wildcats headed back to their Alaska headquarters to get some studying in along with a little rest before their
OFFICIAL NCAA BASKETBALL BOX SCORE VISITORS (lut Nam, Firs!)
return trip to Lexington. And after Seton Hall defeated Kansas for the championship game, a representative of the Alaska Shootout came to UK's hotel to present Chris Mills with the tournament's Most Valuable Player Award. He won the MVP award based on his con-sistant three-game performance, something not expected of a freshman playing in his second, third and fourth college games. Mills' compiled figures read like this: 56 points (22 of 45 from the field, nine of 12 free throws); 13 rebounds; and six assists. . .LeRon Ellis also earned a spot on the all-tournament team. . .In one game Derrick Miller scored more points than he did all of last season. In 1987-88 he scored a mere 21 points (1.3 points per game). He was a frigid eight of 38 from the field goal department. And he only hit on three of 24 three-point attempts (12.5 percent) as a sophomore. For more on Miller please see Larry Vaught's column on page 11 in this issue. . .Because of his fine performance, Eddie Sutton said afterward that the junior would start against Notre Dame. . .Guard Sean Sutton dished out more assists than anyone else in the Shootout. The Lexington sophomore was credited with 22 assists in three games. . .Here's how the teams placed with their records in the 1988 Alaska Shootout: Seton Hall (3-0); Kansas (2-1); Kentucky (2-1); Florida (2-1); California (1-2); Utah (1-2); Alaska (1-2); and Iona (0-3). . .Many Kentucky faithful feared the 'Cats might lose to California, thus leaving Anchorage with a 1-3 start. Only three times since the 1926-27 season has UK started with just one win in its first four starts. . .Redshirt freshman Johnathon Davis checked in for the first time this season. So did walkons Anthony Mathis, Chris Jones and Jeff Gin-nan. Ginnan scored two points from the charity stripe while Jones cashed in on one.
11/28/88
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
						FT	FTA	- i -i			PF	TP
	KENTUCKY	li						O"		To!		
35	Hanson, Renale 1	3	7	0	0	2	3	1	1	2	3	8
2?	Ellis, LeRon 1	7	15	0	0	0	0	3	5	8	3	ih
50	Scott, Mike c	1	7	0	0	1	2	2	4	6	2	3
U2	Hi 1 Is , Chris 9	7	10	0	2	7	8	1	1|	5	1|	21
20	Sutton, Scan 9	0	3	0	0	2	2	0	1	1	5	2
l|	Hiller, Derrick	13	15	7	8	3		1	2	3	2	36
12	Feldhaus, Deron	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
V	Farmer, Richie	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
33	Davis, Johnathon	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3* 2nd Hall3l5ZlI^B   flam. 6pT
ftvi..ih  *-5- ..jh.ii   l6-20,^.oy,JmB 20-25, 80.0%
HOME (Las! Name, First)
A	TO	buc	3	win
5	0	1	0	35
1	2	1	5	33
0	1	0	0	21
3	3	1	1	26
6	1	0	1	32
2	1	0	1	25
0	2	0	0	3
1	0	0	0	4
0	0	0	0	1
1	1	0	0	18
0	0	0	0	1
0	0	0	0	1
0	0	0	0	1
				
				
19  |ll   |3    | 8 |200				
Oddball ReboundsJL
NO	CALIFORNIA	ll	fc	It	fGA	FT	FTA	C"	0*1	T-.l	PF	TP
10	Beeuwsaert, Matt f	3	5	0	2	5	9	1	5	6	5	11