Walker Shines In Home State
Cats Claim 36th SEC Title With Win Over Dogs
' T've never been prouder of a group of young men than I am of these guys. They 're not the most talented bunch of players, but they don't know that. Somehow they figure out a way to win and they 're very team oriented.
- Eddie Sutton Head Basketball Coach University of Kentucky
Those words pretty much illustrate why this version of the Kentucky Wildcats won the school's 36th Southeastern Conference basketball championship Saturday in Athens, Ga. by turning back host Georgia 80-75.
The win, Kentucky's 15 in 16 league contests this season, improved the Wildcats' overall record to 24-3 on the year and sent the Cats climbing in the nation polls over the weekend. In the new CNN-USA Today poll released Sunday, the Cats moved up to No. 5 nationally.
Thanks to a superb 22-point, 9-rebound effort from All-American Kenny Walker and a 20-point, 7-rebound masterpiece from junior Winston Bennett. Kentucky never allowed the Georgia express to get uncranked.
But Walker and Bennett weren't alone. James Blackmon came through with another stellar offensive show while Richard Madison came off the bench to add 6 points.
Ed Davender, who didn't score a single point the first thirty minutes, hit two clutch baskets during the last twelve minutes when the Bulldogs tried ro rally back.
And Roger Harden's floor work the final ten minutes helped preserve the big road victory.
Walker, the All-American from nearby Roberta, Georgia came prepared to put his best foot forward in his last performance at the Georgia Coliseum.
And Bulldog fans were just as prepared. Throughout pregame warm-ups, Georgia fans shouted, "turncoat, turncoat."
When the television cameras began to roll, it was vintage Walker at his best. And at the game's end, it was Walker who was cutting down the SEC victory nets from one of the Georgia goals.
In the first half alone. Walker hit six of eight from the field and hauled down five rebounds. At one point, Walker scored four of UK's six baskets midway in the first period, his last giving UK an 18-18 tie with 11:09 remaining.
Walker's Basket Puts UK In Front For Good
At 3:41 Walker put UK in front 32-30 with a short jumper from the baseline. Kentucky never trailed again in the contest.
First half play was played on the pro level, moving up and down the court at a pace a 10-second clock would have been hard-pressed to expire.
Inside, Bennett and Walker dominated the backboards to the tune of a 17-12 advantage for the Cats in the opening twenty minutes.
Keeping the 'Dogs right on Kentucky's heels was Joe Ward's nine points along with six points each from Donald Hartry and freshman sub Toney Mack.
Both clubs enjoyed sizzling shooting percentages in the first half with UK scoring at a 56.3 clip on 18 of 32 while Georgia was stride for stride at 55.6 percent on 15 of 27.
Lr Dressed In Championship Fashion
Walker & Blackmon Named Co-MVP's By Atlanta Chapter Of UK Alumni Assn.
Kentucky provided itself with a little breathing room early in the second half, thanks to a quick baseline jumper by Blackmon. But Georgia came right back.
Dennis Williams got a backdoor layup to slice the lead to 40-37 and then for the next five minutes the two clubs played on even terms. Until...
Until a Georgia alley-oop failed. It may have been the difference in the entire game. Two similiar plays worked earlier, but not this time.
Kentucky, clinging to a 46-44 lead after a three-point play by Horace McMillan at 15:52, got caught in another backdoor situation. The Georgia crowd was just beginning to fire up and a dunk would probably have been a big emotional lift.
Big Georgia Play Backfires In Second Half
Instead, the play called by coach Hugh Durham from the sidelines backfired when Dennis Williams tried to stuff the ball instead of laying the ball off the glass. The ball bounced back and UK then scored six straight points to take a commanding 52-44 lead.
Durham acknowledged it was a big missed opportunity.
"You don't have to dunk it," Durham said. "Vern Fleming (ex-Georgia All-American guard) didn't dunk it in four years."
Kentucky eventually enjoyed a ten-point lead at 56-46 on a Walker jumper from the lane, but Georgia refused to throw in the towel.
The Bulldogs slowly pecked away at the Kentucky lead and got within six on six different occasions down the stretch. But it wasn't until 0:37 that Georgia really gave UK a big scare.
After a miss from the free throw line by Ed Davender on a bonus shot, Anderson rifled in a sizzler from the right of the key to close the score to 75-71.
Winston Bennett hit one of two free throws at 0:32. Then Donald Hartry canned a long jumper from 24 feet to get the Dogs within three (76-73) at 0:24.
A pair of Bennett free throws at 0:19 insured the win with a five-point cushion at 78-73.
Despite leading the entire second half, Sutton was never comfortable with the small margin.
I never felt secure in this game, even when we had a 10-point lead," said the UK head coach. "Georgia's been pretty successful lately in making great comebacks. They did it at Mississippi State and the other day against Auburn (although Auburn still won). That had us worried."
Was the win especially sweet for Walker, playing his final game in Athens?
"I'm very happy for Kenny, for us to be able to win an SEC championship in Georgia," said Sutton. "I know he was excited with his parents and friends here to watch."
And just how good are the Wildcats, a team which won a piece of the title with a week and half remaining in the conference race. Just how good a champion is this team when compared to others?
"I feel we didn't win it," beamed Roger Harden. "We ruled it."
Hum!