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UK Must Connect On Critical Points In NCAA
Improvements Needed In All Areas For Title Run
When LeRon Ellis decided to leave the west coast to play basketball for the University of Kentucky, he thought the Wildcats could challenge for a national title in 1988.
"I knew Kentucky would have a lot of good players coming back and was also br-
Larry Vaught
Cats' Pause Columnist
inging in some good recruits," said the 6-11 California product. "I knew the team would have some great athletes and would have a chance to contend for a national championship right away.
"Now that we are at crunch time, I think we can win the national championship. The team is coming together. The teaching and learning stages are over and we have become a fluid basketball team."
Kentucky has appeared to begin putting all the pieces together in recent games as it tries to win its 36th SEC championship and prepare for the NCAA Tournament.
"We really want to win the SEC because if we do, we get a big diamond ring," said UK senior center Rob Lock. "That's a little extra motivation for everybody. Really, though, the big thing about winning the SEC is that it would mean we are on a roll for the NCAA Tournament."
Kentucky has improved steadily and has not been sharper all season than it was in the first 25 minutes of the recent 82-68 victory over Alabama. The Cats were ahead by 26 points early in the second half before UK Coach Eddie Sutton went to his bench.
After the game Alabama Coach Wimp Sanderson thanked Sutton for nol demoralizing his team.
"Kentucky has a tremendously talented team," said Sanderson. "They are a lot better than when we played the first time. They have the luxury of being very talented off the bench and their younger players are starting to make big contributions. They just have a good, sound club."
It takes more than a "good, sound club" to make a major impact in the NCAA Tournament. Sutton knows that. He's pushed his team to the limit daily trying to make the Wildcats reach a higher plateau before tourney time.
So what must happen for Kentucky to have a legitimate chance at winning the national crown? Here are what I think are the key factors:
 Continued growth of Ellis and Eric Manuel. The two freshmen are suddenly making solid contributions after Sutton inserted Ellis into the starting lineup and made Manuel his top reserve.
Ellis gives UK a defensive intimidator and inside scoring threat while Manuel provides outside scoring, solid ball handling and quickness.
 Improved shooting. Kentucky is still shooting only 46.8 percent from the field but has improved in recent games. But the Wildcats have displayed better ball movement recently and are showing the offensive patience Sutton has wanted all year.
"When we get the ball in motion it makes the defense move around a lot more," said UK sophomore guard Rex Chapman. "We can always get the shots but better movement gives us more options."
 Full-court pressure. Kentucky has been able to dictate tempo with its full-court press. Teams have been forced to play at the faster pace UK likes because of the press. Ellis has created havoc on the point of the 1-2-1-1 press and UK must continue to use this attack to wear down opponents and speed up the game.
 Rebounding. Kentucky can't stay alive in March without better rebounding. Senior forward Winston Bennett has been a force on the boards all year but Ellis, Lock and reserves Cedric Jenkins and Richard Madison have to become more consistent.
 Accepting roles. This could be the biggest factor for Kentucky. Senior guard Ed Davender has fully accepted his job as playmaker and proved it by taking only two shots against Alabama when he had a career-high 10 assists. Manuel has done a great job in his sixth man role just as James Lee did in 1978 when Kentucky won the national crown. Even Madison and Jenkins have accepted their backup roles without complaint.
If all the pieces come together and Chapman and Bennett can continue their consistent scoring and all-around play, Kentucky could be one of the teams at the Final Four in Kansas City.
"I have said all along that we are one of 25 or 30 teams that could win the title," said Sutton. "I haven't seen anything to make me change my mind. There are a lot of good teams out there. But I do like the way we are playing and we might be reaching a peak at just the right time."
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IT TOOK Lock two years to learn that he could stop more opponents by standing his ground than leaving his feet.
That's why the 6-11 University of Kentucky pivotman led the Wildcats in taking charges last year and is again the team leader this season.
"Rob is the best we have at taking the charge," said UK assistant coach Dwane Casey. "Usually a guard leads the team in that category. It's unusual to see a post player get in position to take that many charges.
"Rob, though, has learned his limitations. He understands that he's not going to block a lot of shots. It's better for him to get himself in position and take the charge.7
Lock drew 30 charges during the 1986-87 seas' " He started this year by drawing at least one charge in UK's first 10 games and has just hit the deck for the 31st time this season.
"I wanted to break my own record," said Lock. "Nobody usually keeps track of who takes charges but it is just as important as blocked shots. It's a great individual play because it gives your team back the basketball.
"Every year more players try to drive in the middle. I have a much better chance to draw a charge than I do to block a shot the way a Sam Bowie or Kenny Walker could. I just don't jump like them."
Lock, though, has noticed one difference when he hits the floor this year after taking a charge.
"It hurts more," said Lock. "Taking those charges takes a toll on you. Maybe I'm just getting too old."
When Lock stops hitting the floor, however, he'll probably take a seat on the bench. His best contributions to the UK team come when he's banging bodies, diving for loose balls or taking charges.
Rob Lock Doing What He Does BestTaking Charge
"Rob never has been and never will be a finesse player," said Casey. "But he does other things that finesse players wouldn't do. He hustles and sacrifices his body. He'll dive on the floor to get a loose ball or tip a ball to keep it alive on the backboard. He also helps out a lot more on defense than he gets credit for most of the time."
Even when he broke his own record for taking charges this year it was overlooked.
"I thought maybe they would stop the game and give me the game ball," said Lock. "Or at least I thought they would give me a piece of the floor."
That sense of humor is another side of Lock that most UK fans don't see. And he has kept that trait despite the way his career has gone up and down. No player in recent history as turned jeers to cheers and cheers to jeers like Lock. He's the darling of the crowd one game but may get booed the next outing.
"It's been strange in a lot of ways but I don't worry about that," said Lock. "I just go out and play."