xt776h4cp37m https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt776h4cp37m/data/mets.xml Wildcat News Company 1986 Volume 10 -- Number 25 athletic publications  English Wildcat News Company Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. The Cats' Pause UKAW University of Kentucky Men's Basketball (1985-1986) coaches Sutton, Eddie players Walker, Kenny (Sky) Chapman, Rex McBrayer, Paul Harden, Roger assistant coaches UK vs. University of Florida (February 19, 1986) NCAA Men's Tournament (1986) SEC Men's Basketball Championship (1986) University of Kentucky Football (1986) Yarano, Don Claiborne, Jerry statistics schedules Cats' Pause Combs, Oscar The Cats' Pause,  "March 1, 1986" text The Cats' Pause,  "March 1, 1986" 1986 2012 true xt776h4cp37m section xt776h4cp37m Chapman Explodes For 37 Against Henry Clay
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VOLUME 10 - NUMBER 25
SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 1986
LEXINGTON, K>
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PUBLICATION NO. USPS 707.140 Published By WILDCAT NEWS COMPANY P.O.Box 7297 Lexington. Kentucky 40522 Second Class Postage Paid ill Lexington. Kentucky 40511 and additional Mailing offices
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OSCAR L. COMBS
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Major College Scoreboard Standings
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
	, Conference			All Games		
	W	L	Pit.	W	L	Pet
x-Kentucky	15	1	938	24	3	889
Alabama .	12	4	.750	19	6	760
Auburn.....	11	5	688	17	9	.654
Louisiana St	9	7	.563	21	8	724
Florida	a	8	.500	14	11	560
Georgia ...	7	9	438	14	11	.560
Vanderbilt	6	10	375	12	13	480
Tennessee	5	11	313	12	13	480
Mississippi .	4	12	.250	11	14	.440
Mississippi Si	3	13	.188	6	19	240
x-clinched regular-season title OHIO VALLEY
Akton.......
Middle Tenn Murray St   . . Austin Peay Youngstwn St Tennessee Ten E Kentucky Morehead St.
.692 .667 667 583 .538 .385 .364 .083
19 18 16 13
11
12 9
731 .667 .640 .520 .423 .462 .429 .308
METRO COLLEGE ATHLETIC
Memphis State	8	2	.800	23	3	.885
Louisville . .	8	2	800	21	7	750
Virginia Tech	5	5	500	20	7	741
Cincinnati	5	5	.500	11	13	.458
Southern Miss	5	6	455	15	10	600
South Carolina	2	7	.222	12	12	.500
Florida State	2	8	.200	10	15	.400
		SUN	BELT			
Old Dominion	11	3	.786	21	6	778
W Kentucky .	10	4	.714	21	6	.778
Ala -Brmnghm	9	5	.643	22	9	710
Jacksonville	9	5	643	18	9	.667
Va, Cmmnwlth	6	8	.429	12	15	.444
South Alabam	5	9	357	16	14	533
South Florida	5	9	357	13	13	.500
N.C Charlotte	1	13	071	8	19	296
ATLANTIC COAST						
Duke ......	10	2	833	27	2	.931
N Carolina	9	3	750	25	3	.893
Georgia Tech	9	3	.750	21	4	.840
Virginia......	7	5	.583	18	7	720
N Carolina St	7	6	.538	18	9	.667
Maryland . .	4	8	.333	15	12	556
Clemson ...	3	9	.250	17	11	607
Wake Forest .	0	13	.000	7	19	.269
	ATLANTIC 10					
x-St Joseph's	16	2	.889	22	5	.815
y-West Virgin!	15	3	833	20	9	.690
Temple.....	15	3	833	23	4	.852
St Bonaventur	10	8	.556	15	12	.556
Duquesne .	9	9	500	14	13	.519
Geo Washngtn	7	11	.389	12	15	.444
Massachusetts	6	12	333	9	18	.333
y-Rhode Island	5	13	.278	9	18	333
Penn St.....	5	13	278	11	16	407
Rutgers	2	16	111	7	20	.259
x-clinched regular-season title y-won tiebreaker
		BIG EAST				
Syracuse ....	13	1	929	22	3	.880
St. John's	12	2	857	25	4	.862
Georgetown :	9	5	.643	20	6	.769
Villanova	9	6	.600	.19	12	613
Pittsburgh   . .	5	9	357	14	11	.560
Providence	5	9	.357	13	12	.520
Boston College	4	10	.286	13	12	.520
Connecticut . .	3	10	231	12	11	522
Seton Hall	3	11	.214	13	15	.464
		BIG EIGHT				
x-Kansas .	11	1	917	26	'3	.897
Oklahoma	8	4	667	23	5	.821
Iowa St .....	8	4	.667	17	8	.680
Nebraska	6	6	.500	16	9	640
Missouri ....	6	6	.500	19	12	.613
Oklahoma St	5	7	417	14	11	,560
Kansas St. '	4	8	333	16	11	.593
Colorado . .	0	12	000	8	17	.320
x-clinched regular-season title BIG SKY
Montana.....
N Arizona Weber St x-ldaho St Nevada-Reno Montana St. . .
Idaho ......
Boise St.....
x-ineligible
9     4   .692 19   8 704
8     4    667 18   7 .720
7     6    538 17   9 654
7     6    538 14 12 538
6     6   .500 12 13 .480
5     8   .385 10 16 .423
4     8   .333 11 15 423
4     8   .333 10 15 .400 tor conference tournament BIG SOUTH
Baptist.....	5	1	833	17	9	.654
x-N.C -Ashevill	4	2	.667	16	8	.667
x-Winthrop . . .	5	3	625	19	8	.704
x-Armstrng St.	5	3	625	13	9	.591
Augusta . . .	4	4	.500	10	16	.385
Radtord .....	3	4	429	10	15	400
Campbell	3	5	.375	8	16	333
x-Coast Caroln	1	7	125	'7	16	304
x-Division I	eliqiblity		1986	87		
		BIG	TEN			
Indiana......	10	4	.714	18	6	.750
Michigan	10	4	.714	'23	4	852
Michigan St. .	9	5	.643	18	6	.750
Purdue.....	10	5	667	21	7	.750
Illinois.......	9	6	600	18	8	692
Icwa ........	8	6	.571	18	9	.667
Ohio St	6	8	429	12	12	.500
Minnesota . .	5	9	.357	15	12	556
Wisconsin	3	12	200	11	14	.440
Northwestern	2	13	133	8	17	.320
COLONIAL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
Navy........	12	1	923	22	4	846
Richmond  ..	12	1	.923	22	4	846
George Mason	10	4	.714	16	10	.615
East Carolina	6	7	.462	12	14	.462
N.C -Wilmngtn	6	8	.429	15	12	556
Willim & Mry .	3	10	.231	7	18	280
American U .	2	11	.154	9	16	360
James Madisn	2	11	.154	4	22	154
	EAST		COAST			
x-Drexel	10	3	.769	15	11	.577
Bucknell.....	8	5	615	16	10	.615
Hofstra......	8	5	.615	14	12	538
Lafayette ....	8	5	615	13	12	.520
Lehigh ......	6	7	.462	13	13	.500
Delaware ....	4	9	.308	11	14	.440
Rider .......	4	9	.308	8	18	308
Towson St.	4	9	.308	7	19	269
x-clinched regular-season title ECAC METRO
F. Dickinson .	10	3	.769	18 7	.720
Marist.......	9	4	.692	14 10	583
Loyola. Md. . .	9	6	600	14 11	560
Wagner .....	8	6	.571	13 12	.520
St. Francis, P.	8	6	571	10 14	417
Robert Morris .	6	8	.429	9 15	.375
Monrnoth. N.J.	4	9	.308	7 16	.304
Long Island U	4	10	.286	9 16	360
St. Frncs. NY	4	10	.286	9 16	,360
ECAC NORTH ATLANTIC					
Northeastern	13	2	867	20 4	833
Canisius.....	13	4	.765	19 7	731
Boston U.	11	4	.733	17 7	.708
Siena .......	10	5	667	18 6	.750
Niagara .....	10	6	.625	14 11	.560
x-Harlford . .	9	7	.563	11 13	.458
New Hampshir	5	11	.313	11 14	.440
Maine.......	5	12	.294	7 18	.280
Vermont .....	3	12	200	7 17	.292
Colgate     , .	0	16	.000	1 22	.043
x-not eligible for conference title					
	GULF STAR				
x-Sm Hstn St.	6	1	.857	24 4	857
x-Stephen Astn	7	2	.778	22 4	846
NW Louisiana	6	3	.667	10 16	385
SE Louisiana .	3	5	.375	9 17	.346
Nicholls St. . .	2	6	.250	7 13	.350
SW Texas St.	0	7	.000	5 19	.208
x-Division I eligibility 1986-87 IVY LEAGUE
Cornell......	9	3	.750	14	10	.583
Brown ......	8	4	.667	14	10	583
Pennsylvania .	6	5	545	12	11	.522
Columbia ...	6	6	500	12	12	.500
Yale ........	6	6	500	12	12	.500
Princeton ...	5	6	455	11	12	.478
Dartmouth	5	7	417	9	14	391
Harvard .....	2	10	.167	6	18	.250
METRO ATLANTIC ATHLETIC						
x-Fairfield ...	12	1	.923	20	6	.769
lona ........	9	5	.643	13	14	.481
La Salle .....	8	6	.571	14	13	.519
St. Peter's . . .	7	7	.500	15	11	.577
Fordham ...	6	7	.462	12	16	.429
Holy Cross  . .	6	7	.462	10	16	385
Army .......	5	8	.385	9	16	.360
Manhattan ,. .	1	13	071	2	25	.074
x-clinched regular-season title						
	MID-AMERICAN					
Miami, Ohio . .	14	2	.875	21	5	808
Ohio U.	12	4	.750	19	6	.760
Ball St	9	7	563	16	9	640
No. Illinois   . .	9	7	.563	14	10	583
W. Michigan .	7	9	.438	12	13	.480
Toledo ......	7	9	.438	10	15	400
Cent Michign	6	10	.375	10	15	.400
Kent St......	6	10	.375	10	15	.400
E. Michigan . .	5	11	.313	9	16	360
Bowling Green	5	11	313	7	18	.280
	MID-CONTINENT					
x-Cleveland St	11	1	.917	22	3	880
SW Missor St..	7	4	.636	18	6	750
E, Illinois ....	7	5	.583	16	11	.593
Ill -Chicago . .	6	5	.545	11	13	.458
W. Illinois____	6	6	.500	12	13	.480
Valparaiso ...	5	7	.417	9	16	.360
N Iowa .....	3	9	.250	8	16	.333
Wis.-Green By	2	10	167	4	20	167
x-clinched regular-season title						
MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC						
Howard ....	10	1	,909	17	7	.708
N. Caroln A&T	10	2	833	18	7	.720
Delaware St. .	6	6	500	9	15	.375
Copptn St. ...	6	6	.500	9	16	.360
Morgan St	5	5	500	5	18	.217
S Carolina St	4	8	.333	9	16	360
Bethune-Ckmn	4	10	286	5	21	192
Md.-East Shot.	2	9	,182	3	21	.125
MIDWESTERN			COLLEGIATE			
x-Xavier. Ohio.	10	2	833	22	4	.846
St Louis .	7	4	636	15	11	.577
Detroit ......	7	4	636	13	13	500
Loyola. Ill	7	4	.636	12	14	462
Oral Roberts .	4	7	364	9	17	346
Butler .......	2	9	182	9	17	346
Evansville	2	9	182	7	18	280
x-clinched reqular-season title SOUTHLAND
NE Louisiana	8	3	.727	17	8	680
McNeese St	7	3	.700	17	8	680
Louisiana Tch.	6	4	600	15	10	.600
Arkansas St. .	6	5	.545	15	10	.600
Lamar.......	5	6	.455	16	10	.615
North Texs St.	4	8	333	9	17	346
Texas-Arlingtn	2	9	.182	12	16	429
MISSOURI VALLEY
x-Bradley .... 15    0 1.000    28   1 .966
Drake....... 9    4   .692     17   7 .708
Tulsa ....... 9     6   .600     19   8 .704
Illinois St..... 8     7   .533     13 13 .500
Creighton____ 6    8   429    11 14 .440
Wichita St. ...   6    9   400    13 13 .500
Indiana St. .      4   10   286     10 15 .400
So. Illinois ...   4   10   286      8 18 308
West Texas St.  4   1 1    267    10 15 .400 x-clinched regular-season title
PACIFIC COAST ATHLETIC
x-Nev-Las Vgs 15     1   .938    27   3 900
Cal-lrvine   . . , 10    5   .667    14 TO .583
New Mexic St   10     6   .625     16   9 640
San Jose St      8    8   .500    15 10 600
Fresno St   ...   8     9   .471     15 13 .536
Futlerton St. . .   7    9   .438    14 14 .500
Utah St...... 7     9   .438     11 14 .440
Pacific ..... 6     9    400     13 13 500
Cal-Santa Barb. 6    9   .400     11 13 458
Long Bech St.   2   14    125      6 21 222 x-clinched regular-season title
PACIFIC-10
Arizona ..... 11     3    786    20   7 741
Washington   .11     3   .786    17   9 654
California ____ 7    6   538    15   8 652
Stanford..... 7     6    538     13 12 .520
UCLA ....... 7     7   .500     12 11 .522
Oregon St ...   7    7   500    1112 478
Arizona St   .6    8   429    12 12 500
Washington St.  6    8   429    13 14 481
Southern Cat .   4   10   286    10 14 .417
Oregon    ...    3   11    214      8 16 333
SOUTHERN
x-Tn.-Chattang 12    3   800    19   7 .731
Davidson ... 10    5   667     17   9 654
Marshall   .9    6   .600    18 1 0 643
Appalachin St    9    6   600    16 10 615
Western Carln   8    8   .500    13 13 .500
East Tennesse   8    8   500    12 14 462
Furman ____ 5   11   .313    10 17 370
VMI......... 4   11   .267    10 16 385
Citadel ...... 4   11   .267     9 17 346
x-clinched regular-season title
SOUTHWEST
Texas Christin 12    2   857    20  5 800
Texas...... 12    3   800    17   9 .654
Texas A&M .9    4   .692    15 10 600
So. Methodist    8    6   .571     16   9 640
Houston ..... 7    6   .538    13 11 .542
Texas Tech       7    7   500    12 13 .480
Arkansas ....  4   10   286    12 13 480
Rice ....... 2   12   .143      9 16 .360
Baylor ...... 2   13    133    10 16 .385
SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC
Alcorn St.  ...10    2   .833    14 11 .560
Southern U .9    3   .750    17   6 739
Jackson St. . .   9    3    750    13 12 520
Miss Valley .8    4   .667     15   9 625
Texas Southrn   5    7   .417      8 16 .333
Grambling ...   3    9   .250    1310 .565
Alabama St. . .   3    9   250      9 15 375
Prairie View . .   1   11    083      2 21 .087
TRANS AMERICA
x-Ark.-L. Rock 11     2   846    1 8 1 0 643
Samford..... 8    6   .571     15 12 .556
Hardin-Smmns   7    7   500    14 12 538
Houston Bptst    7    7   .500    13 13 500
Mercer..... 7    8   .467     13 13 500
Ga. Southern .   6    8   .429    15 11 577
Centenary ...   6    8   429    11 16 .407
Georgia St. .    4   10   286    10 16 .385
y-Stetson ...... -    -   .     9 16 360
x-clinched regular-season title
y-ineligible for title in 1985-86
WEST COAST ATHLETIC
Peoperdine .10    1    909    22   4 846
Loyola. Calif .   9    2   818     17   8 680
San Diego ...   7    4    636    17   8 680
Gonzaga  ....   5    6   455     1213 480
Santa Clara   .5    6   455    10 15 400
Portland..... 3    8   .273     12 13 480
St. Mary's  .3     8    273     10 14 ,41 7
San Francisco   2    9   .182      7 18 280
WESTERN ATHLETIC
Wyoming   ... 11     3   .786    17   9 .654
Texas-FI Paso. 10    4   .714    22   5 .815
Utah.......10    4   .714    18   8 692
Bngham Yong 10    4    714     15 11 577
San Diego St     7    7   500     9 16 .360
New Mexico      6    8   429    14 12 .538
Colorado St.      6    8   429    11 15 423
Air Force---- 3   13   188     9 18 333
Hawaii ..... 1   13   071      4 21 160
INDEPENDENTS
Notre Dame ............. 19    5 792
Chicago St ............. 21     6 778
Pan American.......... 18    7 720
E Washington............ 19    8 704
Marquette ............. 16    8 667
New Orleans ............. 16    8 667
Dayton ................. 16   10 .615
DePaul ................. 15   10 600
SW Louisiana ........... 14   11 ,560
Tennessee St............ 14   12 .538
Miami, I la        '........ 13   12 .520
Utica ................ 13   14 .481
Florida A&M  ... ....... 12   14 ,462
U.S. Internatnl   ... 717 .292
Brooklyn ................ 7   21 250
Cent Florida.........6   19 .240
Texas-San Antnio 5   22 185 A
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6(7/-)-' l/aaxe 1/s//j/k/>,
V
Hey Eddie, Can Ye Handle The Big Orange?
Awright. Eddie Sutton.
So you've won the Southeastern Conference title in a breeze. Or should we say with a tidal wave?
Sure, you've amassed an amazing 24-3 mark, a top ten national ranking and even won seven of eight road trips in the SEC.
Heck, you've even beaten Indiana, not to mention Louisville this season. Yeah, I know, your Cats have dumped Alabama and LSU not once, but twice this season.
Okay, Eddie!
You've proven your point.
You're a pretty fair country coach. We've known that for years.
Hey, we followed your Razorbacks here in Kentucky.
And all your accomplishments have justified President Otis Singletary's decision in selecting you to carry on the great Kentucky tradition.
Even ole Adolph is probably smiling up there somewhere in basketball heaven.
But (ah, there's always a but in every juicy story) can you beat those Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville?
Oh. you haven't heard about that little problem? Didn't the prez mention anything about that Eddie?
Really?
Well coach, meet Mr. John J. Barrett, the
in.
He's a Kentucky fan. Sorta.
He loves the Big Blue, Eddie. Really and truly! But he has this problem.
You see, John resides in Knoxville, Tennessee and he's been living a pretty lonely and miserable life these last seven years. It's been that long since Kentucky has beaten the Big Orange in Knoxville.
John is a Cats' Pause subscriber, Eddie. And his $25 check each year is very important to our well-being. It helps pay a lot of bills.
He writes us often, especially after every UK game in Knoxville. John has written us before the games in Knoxville. He's tried psychology on the Wildcats by challenging their so-called "lack of desire" to meet the Big Orange challenge. He's blistered their behinds with some not-so-kind remarks and he's suggested more than once that a new coach (pitty ole Joe B.) was needed, if for no reason other than to beat UT in Knoxville.
Poor John has endured a long dry spell. UK hasn't won in Knoxville in eight years. Prior to a 68-57 win for the 1978 championship team, UK had suffered through another losing streak of five years.
Knoxville is not one of Joe B. Hall's favorite "get-away fishing holes" to say the least.
John finally gave up. I think.
At least we haven't heard from John the past couple years. I believe he is still alive somewhere in Knoxville, Eddie. But when Melvin Turpin went completely wild, scored 42 points and the Cats still lost 65-63 back in 1983, well John sorta disappeared, fainted, died or something.
Hasn't been seen or heard of since.
No more letters to the editor. No more threatening phone calls. No more demands
of resignations. No more psychological ploys. Presto. Vanished. Gone.
Eddie, some people believe Tennessee's reputation as a basketball power rests more on its ability to beat the Cats once each season in Knoxville, rather than the Big Orange's overall record.
There could be some truth to that.
Guess what?
Coach Don DeVoe has never lost to UK in Knoxville.
A couple of UK fans last spring even suggested that UK hire him to replace Joe Hall, figuring that the Cats would finally win in Knoxville.
Some hoop experts say DeVoe is an awesome bench coach, that he lacks only good talent from having a top ten powerhouse. On the other hand, DeVoe's Tennessee teams are only 8-10 against Ole Miss.
Eddie, are the experts saying Ole Miss has more talent than Tennessee?
There's no question the Vols put all their marbles in one game when Kentucky heads to Knoxville.
Just look at the DeVoe era.
At Tennessee. DeVoe has enjoyed a fine Vol career winning percentage of .636 entering this season with 143 wins and only 82 losses.
A quick check of the Vols record book shows just how much emphasis the Vols put on the Kentucky battle in Knoxville. Tennessee has enjoyed a flashy 6-1 mark in the game immediately following the Knoxville contest with UK over the past seven years.
The Vols have also won all seven games against the Wildcats.
So far, so good.
But what about the game before the battle with the Big Blue in Knoxville. UT shows only a losing 3-4 worksheet. The "looking ahead to UK' theory is amplified when you notice that two of the three UT wins required four overtime periods and that the only victories came at the expense of Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Georgia.
What does all this mean?
I'm not really sure.
Except that John J. Barret could care less about those victories over Indiana, Louisville, Alabama and LSU. This guy lives in Knacksville, not Bloomingdale, Loouieville, Baaton Rooge or Tuskalloosa or whatever you want to call the places.
With the "Knockout In Knoxville" upon us, we wondered if J. J. is still alive. After all, we hadn't heard from him in over two years.
A quick check of our subscription files shows that either John J. is still alive or his ghost is carrying on the tradition from a closet deep inside Big Orange Country.
I suspect John J. has seen many of the Kentucky-Tennessee games in Knoxville, but I also suspect he rarely identifies himself to friends or acquaintances as a die-hard Big Blue fan.
The man has gotta have a little pride.
It wouldn't shock me if John J. comes out of hibernation this Thursday, if for no other reason than to see if this new kid (with a perm) on the block can conquer where others have failed.
So Eddie, if you could just give him one moment of happiness, just one slim victory to enjoy for one short year.
Well, you might have a friend indeed if you should ever need a friend.
Oh no, Eddie. You're in great shape now. We mean sometime like the first season you don't go 24-3. Or the year you don't win the SEC title two weeks prior to the end of the season. Or you don't beat both Indiana and Louisville and you fail to take care of those messy chores in Tuscaloosa and Baton Rouge.
After all, John, the III, cares only about one measley game played in Knoxville each winter.
By the way Eddie, a few other people have suggested a win over the Vols in Knoxville wouldn't be a bad idea, if you'd like to have a new contract. It could be a vote of confidence after a so-so 24-3 start.
Huh?
You want to know how many people are crying for a victory over Tennessee in Stokely Athletics Center?
Count all the people who live in Kentucky, Eddie.
Then deduct those die-hard UL supporters. Add the Memphis State (they'refor whoever UL fans are against) fanatics.
Double the final total to account for all those transplanted Kentuckians living outside the Commonwealth and soldiers stationed in the armed forces around the world.
Then, you'll be somewhere in the ballpark.
A good guess would be somewhere between five and ten million, including Georgia's Hugh Durham {you know he loves those Vols), but not counting Florida's zillion or so football faithful (they like that Majors fellow).
Hey Eddie, I was just kidding. You really don't have to beat Tennessee in Knoxville. You're safe.
Your five-year contract says so.
Kentucky fans never talk about firing a coach until he's lost at least six games and you've got three to spare.
Course, if you took a poll among your own players, you might be surprised to see how strong their sentiments are in turning the tables around in Knoxville.
A Footnote To Above: Just moments after Kentucky's 80-75 victory over Georgia in Athens Saturday, Sutton was enjoying a lighter moment with his staff as he was preparing to do his post-game radio show when he threw his staff a curveball.
"Fellas, you know I said this (Georgia game) would be the toughest challenge the rest of the regular season," grinned Sutton, "but I've changed my mind, it'll be Tennessee."
Sutton is a pretty bright fella . . . to be a college basketball coach.
Kentucky Ail-American Kenny Walker is one of eleven finalists for the coveted John R. Wooden Award awarded annually to college basketball's top player by the Los Angeles Athletic Club.
The winner will be announced in the not too distant future. Walker, who could become t}ie school's No. 2 all-time scorer before he
finishes, is also a top candidate for the Adolph Rupp Trophy and the James A. Naismith Trophy. All three awards go to players selected as the best in college basketball, but are voted on by different people.
Others in the final running for the Wooden award are: Steve Alford of Indiana, Walter Berry of St. John's. William Bedford of Memphis State, Len Bias of Maryland, Dell Curry of Virginia Tech, Brad Daugherty of North Carolina, Johnny Dawkins of Duke. Danny Manning of Kansas, Mark Price of Georgia Tech, and Roy Tarpley of Michigan.
Last year's winner was St. Johns' Chris Mullin. Ralph Sampson is the only player to ever win the award twice.
While so much is being said about the upcoming battle with Tennessee, all that will be forgotten less than forty-eight hours later when 23,000-plus fans say goodbye to UK seniors Kenny Walker, Roger Harden and Leroy Byrd.
There may be the Kentucky Derby and there may be Bardstown, Kentucky, but there's nothing quiet like singing "A/v Old Kentucky Home" at the home finale each season in Rupp Arena.
To say there will be some wet eyes would be an understatement. Kenny Walker has already said it'll be an emotional time for him. Roger Harden admits he'll not hold back the tears and well, Leroy, knows the meaning perhaps better than both of them. He's the natived Kentuckian of the trio.
That's to say nothing of the opposition. When LSU comes to town, fans come out of the woodwork. Nobody, other than the Big Orange, can stir up excitement on the hardwoods like Dale Brown and his Tigers. It'll be some kind of an afternoon.
Perhaps it's only fitting the NBC-TV cameras will be here to capture this annual sendoff. Here's hoping the network's first game (Oklahoma vs. North Carolina State) doesn't go overtime and prevent the rest of the world from witnessing what Kentucky fans have come to cherish as one of the truly great moments in all of sports.
Hey, Dick and Al. Keep the tissue handy.
You'll need it.
HITS AND MISSES . . . With all the coaching changes around the country, you'll see lots of new faces on the major college scene next year. Some are expected and a few could be very surprising. There are even rumors that retired UK coach Joe B. Hall could be lured back into the business after a year away from the rat race. Sportscaster Joe Dean says in the current issue of Basketball Times that several schools are interested in Hall and that he might be talked into coming back ... At least two current members of the UK staff have their names being tossed around the job market. Assistants Leonard Hamilton and Doug Barnes have been mentioned in connection with current vacancies. Hamilton, according
[Continued On Page 33] 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! 97ie< gate' &
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Kentucky-Georgia Game Notes And Tidbits
The crowd of 10,826 was the largest of the season for the Bulldogs at Georgia Coliseum. Some 4,000 student tickets are reserved for each home game, but Georgia students reportedly took only about a 1,000 with the remainder being bought up by the public . . . The public as in Kentucky. At least 1,200 Wildcat fans made their way to Athens for the game, including large groups from Western Kentucky and the Atlanta chapter of the UK Alumni Association . . . After the game, the Atlanta group named Kenny Walker and James Blackmon as co-winners of its annual MVP award at the Georgia game . . . The same group presented a cake to coach Eddie Sutton after the Cats won the SEC title . . . Sutton wasn't the only person with a cake after the contest. Kenny Walker strolled toward the team bus after the game, carrying a homemade cake from the finest bakery in the land, his home.
Scoops And Comments On The Wildcats
Senior Wildcat guard Roger Harden picked up six assists, giving him a total of 185 for the year, leaving him just three short of Dirk Minniefield's single season record of 188. Harden should set a new record in Knoxville on Thursday. If he does,
Words of Wisdom
what a finish for the senior from Indiana. All Harden has accomplished this season is: (a) kept a lease his starting position which some insisted he would lose (b) set a season record for assists (c) become the best shooting guard (over 53 percent) on the club (d) hit game-winning shots in not just one, but two games and in two of the toughest places in the country, at Baton Rouge and Tuscaloosa (e) named player
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Cutting Down The Victory Threads
of the week in the SEC (f) named the SEC's Most Improved Player by The Jac