xt7vx05x754c https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7vx05x754c/data/mets.xml Wildcat News Company 1985 Volume 9 -- 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 (1984-1985) coaches Hall, Joe B. players Bearup, Bret McKinley, Troy Rupp, Adolph Rupp, Herky Keightley, Bill (Mr. Wildcat) UK vs. University of Georgia (February 24, 1985) UK vs. University of Florida (February 7, 1985) University of Kentucky Football (1985) Claiborne, Jerry recruiting statistics schedules Cats' Pause Combs, Oscar The Cats' Pause, "March 2, 1985" text The Cats' Pause, "March 2, 1985" 1985 2012 true xt7vx05x754c section xt7vx05x754c < (T. X
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Kentucky Statistics
1984-85 UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY BASKETBALL STATISTICS
Kenny WALKER
Overall:
G-CS
25-25 (C)16-16
15-10 Home: Field Coals
199-364-54.7 133-232-57.3
10-3 Neutral: 1-0 Free Throws Rebounds
175-232-75.4 113-153-73.9
252-10.1 165-10.3
Away: PF-D
71-1 50-1
(25 CAMES) 4-7 SEC:
A TO Pol
Winston 24-21 BENNETT (C)16-16
Ed 25- 7
DAVENDER(C)16- 3
Bret 25-25 BEARUP (C)16-16
James 23-18 BLACKMON(C)15-14
Richard 18- 0 MADISON (C)10- 0
Tray 22- 0
McKINLET(C)15- 0
Roger 24-22 HARDEN (016-14
Paul 17- 4
ANDREWS (C)10- 1
Robert 21- 4
LOCK (C)I2- 0
Cedrlc 16- 0
JENKINS (C)10- 0
Todd 8- 0
ZIECLER (C)3- 0
Leroy BIRD
Team
8- 0 (C)5- 0
67-156-42 9 42- 63-66 7 132- 5. 5 85-8
42- 95-44. 2 25- 38-65. 8 88- 5. 5 60-6
62-165-37 6 57- 79-72 2 27- 1. 1 43-1
38-107-35. 5 33- 51-64. 7 22- t. 4 26-0
64-148-43 2 33- 46-71 7 146- 5 8 73-4
4 0- 81-49 4 23- 32-71 9 92- 5 8 47-3
62-147-42 2 20- 33-60 6 33- 1 4 45-1
34- 87-39 1 8- 15-53 3 22- 1 5 30-1
39- 99-39 4 22- 26-84 6 61- 3 4 26-1
14- 42-33 3 14- 16-87 5 22- 2 2 9-0
48- 81-59 3 8- 8-100 0 22- 1 0 16-0
39- 67-58 2 4- 4-100 0 13- 0 9 15-0
45-121-37 .2 21- 26-80 6 32- 1 3 45-0
28- 80-35 0 18- 22-81 8 19- 1 2 31-0
20- 42-47 .6 1- 2-50 0 8- 0 5 23-0
9- 21-42 .9 1- 2-50 0 3- 0. 3 11-0
11- 38-28 9 6- 13-46 2 45- 2. 1 37-1
6- 15-40 0 4- 7-57 1 22- 1. 8 13-0
2- 8-25 0 4- 7-57 1 21- 1. 3 6-0
2- 2-100 0 4- 6-66 7 14- 1.4 5-0
1- 4-25 0 0- 4-00 0 4- 0 S 0-0
1- 3-33 3 0- 3-00 0 3- 1 0 0-0
0- 1-00 0 0- 1-00 0 1- 0 l 7-0
0- 1-00 0 0- 0-00 0 1- 0 2 4-0
47
30 19
50 41
33 19
13 6
573-22.9 379-23.7
36-KAN 33-OM
16 13
Kentucky 25 (C)16
Opponents 25
(C)16 MINUTES PLAYED:
BLOCKED SHOTS:
620-1374-45.1 386-833-46.3
630-1349-46.7 397-861-46.1
389-540-72.0 247-347-71.2
319-462-69.0 197-289-68.2
831-33.2 519-32.4
804-32.2 511-31.9
176-109- 7.3 6.B 14-L0U 12-FLA
181-109- 7.2 6.8 27-ETS 17-FLA
161-103- 6.4 6.4 13-ETS 12-CA
144-74- 6.3 4.9 17-TOL 16-GA
100-42- 5.6 4.2 16-IND I4-AUB
104-82- 4.7 5.5 14-0H 14-OH
111-74- 4.6 4.6 12-LOU 12-VAN
41-19- 2.4 1.9 8-SHU 7-ALA
28-16- 1.3 1.3 8-TENI 8-TENI
8-8- 0.5 0.8 3-VAN 3-VAN
2-2- 0.3 0.7 2-VAN 2-VAN
0-0- 0.0 0.0 ---
1629-1019- 65.2 63.7 92-KAN 77-GA
1579-991- 63.2 61.9 69-KAN 82-HSD
Walker 913-36.5, Bennett 686-28.6, Bearup 673-26.9, Blackmon 575-25.0, Harden 601-25.0, Davender 540-21.6, Hadlaon 319-17.7, McKlnley 292-13.3, Andrews 173-10.2, Lock 161-7.7, Jenkins 64-4.0, Byrd 13-1.6, Zlegler 12-1.5
v" Walker 30, Bearup 15, Lock 7, Bennett 5, Hadiaon 3, Jenkins 2, Davender 2 (UK 65, Opp. 44)
STEALS Walker 26, Blackmon 24, Bennett 22, Davender 22, Ha :en 20, Bearup 10,
Madison 6, McKlnley 5, Lock 2, Andrews 2, Jenkl- :, Byrd 1. (UK 142. Opp. 144)
DEAD BALL REBOUNDS: Kentucky 53, Opponents 58
GAME UK-Opp Attend High Scorer High Rebounder
Toledo (H, Nov. 27) 63-54 23,129 Walker, Blackmon 17 Walker 9
Purdue (A, Dec. 1) 56-66 14,123 Walker, Blackaon 16 Walker 9
SHU (H, Dec. 4) 54-56 22,346 Walker 19 Walker 7
Indiana (A, Dec. 8) 68-81 17,214 Walker, Hadlaon 16 Bearup 11
Loulavllle (A. Dec. 15) 64-71 19,487 Walker 32 Walker 15
East Tenn. (UKIT. Dec. 21) 69-54 21,300 Davender 27 Walker 9
Cincinnati (UKIT, Dec. 22) 66-55 23,102 Walker 18 Walker 9
Kansaa (Loulavllle, Dec. 31) 92-89 18,920 Walker 36 Walker 19
Auburn (H, Jan. 2) 68-61 22.847 Walker 24 Walker 13
North Carolina St. (H, Jan. 5) 78-62 23.775 Walker 28 Walker 8
Vande'rbilt (H, Jan. 7) 75-58 23,432 Walker 22 Walker 10
Mlaalsalppl (A, Jan. 9) 57-45 5,479 Walker 28 Walker 12
Alabama (A, Jan. 12) 58-60 15,043 Walker 25 Walker 14
Mississippi State (H, Jan. 16) 58-57 23,628 Walker 15 Walker 8
Florida (H, Jan. 19) 55-67 23,325 Walker 26 Bennett 11
Georgia (A, Jan. 23) 73-81 10,163 Walker 28 Walker 17
Tennessee (A, Jan. 27) 65-81 12,700 Walker 23 Walker 9
LSD (H, Jan. 31) 53-43 22,135 Walker 21 Bearup 8
Auburn (A, Peb. 2) 49-47 ot 10,672 Walker 15 Bennett 8
Vanderbilt (A, Peb 7) 68-62 15,626 Walker 31 Walker 15
Mississippi (H, Peb. 9) 67-52 23,232 Walker 33 Walker 13
Alabama (H, Feb 13) 51-48 21,125 Walker 19 Walker 8
Mississippi State (A, Peb. 16) 69-82 9,799 Walker 27 Walker 12
Florida (A, Peb. 20) 76-68 10,884 Walker , Davender 17 Bearup 9
Georgia (H, Feb. 24) 79-77 23,230 Walker 25 Walker 12
Tennessee (H, Peb. 28, 8:05 p.m. EST)
LSU (A, Mar. 2, 3:05 p.a
EST)
SEC Tournament (Mar. 6-9) Birmingham
1984-85 Kentucky Basketball Superlatives
TEAM
Point a
Feveat Point* Field Coal. Made Field Goals Att. Field Coal X Lowest PC Z Pree Throws Made Pree Throws Att. Pree Throw I Rebounda Moat Poula Pevest Foula Assists
Moat Turnover* Fewest Turnover*
Points
Field Coals Made Field Coala Att. Free Throws Hade Free Throws Att. Rebounds Ass ists Blocked Shots
Kentucky
92-Kansaa
49-Auburn
34-Kanaaa
79-Kansa*
55.4-Georgia
34.8-AIabaiaa
34-H.C. State
37-N.C. State/Kanaa*
94.4-Vanderbilt
51-Kansa*
34-Purdue
10-East Tenn. St.
21- Kanaaa/Georgla
22- Purdue 6-Plorid*
36-Walker va.
14-Walker va.
25-Walker va.
13-Walker va.
20-Walker vs.
19-Walker vs.
10-Harden vs.
4-U'alker vs.
INDIVIDUAL Kansas Louisville Loulavllle Vandy/Ole Miss Kansas Kansaa Ceorgia Cinelnnatl
Opponents
89-Kansas
4 3-LSU
37-Kansas
66-Kanaas/Plorlda
66.1-Indlana
29.1-Clncinnati
30-Purdue. Miss. State
41- Purdue
100.0-East Tennessee St.
42- Alabaaa, Florid* 28-N.C. State/Kanaas 13-Louiavllle 27-KanBas
25-N.C. State 2-Vanderbllt
34-Brooks (Tennessee) 14-Brooks (Tennessee) 22-Lalrd (Ole Miss)
13- Cadis (Purdue)
14- Cadis (Purdue)
15- Koncak (SMU) U-Webb (N.C. State)
4-Koncak (SMU)
SOUTHEASTERN
Conference Overall
W L Pet. W L Pet.
Georgia 11 5 .688 19 6 .760
Louisiana St. 11 5 .688 17 8 .680
Kentucky 10 6 .625 15 10 .600
Alabama 9 7 .563 17 8 .680
Mississippi St. 9 7 .563 13 12 .520
Florida 8 8 .500 16 9 .640
Auburn 7 9 .438 15 10 .600
Tennessee 7 9 .?38 16 12 .571
Mississippi 5 11 .313 11 13 .458
Vanderbilt 3 13 .188 10 IS .400
ATLANTIC COAST
Conference Overall
W L Pet. W L Pet.
N. Carolina 8 4 .667 21 6 .778
N.Carolina St. 8 4 .667 18 7 .720
Georgia Tech 8 5 .615 19 6 .760
Duke 7 5 .583 20 S .800
Maryland 6 6 .500 21 10 .677
Clemson 5 8 .385 15 10 .600
Wake Forest 4 8 .333 14 11 .560
Virginia 3 9 .250 14 12 .538
BIG EAST
Conference Overall
W u Pet. W L Pet.
St. John's 14 0 1.000 24 1 .960
Georgetown 12 2 .857 25 2 .926
Syracuse 8 6 .571 19 6 .760
Vlllanova 8 6 .571 17 8 .680
Pittsburgh 7 7 .500 16 9 .640
Boston Coll. 7 8 .467 18 8 .692
Connecticut 5 9 .357 12 13 .480
Providence 3 12 .200 10 18 .357
Seton Hall 0 14 .000 9 16 .360
PACIFIC 10
Conference Overall
W L Pet. W L Pet.
Arizona 11 4 .733 20 7 .741
Southern Cal 11 4 .733 17 7 .708
Washington 10 5 .667 19 8 .704
Oregon St. 9 5 .643 19 6 .760
UCLA 9 5 .643 13 11 .542
Arizona St. 7 9 .438 12 14 .462
Oregon 6 8 .429 13 14 .481
California 4 10 .286 12 12 .500
Stanford 3 11 .214 11 13 .458
Washington St. 3 12 .200 11 14 .440
SUN BELT
Conference Overall
W L Pet. W L Pet.
Va. Common. 11 2 .846 21 5 .808
Ala.-Birm. 11 3 .786 23 7 .767
Old Dominion 9 4 .692 17 9 .654
S. Florida 6 8 .429 16 10 .615
S. Alabama 6 8 .429 14 12 .538
Jacksonville 6 8 .429 14 13 .519
W. Kentucky 5 9 .357 14 13 .519
N.C. Charlotte 1 13 .071 5 22 .185
BIG EIGHT
Conference Overall
W L Pet. W L Pet.
Oklahoma 11 1 .917 22 5 .815
Kansas 9 3 .750 22 6 .786
Missouri 7 5 .583 17 10 .630
Iowa St. 6 6 .500 18 10 .643
Nebraska 5 7 .417 15 10 .600
Colorado 4 8 .333 10 15 .400
Kansas St. 3 9 .250 12 13 .480
Oklahoma St. 3 9 .250 12 13 .480
SOUTHWEST
Conference Overall
W L Pet. W L Pet.
So. Methodist 10 4 .714 21 6 .778
Texas Tech 10 4 .714 18 7 .720
Arkansas 9 6 .600 18 11 .621
Texas A8.M 8 6 .571 16 9 .640
TCU 7 7 .500 15 10 .600
Houston 7 7 .500 15 11 .577
Texas 7 8 .467 14 11 .560
Baylor 3 11 .214 10 15 .400
Rice 3 11 .214 11 14 .440
MISSOURI VALLEY
Conference Overall
W L Pet. W L Pet.
Tulsa 11 3 .786 20 5 .800
Wichita St. 11 4 .733 15 11 .577
Illinois St. 10 4 .717 20 5 .800
Crelghton 9 6 .600 20 9 .690
Bradley 7 7 .500 14 11 .560
Indiana St. 6 8 .429 13 11 .542
S. Illinois 5 9 .357 13 12 .520
Drake 3 12 .200 11 15 .423
W. Texas St. 3 12 .200 10 16 .385
INDEPENDENTS
W L Pet.
Notre Dame 17 7 .708
Dayton 17 8 .680
DePaul 17 8 .680
Marquette 16 8 .667
Chicago SI. 16 10 .615
Radford 16 10 .615
Texas-San Antnio 15 10 .600
Utica 16 11 .593
SW Louisiana 16 12 .571
Brooklyn 13 13 .500
Pan American 12 12 .500
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Postmaster: Send Address changes to THE CATS' PAUSE, P.O. Box 7297, Lexington, Kentucky 40522 SEC Is Wide Open In Birmingham Next Week
Kentucky's chances of successfully defending its Southeastern Conference title all but went down the drain Sunday at the hands of Georgia, but the quality of play exhibited by the Wildcats provided hope for post season play.
The Wildcats first must close out the regular season with a home finale against Tennessee Thursday and then a trip to LSU on Saturday.
Although the league race isn't officially over, you can bet the Wildcats will be tuning up their game for the SEC Tournament next week in Birmingham. And well they should because a post season invitation could be wrapped up with a couple more victories.
In many respects, this season reminds us of the 1979 campaign in which the Wildcats came on strong at the season's end, went to the finals of the SEC tourney and a NIT invitation.
What effect the emotional loss to Georgia will have on Kentucky isn't known, but this group of Wildcats haven't quit all year. They tend to be over-achievers. In other words, they play better than they're suppose to when their backs are against the wall.
The 79-77 loss to Georgia definitely put the Wildcats' backs to the wall. We're not going to get into the subject of Sonny Holmes' officiating. That's a thing of the past. Kentucky got beat by a very, very good Georgia team which is well-coached as always by Hugh Durham.
And Kentucky stood toe-to-toe for forty minutes. I've seen Kentucky win games by large margins and play considerably poorer than the Wildcats played Sunday.
What Kentucky probably learned from Sunday's event is that you have to play both hard and well to beat top teams and that you're not going to get breaks just because you're playing at home. Sometimes you get breaks and sometimes the other team. You have to learn to play under those conditions.
The league race appears to be headed to Georgia for the first time in the school's history and the Bulldogs', if they do win the league title, will become the first team in SEC history to bounce back from an 0-3 start to win the league crown.
All Georgia has to do to win the title is to beat Ole Miss in Athens Wednesday and then pay back a debt to Tennessee in Knoxville Saturday.
That's easier said than done.
In case you've forgotten, it was Tennessee coach Don DeVoe who lashed out at Durham and Georgia recently about the Cedric Henderson
recruiting case. To add insult to injury, less than a week later, Tennessee promptly whipped Georgia on the Bulldogs' home court.
Ironically, it will require a win over the Vols in Stokely Athletics Center (in what could be the last game in that facility) to insure the Bulldogs of their first title.
Should be an interesting time in ole K-town Saturday.
Almost forgotten in the scramble are the LSU Tigers which can assure themselves of a first-place tie with wins at Auburn Wednesday and a victory over Kentucky in Baton Rouge Saturday.
Without doubt, this is the toughest SEC race in many, many years. And despite Sunday's loss, UK could still be going for a piece of the title on Saturday if the Wildcats should beat Tennessee on Thursday, regardless of what the other teams do on Wednesday.
Of course, winning in Baton Rouge is not the easiest assignment given a team. Yet, stranger things have happened.
What all this really means is that the SEC tournament will be a wide open affair in Birmingham. For the first time in years, there probably won't be a clear-cut favorite.
Don't be surprised if the regular season champion (whoever it is) doesn't win the tourney title.
The way it stacks up right now, about the only teams which don't figure to be wearing the tourney crown are Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, the two teams with the least talent.
To make matters worse, both lost their star players within the past couple weeks.
About the only stars on the two clubs were strong contenders for All-SEC honors at the guard post and both are now out. Ole Miss' Eric Laird was dismissed from the team for disciplinary reasons and Phil Cox is gone with a broken hand.
Still, either team is capable of upsetting a first round foe in the post season tourney.
From there you have the likes of Auburn and Tennessee, a pair of major disappointments who have the talent to beat anyone on a given night and who usually play well in tourney atmosphere.
And then you have six bonafide teams of which all have owned the league lead at one time or another this season.
Mississippi State faded last week with a pair of losses, but the Bulldogs won't have to play on anyone's home
floor in this tourney and you gotta remember that there will be no 45-second clock.
Florida has experienced some problems of late, but the Gators have the horses to go all the way in a three-game set. That leaves Georgia, LSU, Kentucky and Alabama.
And don't count out the Crimson Tide. For one thing, if there's a homecourt advantage to be enjoyed in Birmingham, it would be Alabama. The Tide, along with Georgia, LSU and Kentucky have all proved they're capable of winning three games in a row.
But the odds are that the commissioner's office will again be able to point to the parity of the SEC on Saturday afternoon. Since the tourney was reinstated back in 1979, six different clubs have won the title. Make it seven in seven years next week when either Florida, Auburn or Mississippi State walks off the floor with all the marbles. It just wouldn't be the SEC any other way.
HITS AND MISSES. . . Three high school stars were spotted among the crowd of 23,000-plus at Rupp Arena Sunday, including Georgia senior guard Roland Shelton who made his official visit to UK. Sheldon verbally committed to Auburn several weeks ago but changed his mind after Coach Sonny Smith announced his resignation at the season's end. Also on hand were a pair of Kentucky junior supers, 6-3 guard Rex Chapman of Owensboro Apollo and 6-2^ guard Scott Draud of Ft. Thomas Highlands. Chapman is rated as the state's top junior while Draud is ranked No. 4 behind Felton Spencer and Reggie Hanson by recruiting expert Rick Bolus. . .Former UK assistant Joe Dean is on his way to a very successful season for the second straight year. Dean's Birmingham Southern team has compiled a 22-5 mark going into the season finale and is a strong contender for the NAIA district title in Alabama. Last year, his club won the district and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament. After last season, Dean was rewarded with a new five-year contract. "I love this place here," said Dean recently of Birmingham Southern, "the people are super and it's just great to have such a fine bunch of kids and win like we've been able to do." Southern now enjoys a streak of 39 straight home court wins. . .Recruiting in the roundball sport is really heating up these days and most of it surrounds juniors. Scott County's Frank Persley, one of the state's top five juniors, is being wooed by a number of big-time
schools. In to watch the 6-4 youngster earlier this week were North Carolina State and Vanderbilt is putting on an early move. . .Kentucky coach Joe B. Hall was on the road this past weekend, watching 6-10 super Terry Mills of Michigan. Mills is considered by many as one of the nation's top two junior forwards. He attended UK's camp last summer and many believe he could wear the blue and white if Kentucky can lure him away from the Wolverines. Last Saturday, he scored 31 points on 15 of 20 from the field, hauled down 7 rebounds and had 7 blocked shots. . .Another big man already in the bag for UK, Irving Thomas, continues to have a great year at Carol City High just outside Miami, Florida. He scored almost 40 points in each of his last two outings. . .Fans of UK football and basketball will soon be able to purchase video tapes of outstanding highlights of the two sports. Sports Video Highlights is producing the two tapes under contract with the University of Kentucky Athletics Association. The first tape, on UK football, is expected to be available by the first of April. The tapes will contain interviews and game highlights of previous bowl games and other memorable contests throughout the Wildcat past. More information can be obtained by writing Box 2168, Lexington, Kentucky 40595. . .Much has been written about Jerry Tarkan-ian being on the same flight to Lexington last fall as superstar prep-ster Tommy Lewis who was making his visit to UK at the same time. However, the story has grown a little ridiculous over the last month. True, both arrived on the same flight, but there was no fifty-piece band there to greet Lewis as some have indicated. UK leaves such antics up to those fanatics over in ACC Country. Fact is, Tark was in Lexington to speak at Joe B. Hall's Basketball Clinic. Tis true that UNLV also is recruiting Lewis heavily but don't count the Wildcats out too quickly. . .Likewise on Kenny Payne of Ceorgia who will probably choose from among Louisville, Mississippi State, Georgia and Kentucky. If Tony Kimbro goes to UL, don't look for Payne to join him. The same could be said at Kentucky with Lewis. Ironically, Lewis was also one of UL's top recruits earlier, dating all the way back to his sophomore year in high school. . .Kentucky desperately wants to sign a guard this season and Shelton appears to be the prime target along with 6-4 Lance Blanks of McCullough HS in Texas and 6-2 Mel Gilliam of Tulsa, Oklahoma, a two-sport athlete who is an All-American in football. . .UK
(Continued On Page 22) 7^4
Wanc/iS, m5
Savoring Final Days As A Wildcat
Traveling back to the hotel the day prior to the Florida game, senior center Bret Bearup might not have had the Gators on his mind. He may have been thinking about his and senior teammate Troy McKinley's final home game against Tennessee the following week. When Bearup and McKinley walk on to the court for their pregame assemblage, it will mark the last time (with the exception of an NIT or Final Four possiblity) the two will be in Wildcat uniforms in front of the 23,000-plus Blue and White spectators. For any UK senior, it's definitely a night not to forget.
With every game, the five-year senior drew closer and closer to that final curtain call at Rupp Arena; now it's a reality.
Nick Nicholas
Ceils' Pause Columnist
"The second time around the conference you start really thinking about it," said Bearup. "As the home games kick down, you start to get a little bit more melancholy about it. You try to savor every moment as you can because you know it's not going to last much longer. It's on my mind a lot more now than at the beginning of the season."
What's probably been on his mind is the traditional running through the circled banner and the UK band playing "My Old Kentucky Home" just before tipoff. It's a ceremony that is usually followed by tears, not only from the fans but the players as well. And it probably won't be any different this year.
"I'm hoping my dad will come to the finale," Bearup said. "I've been making plans. Maybe my brothers will come down and hold the hoop (the banner Bret will shatter through).
"Troy and I've talked about whether or not we're going to cry during My Old Kentucky Home. We're going to try not to, but it's going to be almost impossible.
"We really started talking about it when we posed for the cover of the program," indicated Bearup about the Tennessee-UK game program that will feature him and Troy on the cover decked out in tuxedos. "We started thinking about running through the hoop and about all our family and friends, and about the things we'd miss about UK and the things we wouldn't miss.
"We're definitely not going to miss the conditioning program," laughed the senior.
Bearup... Inside ... A Red Shirt In '82
... With Hall ... At Center In '85
On the bus back to the Holiday Inn in Gainesville, as Bearup was talking about the finale, team trainer Walt McCombs was asking each player what they wanted for dinner -- pizza or hamburgers. In the background you could hear someone (Ed Davender) say "Hey, Walt, I want a Happy Meal." McCombs smiled and said, "A Happy Meal?"
"You see, I'm going to miss things like that," said Bearup. "Like Walt coming up and asking me if I want a pizza or a hamburger, and seeing him every night before the game. . .and he (Ed) and Walt having something funny to say, I'm just going to miss that so much."
The 23-year old New York native noted that during his five-year stint (he was red-shirted in 1982) in Kentucky he'll never forget the players he knew or the time put in to being a University of Kentucky basketball player.
Bearup came out of Harborfields Heights High School (N.Y.) as a consensus prep All-American. But when coming to Kentucky, even high school All-Americans must be patient.
During his freshman season he averaged 9.9 minutes a contest. Considering a team blessed with the talents of Sam Bowie, Melvin Turpin, Derrick Hord, Chuck Verderber, and Charles Hurt, Bearup's playing time was "a lot for a freshman." After a year of red-shirt status, one which Bearup said wasn't all bad, he came back in '83 to average 3.4 points while playing about 12 minutes per game. His playing time dipped down to seven minutes during last year's Final Four team, however Bearup noted that going to Seattle was an experience of a life-time. "That was just a glorious experience in going to the Final Four, said Bearup. "I'll never forget that."
West Germany's Gunther Behnke was suppose to fill up half the space left by the Twin Towers (ala Bowie and Turpin) in '85. Though, he decided to return home after four days in Lexington, thus putting a tremendous load on Bret's shoulders. After starting at forward in UK's first four games, Bearup was given the starting nod at the center position during the Louisville game, and he's been there ever since.
Before their encounter in Gainesville, Bearup had averaged 6.1 tallies per game and 5.6 rebounds, which is second only to Kenny Walker.
"This year's been really wonderful,"Bearup said,"because I've been able to play. I'm third on the team in minutes played (27.1 per game) and have started in every game this year. It's just been a dream come true to start for Kentucky -- game in and game out -- to be counted on and to be needed.
"It's just a really choice experience this year."
After the final Wildcat shot has been taken in the '85 season -- whether in NCAA, NIT, or SEC competition -- Bret Bearup will probably not be noted for his play compared to former Wildcats like the Issels, Bowies, Turpins, and Robeys, but he will be thought of as a person who gave it his all, on and off the court.
A dean's list student, Bearup's plans, following his college career will be devoted to two years of missionary work for his church and then Law School at UK. But his memories of playing basketball at UK will always linger on.
Said Bearup, "I would have most definitely had the chance, if I would have gone to another major college, to start and play, and possibly play well enough to make the professional ranks and everything. But I think the opportunity of playing at the University of Kentucky and growing not only as a basketball player, but enjoying all the other aspects of it --the academic part of it, the growth part of it and being able to help people. I love Kentucky and I want to make it my home, and I wouldn't trade anything in the world for it." 7Hand2,19X5
76c &tU' "Pacoia
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V
^? //te//&T SC0R//J6 50PHOMORB trJQg Histort (23.Q avb.) /s Th/iRo o4 All-Time-
WILPCAT CARE&R SCOR/KJO CHART (/, 710PTS){
m Sky Jams One Home
OFFICIAL NCAA BASKETBALL BOX SCORE
VISITORS (Ul Nm. First)
Qale Feb. 7h, I98S R;, RUPP ARENA (Lexinoton)
Richard Corhen
Joe Ward
Cedri c Henderson
Gerald Crosby
Donald Hartry
David Dunn
Me 1vi n Howard
Horace HcMi)]an
Chad Kessler
TEAM REBOUN0S (Included in Totah)
TOTALS
FG %: 1st Halt IV3l-.'i5? FT %: 1st Half WlO-.*""
33
61
28
. ZndH.H 19/30--63. 3
2h
79
MIN A TO BIK s
29 1 2 2 0
25 2 1 0 1
2d I 2 1 1
}h 6 2 0 h
26 5 1 0 \
17 1 0 0 1
20 6 3 0 1
16 2 0 0 1
9 1 0 0 0
.2nd Hall 9/18- .500
G.m. 33/61-.541
ho
155
KENTUCKY
Winston Bennett
Kenny Walker
Bret Bearup
Ed Davender
Roger Harden
Troy McKiniey
James Blackmon
Robert Lock
Cedric Jenkins
Paul Andrews
TEAM REBOUNDS (inducted m Tomb)
TOTALS
FT %: 1rUff M/H.-.786
29
56
19
27
25
35
25
OFFICIALS:
Pau1 Galvan. Sonny Holmes, Allle Prescol
2ndHdt I6/29-.552 2ndH.lt 8/I3-.6I5
Jl3
.Cm. 29/56-.518 -Cam. 19/27-. 70