Wildcats Struggle for Win in SEC Opener

Wildcats Struggle for Win in SEC Opener

Published: 3/10/06, 8:24 AM EDT
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Kentucky Wildcats feel confident they've finally earned an NCAA tournament berth. They'll have to play much better if they want to make that spot automatic as the Southeastern Conference tournament champions for the 26th time.

Playing on the opening day of the SEC tournament for the first time since the event was renewed in 1979, the Wildcats found themselves struggling against a team they routed by 40 two weeks ago. But a late 13-2 run helped them pull out a 71-57 victory over Mississippi on Thursday.

That set up a matchup with Alabama, one of four teams that beat Kentucky in Rupp Arena this season, in the quarterfinals Friday - the day Wildcats and their fans are used to making their first appearance in the tournament.

"We're coming in with a lot of confidence, and us having one game under our belt here in the tournament, hopefully that will help us out," Kentucky coach Tubby Smith said.

In other games, South Carolina downed Mississippi State 59-44, setting up a game with No. 14 Tennessee, the Eastern Division's No. 1 seed. Vanderbilt topped Auburn 76-71 and meets the SEC's regular-season champ, 17th-ranked LSU.

Arkansas, an 80-67 winner over Georgia, will play 16th-ranked Florida in the final game Friday night.

Kentucky has won five of its last seven in reaching 20 victories for a 16th straight season, and Smith has Ramel Bradley back after missing the final four games of the regular season with a broken left hand. He scored 11 points as a reserve.

How Kentucky fared against Alabama, which won 68-64 on Jan. 14, may have turned more on the fact it should have been nearly impossible for the Crimson Tide to shoot 72 percent, which they did in in that victory.

The Wildcats needed more emotion and energy than they showed against Ole Miss, whose Bam Doyne's jumper tied the game at 46 with 6:34 to go. Randolph Morris and Rajon Rondo keyed the 13-2 run by scoring twice each, and Rondo hit a long 3 with the shot clock about to expire.

Morris finished with 17 points, Patrick Sparks added 14 and Joe Crawford had 11 for Kentucky (20-11).

Jermey Parnell led Ole Miss with 14 points, while Curtis had 13 points and eight rebounds and Doyne added 11 as the Rebels finished 14-16 in coach Rod Barnes' final game. School officials announced last week he wouldn't return after this season, but he wouldn't talk about what happened Thursday.

"I'm so much a better coach, a better person, grateful," he said. "I think I'm better than I was two weeks ago in every aspect of my life."

The Razorbacks (22-8) burnished their NCAA tournament resume by winning their sixth straight. That run included a victory over the Gators, and they wasted little time ensuring a rematch. Arkansas pulled away from Georgia with a 13-2 run and never trailed again.

Ronnie Brewer, the SEC's leading scorer, added 18 points, while Ferguson had 16 and Charles Thomas scored 14 for Arkansas.

Reserve Mercer scored 16 points, Younes Idrissi added 14 and Channing Toney had 10 for Georgia (15-15).

Auburn had been the only team Vandy (17-11) has played in the tournament without winning at least once. The Commodores' losses included a 77-73 opening-round defeat last year that ended their hopes of an NCAA tournament berth.

It looked like the Tigers (12-16) would extend their streak when they led throughout the first half. But Derrick Byars hit five 3s and finished with 21 points, while Shan Foster added 20 to reach the quarterfinals.

Auburn coach Jeff Lebo said he thought the Commodores might fold if his Tigers stayed with them. They did just that, and Frank Tolbert's 3 from the top of the key pulled them within 68-66 with 1:35 left. But Vandy clinched the victory at the free throw line, hitting 6-of-8 in the final 49 seconds.

"They didn't panic," he said.

South Carolina (16-14) overcame a 9-2 start by turning over the ball a season-low four times to win a first-round game for the second time in three years. Renaldo Balkman led the Gamecocks with 12 points, giving them a chance to avenge what coach Dave Odom called a "devastating blow."

Tennessee swept the Gamecocks in the regular season, including a 76-69 victory in Columbia in the SEC opener.
credit BellSouth

this is great as Ive always been a UK fan and Im cheering them on the whole way through till the end of the NCAA tournament, and hopefully, like my other team the steelers, they will win the championship of their sport.