Saturday, November 17, 2001
UK: Rebounds to beat Marshall
Team play helps UK rebound from WKU loss
By Rusty Hampton
Louisville Courier-Journal
LEXINGTON, Ky. — University of Kentucky fans weren't the only ones who felt punched in the gut by Thursday night's shocking season-opening home loss to Western Kentucky.
Coach Tubby Smith called the game a “debacle.”
His players agreed.
“We let everybody down,” senior forward Tayshaun Prince said.
“We embarrassed ourselves,” forward Keith Bogans said. “I was so hurt that after the game, I didn't even answer my mom's phone call. ... I went to the room, shut my phones off and didn't talk to nobody.”
Fans yapped. Players stewed. Then the Wildcats took the first step toward making amends, pounding Marshall 90-73 Friday night before 16,193 fans at Rupp Arena in the consolation game of the NABC Classic.
The win was by no means artistic. The No.4-ranked Wildcats (1-1) shot just 40 percent in a messy game filled with airballs and Thundering Herd turnovers — 23 in all, including 13 by starting guards Ronny Dawn and Richard Wilson.
But it was an effective win. The stunned looks and hang-dog expressions were gone from the UK dressing room, replaced by smiles and laughter.
“This is what we kind of wanted to do (Thursday),” said Bogans, who led the Cats with 22 points and in the process became the 49th member of UK's career 1,000-point club. “The main thing was we had to bounce back. We couldn't stay down on ourselves. We had to come out and play like we're capable of playing.”
UK missed 24 of its first 36 shots but went on an 18-2 run over the final five minutes of the first half to take a 46-30 lead. The Cats held a double-digit edge the rest of the way.
Tamar Slay's second-half shooting — the 6-foot-8 guard hit 8 of 11 shots and finished with 26 points — kept UK from burying the Herd but never could get Marshall back in the game.
J.R. VanHoose, a former Kentucky Mr. Basketball, added 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Herd. Latece Williams also had a double-double, with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
While those three players accounted for all but 16 of Marshall's points, UK spread the offense around. Prince got in foul trouble, played just 14 minutes and had his second straight sub-par night with nine points and two rebounds. But nine other Cats scored, and nine had at least one assist.
Bogans' 22 points came on 4-for-9 3-point shooting and some major work on the glass. Six of his eight rebounds came on the offensive end. One first-half rebound resulted in the points that pushed him over 1,000 for his career.
“I didn't even know that was the one that did it,” he said. “I wasn't keeping track of the points. I was just trying to put the ball in the hole.”
The night before, the Cats were credited with just six assists, prompting Smith to label them as “selfish.” They had 20 assists against the Herd and only nine turnovers.
After getting eight points from their vaunted bench in Thursday's loss, the Cats got 48 this time, including Marquis Estill's 21 and Erik Daniels' 10. Chuck Hayes had a team-high 10 rebounds. Daniels and Estill had five each as the subs outrebounded the starters.
“We rebounded the right way,” Smith said. “We came back and played a much better game.”
He said he talked to the players about pride and ex-Cat Cameron Mills addressed the team, preaching teamwork over individual glory.
Hayes, a freshman, called Mills' pregame talk inspiring.
“His message was, "Who's going to be a leader, who's going to sacrifice?' ” Hayes said.
“Our guys realized you have to play unselfishly to win,” Smith said.
The usually demonstrative Smith seldom left his chair or raised his voice.
“It certainly didn't work (Thursday night), so I thought I'd try something different,” he said.
“It was odd out there. I'm used to getting screamed at,” Bogans said.
Said guard Gerald Fitch of Thursday night's effort, “I think it hurt (Smith) more than made him mad.”
Marshall 30-43 90
Kentucky 46-43 73
Attendance—Unknown. 3-point goals— MU 4-16 (Slay 2-8, Dawn 1-6, Bunch 11-2), UK 9-28 (Prince 1-5, Bogans 4-9, Fitch 2-5, Hawkins 1-2, Carrier 1-6, Scars 0-1). Technical fouls— None. Officials— Bryan Kersey, Reggie Cofer, Raymie Styons.
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UK: Rebounds to beat Marshall
