The Big Blue Lowdown

UK 86-62 Penn

This was the classic 'trap game': the crappy, easy-to-forget-about team at 8pm on a Monday night, sandwiched between Louisville (the emotional high point of the year) and the first game of conference play (the next step for a successful season). Penn, despite their .500 record, is a veteran squad used to winning on their level--granted, a decidedly lower level than UK plays on, but they're not used to losing even to teams that are better than them. So does UK have the discipline to come in here and polish off a lesser opponent or will they muck around and give up a cheap loss to a smart team?

UK started slow, clearly hungover from a good win in Louisville. Penn capitalized early, hitting 7-9 three's in the first half. Penn jumped out to an early lead and got it up to 32-21 before UK responded with 12 straight points to end the half. UK outscored Penn 65-30 from the point of Penn's largest lead. Take that, Quakers! (Tonight's game was not unlike the Notre Dame game: UK falling behind early because of the other team's hot shooting, followed by a big blue avalanche rolling through the 2^nd half)

UK weathered the flurry of points by dominating inside: widest rebound margin of the year (35-15) and each team scored 24 points from 3-pt and 14 points from the foul line; the difference in the game was entirely in 2-point baskets: UK (24-39), Penn (12-37).

And check this out: UK shot 18-22 fg in the 2nd half--yipes! (Bold prediction: UK will win every game where they shoot 18-22 in either half. Book it.)

As for Penn: Bernardini, Cartwright, Eggleston (15-27 fg's); rest of the team (5-22). Uh, three of them came to play, but the rest of the team made no impact.

I didn't get to see the game tonight, my cable package got (unfortunately) changed a few months ago (damn, I don't get the soccer channel any more or tennis or NFL, I cry a little when I think of all I'm missing). I listened to the game on the radio while following the stats on ESPN. An interesting way to follow the game, a must for you out of town Cats fans. I say this because without visual input, I don't feel like I got a real sense of how everyone played. My feeling is that Vargas did not shine tonight but that everyone else played well.

Looking ahead to Georgia

Georgia comes in with an 11-2 record. Nice, but the schedule isn't too impressive. Two losses in two nights to Temple and in double OT to Notre Dame (whom we destroyed like a toy on a Xmas). They narrowly beat another common opponent, Mississippi Valley State, and have one sorta neat-looking win at Georgia Tech. All you can is they haven't lost much but none of those wins are terribly impressive: Mercer, High Point, St. Louis, Manhattan, EKU, Arkansas State. I like UK to cover the spread (whatever that is).