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LOS ANGELES (AP) ―
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Kevin Garnett drives past the Lakers' Pau Gasol in the first half. Garnett led the Celtics with 22 points.
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Perhaps now the Los Angeles Lakers can put the anguish of losing the NBA finals to Boston and the embarrassment over the way the series ended behind them.
Kobe Bryant had 27 points, nine rebounds and five assists, Pau Gasol scored seven of his 20 points in the final three minutes, and the Lakers beat Boston 92-83 Thursday to snap the Celtics' franchise-record 19-game winning streak.
The game was the first between the teams since the Celtics romped to a 131-92 victory in Game 6 of the finals last June to win their first championship in 22 years and league-high 17th title. The Lakers blew a 24-point second-quarter lead in Game 4 at Staples Center to fall behind 3-1 -- a deficit that's never been overcome in the finals.
The victory was the 1,000th for Phil Jackson, enabling him to become the sixth NBA coach to reach that milestone. The 63-year-old Jackson has a career record of 1,000-423 in 17-plus seasons as coach of the Chicago Bulls and Lakers. He became the fastest to win 1,000 games, surpassing Pat Riley, who did it in 1,434 games.
"Here we are, a game that's been pointed to since the schedules came out," Jackson said beforehand.
The longtime rivals have met in the NBA finals 11 times, with the Celtics going 9-2.
The Celtics entered with a 27-2 record -- the fastest start by a two-loss team. They were in pretty good shape when Kevin Garnett put them ahead 81-79 with 3:57 remaining, but the Lakers went on a 13-2 run to finish the game.
Lamar Odom had 10 points and seven rebounds, and Sasha Vujacic also scored 10 for the Lakers (24-5), who won their 12th straight game at home, where they're 15-1. Andrew Bynum, who missed most of last season and the playoffs with an injured knee, had nine points and seven rebounds.
Garnett shot 11-of-14 in leading the Celtics (27-3) with 22 points, and he also had nine rebounds. Paul Pierce added 20 points and 10 rebounds, but didn't score in the fourth quarter. Ray Allen scored 14 and Rajon Rondo had 12 assists for Boston.
A 15-foot jumper by Gasol with 2:48 snapped an 81-all tie and put the Lakers ahead for good. Allen's 3-pointer failed, and Gasol scored from close range off an assist from Bryant with two minutes left, putting Los Angeles up by four and sending the crowd of 18,997 into a frenzy.
Garnett answered with a jumper to draw the Celtics within two, but Gasol's three-point play with 1:28 left put the Lakers on top 88-83. Gasol then blocked a 3-pointer by Allen, setting up Trevor Ariza for a dunk that gave Los Angeles a seven-point lead with 1:12 to go. Bryant's basket completed the scoring.
Boston's Eddie House made his only basket with 8:09 remaining to tie it at 75. Neither team led by more than two points after that until the Lakers took command down the stretch.
Pierce scored five points and Allen added three during an 8-0 run that put Boston ahead 64-62. Then, with Bryant on the bench, Odom made two 3-pointers, and the Lakers outscored the Celtics 9-3 to finish the third period and take a 71-67 lead.
Vujacic scored eight points and Bryant added six during a 16-5 run to begin the second quarter, giving the Lakers a 39-29 lead, and they were on top 51-45 at halftime. The Celtics shot 2-of-13 to begin the period and 7-of-12 to finish it. Boston attempted only two free throws in the half -- by Pierce with 13.5 seconds left.
Neither team led by more than three in the first quarter, which ended with the Celtics on top 24-23. Boston shot 61.1 percent to 47.6 percent for the Lakers, but committed six turnovers.
Notes: Boston's Glen Davis returned to action after missing two games because of a concussion sustained in a traffic accident last Sunday, and had four points and four rebounds in a reserve role. ... The Lakers played without backup point guard Jordan Farmar, who underwent knee surgery Wednesday and will be sidelined approximately eight weeks. ... The game marked the first time in NBA history that two teams met with so few losses (seven) this late in the season. ... The game was the 10th straight for the Lakers on Christmas. They have an overall record of 20-15 on Christmas including 11-6 at home. ... It was the Celtics' first game on Christmas since 2002. They have a 10-15 record, going 9-15 on the road and 1-0 at a neutral site. They have never played at home on Christmas. ... The game was the first on Christmas between the teams since 1970, when the Lakers won a 123-113 decision at the Forum in nearby Inglewood.
(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
ND ends 9 game bowl losing streak
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/wire/chi-ap-fbc-hawaiibowl,0,2114754.story
HONOLULU - Jimmy Clausen ended Notre Dame's long bowl drought -- and Hawaii's bid for a fourth straight Hawaii Bowl victory -- with a record-breaking passing night.
Clausen set Notre Dame bowl records with 401 yards passing and five touchdowns to lead the efficient Fighting Irish to their first postseason victory in 15 years, 49-21 over Hawaii on Wednesday night.
"I told the team that's the only thing I wanted (for Christmas). I just wanted to win a bowl game," Irish coach Charlie Weis said.
"I heard it a hundred times in the locker room after the game and they wanted to know what I was giving them for Christmas. I told them: 'a flight home."'
Golden Tate had six catches for 177 yards and three touchdowns, also Notre Dame bowl records, including a 69-yarder that sparked a 28-point outburst to help the Irish (7-6) end their NCAA-record bowl losing steak at nine.
"I'm very happy for Notre Dame. This was a great step forward for us," Weis said. "It leads us into 2009 with a good taste in our mouth."
With Weis calling the plays from the coaches box for the first time because of knee problems that require him to walk with crutches, the Irish were unstoppable.
The offense scored at will. The blitzing defense shutdown Hawaii's run-and-shoot. And the special teams wasn't too shabby, either.
"The guys came out here on a mission," Clausen said.
After the Warriors (7-7) scored to end Notre Dame's 28-point run, Armando Allen returned a kickoff 96 yards for a score. Allen also caught an 18-yard TD pass on the Irish's opening drive of the second half.
Weis said he had an injection in his knee before the game, but still couldn't walk. The last time he coached from the box was in 2001.
"It's 10 times easier. It's night and day easier," Weis said. "I haven't been up in the box since Drew Bledsoe got hurt. ... You don't want to do that long term, but calling a game from up there is pretty sweet. As a head coach, you want to be on the sideline."
It was evident Weis, who was all smiles after the game, and his players cherished its long-awaited bowl victory.
As Notre Dame was presented the Hawaii Bowl's pineapple-football trophy at midfield, each player came around to put their hands on it.
Notre Dame's victory was its first in the postseason since it beat Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl to end the 1993 season. The Irish also avoided consecutive losing seasons.
Clausen was confident and sharp, completing 22 of 26 passes. He racked up 300 yards passing and three TDs by halftime alone, sending the crowd home early.
The sophomore broke Brady Quinn's postseason school record of 286 yards passing set against Ohio State in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl.
Warriors coach Greg McMackin said, including his years in the NFL, Clausen was "as accurate as I've ever seen."
"He was outstanding, his receivers were outstanding," McMackin said.
With Notre Dame up 14-7, Clausen broke open the game by connecting with Tate on a 69-yard TD play, the Irish's longest play from scrimmage of the season.
Clausen faked a handoff, turned and heaved it to Tate, who had blew past cornerback Calvin Roberts along the left sideline. With the catch, Tate became the fifth Irish receiver to break 1,000 yards receiving in a season.
The Irish made it 28-7 with a second left in the first half on an 18-yard hookup between Clausen and Tate on third-and-goal. Hawaii challenged the play, but replays showed Tate got his left foot down before stepping out.
Tate followed it up in the third quarter with a 40-yard TD reception that pushed the lead to 42-7 and gave the Warriors flashbacks of the pounding they received from Georgia in the Sugar Bowl to end last season.
Clausen and Tate shared the MVP award.
Hawaii couldn't get much going. Quarterback Greg Alexander was kept off balance and on the run by the Irish defense, which had eight sacks and forced two turnovers.
The Warriors, who didn't call a running play until 6 minutes left in the first half, were held to 32 yards rushing.
Alexander was 23-of-39 for 261 yards, throwing 10- and 21-yard TD passes to Aaron Bain. Bain had a career-best eight receptions for 109 yards.
Hawaii fans had little to cheer about. One of the biggest roars came when the Notre Dame leprechaun's flagstick snapped in half as he charged out to the field. Notes:@ Notre Dame was designated the home team, so Hawaii wore white jerseys and used the visiting locker room and sideline. ... The Irish had player names on their jerseys for the first time since the Cotton Bowl to end the 1987 season. It renewed a tradition from the Ara Parseghian years when Irish teams did not have names on the backs of their jerseys during the regular season, but added them for bowl games.
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Bowl to end the 1993 season. The Irish also avoided consecutive losing seasons.
Clausen was confident and sharp, completing 22 of 26 passes. He racked up 300 yards passing and three TDs by halftime alone, sending the crowd home early.
The sophomore broke Brady Quinn's postseason school record of 286 yards passing set against Ohio State in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl.
Warriors coach Greg McMackin said, including his years in the NFL, Clausen was "as accurate as I've ever seen."
"He was outstanding, his receivers were outstanding," McMackin said.
With Notre Dame up 14-7, Clausen broke open the game by connecting with Tate on a 69-yard TD play, the Irish's longest play from scrimmage of the season.
Clausen faked a handoff, turned and heaved it to Tate, who had blew past cornerback Calvin Roberts along the left sideline. With the catch, Tate became the fifth Irish receiver to break 1,000 yards receiving in a season.
The Irish made it 28-7 with a second left in the first half on an 18-yard hookup between Clausen and Tate on third-and-goal. Hawaii challenged the play, but replays showed Tate got his left foot down before stepping out.
Tate followed it up in the third quarter with a 40-yard TD reception that pushed the lead to 42-7 and gave the Warriors flashbacks of the pounding they received from Georgia in the Sugar Bowl to end last season.
Clausen and Tate shared the MVP award.
Hawaii couldn't get much going. Quarterback Greg Alexander was kept off balance and on the run by the Irish defense, which had eight sacks and forced two turnovers.
The Warriors, who didn't call a running play until 6 minutes left in the first half, were held to 32 yards rushing.
Alexander was 23-of-39 for 261 yards, throwing 10- and 21-yard TD passes to Aaron Bain. Bain had a career-best eight receptions for 109 yards.
Hawaii fans had little to cheer about. One of the biggest roars came when the Notre Dame leprechaun's flagstick snapped in half as he charged out to the field. Notes:@ Notre Dame was designated the home team, so Hawaii wore white jerseys and used the visiting locker room and sideline. ... The Irish had player names on their jerseys for the first time since the Cotton Bowl to end the 1987 season. It renewed a tradition from the Ara Parseghian years when Irish teams did not have names on the backs of their jerseys during the regular season, but added them for bowl games.
HONOLULU - Jimmy Clausen ended Notre Dame's long bowl drought -- and Hawaii's bid for a fourth straight Hawaii Bowl victory -- with a record-breaking passing night.
Clausen set Notre Dame bowl records with 401 yards passing and five touchdowns to lead the efficient Fighting Irish to their first postseason victory in 15 years, 49-21 over Hawaii on Wednesday night.
"I told the team that's the only thing I wanted (for Christmas). I just wanted to win a bowl game," Irish coach Charlie Weis said.
"I heard it a hundred times in the locker room after the game and they wanted to know what I was giving them for Christmas. I told them: 'a flight home."'
Golden Tate had six catches for 177 yards and three touchdowns, also Notre Dame bowl records, including a 69-yarder that sparked a 28-point outburst to help the Irish (7-6) end their NCAA-record bowl losing steak at nine.
"I'm very happy for Notre Dame. This was a great step forward for us," Weis said. "It leads us into 2009 with a good taste in our mouth."
With Weis calling the plays from the coaches box for the first time because of knee problems that require him to walk with crutches, the Irish were unstoppable.
The offense scored at will. The blitzing defense shutdown Hawaii's run-and-shoot. And the special teams wasn't too shabby, either.
"The guys came out here on a mission," Clausen said.
After the Warriors (7-7) scored to end Notre Dame's 28-point run, Armando Allen returned a kickoff 96 yards for a score. Allen also caught an 18-yard TD pass on the Irish's opening drive of the second half.
Weis said he had an injection in his knee before the game, but still couldn't walk. The last time he coached from the box was in 2001.
"It's 10 times easier. It's night and day easier," Weis said. "I haven't been up in the box since Drew Bledsoe got hurt. ... You don't want to do that long term, but calling a game from up there is pretty sweet. As a head coach, you want to be on the sideline."
It was evident Weis, who was all smiles after the game, and his players cherished its long-awaited bowl victory.
As Notre Dame was presented the Hawaii Bowl's pineapple-football trophy at midfield, each player came around to put their hands on it.
Notre Dame's victory was its first in the postseason since it beat Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl to end the 1993 season. The Irish also avoided consecutive losing seasons.
Clausen was confident and sharp, completing 22 of 26 passes. He racked up 300 yards passing and three TDs by halftime alone, sending the crowd home early.
The sophomore broke Brady Quinn's postseason school record of 286 yards passing set against Ohio State in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl.
Warriors coach Greg McMackin said, including his years in the NFL, Clausen was "as accurate as I've ever seen."
"He was outstanding, his receivers were outstanding," McMackin said.
With Notre Dame up 14-7, Clausen broke open the game by connecting with Tate on a 69-yard TD play, the Irish's longest play from scrimmage of the season.
Clausen faked a handoff, turned and heaved it to Tate, who had blew past cornerback Calvin Roberts along the left sideline. With the catch, Tate became the fifth Irish receiver to break 1,000 yards receiving in a season.
The Irish made it 28-7 with a second left in the first half on an 18-yard hookup between Clausen and Tate on third-and-goal. Hawaii challenged the play, but replays showed Tate got his left foot down before stepping out.
Tate followed it up in the third quarter with a 40-yard TD reception that pushed the lead to 42-7 and gave the Warriors flashbacks of the pounding they received from Georgia in the Sugar Bowl to end last season.
Clausen and Tate shared the MVP award.
Hawaii couldn't get much going. Quarterback Greg Alexander was kept off balance and on the run by the Irish defense, which had eight sacks and forced two turnovers.
The Warriors, who didn't call a running play until 6 minutes left in the first half, were held to 32 yards rushing.
Alexander was 23-of-39 for 261 yards, throwing 10- and 21-yard TD passes to Aaron Bain. Bain had a career-best eight receptions for 109 yards.
Hawaii fans had little to cheer about. One of the biggest roars came when the Notre Dame leprechaun's flagstick snapped in half as he charged out to the field. Notes:@ Notre Dame was designated the home team, so Hawaii wore white jerseys and used the visiting locker room and sideline. ... The Irish had player names on their jerseys for the first time since the Cotton Bowl to end the 1987 season. It renewed a tradition from the Ara Parseghian years when Irish teams did not have names on the backs of their jerseys during the regular season, but added them for bowl games.
E-mailShare Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Fark Google Reddit Buzz up!Mixx it! PrintReprint
rated 5.0 by 2 people [?]
You might like:
All Charlie Weis wants for Christmas is a victory in Hawaii Bowl and winning record for Irish (@chicagotribune.com - Sports)Notre Dame breaks out of doldrums in Hawaii Bowl (@chicagotribune.com - Sports)Notre Dame Routs Hawaii, Ends Bowl Skid (@chicagotribune.com)2 more recommended posts »
Related topic galleries: Football, Drew Bledsoe, National Football League, Ohio State University, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Christmas
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Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Bowl to end the 1993 season. The Irish also avoided consecutive losing seasons.
Clausen was confident and sharp, completing 22 of 26 passes. He racked up 300 yards passing and three TDs by halftime alone, sending the crowd home early.
The sophomore broke Brady Quinn's postseason school record of 286 yards passing set against Ohio State in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl.
Warriors coach Greg McMackin said, including his years in the NFL, Clausen was "as accurate as I've ever seen."
"He was outstanding, his receivers were outstanding," McMackin said.
With Notre Dame up 14-7, Clausen broke open the game by connecting with Tate on a 69-yard TD play, the Irish's longest play from scrimmage of the season.
Clausen faked a handoff, turned and heaved it to Tate, who had blew past cornerback Calvin Roberts along the left sideline. With the catch, Tate became the fifth Irish receiver to break 1,000 yards receiving in a season.
The Irish made it 28-7 with a second left in the first half on an 18-yard hookup between Clausen and Tate on third-and-goal. Hawaii challenged the play, but replays showed Tate got his left foot down before stepping out.
Tate followed it up in the third quarter with a 40-yard TD reception that pushed the lead to 42-7 and gave the Warriors flashbacks of the pounding they received from Georgia in the Sugar Bowl to end last season.
Clausen and Tate shared the MVP award.
Hawaii couldn't get much going. Quarterback Greg Alexander was kept off balance and on the run by the Irish defense, which had eight sacks and forced two turnovers.
The Warriors, who didn't call a running play until 6 minutes left in the first half, were held to 32 yards rushing.
Alexander was 23-of-39 for 261 yards, throwing 10- and 21-yard TD passes to Aaron Bain. Bain had a career-best eight receptions for 109 yards.
Hawaii fans had little to cheer about. One of the biggest roars came when the Notre Dame leprechaun's flagstick snapped in half as he charged out to the field. Notes:@ Notre Dame was designated the home team, so Hawaii wore white jerseys and used the visiting locker room and sideline. ... The Irish had player names on their jerseys for the first time since the Cotton Bowl to end the 1987 season. It renewed a tradition from the Ara Parseghian years when Irish teams did not have names on the backs of their jerseys during the regular season, but added them for bowl games.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Yankess spend $180 in one week - I hope they fail to make the playoffs
Unlike the Braves who use their farm system to find new talent, the Yankees simply steal players from smaller market teams.
http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/36669524.html
NEW YORK - With one more bold stroke, the New York Yankees' spending spree went from wild to epic on Tuesday. CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett turned out to be mere stocking stuffers. Mark Teixeira, the first baseman with all-around skills, is the big package under their tree.
The Yankees agreed Tuesday to an eight-year, $180 million contract with Teixeira, the top position player in this year's free-agent market.
After signing Sabathia (eight years, $161 million) and Burnett (five years, $82.5 million), the Yankees downplayed their interest in signing Teixeira or Manny Ramirez, but team co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner asserted last week that "nothing was off the table."
With Teixeira's deal, the Yankees have lavished $423.5 million on three new players. The Red Sox had long appeared to be the most likely team to sign him, but their negotiations with agent Scott Boras broke down Thursday, and the Yankees swooped in -- their usual strategy with Boras clients.
"From the moment we arrived in Boston in late 2001, we saw it as a monumental challenge," Red Sox owner John Henry said in an e-mail to The Associated Press, a reference to being competitive with the Yankees. "We sought to reduce the financial gap [between the teams] and succeeded to a degree. Now with a new stadium filled with revenue opportunities, they have leaped away from us again. So we have to be even more careful in deploying our resources."
Teixeira will get a $5 million signing bonus, $20 million in each of the first two seasons, and $22.5 million in each of the final six years. He has a full no-trade clause.
"They have the revenue sources that most don't have, and they have a lot of money coming off the books this season," said Los Angeles Angels General Manager Tony Reagins, who had hoped to retain Teixeira. "So if they're willing and able to spend, I'm pretty sure they've made some good investments."
Teixeira, 28, is the type of hitter the Yankees hope will revive an offense that dropped from a major league-leading 968 runs in 2007 to 789 last season. The switch hitter batted a combined .308 with 33 homers and 121 RBI for the Braves and Angels. He has reached 30 homers and 105 RBI in five consecutive seasons.
Preparing to move into their $1.3 billion ballpark, the Yankees will hold the four largest contracts in baseball as they try to win the World Series for the first time since 2000. Third baseman Alex Rodriguez has the sport's highest deal at $275 million over 10 years, and shortstop Derek Jeter is second at $189 million over 10 years.
All of this is taking place in a city where cocktail party talk centers on the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme and the demise of Bear Stearns and Merrill Lynch.
How in the world can they afford this?
• The Yankees already own about one-third of their own regional sports cable network.
• They've started their own concession company in conjunction with the Dallas Cowboys.
• They have a new, $1.3 billion ballpark opening in April.
• The top ticket at the new Yankee Stadium goes for $2,500 next season.
The new stadium on the north side of 161st Street is 63 percent larger than the old, with four merchandise stores instead of one, and 13 restaurants, lounges and food courts for the public, including a martini bar and a steak house. There are 51 available luxury suites priced from $600,000 to $850,000 each, up from 19 at the old ballpark.
Even without the income from the new stadium, the Yankees already have paid out the top average salary in the major leagues for the past 10 seasons, according to the Major League Baseball Players Association. This year's $223 million final payroll, according to the commissioner's office, was more than double the $96 million MLB average and more than eight times Florida's $27 million.
Yet, the Yankees do help subsidize the other teams. New York is paying $26.9 million in luxury tax -- just $141,000 less than the payroll for the Florida Marlins' entire 40-man roster. Throw in revenue-sharing payments, and the Yankees are contributing $110 million to Major League Baseball for this year.
"As long as we follow all the rules, which we do, provide hundreds of millions of dollars, as we have over the past several years to other teams, and spearhead enormous revenue to the commissioner's office, networks and other entities, people should allow us to run our business the way we think is the most appropriate," Levine said.
And still, the Yankees haven't won the World Series since 2000 and haven't even won the AL pennant since 2003.
This article includes material from the Associated Press and the Hartford Courant.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Meeks score 46; hits 9 three points
http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2008/dec/20/meeks-scores-46-points-kentucky/
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky’s been making the hour-long trip from Lexington to Freedom Hall for 50 years.
No Wildcat in the hallowed arena’s long history has enjoyed a game like the one Jodie Meeks put together on Saturday.
Meeks scored a career-high 46 points — the most ever by a Kentucky player on the home floor of archrival Louisville — as the Wildcats roared past Appalachian State 93-69.
“I just told him to make all his shots and he followed what I said,” coach Billy Gillispie said with a laugh. “It’s all coaching.”
Well, that and the kind of hot streak that had Meeks threatening the history books.
The junior guard did it all, making 14-of-21 field goals, including 9-of-14 3-pointers and hitting 9-of-10 free throws for Kentucky (8-3). Meeks’ total was the most ever by a Kentucky guard and the highest point total by a Wildcat since Dan Issel scored 47 against Alabama in 1970. His nine 3-pointers tied a school record set by Tony Delk in 1996.
“I had a pretty good idea I was hot,” Meeks said. “I was trying not to force shots. My teammates told me to keep shooting. It was hard not to.”
Patrick Patterson added 19 points and seven rebounds for Kentucky (8-3), though the Wildcats didn’t need much more than Meeks to win for the eighth time in nine games.
Working off screens for jumpers, driving through the lane, getting out on the break, Meeks put together the kind of dazzling all-around display that made his injury plagued sophomore year a distant memory.
“Forty-six points, that’s a lot of points,” Gillispie said. “That’s really hard to do. It’s not like he wasn’t being guarded.”
Kellen Brand had 16 points and Ryann Abraham added 14 points for Appalachian State (4-4), but the Mountaineers shot just 33 percent from the field and had no answer for Meeks.
“He made tough shots,” said Appalachian State coach Houston Fancher. “He made shots coming off down screens, shots in their transition offense and he finished plays on the break.”
Meeks outscored the Mountaineers by himself in the first half, pouring in 24 points as the Wildcats took a 53-21 lead at the break and cruised in the second half.
The only suspense over the final 20 minutes would be whether Meeks would become the fourth Kentucky player ever to top 50 points in a game. He gave it a shot but tired late, missing his last two 3-point attempts.
Gillispie said he hadn’t planned on keeping Meeks in the game so long, but decided to let it ride after watching Meeks hit a 3 with more than four minutes left that pushed his total to 46.
“I was going to leave him in until he got to 40, then all of a sudden he went from 38 to 46 in a hurry,” Gillispie said. “That’s OK. He can do that again if he wanted.”
Meeks departed to a standing ovation with less than a minute to go as the crowd chanted “Jo-die! Jo-die!”
Meeks got started early, hitting a 3-pointer during Kentucky’s game-opening 10-0 run. The Mountaineers managed to cut the deficit to six before the Wildcats put together a 15-0 burst midway through the first half that pushed the lead to 32-11.
“We were just sort of shell-shocked there to come out,” Fancher said. “They ran off and left us and we didn’t answer.”
The Wildcats — who entered the game averaging 17 turnovers a game — gave it away 15 times against the Mountaineers, most of those in the second half with the game already well in hand.
Kentucky went nearly 10 minutes without turning it over. The Mountaineers were hardly as crisp, struggling to hold onto the ball as the Wildcats overwhelmed them from the start.
“We missed some shots early but I think we got really good shots and forced those guys to really play defense,” Gillispie said.
The Mountaineers came in averaging 80 points a game but couldn’t get it going against the bigger, stronger Wildcats. Appalachian State tried to pound the ball inside early but missed its first eight shots. By the time Brand ended the drought with a layup, the Mountaineers already trailed by double digits.
Kentucky forward Ramon Harris scored four points had two rebounds in nine minutes in his first game since being hospitalized with a neck injury on Dec. 3.
“I’m feeling a little sore, a little winded,” Harris said. “When I took my first hit on a rebound it built a little more confidence. It’s just a blessing to be playing basketball again. I couldn’t feel my fingers or my toes (when I got hurt) and that’s a really scary feeling.”
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