Kentucky Sends Word After an Easy Victory

Saint Louis is a smart tournament team with a star player and a well-respected coach.

And Kentucky still toasted the Billikens like yesterday’s bagels.

A message was sent out Sunday during the Wildcats’ 19-0 run late in the first half and throughout its 88-61 South Regional second-round victory over 10th-seeded Saint Louis at the Georgia Dome:

If No. 2-seeded Kentucky gets off and running, everybody else is in trouble.

And next up on Friday at St. Petersburg, Fla., is UCLA, which can do some running and trouble-making of its own.

“We’ve been playing really good ball and basically blowing teams out,” said guard Allen Edwards, one of five Wildcats who finished with 10 or more points. “If they don’t take it as a message, they might be next.”

In Kentucky’s two tournament victories, it has outscored opponents, 170-138.

On Sunday, a 5:28 span in the first half was Kentucky’s signature. It came with hectic defense, a blistering Wildcat pace and, to make it most menacing, eight baskets in eight shots.

This is how the Kentucky flame-broil went:

Jump hook by Jamal Magliore. Three-point basket by Edwards. Jump shot by Hesimu Edwards. Slam dunk by Michael Bradley. Three-pointer by Wayne Turner. Slam dunk by Nazr Mohammed. Three-pointer by Jeff Sheppard. Lay-up by Mohammed.

That turned a run-of-the-mill 19-11 Kentucky lead into a 38-11 rout, and Saint Louis (22-11), which got here by upsetting Massachussets in the first round on Friday, never looked like it regained its breath.

With 6:37 left in the first half, game over.

Kentucky Coach Tubby Smith said the first half was probably the best basketball the Wildcats have played this season. They led, 46-18, after the first half against a team that had not given up more than 76 points in a game this season.

“Take nothing away from Saint Louis,” Smith said. “We were just on the top of our game today.”

Kentucky, which has won nine consecutive games--mostly by big margins--made 16 of its first 22 shots and overall was led by Sheppard’s 18 points and Edwards’ 17. Center Mohammed had 11 points and eight rebounds.

The key Kentucky player was electric-fast point guard Turner, who had nine assists, 11 points and three rebounds.

“They got up and down the court faster than anyone we have ever played,” said Saint Louis center Ryan Luechtefield. “And once they got down the court, they made the shots.”

The Wildcats (31-4) also managed to completely bedazzle Saint Louis’ leading scorer, Larry Hughes, who had Kentucky players running at him all day and who made only four of his 17 shots--for 11 points--and committed four turnovers.

Kentucky rocketed the lead to 46-16 late in the first half, and the second period was mostly garbage time.

“Obviously, they played very well,” Saint Louis Coach Charlie Spoonhour said. “They shot the ball well, they defended well, they set screens well. It was just a very, very impressive performance by Kentucky.”