Transcript
for breaking news visit us online at www.pinnaclesportsview.com Volume 11 Number 3
WWW.PINNACLESPORTSVIEW.COM
March 2015
The Unforgettables!
2015 Midwest Region Champs
UK Athletics Photo
Page 2
WWW.PINNACLESPORTSVIEW.COM
March 2015
Kentucky vs. Hampton, Men’s Basketball NCAA Tournament – Second Round KFCYum! Center, Louisville, Ky., March 19, 2015 Attendance: 21,639 FINAL SCORE: Kentucky 79, Hampton 56 Team records: Kentucky improved to 35-0, Hampton finished 17-18. Kentucky and Hampton played for the first time. With Kentucky’s 35 consecutive victories … It extended the longest win streak in Kentucky history. It extended the longest season-opening win streak for any team in SEC history. It extended the longest win streak for a John Calipari-coached team. Calipari has led three schools to a No. 1 ranking (Massachusetts, Memphis, Kentucky) and has a 101-9 record as the top-ranked coach, including 60-4 at UK. In the NCAA Tournament Kentucky is now 44-10 in tournament openers, and has won 22 of its last 23 second-round (previously first-round) tournament games. The Wildcats are 6-1 in NCAA Tournament games held in Louisville. UK is 3-0 in NCAA Tournament games held in the KFC Yum! Center. Team Notes Kentucky entered the game as the nation’s top-rated shooting-percentage defense, and the Wildcats held Hampton to 28.8 percent from the field. Kentucky held a team to less than 30-percent shooting for the first time since South Carolina (Feb. 14). Kentucky has now held 12 opponents to less than 30 percent shooting for the game. Kentucky is now holding opponents to a combined total shooting percentage of .353. Kentucky shot 71.4 percent from the foul line, 20 of 28. The Wildcats have made 78.4 percent at the charity stripe over the last five games (105 of 134). UK trailed for 29 seconds. The Wildcats have trailed for only 179:23 of a possible 1,415 minutes this season. Kentucky won bench points today, 24-10. Kentucky has won bench points in all but one game this season (vs. Arkansas, SEC Championship). Game Facts Kentucky’s opening lineup featured Andrew Harrison, Aaron Harrison, Trey Lyles, KarlAnthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein for the 16th time this season. Marcus Lee, Devin Booker, Tyler Ulis and Dakari Johnson entered the game at the 16:24 mark. Kentucky started the game 3 of 10 from the floor in the first 5:31 of the game. Kentucky’s streak of 935 consecutive games with a 3-pointer was extended when Andrew Harrison connected from deep with 49 seconds to go in the first half. Kentucky started the second half with Booker, Ulis, Andrew Harrison, Karl-Anthony Towns and Cauley-Stein. Kentucky started the second half on an 8-0 run in the first 2:50 of the period. Player Notes Andrew Harrison scored 14 points. It was his 15th double-figure scoring game of the season. Trey Lyles scored 10 points and added six rebounds. Tyler Ulis scored 11 points and had a game-high three assists. Ulis has scored in double figures six times. Ulis has scored in double figures in two games he has played at the KFC Yum! Center (at Louisville on Dec. 21, 2014). He has led UK in assists in seven of the last eight games.
Karl-Anthony Towns had his eighth double-double and second in the last four games. He finished with a career-high 21 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks. UK Athletics Photo
March 2015
WWW.PINNACLESPORTSVIEW.COM Page 3 Anthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein for the 17th time this season. Kentucky vs. Cincinnati, Men’s Basketball Marcus Lee, Devin Booker, Tyler Ulis and Dakari Johnson entered the game at the 15:48 NCAA Tournament – Third Round mark. KFCYum! Center, Louisville, Ky., Kentucky started the game 2 of 20 from the floor in the opening 8:03 Kentucky’s streak of 936 consecutive games with a 3-pointer was extended when Aaron March 21, 2015 Harrison connected from deep at the 3:24 mark in the first half. Attendance: 21,760 With UK leading 33-30 at the 16:54 mark in the second half, Aaron Harrison was assessed a technical foul. UK then went on a 16-7 run over the next 8:03 of the game. FINAL SCORE: Kentucky 64, Cincinnati 51 Cincinnati won rebounds 45-38. Cincinnati’s 45 rebounds was the second highest total alTeam records: Kentucky improved to 36-0, Cincinnati ended 23-11. lowed by UK this year (Texas A&M: 52). Kentucky leads the all-time series 28-10. Kentucky blocked nine shots, compared with six by Cincinnati. Cincinnati’s six blocked With Kentucky’s 36 consecutive victories … shots tied Texas A&M for the most by a UK opponent this season. Kentucky is the first team in the history of college basketball to start a season 36-0. Cincinnati made two 3-pointers marking the seventh time this season a UK opponent has It extended the longest win streak in Kentucky history. made two or fewer 3-point shots. It extended the longest season-opening win streak for any team in SEC history. It extended the longest win streak for a John Calipari-coached team. Player Notes Kentucky is 213-27 all-time when ranked No. 1 and has now won Trey Lyles recorded his second-career double-double. 58 of the last 60 games as The Associated Press top-ranked team. He scored 11 points, had a career-high 11 rebounds and added two blocked shots. Calipari has led three schools to a No. 1 ranking (Massachusetts, Memphis, Kentucky) Lyles recorded more than 10 rebounds for the first time since the win over Columbia and has a 102-9 record as the top-ranked coach, including 61-4 at UK. (December 10, 2014). Calipari improved to 188-37 (.836) as head coach at Kentucky, Aaron Harrison had a team-high 13 points. the best winning percentage of any coach in UK history. He has scored in double figures a team-high 22 times this season. Kentucky has reached the Sweet 16 in every NCAA Tournament appearance Harrison is now 51 points away from 1,000 for his career. under John Calipari. Karl-Anthony Towns had eight points and seven rebounds and a team-high three blocks. He shot 4 of 4 from the free-throw line today. He is 22 of 23 from the free-throw line in the In the NCAA Tournament postseason (five games). Kentucky won its nation-leading 118th NCAA Tournament game. He is 27 out of his last 28 free-throw attempts. UK is now 118-47 (.715) all-time in the Big Dance. Tyler Ulis had nine points, five assists, three steals and three rebounds. Since 1992, the Wildcats are 117-32 (.785) in postseason play (NCAA, NIT and SEC). Ulis tied his career high in steals (three) and minutes (34). Kentucky also leads the country in wins in the tournament since 2010 (20), Ulis has a 24-8 assist-to-turnover ratio in the postseason (five games). when John Calipari first led UK into the Big Dance. Ulis has had three or more assists in eight of the last nine games. UK is 20-3 in tournament games under John Calipari. He has scored six or more points in a career-long five-consecutive games. Kentucky is now 2-0 against Cincinnati in the NCAA Tournament. Willie Cauley-Stein recorded two blocks. UK also defeated Cincinnati in the 2004 NCAA Tournament second round. He now has 226 career blocks, which is tied for second all-time in UK history Kentucky is now 6-0 in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed playing a No. 8. with Melvin Turpin. The Wildcats are 7-1 in NCAA Tournament games held in Louisville. That gave him multiple blocked shots in five consecutive games. UK is 4-0 in NCAA Tournament games held in the KFC Yum! Center.
Team Notes Kentucky entered the game as the nation’s top-rated shooting-percentage defense, and the Wildcats held Cincinnati to 31.7 percent from the field. Kentucky is now holding opponents to a combined total shooting percentage of .351. UK held Cincinnati to 51 points. UK is 113-5 under Coach Calipari when holding the opponent to 63 or fewer points. UK is 59-0 under Calipari when limited the opponent to 55 or fewer points, including 21 times this season. Kentucky shot 71.4 percent from the foul line, 20 of 28. Kentucky had the same stats from the free-throw line in the second-round win over Hampton. The Wildcats have made 78 percent at the charity stripe over the last five games (110 of 141). UK trailed for 11:40 seconds. Kentucky won bench points, 18-15. Kentucky has won bench points in all but one game this season (vs. Arkansas, SEC Championship). Cincinnati won bench points 12-6 in the first half. UK outscored UC off the bench 12-3 in the second half. Cincinnati did not attempt a free throw in the first half. UK has held four opponents without a free-throw attempt in the first half this season. Kentucky committed seven turnovers, its 16th game this season with 10 or fewer. Game Facts Kentucky’s opening lineup featured Andrew Harrison, Aaron Harrison, Trey Lyles, Karl-
Page 4
No. 1
WWW.PINNACLESPORTSVIEW.COM March 2015 Kentucky won the bench points 12-2 in the first half. Kentucky vs. No. 20 West Virginia, Men’s Basketball UK outscored UC off the bench 18-8 in the second half. NCAA Tournament – Sweet 16 Kentucky committed 10 turnovers, its 17th game this season with 10 or fewer. West Virginia had 13 turnovers. Kentucky won the turnover battle for the 27th time this season. Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio UK had 16 points off of WVU’s 13 turnovers, while West Virginia had 11 points off of March 26, 2015 Attendance: 19,465 UK’s 10 giveaways. FINAL SCORE: Kentucky 78, West Virginia 39
Team records: Kentucky improved to 37-0, West Virginia 25-10. Kentucky leads the all-time series 15-5. With Kentucky’s 37 consecutive victories … Kentucky is the first team in the history of college basketball to start a season 37-0. It extends the longest win streak in Kentucky history. It extended the longest season-opening win streak for any team in SEC history. It extended the longest win streak for a John Calipari-coached team. Kentucky is 214-27 all-time when ranked No. 1 and has won 59 of the last 61 games as the Associated Press top-ranked team. Calipari has led three schools to a No. 1 ranking (Massachusetts, Memphis, Kentucky) and has a 103-9 record as the top-ranked coach, including 62-4 at UK. Kentucky has reached the Elite Eight in every NCAA Tournament appearance under John Calipari. In the NCAA Tournament Kentucky improved to 2-1 vs. West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament. All three meetings have pitted John Calipari against Bob Huggins. Kentucky improved to 6-0 in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed playing a No. 5 seed. Kentucky is 35-11 in the Sweet 16. Kentucky’s 39-point win is the third-largest winning margin in the NCAA Tournament in program history. The largest two scoring margins both came in the first round. Kentucky held West Virginia to 39 points in the game, the second-fewest points allowed by UK in team history in the NCAA Tournament. UK held Oklahoma A&M to 36 points in the 1949 championship game. Team Notes Kentucky held West Virginia to 18 points in the first half, the 17th half this season UK has held its opponent to less than 20 points. The 18 points is tied for the lowest in a half of any team in the 2015 NCAA Tournament and is a season low for the Mountaineers. Kentucky entered the game as the nation’s top-rated shooting-percentage defense, and the Wildcats held West Virginia to 24.1 percent from the field. It is the fifth time this season UK has held its opponent to less than 25.0-percent shooting. It’s the lowest FG percentage by an opponent in UK’s NCAA Tournament history. Kentucky is now holding opponents to a combined total shooting percentage of .348. UK held West Virginia to 39 points. UK is 114-5 under Coach Calipari when holding the opponent to 63 or fewer points. UK is 60-0 under Calipari when limited the opponent to 55 or fewer points, including 22 times this season. Kentucky held its opponents to fewer than 40 points for the fourth time this season. Three of the five lowest scoring outputs vs. the Wildcats this season were by ranked opponents (Providence Kansas and West Virginia). UK won by 39 points, the fifth-highest winning margin of the season. It is Kentucky’s first win by 39 points or more since they posted an 86-37 win over Missouri on Jan. 13. Kentucky held West Virginia to .582 points per possession, the second lowest by a UK opponent this season. UK also held Montana State to less than .600 points per possession this season UK’s 1.164 points per possession was a team high in the NCAA Tournament and the third highest in Kentucky’s last seven games. Kentucky shot 81.3 percent from the foul line, 26 of 32. Kentucky is 66-88 (.750) from the charity stripe in the NCAA Tournament. UK did not trail in the game. Kentucky shot 70 percent or better from the free-throw line for the 10th consecutive game. UK won bench points, 30-10.
Game Facts Kentucky’s opening lineup featured Andrew Harrison, Aaron Harrison, Trey Lyles, KarlAnthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein for the 18th time this season. Marcus Lee, Devin Booker, Tyler Ulis and Karl-Anthony Towns (for Dakari Johnson) entered the game at the 13:58 mark. Kentucky’s streak of 937 consecutive games with a 3-pointer was extended when Aaron Harrison connected from deep at the 3:25 mark in the first half. UK outscored WVU 44-18 in the first half and 34-21 in the second half. Kentucky opened the game on an 18-2 run. UK’s lead reached 20 at 30-9 with 7:53 left in the first half and peaked in the opening frame at 27 at 42-15 with 1:52 remaining. UK opened the second half on a 10-0 run and held West Virginia scoreless for the first 8:17 as the Mountaineers were 0 for 12 from the field to start the half. Kentucky had 13 fast-break points, including eight in the second half, while holding West Virginia to just two. Kentucky held a 44-32 rebounding edge, including a 33-19 advantage defensively. Offensively, West Virginia owned a 13-11 advantage. Kentucky scored 34 points in the paint while limiting West Virginia to 12. Kentucky had 13 assists to West Virginia’s seven. Kentucky had seven steals and seven blocks, while WVU had four steals and three blocks. Kentucky shot 4 of 15 from beyond the arc and West Virginia was 2 of 15 from long distance Player Notes Five players scored in double figures for UK for the first time since March 14 vs. Auburn Trey Lyles had a team-high 14 points. He led UK in points for the 4th time this season. Was 4 for 7 from the field and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line with seven rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal. His 6 made free throws and 1 steal both tied a career high. Andrew Harrison had 13 points and a team-high four steals with three rebounds, two assists and one block. Shot 2 of 6 from the field and 9 for 10 from the free-throw line, tying a season high from the charity stripe. His one block tied a season high and was his second rejection in as many games. Has scored at least 13 points in four of the last five games. Dakari Johnson had 12 points and six rebounds with two blocks. Went 4 for 5 from the field and was a perfect 4 of 4 from the free-throw line. Johnson’s 12 points were his most since he scored 13 vs. Auburn on Feb. 21. His six rebounds was third on the team and his highest total since Feb. 21 vs. Auburn. Aaron Harrison had 12 points and scored in double figures for the second consecutive game. At this point he had scored in double figures a team-high 23 times this season. It put Harrison 39 points away from 1,000 for his career. Willie Cauley-Stein had a team-high 10 rebounds with 8 points and a team-best 3 blocks. Was 3 for 5 from the field and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line. Had seven defensive rebounds and three offensive boards and recorded double-digit rebounding totals in three of his last four games. Totaled three blocks for 229 in his career and has posted two or more rejections in each of the last six games. Tyler Ulis had nine points, five assists, three steals and three rebounds. Ulis tied his career high in steals (three) and minutes (34). Ulis has a 24-to-8 assist-to-turnover ratio in the postseason (five games). Ulis has had three or more assists in eight of the last nine games. At this point he had scored six or more points in a career-long five consecutive games. Devin Booker recorded 12 points with four rebounds. Went 5 of 8 from the field and 2 for 5 from beyond the arc and scored in double digits for the first time since March 14. Was one of five Wildcats with at least 12 points. Had four rebounds, all defensively, for the second consecutive game.
March 2015
No. 1/1
WWW.PINNACLESPORTSVIEW.COM Page 5 The two-point win was just the third time this season a game was decided by five or fewer Kentucky vs. No. 8/8 Notre Dame, Men’s Basketball points. It is tied for the smallest margin of victory of the season (UK won at LSU, 71-69 on NCAA Tournament – Elite Eight Feb. 10). UK out-blocked UND, 9-1. The Wildcats have outrebounded their opponents in all but Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio four contests this season. March 28, 2015 Attendance: 19,464 UK won bench points today, 15-5. Kentucky has won bench points in all but one game this season (vs. Arkansas in the SEC Tournament championship game). FINAL SCORE: Kentucky 68, Notre Dame 66 Kentucky won the bench points 8-0 in the second half.
Team records: Kentucky is 38-0, Notre Dame 32-6. Kentucky leads the all-time series 43-19 With Kentucky’s 38 consecutive victories … Kentucky was the first team in the history of college basketball to start a season 38-0. It extended the longest win streak in Kentucky history. It extended the longest win streak for a John Calipari-coached team. With its 38th win, UK tied the most wins in a season in NCAA Division I history. John Calipari’s 2008-09 Memphis team and the 2011-12 Wildcats also won 38 games. Kentucky is 215-27 all-time when ranked No. 1 and has won 60 of the last 62 games as the Associated Press top-ranked team. Calipari has led three schools to a No. 1 ranking (Massachusetts, Memphis, Kentucky) and has a 104-9 record as the top-ranked coach, including 63-4 at UK. Calipari is now 190-37 (.837) as head coach at Kentucky, the best winning percentage of any coach in UK history. Kentucky advanced to its 17th Final Four, tied for the second most among all Division I teams. Kentucky makes consecutive Final Four appearances for the fourth time in program history. UK advanced to the national semifinals in 1948 and ’49, ’96-’98 and 2011 and ’12. UK won the national title in each of the previous three times it made consecutive Final Four trips (1948, '49, '96, '98 and 2012). Kentucky has reached the Final Four in four of the last five seasons and in each of its last four NCAA Tournament appearances, all under John Calipari. In the NCAA Tournament Kentucky won its nation-leading 120th NCAA Tournament game. UK is 120-47 (.719) all-time in the Big Dance. Since 1992, the Wildcats are 119-32 (.788) in postseason play (NCAA, NIT and SEC). Kentucky also leads the country in wins in the tournament since 2010 (22), when John Calipari first led UK to the Big Dance. UK is 22-3 in NCAA Tournament games under John Calipari. Kentucky improved to 3-0 vs. Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament and 2-0 in Elite Eight contests. Kentucky improved to 3-1 in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed playing a No. 3 seed. Kentucky is 17-18 in the Elite Eight. Team Notes Kentucky shot 53.2 from the field, the 12th time this season UK has shot 50 percent or better. UK shot 37.0 percent (10-27) from the field in the first half, but connected on 75 percent (15-20) of its field goals in the second half. Kentucky was 4-8 (50 percent) from 3-point range, the fifth time this season UK made at least 50 percent of its 3-pointers. Kentucky was 14-20 (70.0 percent) from the free throw line, the 11th consecutive game UK shot 70 percent or better from the charity stripe. Kentucky is 80-108 (.741) from the free throw line in the NCAA Tournament. Notre Dame hit 10 free throws, marking the 10th consecutive game UK made more foul shots than its opponent. Kentucky entered the game as the nation’s top-rated shooting-percentage defense, but Notre Dame shot 46.4 percent from the field. It is the fifth-highest shooting percentage for a UK opponent this season. Kentucky is holding opponents to a combined total shooting percentage of .352. UK trailed for 21:51 and held a lead for 11:42. The Wildcats have trailed for only 212:56 of a possible 1,535 minutes this season.
Game Facts Kentucky’s opening lineup featured Andrew Harrison, Aaron Harrison, Trey Lyles, KarlAnthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein for the 18th time this season. Marcus Lee, Devin Booker, Tyler Ulis and Dakari Johnson entered the game at the 16:22 mark. Kentucky and Notre Dame were tied at the half, 31-31. UK is 3-0 this season when tied at the half. The opening half featured 10 ties and 13 lead changes, the final tie coming at the buzzer thanks to a Trey Lyles tip-in. Kentucky’s largest lead in the first half was two points, while Notre Dame held a fourpoint lead with 2:43 left. Trailing 26-22, UK scored nine of the final 14 points of the half for a 31-31 halftime score. Kentucky’s streak of 938 consecutive games with a 3-pointer was extended when Devin Booker connected from deep at the 15:19 mark in the first half. UK opened the second half on a 7-2 run to take a 38-33 lead with 18:08 left. The fivepoint lead was UK’s largest of the game. Aaron Harrison hit a 3-pointer with 3:15 left to give UK a 64-63 lead. The three capped an 8-2 run for the Wildcats and gave them their first lead since 15:28 in the second half. Kentucky was a perfect 9-9 from the field in the final 10:24 of the game. UK’s last miss from the field came with 12:05 left in the game. UK trailed 61-56 with 5:21 remaining but ended the game on a 12-5 run. The Wildcats held Notre Dame scoreless for the last 2:30. Kentucky and Notre Dame both scored 40 points in the paint and both teams had 10 second-chance points. Kentucky owned a 29-28 rebounding edge, with a 19-15 advantage in defensive boards. Notre Dame had 13 offensive rebounds to Kentucky’s 10. UK had 11 turnovers and forced Notre Dame into seven. The Wildcats scored six points off turnovers, while the Fighting Irish turned in 16 points off of takeaways. Player Notes Karl-Anthony Towns led UK with a career-high and game-high 25 points. The 25 points is the second most by a Wildcat in a single game this season. Was 10 of 13 from the field and 5 of 6 from the free throw line. His 10 made field goals was a career best. Had a team-high-tying five rebounds and recorded four assists and two steals, both tying a career high. Trey Lyes had nine points, five rebounds and two blocks with a career-high-tying one steal. Shot 4 of 10 from the field and was third on the team with nine points. Was one of two Wildcats with five rebounds and one of three with at least two blocks. Devin Booker had 10 points with two rebounds and one block. Was 4 of 6 from the field, including 2-3 from three point range to record 10 points, second on the team. Posted two rebounds, both defensive, and tied a career high with one block. Aaron Harrison had six points and four rebounds. Was one of six Wildcats to score at least six points. Was one of four Wildcats with at least four rebounds. Harrison is now 33 points away from 1,000 for his career. Willie Cauley-Stein recorded six points with four rebounds and two blocks. Went 3 of 5 from the field. Totaled two blocks for 231 in his career and has posted two or more rejections in each of the last seven games.
Page 6
WWW.PINNACLESPORTSVIEW.COM March 2015 At that point, however, UK went scoreless for over five minutes and Wisconsin had its No. 1/1 Kentucky vs. No. 3/3 Wisconsin, Men’s Basketball own 8-0 run to go up 64-60. NCAA Tournament Semifinal Kentucky got within one with 56 seconds left, 64-63, on an Aaron Harrison bucket and foul shot but the Wildcats got no closer. Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Ind., April 4, 2015 Wisconsin made 7 of 8 foul shots in the final 24 seconds to keep the Wildcats at bay. Attendance: 72,238 Player Notes Karl-Anthony Towns led the Wildcats with 16 points on 7 of 11 shooting and led the WildFINAL SCORE: Wisconsin 71, Kentucky 64 cats with nine rebounds. Team records: Kentucky finished 38-1, Wisconsin improved to 36-3. He scored double figures in 19 games this season. Kentucky leads the all-time series 4-2, including 2-1 in NCAA Tournament games. He averaged 14.2 points in the NCAA Tournament. This was the second year in a row that UK and Wisconsin met in the national semis. Andrew Harrison had 13 points, marking his 17th double-figure scoring game this season. Kentucky ended its 38-game win streak, the longest win streak in school history He also had a game-high four assists. and the first team in NCAA history to open a season 38-0. Aaron Harrison had 12 points. He has 24 double-figure scoring games this season. With 38 wins, UK tied the record for the most wins in a season in NCAA Division I Willie Cauley-Stein had two blocked shots, his eighth consecutive game with at least two history. John Calipari’s 2008-09 Memphis team and the 2011-12 national champion Wildcats rejections. He was second on the team with five rebounds. also won 38 games. Kentucky is 215-28 all-time when ranked No. 1 and has won 60 of the last 63 games as the top-ranked Associated Press team. Calipari has led three schools to a No. 1 ranking (Massachusetts, Memphis, Kentucky) and has a 104-10 record as the top-ranked coach, including 63-5 at UK. Calipari is now 190-38 (.833) as head coach at Kentucky, the best winning percentage of any coach in UK history. In the NCAA Tournament Kentucky was in its 17th Final 4, tied for the second-most among all Division I teams. Kentucky made consecutive Final Four appearances for the fourth time in program history. UK advanced to the national semifinals in 1948 and ’49, ’96-’98 and 2011 and ’12. Kentucky has reached the Final Four in four of the last five seasons and in each of its last four NCAA Tournament appearances, all under John Calipari. Calipari, John Wooden and Mike Krzyzewski are the only coaches to lead a team to the Final Four four times in a fiveyear period. Kentucky is 120-48 (.714) all-time in the NCAA, most wins by a school in tourney history. Kentucky also leads the country in wins in the tournament since 2010 (22), when John Calipari first led UK to the Big Dance. UK is 22-4 in NCAA Tournament games under John Calipari. Calipari is 47-15 (.758) in NCAA Tournament games, the highest winning percentage among active coaches. Since 1992, the Wildcats are 119-33 (.783) in postseason play (NCAA, NIT and SEC). Kentucky is 2-3 in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed playing a No. 1 seed. Team Notes Kentucky was 3 of 5 (60 percent) from 3-point range, the sixth time this season and second game in a row that UK made at least 50 percent of its 3-pointers. Kentucky was 9 of 10 (90 percent) from the free throw line, the 12th consecutive game UK shot 70 percent or better from the charity stripe. · Kentucky hit 89 of 118 (.754) from the free throw line in the NCAA Tournament. · UK won bench points tonight, 12-8. Kentucky won bench points in all but one game this season (vs. Arkansas in the SEC Tournament championship game). Kentucky blocked four shots in the game, the 16th game in a row that the Wildcats had at least four rejections. Game Facts Kentucky’s opening lineup featured Andrew Harrison, Aaron Harrison, Trey Lyles, KarlAnthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein for the 21st time this season. Marcus Lee, Devin Booker, Tyler Ulis and Dakari Johnson were UK’s first substitutions and entered the game at the 15:21 mark. Kentucky’s streak of 939 consecutive games with a 3-pointer was extended when Andrew Harrison connected from long range on the first possession of the game. Trailing 11-9, Wisconsin went on a 14-3 run for a 23-14 Badger lead. Kentucky rallied and retook the lead at 36-34 before Wisconsin hit a shot to tie the game at halftime. It is the fourth time UK has been tied at halftime this season and second game in a row (also vs. Texas, at Georgia, vs. Notre Dame). UK opened the second half with Ulis, Booker, Lyles, Towns and Cauley-Stein. With UK leading 44-43, Wisconsin scored nine straight points to take a 52-44 lead. Wisconsin went scoreless for six minutes and an 8-0 spurt gave UK a 60-56 lead.
See Us For All Your Insurance Needs!
March 2015
WWW.PINNACLESPORTSVIEW.COM
Page 7
Page 8
WWW.PINNACLESPORTSVIEW.COM
March 2015
Thank you to the University of Kentucky Wildcats
Marcus Lee
Devin Booker
Aaron Harrison
Tyler Ulis
Andrew Harrison
Karl-Anthony Towns
Sam Malone
Willie Cauley-Stein
Tod Lanter
Alex Poythress
E.J. Floreal
Dominique Hawkins
March 2015
WWW.PINNACLESPORTSVIEW.COM
Page 9
for a great 2014-15 season!
Brian Long
Derek Willis
Trey Lyles
Dakari Johnson Dakari Johnson had two of Kentucky’s seven blocked shots against West Virginia in the Sweet 16 as UK rolled to a 78-39 win over the Mountaineers. UK Athletics photo
Page 10
WWW.PINNACLESPORTSVIEW.COM
March 2015
The First Tee Pine Mountain 2015 Program Schedule
$ %&$' %(
!"!
)
+'- 3+'- #4 "#4 '+'-/ '55
)
* +
,+!,+%-
$6! 7. -'8
"!/!
+'-
* +
,+!,+%-
$6! 7. -'8
"! !
3+'-
* +
,+!,+%-
* +
,+!,+%-
* +
,+!,+%-
* +
,+!,+%-
$0'( 1%%('-
,+
$ %%2
,+%-
' '
,+%-
*'%%
"!/!
+'- "! ! ) 9'- "! ! '% 9'- "! !
3+'- *)!'%!( 7 8'- "! ! %%2 748'-$6: .!"! ,+%-";,+%- 4;,+%- $%$1 &"-' 748 '-$6:,+%-";,+%- 4; .!"! ,+%- %6! 7 -'8
/! !
! !
)
#
"#
2(' ! & !
#4
+! 3+/ "#4 +! 3+ ' '+'- ' '+'-
.! !
/#
#
2(' .! !
.! "!
/#
#
.! !
#
#
.! !
/#
#
.! !
#
#
2(' .! ! 2(' .! ! 2(' .!! 2(' .!!
.! "!
#
#
2(' )
.!"!
/#
#
.!!
' '-
3$0 '+
.!!
/' '-
' '-
3+ '
!.!
#
"#
2(' !"& !.
'- 3+ '
+2 3
+'-
3+'+2 3
+'-
3+'-
March 2015
WWW.PINNACLESPORTSVIEW.COM
Page 11
Calipari is elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame INDIANAPOLIS – Kentucky men's basketball coach John Calipari will join basketball’s fraternity of legends in August after being elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The announcement was made Monday at a press conference in Indianapolis. “This is going to be hard for people to understand, but I’m at a loss for words,” Calipari said. “I was overwhelmed when I heard the news and so grateful. I would imagine other recipients felt how I feel now: unworthy of such an honor, but appreciative. As a coach, this award means that many parents entrusted you with their sons and many players entrusted you with their careers. That’s why this award has happened for me, and I’m indebted to all of them, all of the staffs and all of the administrations that have helped me build these programs.” Coach Calipari will join an elite group of basketball players and coaches in the Naismith Hall of Fame, which will also include Dick Bevetta, Louie Dampier, Lindsay Gaze, Tom Heinsohn, John Isaacs, Spencer Haywood, Lisa Leslie, Dikembe Mutombo, George Raveling and JoJo White, will be enshrined during Hall of Fame festivities in Springfield, Mass., Sept. 10-11. Twelve finalists were eligible for this year’s induction. A finalist needed 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for elections into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Dampier, a member of the program from 1965-67, was named one of five direct elects as initial members of the Class of 2015 in mid-February and will be a part of the induction ceremonies in September. Dampier, a Second Team All-American at Kentucky and a seven-time ABA All-Star, was voted in from the American Basketball Association Committee. Calipari's credentials are certainly Hall of Fame worthy. In his 23 seasons as a college head coach, he's guided six teams to the Final Four, including four over the last five years. He’s one of just three coaches (John Wooden and Mike Krzyzewski) to achieve that. He’s led one team to a national title and produced 30 NBA Draft picks, including 19 in his first five seasons at Kentucky and 15 first-rounders. Included in his 30 draft picks are three No. 1 picks (Derrick Rose, John Wall and Anthony Davis). Calipari is the only coach with three top draft picks. The 2014-15 season has arguably been Calipari’s finest
coaching job. En route to leading Kentucky to a 38-1 season, which tied two of Calipari’s other teams (UK in 2012 and Memphis in 2008) for the most wins in NCAA history, Coach Cal has been awarded national coach of the year honors by the Atlanta Tipoff Club (Naismith), the Associated Press, the National Association of Basketball Coaches and Sporting News, among others. Calipari’s Kentucky team was the first team in NCAA
history to post a 38-0 record before falling to Wisconsin in the Final Four on Saturday. Among Calipari's most notable achievements are nine 30-win seasons, including five straight from 2006 to 2010. He's the only coach in NCAA Division I history to achieve that feat. The 56-year-old has won three Naismith Coach of the Year honors (1996, 2008 and 2015) and been named a Naismith finalist four other times. On his way to more than 600 on-court wins, which he achieved this season, he's notched 21 consecutive seasons of 20 or more on-court victories, more than all other active coaches. Of course, as a players-first coach, Calipari credits his success to his players, which include 16 All-Americans during his career and three national players of the year (Marcus Camby, Wall and Davis). The Pennsylvania native has won 13 regular-season conference championships, 12 conference tournament titles and
has been named the coach of the year in his respective conference nine times in his decorated career. In Calipari's third year in Lexington, he guided Kentucky to its eighth national championship. In the process, he became one of only two coaches to lead three different schools to a Final Four (UMass-1996; Memphis-2008; Kentucky2011, 2012, 2014 and now 2015). Following his fifth season at UK, Calipari's overall oncourt record was 597-166, giving him the third-highest winning percentage (.771) among active NCAA Division I coaches with 10 years of experience at college basketball's Division I level, trailing only Mark Few and Hall of Famer Roy Williams. After opening the 2014-15 campaign with three straight wins, Calipari became the 13th active head coach with on-court 600 wins. Coach Cal has a 325-51 record, the most wins of any college head coach since the 2005-06 season. Calipari is one of only two coaches (Roy Williams) in NCAA Division I history to amass 400 or more wins in his first 16 years as a head coach, and his 173 victories from 2008-12 are the most ever for a coach over a five-year span in Division I history. Since the 2005-06 season, he has the best winning percentage among all Division I coaches. His NCAA Tournament record of 47-15 (.758) is the second-highest winning percentage among active coaches. His six Final Four appearances are tied for the fifth most by a coach all-time, and his 11 straight NCAA Tournament wins prior to the 2014 national championship loss represented the longest winning streak in the tournament since the Florida Gators won 12 straight in 2006 and 2007. The Calipari Foundation has raised millions of dollars to help the lives of those in need in the Commonwealth and across the country, and in 2010, he used a telethon to raise more than $1 million for victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. He followed that with another telethon in 2012 that raised $1 million for victims of Superstorm Sandy. A year after helping raise $350,000 for charity during the inaugural UK alumni weekend, Calipari was the driving force behind the more than $1 million that was donated to local and national organizations during the second annual alumni weekend. Despite the absence of the alumni game a large generator of the alumni weekend funds -- in 2014, he and his basketball fantasy experience matched the $1 million the following year.
Justin Mays 1509 US Highway 25E Middlesboro, KY 40965 606-248-9264
Insurance available in Kentucky and Tennessee
Page 12
WWW.PINNACLESPORTSVIEW.COM
Outdoor Truths There’s nothing like the sound of a gobble at daylight. If you’re close enough, it seems that it reverberates throughout the hollows and ridges. It will truly make you wide awake like nothing else. The method most of us use to cause a tom to gobble is by using some kind of shock call. For you non-turkey hunters a shock call is simply a loud noise that is made that causes a gobbler to react to the sound by gobbling. There are also other calls that are used like an owl hoot. I’m not totally sure but I think that the turkey despises the old hoot owl so much that when they hear one they just fuss back at it by gobbling. But whether you shock one or owl hoot or crow call, the results are the same; a turkey is located. It seems to me that the old gobbler is a cantankerous bird. When something unexpected happens, he fusses. When some other creature wants to sing out, he fusses. When something is different or interrupts his normal routine, he fusses. But what he doesn’t realize is that by his responses and reactions he lets everyone know where he is. And in turkey hunting that’s good for the hunter and
not good for him. He sort of reminds me of some people I know. They are fine when everything goes their way and when everything is as it should be, and when there are no unexpected interruptions or unplanned circumstances. But when something happens that is out of the ordinary, they fuss and complain. It may be the clerk at the grocery store who smashes his bread or the waitress at the restaurant who gets his order wrong, but again, the results are the same. What he doesn’t realize is that by his actions he is letting everyone know where he is. He is telling the world around him that what you see might not be what you get. He is telling everyone what is really inside. I think he forgets about his own imperfections and his own mental lapses. He seems to demand more from others than he does from himself. I hope you’re not that way because the true test of Christian character is not how we act during the expected but how we react when we are shocked by the unexpected.
Gary Miller
[email protected]
March 2015
March 2015
WWW.PINNACLESPORTSVIEW.COM
Page 13
Seven Wildcats declare for the June 25th NBA Draft LEXINGTON, Ky. – An unprecedented seven Kentucky Wildcats announced they are declaring for the NBA Draft at a press conference at the Joe Craft Center on Thursday. Junior Willie Cauley-Stein, sophomores Andrew and Aaron Harrison and Dakari Johnson, and freshmen Devin Booker, Trey Lyles and Karl-Anthony Towns, will forego their future eligibility at UK and put their names in the upcoming draft, to be held June 25 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. “It’s about each individual up here making a decision – not based on what’s right for this university, not based on what’s right for me and our staff – but what’s right for them and their families,” UK head coach John Calipari said at Thursday’s press conference. “The way this works, I meet with each player after the last game, and truly it’s the morning after the last game. I ask, ‘Do you want me to explore your options?’ They all said yes. A few said no. We gather the information. We talk to about 20 NBA teams, maybe more. We let the parents talk directly to the NBA so there’s no confusion. We have about a five-minute meeting – maybe. I’m not convincing them to stay and I’m not pushing anybody out the door. This is their choice.” The Wildcats, who captured both the Southeastern Conference regular-season and tournament crowns, made it to the Final Four unblemished, the first team to accomplish that feat since UNLV in 1991. “We didn’t quite get our goal of winning a national title and 40-0, but it can’t and it doesn’t take away from what these people have accomplished,” Calipari said. Booker averaged 10.0 points and sunk 58 3-pointers during his freshman season. He was named the SEC Sixth Man of the Year by the league’s coaches and was also a member of the All-SEC Second Team and AllSEC Freshman Team. The Grand Rapids, Mich., native was a five-time winner of the SEC Freshman of the Week honor while connecting on 41 percent of his shots from long range. Booker’s season highlights included a stretch of seven games in which he connected on 20 of 28 (71.4 percent) of his 3-point shots, beginning with the game vs. No. 18 North Carolina. “We all wanted a national championship, but I feel like we made a lot of history here, did a lot of great things,” Booker said. “These are memories that I’ll never forget. People always ask what my hardest decision was, and it’s the decision to leave Kentucky, not to come here. That was the easy decision, to come here and be a part of this program.
Great fan base. That was an easy decision and leaving all of that will be the hardest.” Cauley-Stein became one of UK’s 58 all-time All-Americans during his breakout junior campaign and its 25th consensus First Team All-American. The 7-foot forward from Olathe, Kan., averaged 8.0 points and 6.2 rebounds during his three-year career in Lexington. Cauley-Stein finished his career as the only player in program history to amass 500 or more rebounds, 200 or more blocks, and 100 or more steals. He concludes his career ranking second all-time in the UK record books with 233 blocked shots. In addition to his consensus All-America honors, Cauley-Stein was the 2015 SEC Defensive Player of the Year, 2015 SEC Tournament MVP, an All-SEC selection, an All-Freshman Team selection in 2013 and a two-time member of the All-SEC Defensive Team. “It’s the start of something big for all of us,” Cauley-Stein said. “It definitely is a tough decision, especially with how young we are and everything, but it’s a decision that everybody and their family, they got to make. We think it’s the time to go.” Aaron Harrison will forever be remembered for his three straight game-winning 3pointers during UK’s thrilling 2014 NCAA Tournament run. The sophomore averaged 12.4 points in his two-year career with the Wildcats and sunk 121 career 3-pointers, a mark that ranks 22nd all-time in Kentucky’s record books. Aaron Harrison started all but one game in his 79 career appearances. He was a Second Team All-SEC selection as a sophomore and a two-time All-SEC Tournament Team selection. For his career, he shot 41 percent from the field and 33.5 percent from behind the arc. He finishes just 21 points shy of joining UK’s 1,000-point club. “It was just time for me to go to the next level,” Aaron Harrison said. “I think I’m ready for the next level. I haven’t really heard much with draft projections, but I feel like I’m one of the best No. 2 guards. I had an up-and-down season, but I still think I’m one of the best No. 2 guards in the draft. I just have to go out there and prove it.” Andrew Harrison served as the floor general for two seasons at Kentucky. The 6foot-6 point guard averaged 10.1 points and churned out 298 career assists in 79 career contests, starting all but one game for the Wildcats during his tenure. Andrew Harrison’s 298 career dimes ranks 16th all-time in UK’s record books,
which are the most for a two-year player in program history. He earned a spot on the 2015 All-SEC Tournament Team and was a member of the Midwest All-Region Team after sinking the game-winning free throws against Notre Dame to send Kentucky to its 17th Final Four in program history. “It’s really cool, but it’s just now beginning,” Andrew Harrison said. “Like they say, you’ve got to fight for what you want and don’t worry about what anybody says about you and just fight and believe in your talent. Obviously, we are all pretty talented in our own rights and it was fun. This was the best experience of my life playing basketball here at the University of Kentucky, and I’m so thankful for them for having me here these past two years.” Johnson appeared in 78 career games and started 18 contests during his two-year career in Lexington. The 7-foot center averaged 5.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in his career, logging career bests in points per game, rebounds per game, free-throw percentage, blocks, steals and assists during his sophomore campaign. In UK’s Final Four game vs. Wisconsin in 2014, Johnson poured in 10 points and hauled in seven rebounds, including five offensive boards. Against Louisville in the Sweet 16 in 2014, Johnson played in a career-high 31 minutes and posted a careerhigh 15 points while filling in for the injured Cauley-Stein. “I just feel like it’s my time,” Johnson said. “Growing up as a kid, you always wait for this moment. I just think I’m prepared. These last two years here have been great. When you go up against people every day that’s going to be pros one day, I think it just made me mentally stronger, and stronger as a player and person. After the meeting me and my mom had with Coach Cal yesterday, I just told my mom I’ll call her this morning and tell her my decision. Last night, I just prayed on it. God told me it’s my time.” Lyles, who Calipari described as the “Xfactor” of Kentucky’s magical 2014-15 run, averaged 8.7 points and 5.2 rebounds in 36 games in 2014-15. An All-SEC Freshman Team selection, Lyles was also named the SEC Freshman of the Week twice during his career. The Indianapolis native averaged 10.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game throughout UK’s NCAA Tournament run in 2015, which included his second career doubledouble effort with 11 points and 11 rebounds in the win over Cincinnati. "It was a really tough decision,” Lyles
said. “The bonds that I built with a lot of coaches and teammates here makes it hard to say goodbye, but I know this is the next step for me to reach my goal. It’s been my dream since I was 7 years old, and now that it’s time for me to make that move, it’s crazy for me to think about. I would shoot in the driveway or mimic game-winning shots at the park and it’s just crazy to think about the fact that it’s happening now." Towns earned All-America distinction while hauling in SEC Freshman of the Year accolades during his freshman season at UK. The 6-11 Piscataway, N.J., native averaged 10.3 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting 56.6 percent from the floor and 81.3 from the charity stripe. Towns saved his best basketball for the biggest of games, logging 14.2 points and 6.8 rebounds throughout the NCAA Tournament. He was the 2015 Midwest Region Most Valuable Player after scoring a careerhigh 25 points and hauling in five rebounds on 10-of-13 shooting vs. Notre Dame. “It’s surreal,” Towns said. “You never think of this moment; you dream of this moment when you’re young, when you’re playing on the court and you just think about these moments, like the one today – like hopefully I could be in the same league as the greats like Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie. All these great players, you just want to be a part of the fraternity that they are a part of.” All seven of Kentucky’s early-entry players are on the majority of NBA mock drafts. Coach Calipari has placed 31 players in the NBA during his college coaching career (30 of them via the draft), including 19 over his first five seasons at Kentucky. The 19 draft picks over that five-season span is the most of any coach. Included in the Wildcats’ recent draft success includes two No. 1 overall draft selections (John Wall in 2010 and Anthony Davis in 2012). Toss in Derrick Rose in 2008 at Memphis and Calipari has coached three top draft picks, more than any other coach all-time. In 2010, five UK players were selected in the first round for the first time in NBA history, and the Wildcats’ six selections in the 2012 NBA Draft are the most in the tworound era. All told, UK has had 15 first-round draft picks in the Coach Cal era, two No. 1 overall selections, five top-five picks and nine lottery picks.
Page 14
WWW.PINNACLESPORTSVIEW.COM
March 2015
Lincoln Memorial University Athletic Director Roger Vannoy retiring at the end of the year
HARROGATE, Tenn. -- After 33 years of dedicated service and passionate leadership that have left an indelible mark on the countless student-athletes, colleagues and friends in which his path has crossed, Lincoln Memorial University Athletic Director Roger Vannoy has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2014-15 academic year. "After spending over half of my life on this campus, it is obviously bittersweet to come to this decision," Vannoy said. "I cannot adequately express my appreciation for the opportunity in general and the hundreds of special players and colleagues that I have worked for and with over these past 33 years. It has been a highlight of my life to be a part of the growth of LMU and in particular LMU Athletics. I look forward to watching
that continued progress. It is just time for me to cut back and spend more time with my family and that poor lonesome fishing boat in my garage." Vannoy graduated from Lincoln Memorial in 1975 and began his professional career that same year as the Head Women's Basketball Coach at Powell Valley High School. Over his seven-year stint at Powell Valley, Vannoy compiled a 133-58 record, a winning percentage of 70 percentage, and was a twotime District Coach of the Year. In 1982, Vannoy returned to his alma mater to serve as Lincoln Memorial's Head Women's Basketball Coach and Associate Athletic Director, and his hiring officially ushered in a golden era for the women's basketball program without an historical precedent. During his storied 25-year tenure, Vannoy guided the Lady Railsplitters to seven separate conference championships, 14 20-win seasons and a career record of 463-246 (65.3 percent), the most wins by a men's or women's basketball coach in school history. His teams won 83 percent of their home games in his career. With Vannoy steering the ship, the 2002-03 team compiled a 21-9 overall record and qualified for the NCAA tournament.
For all of the on-court success, Vannoy built a culture within his program that developed and prepared the student-athletes under his tutelage for life after basketball, with 95 percent of his players successfully earning their college degrees. The 2000-01 squad won the NCAA Division II Academic National Championship. Vannoy was elected to the Lincoln Memorial University Professional Hall of Fame in 1997 and was later inducted into the LMU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007, the same year he took over as the school's Athletic Director. Much like his time as the head women's basketball coach, Vannoy's prodigious tenure as the athletic director was been marked by the immeasurable growth and success of the LMU athletic department. Vannoy helped oversee and bridge Lincoln Memorial's transition to the South Atlantic Conference in 2006-07, has seen three different teams earn the No. 1 national ranking and laid the foundation for four new programs with the addition of men's lacrosse, women's lacrosse, men's track & field and women's track & field in 2014-15. The list of accomplishments during Vannoy's stint as the athletic director is impres-
sive. In 2007, the men's soccer program appeared in the NCAA Division II National Championship match. Lincoln Memorial has hosted three major postseason tournaments over that eight-year span: South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Championship (2011), South Atlantic Conference Softball Championship (2014) and the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Southeast Regional (2015). In three of the past five years, Lincoln Memorial has led the SAC in money raised in the Play 4Kay initiative for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. This year, LMU led the SAC and the entire NCAA Division II in money raised towards the Play 4Kay initiative. As a department, Lincoln Memorial has captured 14 different SAC titles in his time as athletic director. Vannoy earned the President's Award for Staff Excellence in Performance in both 1996 and 2007. He was selected as a Madison Who's Who Affiliated Member in 2010. "Roger has been a tireless worker and an exemplary Athletic Director for the LMU Railsplitters," said Lincoln Memorial president Dr. James B. Dawson. "He is a person who has devoted his career to our University and we wish him the very best as he enjoys a well-earned retirement."
We here at Pinnacle Sports View have lost another good friend. Ira D. Combs, a sports columnist and co-director of the Joe B. Hall Prep Classic whose column appeared on a regular basis in our publication, died last month. He was just 61. Combs collapsed while entering the Yum Center in Louisville, where his beloved University of Kentucky Wildcats were scheduled to play in the Midwest Regionals of the NCAA basketball tournament. He later died at a Louisville hospital. Ira was an avid supporter of high schools sports in Kentucky, especially those schools from his much loved mountains of eastern Kentucky. He will be missed.
Ira Combs 1954 - 2015
March 2015
WWW.PINNACLESPORTSVIEW.COM
Page 15
Cauley-Stein named UK’s 25th consensus First Team All-American LEXINGTON, Ky. – Willie Cauley-Stein became Kentucky’s 25th consensus First Team All-American on Monday after the Associated Press and National Association of Basketball Coaches each selected the 7-foot junior as a first-teamer. The NCAA recognizes the Sporting News, AP, NABC and United States Basketball Writers Association All-America teams in considering consensus All-Americans. Cauley-Stein was named a First Team All-American by the USBWA and Sporting News earlier this season. Now with 25 consensus First Team AllAmerican selections in its history, Kentucky tied Purdue and North Carolina for the second most consensus First Team All-Americans all-time. Kansas has the most with 28. Karl-Anthony Towns was also named to the AP and NABC’s Second Team on Monday. Towns became a consensus Second Team All-American as he was also a Third Team All-America selection by the Sporting News. Cauley-Stein has been one of the leading contributors throughout Kentucky’s 38-0 season so far. He averages 9.1 points per game to go with 6.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.7 blocks.
Cauley-Stein is the first AP first-team All-America selection to average less than 10 points per game. In nine wins over ranked opponents he averaged team highs in points (10.6) and rebounds (8.1). One of the nation’s most effective defenders, Cauley-Stein leads UK in steals (65) while ranking second in blocked shots (65) on the nation’s top-ranked field-goal percentage defense. This season Cauley-Stein has been a First Team All-Southeastern Conference selection and SEC Defensive Player of the Year. He was also the SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player, and was named to the Midwest Region All-Tournament Team. Averaging 25.8 minutes per game as part
of UK’s platoon system, CauleyStein’s numbers are more impressive when viewed on a pro-rated basis, as he averaged 14.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.7 blocks and 1.9 steals per 40 minutes. Capable of guarding all five positions, Cauley-Stein is the only 7-footer in the country to rank in the top 215 nationally in steals per game. His UK Athletics Photo length came into play in Saturday’s Midwest Regional Final when he altered multiple Notre Dame shots down the stretch. Earlier this season, Cauley-Stein became the first player in school history to collect 200 or more career blocks and 100 or more career steals. He's also one of eight players in program history to have 500 or more re-
bounds, 100 or more blocks, and 75 or more steals. Towns leads UK with eight double-doubles this year. Having averaged 10.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, Towns stepped up his scoring down the stretch in the Elite Eight scoring a careerhigh 25 points while also notching career highs in assists (four) and steals (two) in what to-date was the biggest game of his career. Towns was named Midwest Region MVP. He was also SEC Freshman of the Year, First Team All-SEC and a member of the SEC All-Freshman Team. Anthony Davis was UK’s last consensus First Team All-America selection, in 2012. Julius Randle was a Third Team All-America selection by the AP and NABC last season. Since 1984, the NCAA has applied a standardized point system to those teams designated as "major" All-American teams to determine consensus teams. The point system consists of three points for first team, two points for second team and one point for third team. The top five totals plus ties are first team and the next five plus ties are second team.
Page 16
WWW.PINNACLESPORTSVIEW.COM
March 2015
EDWARDS SIGNS WITH KENTUCKY CHRISTIAN: Middlesboro High School’s Major Edwards recently signed to attend Kentucky Christian and will play football for the Knights. Kentucky Christian went 5-6 last season, 2-4 in the MidSouth Conference. The NAIA school is located in Grayson, Kentucky. Attending the signing at Middlesboro High School were Front Row Left to Right: Steve Spangler (Athletic Director), Ron Edwards (Father), Major Edwards, Patricia Edwards (Mother), Willis Edwards (Grandfather), Back Row Left to Right: Bob Bennett {Principal), Jessie Allen (Assistant Principal), Zac Massengill (Football Coach), Petie Gilbert (School Resource Officer and Coach) Pinnacle Photo / Ray Welch
