Kentucky Wildcats

[Sportz333]

Good Early Afternoon,

I have not posted regularly but now 8-3-0 on this site. I hate playing against Homer's this time of year and especially when you have two solid teams. I also like to avoid the "High Profile" matchups when possible. That said, I don't know how you can stay off the Kentucky Wildcats minus the real short wood. Maybe a trap, maybe I am to anxious, maybe something smells????? I say no, take the better team top to bottom and the rugged rugged D.

IMHO, even if this play looses Tubby's team is the right side here today folks.

Kentucky -1

[Sportz333]

This is NOT my handy work, but a little detail to go along with the play in addition to my Power Ratings and Anlaysis:

GAME NOTES: Now that the drama of a regular season finale with the SEC East
Division title on the line is little more than an afterthought, the third-
ranked Florida Gators still have plenty to shoot for when they play host to
the second-ranked Kentucky Wildcats this afternoon at the O'Connell Center.
Florida's senior class can become the first unit in school history to amass
100 career victories, while the squad can complete its first 13-win league
slate since the SEC went to a 16-game format in 1992. UF, which is a perfect
15-0 at home this year and can earn its first undefeated home season since
1993-94 with a win this afternoon, is coming off a tough 82-81 loss at No. 25
Georgia on Tuesday night. Today's tilt marks the first matchup between a pair
of top five teams ever at the O'Connell Center. As for Kentucky, it brings the
nation's longest current winning streak into the fray, as it has claimed
victory in 19 straight games, dating back to a December 28th loss at
Louisville. The Wildcats, who had already claimed their 42nd SEC regular
season crown with Florida's loss to Georgia the night before, showed little
hospitality toward visiting Vanderbilt on Wednesday night, as they trashed the
Commodores, 106-44. Kentucky has won more SEC crowns than the other 11 teams
in the league combined (41), and has been victorious in nine of its 10 true
road games this season, and is 13-2 outside of Lexington when you factor in
its 4-1 mark in neutral-site affairs. UK owns a comfortable 79-24 lead in the
all-time series with Florida, getting to that point with wins in three
straight games and in five of the last six meetings overall, including a 70-55
triumph at Rupp Arena back on February 4th of this year.

With the SEC East crown already in hand, the Kentucky Wildcats took little
pity on visiting Vanderbilt Wednesday night, hammering their hapless guests,
106-44. The 62-point margin of victory was UK's largest over a league foe
since 1956 and improved its current national-best winning streak to 19
straight games. Erik Daniels scored a career-high 20 points in leading four
Wildcats in double figures, as Kentucky shot a lofty 52.4 percent from the
field while limiting the Commodores to just 31 percent from the floor. Vandy
also suffered 23 turnovers in the game and was outrebounded, 56-34. Marquis
Estill added 17 points and nine rebounds and Gerald Fitch had 15 points and
five assists. Kelenna Azubuike finished with 16 points while the SEC's eighth-
leading scorer with an average of 16.0 ppg, tallied just nine in the final
home game of his brilliant career. In addition to Bogans' performance this
year, coach Tubby Smith has gotten steady production from Fitch (12.4 ppg,
.402 three-point FG percentage), Estill (11.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg) and Daniels (10.0
ppg, 5.2 rpg), while getting plenty of support from a slew of reserves, all of
whom have had a hand in the Wildcats' success this season. Overall, the team
is netting 78.2 ppg on typical shooting efforts of 48.6 percent from the field
and 35.3 percent from long range. The 'Cats also own a +5.9 rebounding margin
and a league-best +13.7 scoring margin, helping the squad rank among the SEC
leaders in virtually every statistical category.

Despite three players reaching double figures and a total team shooting effort
of 50.0 from the floor, the Florida Gators dropped a narrow 82-81 decision at
Georgia on Tuesday night, putting to rest any chance they had at catching the
streaking Kentucky Wildcats in the race for the SEC East title. Matt Bonner
scored 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the floor, while David Lee added 18
points and six rebounds from his spot in the middle. Freshman Matt Walsh
tallied 13 points, as the Gators hit half of their total shots but just 7-
of-21 from beyond the arc in losing for the first time in five games. Both
teams protected the ball well, combining for just 16 turnovers, and UF lost
despite outscoring the Bulldogs 16-8 at the foul line. UG, which had three
players score around the 20-point mark, turned in a solid shooting game of its
own, connecting on 51.5 percent of its total field goal attempts. Bonner, who
leads the SEC in three-point shooting accuracy (.486) leads four starters in
double figures for coach Billy Donovan's squad, as he is netting 15.4 ppg to
go with a solid 6.1 rpg as well. Walsh is next with 13.0 ppg and Anthony
Roberson and Lee round out the group with 12.8 and 10.8 ppg, respectively. Lee
is the unit's top glass cleaner, coming up with 6.9 rpg, while Justin Hamilton
serves as its top playmaker with 3.8 apg. Florida currently ranks third in the
conference in terms of scoring offense (76.7 ppg), while sitting just behind
Kentucky in scoring margin (+12.2). The Gators are the SEC's top long-range
shooting team, hitting their three-point tries a robust 39.7 percent of the
time.

Most of the steam is gone from what would have been a classic regular season
finale had the last few days played out the way Florida needed them to. Still,
the game pits a pair of teams that aren't about to roll over and give the
other anything, particularly with both having some interesting side items on
the line. Give the edge to Kentucky, which is simply playing the best
basketball of any team in the country right now.

[Sportz333]

Adding Brown.

They brought home the $$$ huge last night and I look for another today. Do not let the back to back stear you away. It is very very clear to me the Bears are the superior team in this contest. I am a bit confused with the line but I will bite....

Brown -1'

[Sportz333]

Again, Not my handy work but some good inf that compliments my capping:

GAME NOTES: The Brown Bears close out what has been a sensational 2002-03
season as they take on the Harvard Crimson at Lavietes Pavilion in Ivy League
action tonight. Brown has won 10 games in Ivy League play for only the fourth
time in program history, and the team is currently second in the standings
behind undefeated Penn. Last night, the Bears recorded their fourth win in
their last five games with a 79-67 decision over Dartmouth. Of the 15 road
games that they have played this season, nine have resulted in victory. As for
Harvard, it managed to halt a four-game losing skid last Saturday with a
three-point victory over Columbia. The Crimson was back in action last night
against Yale at home, and that contest resulted in a disappointing 95-82 loss.
The squad has now lost its last four games at Lavietes Pavilion. Although
Harvard owns an 81-66 lead in the all-time series with Brown, the Bears
recorded a 91-86 victory over the Crimson earlier this season.

Heading into last night's matchup with Dartmouth, Earl Hunt was averaging a
team-high 19.5 ppg thanks in large part to his 84 percent accuracy at the
free-throw line. Jason Forte and Alai Nuualiitia carried averages of 12.6 ppg
apiece into that tilt, as they round out a trio that has been arguably the
best in the Ivy League this season. Against the Big Green, Nuualiitia tallied
a game-high 20 points to lead four players in double figures. Hunt contributed
18 points on the night, and Forte narrowly missed a triple-double with 11
points, 10 rebounds and a game-high eight assists. Jaime Kilburn came off the
bench to tally 11 points and pull down six boards for Brown as well. The Bears
won the battle on the glass, 41-32, and they finished with an impressive total
of 24 assists. Hunt became the fourth player in Ivy League history to surpass
the 2,000-point plateau, as he has 2,011 heading into tonight's contest.

Harvard put forth a poor effort at the defensive end in the loss to Yale last
night, as it allowed the Bulldogs to shoot well over 50 percent from the floor
in the tilt. The Crimson did manage to force 20 turnovers on the night, but it
was outscored 24-6 from the foul line. Jason Norman scored 20 points in
defeat, as he was one of five Harvard players to reach double figures. Brian
Cusworth came off the bench to contribute 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting from
the field in only 19 minutes of action. Brady Merchant, Sam Winter and Brian
Sigafoos each chipped in 10 points for the Crimson, which fell for the fifth
time in the last six outings. Merchant is the leading active scorer for the
squad with 14.4 ppg, and Winter is netting 11.5 ppg to go along with a team-
high 8.1 rpg. As for Elliot Prasse-Freeman, he is dishing out 7.6 apg.

Brown is clearly the better team in this matchup, as the combination of Hunt,
Forte and Nuualiitia will be too much for Harvard to handle. Penn is the
class of the Ivy League this season, but the Bears deserve a great deal of
recognition for their tremendous play.

[BettorsChat]

Lean towards Kentucky but passing on it.

[SPORTS TIPSTER]

no, no no no........you are all falling for it.

If Bonner is questionable or out, that line would be way higher than a measley 2 points. Vegas put a nice soft number on Kentucky and you are all biting on the line.

Gators win by 10 to 15 points here........

[Sportz333]

Tipster,

Always respect your insight. I wish I would have seen your note earlier. Oh Well, we will see. Good day to you and thanx for your insight.

[Baseball_Nut]

i hope not

I have big $$ on Kentucky

they are up 10 - - lets hope they keep it up

[Sportz333]

Nut,

The Cats were up by 12 when I posted but I didn't want to say anything to jinx us..........ek ek.......squeek squeek.......nice to fall on the right sight of the hook for once. Cats win!

Tipster, I do value your input and appreciate your input. Hope your day found you on the positive side of the ledger. Nut, hope you got it at 1' as well!



:D

[Baseball_Nut]

i had them at pick -30

knew it would be close

:p