Wall helps No. 3 Kentucky move to 13-0
December 23, 2009
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP)—John Wall scored 19 points and No. 3 Kentucky pulled awayin the second half for an 86-73 victory over weary Long Beach State onWednesday.
DeMarcus Cousins shook off early foul trouble to finish with 15 points and10 rebounds as the Wildcats (13-0) continued their best start in more than 30years.
For the first 30 minutes it looked like Kentucky had partied a little toohard after celebrating the program’s 2,000th win on Monday night. The Wildcatsled just 58-55 before using their size to outmuscle the 49ers down the stretch.
Stephan Gilling and Larry Anderson led the 49ers with 15 points each, butLong Beach State (6-6) looked tired in the final minutes barely 36 hours afterdropping an overtime decision to Loyola Marymount and then flying crosscountryfor a game that started at 10 a.m. PST.
The 49ers, however, didn’t make it easy for the Wildcats to begin the marchto 3,000.
Kentucky struggled with foul trouble in the first half, as Wall, Cousins andPatrick Patterson missed significant stretches after picking up two apiece. Evenwhen the trio returned in the second, it took time for Kentucky to assumecontrol. Long Beach even took the lead 46-44 on a putback by T.J. Robinsonbefore the Wildcats started to wake up.
Eric Bledsoe, playing on a sore ankle, hit a 3-pointer to put Kentuckyahead, and Wall followed with a couple of free throws.
The 49ers rallied to tie it at 51 before Kentucky’s defense started to wearon them.
Cousins, who received a technical foul less than 3 minutes into the game andwas forced to sit out the rest of the first half, sparked a 12-4 surge with thekind of energetic play that has gotten him into trouble at times.
He scored five points during the burst and provided a defensive presencearound the basket, forcing Long Beach to miss a handful of easy shots and gonearly 3 minutes without a field goal.
Long Beach went to a zone in hopes of saving its legs, but Wall exploited itfor a 3-pointer that put Kentucky up 73-62, and Cousins followed with a layup.Darius Miller knocked down an open 3 to make it 78-64 and the Wildcats werefinally in the clear.
Kentucky’s start is the best since winning the first 14 games during the1977-78 season. The Wildcats won the national title that year.
Patrick Patterson added 15 points and 11 rebounds while Bledsoe finishedwith 11 points and five assists. Robinson had 13 points and 15 rebounds for LongBeach State.
Kentucky coach John Calipari said Tuesday he was relieved the run to 2,000wins was over, and he was happy to finally have a full complement of playersafter guard DeAndre Liggins finally worked his way out of trouble.
The Wildcats needed that depth in the first half with all the foul trouble,but it still wasn’t pretty. Kentucky managed just 12 points over the final 8minutes with their top three scorers watching from the sideline.
The game was Long Beach State’s fourth against a ranked opponent. Theprevious three losses—to West Virginia, Clemson and Texas—were all by atleast eight points.
Yet the 49ers hardly seemed intimidated playing their second game in barely36 hours.
Long Beach State caught a redeye following an 85-80 overtime loss at LoyolaMarymount on Monday night, arriving in Lexington around 9 a.m. EST Tuesday.
The 49ers didn’t exactly look jet-lagged early. Gilling, who entered thegame seventh in the nation in 3-pointers per game, knocked down three in thefirst half alone. The toughest may have been a contested shot from the top ofthe key that banked into the basket just before the shot clock expired as theteams headed to the half tied at 37.
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