If You're in Kentucky, You Might as Well Watch Some Basketball
I could have sworn Kentucky was hosting Indiana tonight with the way Rupp Arena looked and sounded.
The Wildcats hosted Lindsey Wilson (Who? Exactly...) tonight and won easily, 94-54.
This was my first experience at a Kentucky basketball home game, and I left impressed. The box score says 17,135 people attended this game. Almost all of them wore blue, blending in nicely with the blue seats of Rupp Arena. Getting 17 thousand people to show up for an exhibition game against a school that I heard two Kentucky fans next to me saying they had never heard of is quite impressive.
I doubt many, if any, NBA exhibition games draw that many people. Perhaps in paid attendance, but not in actual bodies in the buildings.
As for the game, Kentucky looked like a very polished, disciplined team. I was particularly impressed with their passing. Nearly every possession I saw (I stayed for the first half) ended with a good shot.
Randolph Morris established himself immediately, scoring 12 of the team's first 21 points. Seeing someone Morris' size step back and hit an 18 foot jumper with ease must be exciting for the UK fans. Bobby Perry stood out as well. The long-armed forward, who reminds me a little of Tayshaun Prince, showed his passing, scoring, and running skills. The most impressive play of the half was a Kentucky fast break that started with point guard Ramel Bradley taking it to the hoop and dropping a beautiful pass between his legs to a trailing Perry, who then laid it in easily.
Kentucky dominated tonight, but the people in the seats were the real story. Last night, cheerleading adviser T. Lynn Williamson told me that donating one million dollars to Kentucky will not get you basketball tickets. Seeing the turnout for an exhibition game tonight, I am not surprised.
