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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -- A young Kentucky team practiced hard
this week. They also sat around and talked about what it meant to
be basketball players for the Wildcats.
"We had some meetings. I stepped up and said this 1-3 record is
not the way we play here at UK," lone senior Saul Smith said
following a 93-76 victory over No. 6 North Carolina on Saturday.
"We looked at this as a pivotal game in our season because we
want to go into games knowing we can compete in opponents' gyms."
|  | | North Carolina's Kris Lang dunks during the first half, but his 15 points came in a 17-point loss. |
Mission accomplished as Kentucky (2-3) ended its worst start in
16 years.
"I know they've got a very good team, but we were on our game
today," Kentucky coach Tubby Smith said.
The Wildcats used runs of 18-4 in the middle of each half and
outscored North Carolina's reserves 38-12 to snap their six-game
losing streak against the Tar Heels (3-2) in a matchup of college
basketball's two winningest programs.
"I've watched North Carolina through the years and they're
extremely talented seven deep, but then they don't really go to a
lot more talent below that," Smith said. "We tried to wear them
down a little bit and I think we did."
Marquis Estill led the way with 19 points and 11 rebounds off
the bench, while starters Keith Bogans added 18 and Tayshaun Prince
15.
Another key reserve was Cliff Hawkins, who scored 11 points and
had five assists in 18 minutes.
"He was the key," Kentucky coach Tubby Smith said. "He broke
them down with his penetration and energy."
The Wildcats turned a 48-47 deficit into a 13-point lead in a
span of 5½ minutes as they broke out of their 3-point shooting
slump. Kentucky was 26 percent in four games behind the arc coming
in, but was 7-for-12 in the second half to win going away.
Bogans made two 3-pointers and Saul Smith one during Kentucky's
clinching run.
"We moved the ball with really crisp passes in the second
half," Saul Smith said. "We shot a lot of contested 3s in the
first half, which are difficult to knock down. Their quickness was
a little suspect so we had to make them run in he second half."
The Tar Heels, who lost to No. 3 Michigan State by 13 points on
Wednesday night, were 72-4 all-time in the Smith Center against
non-conference opponents. But Matt Doherty lost his first game at
home since taking over for Bill Guthridge, matching the
second-worst loss in 192 games.
"I just want to apologize to the fans and the students,"
Doherty said. "I thought the atmosphere was great. The fans did
their part, we didn't do ours."
Preseason All-American Joseph Forte had his second straight poor
shooting game, going 8-for-22 for 19 points. He made his last three
shots when the game was out of reach.
"Coach Doherty has a lot of pride and he puts a lot into the
team emotionally and physically, and for us to go out there and
lose like that is embarrassing to him and the team," Forte said.
"We feel it with him."
Brendan Haywood added 18 points and 11 rebounds as the Tar Heels
turned it over 17 times and were 7-for-16 from the foul line.
Both teams were plagued with foul problems in the opening 20
minutes.
Former North Carolina recruit Parker picked up his second 12:28
before halftime and didn't return the rest of the period as the Tar
Heels built a 21-11 lead. He finished with six points in just 12
minutes.
But the Wildcats did most of their damage during an 18-4 run
without Parker and starting center Marvin Stone, who picked up his
second foul 36 seconds after Parker was called for his shove
underneath on Brian Bersticker.
The Tar Heels lost Haywood earlier than Parker, who picked up
two fouls in a span of 21 seconds. He was joined on the bench four
minutes later by backup point guard Brian Morrison, who had the
North Carolina offense humming.
The Tar Heels fell apart with Haywood and Morrison on the bench
as North Carolina made just one basket in seven minutes as Kentucky
negated its 2-for-14 3-point shooting by capitalizing on six
turnovers during its run.
The Wildcats had five layups and a follow shot during its 18-4
run as Kentucky's bench outscored North Carolina's 27-4 in the
opening 20 minutes.
"I did tell them after the game we will get better," Doherty
said. "It is Dec. 2. Kentucky was 1-3 coming in here and they
didn't quite. They battled. It's early. The good thing about
basketball is you don't have to wait a week to play."
The Tar Heels honored the jersey of Vince Carter at halftime.
The Toronto Raptors guard became the 37th such player to have his
jersey hung in the Smith Center.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Kentucky Clubhouse
North Carolina Clubhouse
Kentucky badly needed its upset win over No. 6 Tar Heels
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