Miami (Ohio) at Kentucky, 16 November 2009

My Oh My!!!  The first half of this basketball game did not go as the Kentucky Wildcats had planned.  Kentucky started out strong by scoring the first five points of the basketball game, but Miami came to play.  Miami went on a 19-4 run and led the game by as much as 18 in the first half.  Miami’s Nick Winbush was lights out behind the three-point line, going 6 for 6 in the first half and finishing the half with18 points.  The Wildcats were finally able to stop threes from raining against them and put on a run of their own, behind Darnell Dodson’s three 3-pointers.  John Wall finished the half with10 points while Patrick Patterson and Darnell Dodson both had 9 apiece.  The score at half-time was 39-36 in favor of the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks.  Miami was able to control the first half mainly on their ten 3-pointers posted by the half, and only three 2-point shots.

 If this basketball game didn’t have any hype before the game, the hype had arrived by half-time.  The game would only prove to get better as the clock ticked down in the second half.  During the second half, neither team could get more than a 5 point lead and the Redhawks led for most of the half.  Daniel Orton head-butted a Miami player unintentionally and had to go to the locker room to receive 6 stitches, but he did return to the game.  DeMarcus Cousins came alive in the second half after picking up 2 fouls early in the first half and sitting the rest of the half.

 If you are a Wildcat fan like me, you were sitting on the edge of your seat with your heart pounding, wondering if Kentucky was going to be able to grind it out or if we would have another VMI, Gardner Webb in the building.  As time ticked away, the game only had me closer to a heart attack.  The score was back and forth in the last few minutes and proved to be something amazing in the last minute. 

Kentucky was up by 2 points, and Miami had the ball with less than a minute to go.  Miami’s guard drove to the basket, met by a little contact, and shot an airball.  DeMarcus Cousins grabbed the rebound while on his back (on the floor).  Kentucky ran it down the court and called a time-out, with about 20 seconds to go in the game.  After the time-out, Miller inbounded the basketball to John Wall in the back-court.  Wall grabbed the ball from miller, which almost resulted in a turnover, but Wall got the foul call while falling to the floor.  John Wall was able to make the first free throw, but missed the second free throw as it seemed like the ball was sitting on the rim for eternity before it fell off. 

Kentucky was up by 3 points, but Miami was a determined bunch and why not!!  Miami dribbled the ball up the court and immediately went for a three. GOOD!!!  Tie ball game at 70-70 with only 6 seconds left.  Miami was out of time-outs!  Kentucky inbounded the ball to John Wall who pushed the ball down the court in what seemed like a nano-second.  About 15 feet out, John Wall pulls up for the shot (2.5 seconds left) with a Miami defender in his face!  WHAM BAM!!! IT’S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!  Only 0.5 seconds left in the game, Miami throws a desperation shot from about 85 feet with no luck.  GAME OVER!!  Wow, what a game!  I don’t think anyone had ever anticipated a game like this tonight.  For John Wall, his first official Collegiate game and he makes the winning shot with only .5 seconds left.  Final score, 72-70 in favor of the Wildcats.  I hope that is a sign for things to come from him!

Top Performers for Kentucky were:
John Wall - 19 points, 5 assists, 3 steals (5 turnovers, but had the game winning shot)
Patrick Patterson - 17 points, 10 rebounds
DeMarcus Cousins - 10 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks
Darius Miller - 9 points, 5 rebounds
Darnell Dodson - 9 points

Hats off to Nick Winbush and the rest of the Miami squad.  Winbush finished the game with 26 points, going 8 for 10 from behind the three point line.  Kentucky really needs to improve their free-throw percentage, shooting only 56% for the game.  Kentucky’s next game is versus Sam Houston St. in the Cancun Challenge on November 19th, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. (EST).

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