Payback Is A (Something That Rhymes With "Witch")

Say, can anybody tell me where Darrin Horn is from? No? Whether he might have any Kentucky connections? At all? Anybody? Hmmm...maybe next time ESPN should mention something about his background, oh I don't know, maybe about forty-six times or so. Can never have enough of that story line. No sir.

(NOTE: I like Darrin. I really do. I've made that known. Hell, I even like Devan Downey. I think he's a nice player-- a gunner, to be sure-- but fun to watch from an objective point of view, pulling for the lil' guy. The problem is that for every deeeep three or crazy layup that he makes, he also bricks something from 24 ft. that he shouldn't be shooting. They don't tend to show those on the highlights. But we're not here to talk about Devan Downey.)

No, I'd much rather pontificate on how the Kentucky Wildcats brought the heat in turning in their 27th victory on the season, avenging...well, you know....that one little blemish. The Good Lord saith that revenge is His, and I always let him have it, but Big Blue just absolutely had to get 'em some in Rupp....to the tune of about 20 points by the time it was totaled.

Defense tonight was pretty good, I'd say. Yes, Downey got his, as he always does (26 points, on a whopping 25 shots). But when these Cats get serious about clamping down, they tend to put together the runs that ultimately make the difference. There was a rather extended stretch in the first half, where, as I like to put it, South Carolina just got "stuck" on 23. UK just decided to really get some stops, to make SC really work for their offensive looks, and there just wasn't much the Roosters could do about it.

(NOTE TWO: How many points would Patrick Patterson wind up with if he took 25 shots? Patrick had a tremendous game and more than atoned for his poor outing in Columbia three weeks ago.)

And sure, Cousins was certainly his beastly self tonight, making a spin move dunk that had me jumping off the couch. He notched yet another double-double and had Dickie V raving about his potential as a pro. Magic Johnson also had nice things to say about Cousins, and especially about John Wall. What I found most interesting was that Magic stressed how "cool" they both seemed, for lack of a better term-- that the freshman weren't allowing the hype to get to them, or wear them down, and that they were managing to exceed the high expectations. Not just the talent, but it was the attitude was what impressed him.

(NOTE THREE: Magic's put on a few, but that was a sweet purple-checked shirt he was wearing. I'm totally gonna wear mine to the office sometime next week.)

I really thought Kentucky might run away with it early, since they jumped out quick for a change. Kind of nice to play with an early lead, right guys? But credit to Horn's team for settling down and making at least a contest of it. That "points in the paint" graphic that the Worldwide Leader kept showing was really the story of this one, IMO. Daniel Orton provided some good minutes off the bench, and really, who can match up with Coach Cal's frontcourt when everybody is clicking?

It will be a quick turnaround with the early start Saturday vs. the Tennessee Gangst...excuse me...Volunteers, so I do hope that the young Cats get plenty of beauty sleep tonight and Friday. No Two Keys, tonight fellas, okay? I really expect that to be a tough one in the building that Pat Summitt built, and I do still think UK looks a bit tired (another missed dunk by Patrick and I'm gonna seriously rob a liquor store).