ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, March 15, 1996 TAG: 9603150084
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 SPORTS EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: DALLAS
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
KENTUCKY ELIMINATES upstart San Jose State 110-72 in entertaining fashion on Thursday.
No way, Jose.
Kentucky, conducting a 63-point dunk-a-thon in the second half, sent long shot San Jose State packing from the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, 110-72 in the first round of the Midwest Regional.
Looking strong enough to spot the hometown NBA Mavericks a hoop or two on their home floor, Kentucky dazzled a Reunion Arena crowd of 13,458 with a second-half jam show that ranked second to none.
Kentucky (29-2), the No.1 Midwest seed and overall tournament favorite, advanced to Saturday's second round against Virginia Tech (23-5), a 61-48 winner over Wisconsin-Green Bay on Thursday.
Senior center Walter McCarty, matching his career high of 24 points, paced the Kentucky charge. Tony Delk had 22 points, Antoine Walker 14 and Derek Anderson 10.
The Wildcats' jam line was so long that they established a school record for assists with 35.
San Jose (13-17), which got in the NCAA tournament by scoring three straight upsets in last week's Big West Conference tournament, didn't know what hit it the second half. The Spartans had played marvelously in the first half, leading most of the way before a late run put the 'Cats up 47-41 at halftime.
``I kept telling my team during timeouts, `Don't worry, the run will come,''' said Rick Pitino, Kentucky's coach. ``But San Jose played too well in the first half for it to happen.''
But it would happen. It was inevitable.
In the second half, Kentucky finally found the hammer, running at will off turnovers created by its suffocating full-court press. In one stretch of 10 possessions, Kentucky had eight dunks and a pair of 3-pointers.
``We absolutely hit the wall,'' said Stan Morrison, San Jose's coach. ``We had no more gas left in the tank. That's what their great depth does to you.
``So the dam broke and there's a great price to be paid, and we paid it to [a] wonderful team.''
Kentucky showed no ill effects from its 84-73 slip in last Sunday's Southeastern Conference title game. The Wildats had won 28 straight before the loss.
``I like what happened here today,'' Pitino said. ``Our guys were raring and ready to go again.
``I said before that the loss to Mississippi State could help us. I didn't see anything today to make me change my opinion.''
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Kentucky's Walter McCarty (left) gets a high-fiveby CNBfrom teammate Cameron Mills in the waning moments of the Wildcats'
110-72 victory.