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Friday, March 27, 2015 MN The Plain Dealer | cleveland.com S3* MIDWEST REGION NO. 1 KENTUCKY 78, NO. 5 WEST VIRGINIA 39 Commentary Downhill fast for Mountaineers West Virginia, touted for its defense, shows no sign of life on offense against Kentucky So much for a defensive system that would try to out-disrupt Kentucky’s stranglers. So Bill much for the Livingston threat of West Virginia, a dif- ferent expres- sion of Ken- tucky’s defense-first approach to basketball. The Wildcats are 37-0 and fac- ing a more credible challenge in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tour- nament’s Midwest Regional on Saturday. At least Notre Dame’s Fight- ing Irish have some firepower. WVU, with 18 points at half- time, um, not anywhere near so much in Kentucky’s 78-39 drubbing. 3 Bobby Vesuvius, a volcano dis- guised in a windbreaker and also known as Bob Huggins, went off less than four minutes into the game when guard Gary Browne ventured into the land of giants. He tried a jackknifing layup with a degree of difficulty high enough to stump an ambulatory pretzel. The shot was pronounced DOA against Kentucky’s wall of defenders. This led to a run-out, which led to Aaron Harrison’s 3-pointer, which led to a 7-2 lead, Kentucky, which led to the beginning of the public shaming of a Mountaineers freshman named Dexter Miles Jr., which led to a very angry timeout by Huggins. 3 You might remember poor Dex- ter, who on Wednesday opined: “I give them their props. Salute them for getting to 36-0. But to- morrow they’re gonna be 36-1.” He meant the record, not the run- ning score. Still, it was 18-2, and 30-9, with 7½ minutes left in the first half and … . Not only was the Big 12 overrated with West Vir- ginia headed for the exit as the last team still alive, even if in an ICU, but why give Kentucky bul- letin board material? 3 Wildcats coach John Calipari said in Louisville last weekend that good teams are too well- coached to get beaten by the press. It didn’t work for Wich- ita State against Notre Dame and, hoo boy, it didn’t work for West Virginia against Ken- tucky. 3 The high-risk/high-reward WVU press is predicated on forc- ing turnovers and getting easy baskets to offset the easy bas- kets the other team gets when it cracks the press. Calipari said it was unbelievable that a team could rank so low (West Virginia was 324th of 345 teams) in de- fensive field goal percentage and still be successful. It can’t happen against a team with the weapons of Kentucky. The Wildcats in the first half shot 14 for 23, 60.9 per- cent, and reduced WVU to 5 of 26 for 19.2 percent. As for the great turnover battle, Kentucky won that, too, committing five to the Mountaineers’ seven. 3 A lob pass to a flying 6-9 Mar- cus Lee, who seemed able to dunk Terminal Tower if it was a block or so closer, was the Austin Carr “Throw the Hammer Down” mo- ment of the first half. It’s not just that Kentucky is tall and athletic and can protect the rim. The Wildcats are also long in wing- span. They can alter shots, but they also deflect passes into the lane and to cutters and generally make opponents wonder what’s the use. 3 I’ve waited for this: In the last 5 minutes of the first half, BillyDee Williams came in for WVU. Lando Calrissian’s whereabouts were un- known. 3 There once was an epic come- back called the “Mardi Gras Mir- acle” in 1994. The victors trailed, 68-37, in the second half and CHUCK CROW / THE PLAIN DEALER won, 99-95. Alas, it was Kentucky West Virginia’s Elijah Macon (45) battles for a rebound with Kentucky’s Dakari Johnson, left, and Trey Lyles on Thursday night. against LSU. Lead tracker | The advantages, momentum swings and key moments from Thursday night FIRST HALF KENTUCKY 44, WEST VIRGINIA 18 SECOND HALF KENTUCKY 34, WEST VIRGINIA 21 25 Kentucky 25 Kentucky 20 20 Largest lead (41) Trey Lyles’ layup for the Wildcats’ final 15 15 points of the game also put them up 78-37 10 10 5 5 0 0 5 First score (18:33) 5 10 Kentucky’s Andrew Harrison 10 Ties: (inc. 0-0) Ties: 15 began his night with a layup 2 15 0 20 Lead changes: 0 20 Lead changes: 0 25 West Virginia Largest lead: 26 by UK 25 West Virginia Largest lead: 41 by UK 20:00 10:00 0:00 20:00 10:00 0:00.

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