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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- If Jamaal Magloire is just a role player
for Kentucky, right now he's playing a leading role.
The senior center had 19 points and 14 rebounds Wednesday night, as the 18th-ranked Wildcats used their inside dominance to overcome poor shooting and a lackluster effort in a 74-69 victory over Mississippi.
It was the 12th straight game in which Magloire has scored in double figures and the sixth time in 10 games in which he has
reached double figures in both rebounds and points.
"I think I did OK," Magloire said. "I'm just a role player,
trying to do what it takes to help this team be successful and do
well."
On this night, the Wildcats (12-5, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) needed Magloire's interior presence to overpower the undersized Rebels (12-6, 0-5) and make up for their shooting struggles.
The SEC's least-accurate team continued to miss the mark against Mississippi, shooting 24-of-59 from the field (40.7 percent) and
only 3-of-17 from 3-point range (17.6 percent).
However, the Wildcats outrebounded the Rebels 45-35 overall and 18-13 on the offensive boards, leading to 17 second-chance points.
Magloire was in the middle of much of the banging, pulling down five offensive rebounds and blocking two shots. His jostling with
Mississippi's Rahim Lockhart provoked the Rebels forward to a
technical foul midway through the first half, when Lockhart
wrestled Magloire to the ground during a battle for a rebound.
Afterward, Magloire sported a bump on his forehead and a scratch on his left forearm, in addition to the smile of satisfaction on his
face.
"I play physical, but I knew they were taking themselves out of the game, which they did by throwing me down and stuff," he said.
"So I really didn't have to do anything but pick up my team and
help them continue to play well."
Marcus Hicks led Mississippi with 27 points, including three
3-pointers, and 10 rebounds.
Keith Bogans had 12 points for Kentucky, including all three of the Wildcats' 3-pointers, while Tayshaun Prince scored 10. Each
player had four assists.
Kentucky took the game in hand with a 15-4 run late in the
second half that gave the Wildcats an 18-point lead. Bogans had two
3s in the surge, which ended with a free throw by Saul Smith that
put Kentucky up 65-47 with 3:22 left.
The Wildcats held off a late Mississippi flurry of fouls and
3-pointers, as Ray Waddell's 3 at the buzzer cut the final margin
to five.
"It wasn't a pretty win," Kentucky coach Tubby Smith said.
"With a young team, you have to force them to concentrate."
The Wildcats struggled at the line as well as from the
perimeter, making just 23 of 39 free throws.
The win was Kentucky's eighth in nine games, while Mississippi continued to struggle against the SEC's top teams. After losses to Kentucky, Florida and Tennessee over the last 11 days, the Rebels have a Saturday home date with No. 4 Auburn.
"Our team came out and gave a great effort," Mississippi coach Rod Barnes said. "I was really proud of our kids. We've been
through a tough period the last couple of weeks."
In addition to Lockhart's technical, the referees also called
technicals on Barnes, Magloire and Bogans.
Barnes was whistled for comments to the referees in the early going and Bogans was called for pushing Mississippi's Jason
Flanigan as the Rebels inbounded the ball after a Kentucky basket
later in the first half.
With 16 minutes left in the game, Magloire received the eighth technical of his Kentucky career for grabbing the net as he went up to block a shot by Mississippi's Jason Harrison.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Mississippi Clubhouse
Kentucky Clubhouse
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