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Cats Squeak one OutPerhaps it was the sight of the Cardinal logo at center court. Perhaps it was the red uniforms. Whatever the reason, the Kentucky Wildcats struggled Saturday as though they were facing the Louisville Cardinals, who had defeated them the previous game. But this was not UK's hated in-state rivals. This was Austin Peay of the not-so-mighty OVC. This was supposed to be an opportunity to take out the previous game's frustrations on a lesser opponent. An opportunity to improve shooting percentages and regain individuals' confidences. But the Governors of Austin Peay had something else in mind. Despite shooting just 21% and scoring only 12 first-half points, the Governors still thought they could win the game. And they almost did. The first half was all Kentucky, as they outscored the Governors 26-12. But the lead should have been much greater. After five minutes, the Cats led 9-2. Somehow, neither team scored again until the 10-minute mark. At the end of the half, UK managed a 10-2 run to take a 14-point lead into the locker-room.
With 14 minutes elapsed in the second-half, it looked as though the Cats were finally ready to put their opponents away, having built a seventeen point lead at 41-24. But Austin Peay then proceeded to go on a 14-2 run, feuled by Anthony Davis, who drilled three 3-pointers during that stretch. With 9 minutes remaining, the lead was only five at 43-38. Kelenna Azubuike then hit a three of his own, but Davis matched that with his fourth trey of the half, after going scoreless in the first half. For the next several minutes, the Cats' lead fluctuated between three and eight points, until a Maurice Hampton lay-up made the score 53-51 with four minutes to go. Kentucky finally put the clamps on, not allowing another field goal and hitting six of seven free throws down the stretch to pull out their eighth victory of the season.
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