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Kentucky target James Young earns MVP of Nike Global Challenge

Michigan native James Young was terrific during Nike’s EYBL season.  A 6-foot-6 left-hander, Young proved himself an athletic slasher that could really shoot the ball from beyond the arc. But through three games at Nike’s Global Challenge, Young had struggled for the USA’s Midwest team. He was averaging 15.0 points, but shooting just 42% from the floor and 2-17 from three while committing 13 turnovers. The Midwest went 3-0 in pool play, but it wasn’t the result of a sterling performance from Young.  That changed in the title game, however.  Young finished with 29 points — including a flurry that saw him score 16 points in a six-minute stretch in the fourth quarter — on 12-23 shooting (5-10 from three) to lead the Midwest to a 100-86 win over and Team Canada.

 

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Walter Cornett, of Glendale, Kentucky, is the owner and operator of Walter’s Wildcat World. He founded WildcatWorld.com in 1998 making it one of the oldest Kentucky basketball fan sites in operation today.

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On This Day in UK Basketball History

On March 22, 1958, UK wins its fourth NCAA title by defeating Seattle and Elgin Baylor, 84-72, in Louisville before a home-state crowd of 18,803 in Freedom Hall. The “Fiddlin’ Five” was led by Vernon Hatton’s 30 points.  This is the only NCAA championship Kentucky won within the commonwealth.  The win gave Rupp his most coveted title, the one he vowed to win after the NCAA had suspended UK’s 1953 season.

 

On March 22, 1975, UK upsets undefeated Indiana in the Mideast Regional semifinals to earn a trip to the Final Four. It was the Hoosier's first loss in 34 games.  Indiana was 31-0 and had obliterated Kentucky 98-74 in a December meeting remembered for Hoosiers Coach Bobby Knight slapping UK head man Joe B. Hall in the back of the head.  With the Final Four at stake, Kentucky senior guards Mike Flynn (22 points) and Jimmy Dan Conner (17, five rebounds) came up huge to lead the Cats to sweet payback.

 

On March 22, 1984, Winston Bennett's three-point play with 13 seconds left pushed the Wildcats past Louisville into the Mideast Regional final.

 

On March 22, 1985, Joe B. Hall announces his retirement after UK loses to St. John’s, 86-70, in the NCAA West Regional in Denver.

 

On March 22, 1998, in one of the most anticipated matchups of the NCAA Tournament, UK roars back from a 17-point deficit with 9:38 remaining to defeat Duke, 86-84. Kentucky uncorked an NCAA Tournament rally for the ages behind the relentless penetration of junior point guard Wayne Turner (16 points, eight assists) and clutch three-point shooting from Heshimu Evans, Allen Edwards, Cameron Mills and Scott Padgett.

 

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