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Wenyen Gabriel has opened a lot of eyes

Wenyen Gabriel produced a solid stat line in Kentucky’s first exhibition: 9 points on 3-of-3 shooting, 2 rebounds, a block and an assist in 17 minutes.
Wenyen Gabriel - photo by Walter Cornett

– photo by Walter Cornett

Ask most fans to name five Wildcats on the 2016-17 basketball team and they might not get to Wenyen Gabriel. That’s not because the 6-9, 213-pound freshman forward isn’t talented. He’s just on a loaded team.

Fellow freshmen De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Bam Adebayo are all projected first-round NBA draft picks, with sophomore Isaiah Briscoe, the team’s leader, not far behind. Senior Derek Willis is Kentucky’s best 3-point shooter.

But ask Clarion coach Marcess Williams who jumps out on a team that throttled his by 57 points in Sunday night’s exhibition game at Rupp Arena and Gabriel gets plenty of love.

“My favorite,” Williams said. “I love that kid. That kid, he might be the best one of them all.”

Read full article here.

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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 25, 1978, No. 1 Kentucky defeated No. 5 Arkansas, 64-59, in the 1978 NCAA Final Four.  Lexington products Jack Givens (23 points) and James Lee (13) led UK past Arkansas’ famous “Triplets” — Ron Brewer (16 points), Marvin Delph (15) and Sidney Moncrief (13) — before 18,271 fans in the Checkerdome in St. Louis.

 

On March 25, 2011, freshman Brandon Knight missed seven of his first nine shots. Still, he knocked down his second game-winner of the postseason, a 15-footer with 5 seconds left to lift the Wildcats to a 62-60 victory over No. 1 seed Ohio State in the East regional semifinals.  Josh Harrellson held his own against Ohio State super freshman Jared Sullinger, scoring 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

 

Wildcats Born on This Date

March 25, 1883

Richard Arnett

March 25, 1989

20 Kerry Benson

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