Alford - No rematch anytime soon

By LARRY VAUGHT

CHICAGO — From what UCLA coach Steve Alford could see, Kentucky does not have a weakness.

Of course, the Wildcats did jump in front 24-0 here Saturday before beating his team 83-42 in what UK coach John Calipari said was his team’s best overall game of the year. Still, Alford was so impressed that he said talk of Kentucky going unbeaten was not unrealistic, especially if UK gets to 18-0 or 19-0.

“They are such a dominant team. It’s really a mindset. If they have no further injuries, they know what they have to do,” said Alford. “Most of us play two games a week now, so it is taking care of your bodies off the court, not listening ... it’s going to be hard because they are going to be praised a lot and they deserve that praise.

“They have got to come to work and know there is room to get better. The scary part is they can get better. As it (the winning ) grows, you would think there would be more pressure but I think they will get hungrier with them just looking at their demeanor. If this thing reaches 18 or 19, you may not get them. I think they will get really hungry and think they can get it.”

UCLA freshman Kevon Looney was 4-for-14 from the field against UK and had nine points and nine rebounds. He said the team was well aware that it was down 24-0.

“Very conscious of it. You have to score a basket. That is terrible,” he said of the 24-0 deficit. “You should never play a game where you score seven points in a half (UCLA trailed 41-7 at halftime). We are very much a better offensive team than that.”

He said UK was hard to finish against because of the Cats’ length and shot blocking (UK had 13 blocks and UCLA was 18 of 71 from the field). However, Looney said he would like another shot at the No. 1 team.

“I hope to see them again because that was embarrassing,” Looney said. “They are really good.”

Alford said he didn’t want a rematch any time soon.

“I appreciate his enthusiasm, but not right now,” the UCLA coach said.

UCLA tried a zone against Kentucky to open the game that obviously did not work. He said if Andrew Harrison (3-for-8 from the field, eight assists) and Aaron Harrison (6-for-11 from the field, three steals, three assists) play the way they did, UK is even harder to beat.

“If the Harrisons shoot and play that way, and I thought they were really under control and they make shots like that, they are even harder to play against,” Alford said. “There is not a weakness on that team.”