UCLA-KENTUCKY MATCHUP
How UCLA and Kentucky match up.
WHO: No. 3 UCLA (31-4) vs. No. 2 Kentucky (31-5). WHAT: NCAA South Regional semifinal, Friday, 6:39 p.m. PDT. WHERE: FedExForum, Memphis, Tenn. TV: Channel 2; Radio: 570. UPDATE: UCLA would prefer not to repeat one aspect of its 97-92 victory over Kentucky in December at Rupp Arena: turnovers. The Bruins coughed up the ball 18 times, something that has not been an issue in the NCAA tournament, when they’ve been responsible for just nine turnovers in two games. “That’s unheard of, playing as fast as we want to play,” UCLA Coach Steve Alford said. Neither side appears to want to slow down the other in the fourth meeting between the teams in the last three seasons; the Bruins have won two of the first three. “Let’s go,” Kentucky Coach John Calipari said. “Let’s play to 120.” The Bruins might just get there if point guard Lonzo Ball continues his superlative play from the first two rounds, when he made 13 of 17 shots (76.5%) while averaging 16.5 points, 6.0 assists, 5.5 rebounds and only 1.0 turnover per game. He has shed the white tape he wore around his sprained thumb last week, with Alford proclaiming him “as close to 100% as he’s been in a long, long time.” Alford said reserve big man Ike Anigbogu was also near full strength after playing only sparingly in the first two NCAA tournament games while recovering from a sprained foot. UCLA power forward TJ Leaf deserves bold print in the Kentucky game plan after going for 17 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in the first meeting this season. “I just didn’t know all the things he could do,” Wildcats forward Derek Willis said. “He kind of surprised me in a sense.”