Jersey frosh leads Kentucky with 24

ATLANTA — There are some games that are destined to become epic moments in the history of college basketball. This was one of them. Freshman forward Michael Kidd-gilchrist from St. Patrick of Elizabeth high in new Jersey scored 24 points, and fearless sophomore guard Doron Lamb from Brooklyn had 21 as top-seeded Kentucky finally wore down determined fourthseeded Indiana, 102-90, before a crowd of 24,731 at the Georgia Dome Friday night to advance to the South Reginal final. The ’Cats (35-2) will play third-seeded Baylor Sunday for the right to go to a second straight Final Four and the chance to win the school’s first national championship since 1998.

This was a battle of two heavyweights and longtime rivals who have combined for 12 national titles. They slugged it out for 40minutes. It featured two great coaches — John Calipari and Tom Crean — great intensity and high-caliber offensive basketball showcasing at least nine players who will play in the NBA someday.

Kentucky had waited three months for this moment.

Earlier this season, Indiana (27-9) stunned top-ranked Kentucky, 73-72, at Assembly Hall in Bloomington in a coming-of-age victory that a signaled the Hoosiers were ready to retake their place among the elite programs in the country. The IU student body stormed the floor after junior forward Christian Watford drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer, treating the game like a national championship and taunting Kentucky freshman guard marquis Teague from indiana polis for selecting the ’Cats over their beloved Hoosiers.

It was one of only two losses Kentucky suffered during the regular season.

“I think every year you have that game that sends you one way or another,’’ Calipari had said. “The north carolina game was a good game. The Kansas game was a good game. We’ve had some high-level teams that we had to go and beat.

“For them, I’m not sure in their mind, but in everybody else’s mind it put Indiana on another level. I think those guys had confidence in their coach and in their team.”

Crean led a remarkable turnaround in Bloomington after IU went on NCAA probation and the Hoosiers may be two years away from hanging a banner if their 6-10 freshman center Cody Zeller, the most gifted athlete ever to play the position at IU, stays on campus.

But this looks like a special year for Kentucky, a team with six potential NBA draft picks. Since the IU loss, Kentucky has made tremendous improvement. The Wildcats won 24 straight before losing to Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament title game and demolished both western kentucky and Iowa State in the tournament before outlasting Indiana.

“We’re really having a more aggressive mind-set,” said sophomore forward Terrence Jones, who scored 12 points Friday night. “That’s been ourmentality to each game. We just try to have more fun and not think too much really.

“It’s just been fun playing together. I think that’s what’s making it much easier on each individual player. There’s not been a lot of pressure on just one player because guys are stepping up in different games. When they try to have a game plan to stop two guys, the other three guys just step up.”

Senior Darius Miller scored 19 points and teague contributed12, making up for the fact 6-10 shot-blocking fresh mancenter Anthony Davis, the Wildcats’ biggest impact player defensively, was hindered by early foul trouble and played just six minutes in the first half. The ’Cats, who are as efficient as any team in the country offensively, shot 30 of 32 from the line.

But there was little they could do to stop the Hoosiers, who shot 52% from the floor, from scoring. Watford scored 27 points, Zeller had 20 and sophomore guard Victor Oladipo added 15 before fouling out with 4:49 to play. The Wildcats built an 11-point lead in second half, only to watch thehoosiers constantly cut into it.

“No one really got momentum,’’ Crean said. “The start of the second half gave them confidence. But it never got out of reach. “The Indianamen— no, make that the Indiana mighty men — gave it their all.”

Calipari can relax for at least 12 hours before the pressure begins to mount again. This is his best teamsince he came to the Bluegrass State three years ago. But it also carries heightened expectations.

“National championship or bust,’’ Calipari said.

“It’skentucky. Doyou expect anything else?”