KENTUCKY RUNS WILD

You could pity Daxter Miles Jr. College freshmen are still learning, still maturing.

He is certainly sadder and wiser on this Friday morning.

Miles plays basketball for West Virginia University. WVU was preparing to meet unbeaten Kentucky in the NCAA’s men’s Sweet 16 tournament round when Miles was asked about those 36-0 Wildcats.

Here was a great opportunity to get out the Krazy Glue and use it as if it were ChapStick. Alas, Miles let his lips move and words came out.

He said Kentucky didn’t play hard, not as hard as the Mountaineers. He predicted victory, and not quietly.

“Salute to them getting up to 36-0,” he said on Wednesday, “but tomorrow they’re gonna be 36-1. They’re gonna be 36-1.”

Uh, no. They’re 37-0. Kentucky destroyed WVU 78-39 on Thursday night in Cleveland in a beating of even greater magnitude than the score indicates. Had Kentucky not put a single point on the board in the second half, it still would have won. The Wildcats led 44-18 at halftime, ultimately had five players score in double figures and moved on to the Elite Eight where they will face Notre Dame on Saturday.

An early 2-2 tie turned into an 18-2 Kentucky lead. West Virginia didn’t score a basket in the second half until 8:17 had run off the clock. And that bucket made the score 54-21.

The lovely and talented Mr. Miles? He played 19 minutes. He missed his three shots from the field, he missed his two free-throw attempts and (as freshman math would indicate) he was held to no points. It’s too bad he wasn’t held to no comment.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .