- Monday, February 4 1924 -
West Virginia - 21 (Head Coach: Frank Stadsvold)
Player | FG | FT | FTA | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fred Funk | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Pierre Hill | 3 | 3 | 9 | 9 |
Roy Hawley | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
Douglas Bowers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A.F. "Nate" Rohrbaugh | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Totals | 9 | 3 | 12 | 21 |
Kentucky - 24 (Head Coach: George C. Buchheit) - [Final Rank ]
Player | FG | FT | FTA | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|
James McFarland | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
Carl Riefkin | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
Will Milward | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
William King | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
A. T. Rice | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Charles Hughes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Totals | 9 | 6 | 7 | 24 |
Prior Game | | | Next Game |
Tenn-Chattanooga 24 - 23 | | | Centre College 27 - 18 |
Kentucky Five Stops West Virginia's Winning Streak with 24 to 21 Victory
BLUES MATCH SPEED TO SIZE
RICE IS OUTSTANDING STAR
West Virginia held its season's record to the Wildcats at the university gym last night and the Blue and White basketeers scratched it with as black a mark as ever was made by any printer's devil.
Unbeaten in all their games this season, the Mountaineers, towering over the Wildcats like Mutt does over Jeff, appeared sure winners over George Buchheit's men and the start of the contest indicated this, but in the end the speed and floor play of the Kentucky warriors triumphed over the size advantage of the visitors. The score was 24 to 21, and the figures do not lie as to the closeness of the game.
For the thousand more or less persons who pushed, jammed or elbowed their way into the gymnasium was a reward of the best basketball game played in Lexington this season and few battles of other years equal it for hair-raising interest.
Perhaps the fact that Kentucky made six out of seven foul throws, while the Mountaineers could convert but 3 out of 12, accounted for the Wildcats' victory, but each quintet had an equal number of field goals - nine.
Started with a Rush
West Virginia started the game with the confidence of an easy victory. Captain Hill making the first goal directly after tip-off with a beautiful aerial shot from the center of the floor. Not a minute had passed until he caged another in the same manner and then another.
Kentucky rooters became wild imploring the Wildcats to hold the visitors. And here the 'Cats became wild, fighting with savage instinct until they were playing the Mountaineers on even terms. McFarland drew a free throw, so did Milward and both gave the spectators a sigh of relief by making them.
The visitors continued their long range tactics, shooting the minute they had the ball in their hands. A team must be lucky to win games in this manner, but the Mountaineers carried no horseshoe with them last night. McFarland thrilled the crowd with a double from the foul circle, and then Milward drew two free throws. His first effort indicated overeagerness and the ball fell short, but he braced himself and caged the second foul.
The Wildcats drew nearer to the visitors when Bill King made his first appearance in a blue and White uniform in two years, made a favorite shot from the sidelines, and then knotted the count by converting a foul throw. With the score tied, Hill made good a foul shot for West Virginia, then Riefkin did the same for Kentucky. Hill made it two in succession, and he was followed by another aerial goal by Funk. Jimmy McFarland, not to be outdone, accounted for a long shot just before the gun ended the half with the score 12 to 12.
Speed Too Dazzling
Because of such speed displayed in the initial period, the wise boys figured that one or the team would fold up, but both quintets came back after their rest to continue the battle as they had left it.
Hill caged a foul shot and Kentucky repeated its efforts to work the ball through the formidable defense of the Mountaineers. The Wildcats were rewarded with two field goals, one by King, the other by Riefkin, both made from the vicinity of the foul circle. Funk was successful with a long shot, then Riefkin grabbed another two points for the Blue.
West Virginia jumped into a temporary lead when Rohraugh found an opening for a crip shot and Hawley made good another thriller. Milward, running loose beneath the basket took a crack pass for a crip, then Hughes, who had substituted for the valiant Riefkin, shook off a trio of Mountaineers for an easy two points. Kentucky began playing for time but the visitors broke up the Wildcats lazy passing and Hawley rung a field goal. With a minute left to play, the Wildcats kept the ball to themselves, until the Mountaineers threw safety to the winds in an effort to get possession of the ball. The crafty Wildcats saw their opening in a twinkle the ball went from beneath their own goal to the other end of the floor where Milward waited, far from any dangerous guard. Needless to say, made the goal and the ball hardly had been tipped off again until the game was over.
To Captain "Chuck" Rice goes all individual honors. His guarding was a revelation, even perhaps to Coach Buchheit. He took the Mountaineers' long shots off the back board and had the ball started on the offense in a manner which drew the applause of all the fans. Everybody played the best game that was in them, only Rice proved superhuman.