- Monday, March 1 1926 -
Southern Conference Tournament (at Atlanta, GA)
Kentucky - 26 (Head Coach: Ray Eklund)
Player | FG | FT | Pts |
---|---|---|---|
James McFarland | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Gayle Mohney | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Henry Besuden | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Paul Jenkins | 5 | 3 | 13 |
Burgess Carey | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Arville Hickerson | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Lovell Underwood | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Charles Albert | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Totals | 10 | 6 | 26 |
Mississippi A & M - 31 (Head Coach: Bernie Bierman)
Player | FG | FT | Pts |
---|---|---|---|
W.B. Ricks | 1 | 2 | 4 |
P.H. Berry | 1 | 3 | 5 |
R.B. Bryant | 6 | 0 | 12 |
Elborn Jones | 1 | 1 | 3 |
H.L. Stone | 2 | 3 | 7 |
R.A. Hartness | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Totals | 11 | 9 | 31 |
Prior Game | | | Next Game |
Georgia 39 - 34 | | | Cincinnati 10 - 48 |
Entering the Southern Conference tournament as one of the favorites, the Wildcats set sail and displayed their brilliant season form in their first two games on Friday and Saturday by defeating V.M.I. and Georgia by the scores of 32 to 25 and 39 to 34, respectively, but in the semi-finals an unexpected foe and the dark horse of the tournament, Mississippi A. & M., cowed the Wildcats enough to win, 31 to 26.
Failure to follow their shots and inability to register free throws consistently were the potent factors that cost Kentucky the game. The Wildcats missed more crips and free throws than they have missed in any other game this season. This was due to the nervous strain under which they were laboring since the commencement of the tourney. The Aggies, on the other hand were at the peak in form and made every shot count.
U.K. Rooters Pray for Victory
The Wildcat supporters, which numbered into the hundreds, still had hopes of victory as the team marched off at the half with the Aggies leading by the count of 18 to 13. But Kentucky could not produce their customary come-back which the Aggies feared and for which Kentucky fans prayed.
Every team entered in the tourney , with the exception of Tennessee and Clemson, were strong enough to give any quintet a tussle. The Wildcats disposed of V.M.I. and Georgia, two tartars of the South, in a very handy fashion. In both games the Kentuckians were behind for the first two-thirds of the game, but putting on one of those flashing finishes, they coasted out at the finish a few points to the good. The reason they did not repeat these performances against Mississippi A. & M. is because the strain was so great they had no comeback to spring.
Every Wildcat a Star
Every Wildcat on the roster was a star in the meet. Jenkins and Mohney proved they were the best combination of all round basketball players in the South when Jenkins was named all-Southern guard and Mohney missed a berth on that team by only one vote. Carey showed Southern fans that he is a whale on the defense, while Alberts proved that he can cover one of the best forwards in the South, Richardson, Georgia's crack forward, was guarded to perfection by Alberts.
McFarland and Underwood, playing their last basketball games for Kentucky, worked at high speed throughout the tournament. Besuden showed that he is good enough for any man's center. The tourney uncovered a Wildcat player who is destined to make a name for Kentucky in basketball. This man is Hickerson, who played admirably in both forward and guard positions during the meet.
North Carolina Wins
North Carolina University, who conquered the Aggies in the finals 38 to 23, won the title for the fourth time and for the third consecutive time. The Tarheels had little trouble quelling all opposition, but they had the experience gained from other tournaments. This self-same experience of former tournaments will probably cause the Wildcats to win the trophy next year.