Kentucky - 31 (Head Coach: John Mauer) - [Final Rank ]

Player	FG	FT	Pts
Hays Owens	2	4	8
Cecil Combs	3	6	12
Paul McBrayer	3	1	7
Paul Jenkins	1	2	4
Lawrence McGinnis	0	0	0
Stanley Milward	0	0	0
Claire Dees	0	0	0
Totals	9	13	31

Virginia - 28 (Head Coach: Henry Lannigan)

Player	FG	FT	Pts
W. Henry Tyler	0	1	1
Archer Jones	1	1	3
Robert Millen	3	6	12
Sam Fayonsky	3	2	8
Warren Via	0	0	0
Jack Hyde	0	0	0
John Harrison	1	0	2
John Goldsmith	1	0	2
Percival Faulconer	0	0	0
Frank Mead	0	0	0
Emmanuel Vogel	0	0	0
Totals	9	10	28

Wildcats Bump Virginia

Owens, Combs Shine; Latter Has 12 Points; Is Brilliant Exhibition

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Jan. 16. -- The University of Kentucky Wildcats, heralded previous to their coming here as a brilliant basketball team more than lived up to their reputation here tonight by scoring a spectacular 31 to 28 victory over the University of Virginia Cavaliers. The Kentuckians achieved victory in the most exciting contest staged in Memorial gymnasium for several years.

It was the first Southern Conference clash for the Cavaliers and the first defeat suffered by the Orange and Blue of Virginia, they having defeated three straight teams.

Owens, Combs Praised

Hayes Owens, one of the smallest players ever seen on the local floor, and Cecil Combs, elongated Kentucky forward, bagged scoring honors and caught the eye of the Virginia rooters, who cheered them time after time after completing brilliant shots which gave their team the lead.

Kentucky started off with a rush and secured an early lead of 4 to 1. Midway the period the score was knotted at 7-all. Combs made good on a foul, but Fayonsky untied the score with a foul throw, but McBrayer registered one point, tieing the score again. Thereafter the Wildcats began adding points and led at the end of the first half 15 to 10. Paul McGinnis, star back guard for Kentucky, was put out of the game late in the first half and the visitors were seriously handicapped without him to start the lightning-like guard offense which they used to wreck the Cavaliers tonight.

Second Half Replica of First

The second half was a replica of the first, with the count being knotted twice. In the first few minutes of play the Cavaliers wiped out the 5-point lead secured by the Kentuckians in the first half, only to lose it in the next few minutes when Owens and Combs crashed through with beautiful shots from difficult angles.

But the game was not over yet. Millan, Virginia's rangy center, got into action and registered four points and a long shot from the sideline by Goldsmith, a substitute, put the Virginians in the lead again. Millan caged another basket, and with only three minutes to play, the Cavaliers enjoyed a 3-point lead.

Wildcats Stage Comeback

But those last three minutes were filled with gloom for the Cavaliers that 3,000 people were cheering on tonight. The Kentuckians proved that they care not what lead any team holds on them. Captain Paul Jenkins made two free throws good and Hayes Owens crashed through with a fancy shot from the sidelines that brought a roar from the house. Thus Kentucky had wiped out the 3-point margin and enjoyed a one-point lead themselves. Jenkins, dribbling like a demon, wiggled his way through the Cavalier defense and registered a short "pot" shot to help things along and Combs, taking the ball on a lightning pass from Owens, caged one of his famous crip shots to make things safe for the Blue Grass team.

The Kentuckians made good on 13 foul throws, while the best the Virginians could do was to score 9 out of 21 tries.

Combs had 12 points and Owens 8. McBrayer scored 7 and Jenkins 4. Millan was Virginia's high scorer, with 12 to his credit.

Game Writeup - Lexington Leader

GREAT RALLY BY WILDCATS DOWNS VIRGINIA 31-28

Desperate Spurt in Final Three Minutes Gives Kentucky the Victory

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA., Jan. 17 - Putting on the floor a quick thinking, quick acting team that incited admiration even from prejudiced Virginia fans, the University of Kentucky defeated the hitherto undefeated University of Virginia Cavaliers here Monday night by a score of 31 to 28.

Apparently whipped three minutes before the game was over, when the Cavaliers enjoyed a 28 to 25 lead, the Wildcats spurted desperately and rang up six points and the victory.

The game was the third consecutive Southern Conference victory for the clever Kentucky boys and was the first reverse for Virginia after your brilliant triumphs.

The tilt, although slowed up considerably by numerous fouls committed by both teams in their eagerness to guard and to score, was one of the most exciting ever seen in Memorial Gymnasium and the 3,000 fans in attendance were kept in constant turmoil. The lead changed hands several times, which added to the excitement, and Kentucky's spur in the final two minutes was the most thrilling incident in the game.

Superior shooting of foul goals put Kentucky in the lead early in the game and brought the visitors toward victory at the close of the contest. Both teams scored three field goals in the first half. Owens, Combs and McBrayer making good shots for Kentucky, but nine foul baskets for the Wildcats, five by Combs, gave them a 15 to 10 lead a the half.

Virginia started the second period with a rush and two fouls and a free shot by Millan and a long basket by Fayonsky pulled up past Kentucky. Then McBrayer, the Lexington center, put in a pair from the open floor to regain the advantage, but Kentucky did not hold this long and the lead switched from one to the other. Two fresh Cavalier guards played a tight defense, while the Virginians got the range of the goal and with three minutes to play Kentucky was trailing with the score 28 to 25. Here the Cavaliers ended their scoring.

Kentucky was not ready to give up the first of the three games in South Atlantic territory and Jenkins shot a long one over the heads of the Cavalier guards. When he was fouled in the act of shooting Owens had two free throws. His first did not hit the basket but his second rolled in. A moment later Jenkins sunk a free throw to give his team the lead and Combs made victory sure with a swift shot just before the final gun. Frequent fouls marred the game and caused both teams to lose two players.

Twenty miscues were called on Virginia and 19 on Kentucky and the fact that they took advantage of their free chances kept the Southern Conference record of the Wildcats clear.

Game Preview - [by Frank K. Hoover] Lexington Herald (January 16, 1928)

WILDCATS MEET VIRGINIA TEAM

Eleven victory-bent University of Kentucky Wildcats, Coach Johnnie Mauer and Trainer Frank Mann entrained from the Union station last night for Charlottesville, Va., where they meet the University of Virginia Cavaliers tonight in the first of a three-game series. In the other two games the Wildcats will meet the Navy at Annapolis, Md., on Wednesday night and the University of Maryland at College Park on Thursday night.

The following men were taken on the trip: Hayes Owens, Cecil Combs, Paul McBrayer, Paul Jenkins, Paul [sic] McGinnis, Freddie McLane, Clair Dees, Stanley Milward, Elmer Gilb, Len Miller and June Lyons. The only man left behind was Andy Torok and he is not up in his studies.

The Wildcats will have a great chance to add a feather in their cap by trouncing Navy in the second game of the trip. Of course, they are expecting to win the two Southern Conference games, although Maryland's Ole Liners are reputed to have a fast-stepping, tall, accurate-shooting aggregation.

Virginia, whom Kentucky meets tonight, has been using several different combinations in her three games this season. In these three tilts the Cavaliers have trounced Lynchburg College, 39 to 27; Randolph-Macon, 34 to 23; and Hampden-Sidney, 55 to 37. These teams are three of the "weak" sisters in the middle-Atlantic group of states and very little can be gleaned from Virginia's performances in these three contests. One can rest assured, however, that any quintet which can win three straight from colleges of this caliber must be reckoned with.

Kentucky's first game lineup probably will be the same as old, with Owens and Combs at forwards, McBrayer at center, and Jenkins and McGinnis, guards.

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