Kentucky - 26 (Head Coach: John Mauer) - [Final Rank ]

Player	FG	FT	FTA	Pts
Cecil Combs	2	3	3	7
Hays Owens	2	2	3	6
Paul McBrayer	3	2	2	8
Lawrence McGinnis	0	1	2	1
Paul Jenkins	2	0	1	4
Claire Dees	0	0	0	0
Totals	9	8	11	26

Navy - 32 (Head Coach: John Wilson)

Player	FG	FT	FTA	Pts
William Allen	0	0	0	0
Oliver	0	0	0	0
Harold Bauer	0	0	1	0
William Walsh	0	0	0	0
Samuel Lincoln	0	0	0	0
Earl Dennett	1	1	1	3
Adolph Miller	3	3	5	9
Francis Smith	2	0	1	4
Russell Lloyd	1	0	0	2
Bill Howard	5	4	4	14
Totals	12	8	12	32

NAVY NOSES OUT WILDCATS 32 TO 26

Kentucky Outsmarts Middies First Half; Jenkins' Loss Costly

[Special to the Herald]

ANNAPOLIS, Md., Jan. 18. -- The fast University of Kentucky basketball team was forced to bow to the Annapolis Midshipmen in a desperately contested game here today. The final score was 32 to 26.

Navy was forced to come from behind to gain the laurels after being outplayed and outgamed in the first half, in which the visitors showed the way by a score of 16 to 10. The Kentuckians not only were speedy, but gave a splendid exhibition of dribbling and blocking that kept the Navy lads baffled until midway of the second half. It remained for Captain Howard to put the game on ice. He scored five times from court and four from the foul strip to amass a total of 14 points. All of his court goals were netted in the second half.

Wildcats Baffle Middies

Kentucky was leading the Naval Academy 16 to 10 at the end of the first half. The Kentuckians unlashed an attack that proved an enigma to the Middies and they trailed throughout the half. The Wildcats got under way with a burst of speed and by clever passing and dribbling, played the Navy shock troops off their feet during the first four minutes. Then the Navy regulars took the floor, but they found the going too strong, so fast was the Kentucky attack and at the end of 11 minutes, the visitors were leading 10 to 0.

A moment later Miller shot Navy's first goal and the score was 10 to 2. All of the Kentuckians figured in the scoring up to this point.

The work of Combs, Owens and McBrayer being especially clever.

The Middies then staged a rally and in four minutes pulled themselves up to within two points of the enemy , 12 to 10. The visitors retaliated, however, field goals by Owens and Jenkins in rather quick succession putting the count at 16 to 10 to end the half. A successful shot from past mid-court by Jenkins, of Kentucky, was the outstanding individual feat of the half. The fast and clever dribbling of Owens, of the visitors, won the plaudits of the big gallery of fans.

In the first half, Kentucky made good in six out of seven throws from the free zone.

Navy Coach Changes Tactics

Realizing that his charges had been outplayed and outsmarted, Coach Johnny Wilson, of Annapolis, took no long chances, and the opening of the second half found his regulars still on the floor. As a rule, the Navy mentor alternates by using second and first stringers to start the periods. Dennett was fouled half a minute after play was assumed. He made the throw good. At this juncture, Navy's offense began to function, and with his mates feeding to him, Captain Howard threw three double deckers in a row to put Navy in the van, 17 to 16.

A foul goal by Miller gave Navy a two-point margin, but McBrayer's field goal knotted the count at 18-all. Each scored from the penalty strip and the tie stood at 19-19. It was a battle royal.

The teams alternated in ringing up two field goals apiece, but Navy also got two foul counters to go out in front by 27 to 25.

Jenkins, of Kentucky, was banished from the game, via the personal foul route. Dees replaced him. Jenkins' absence put a crimp in his team's defense, and the Middies increased their lead by five points at 30 to 25, with two minutes to play. The best the visitors could do was a foul goal by Owens. Captain Howard scored another field goal for Navy just as the gun was fired, which put the final score, 32 to 26.

Game Writeup - Lexington Leader

NAVY RALLIES TO CONQUER CATS IN FAST GAME 32-26

Kentucky's Lead in Last Half Overcome When Jenkins Leaves Tilt

ANNAPOLIS, MD., Jan. 19 - The basket ball five of the University of Kentucky, the first athletic team of that institution to play here, lost to the Naval Academy by 32 to 26 Wednesday afternoon, but led until well into the second half and showed the Navy contingent some new wrinkles in dribbling and fast and heady team play.

Following his usual tactics, Coach Wilson of the Navy started with a second string. It lasted only two minutes, and when the regulars trotted on the floor the Kentuckians led by 7 to 0. In spite of the most determined efforts of the Navy lads, they were not able to cut down this lead materially, the visitors leading at half time by 16 to 10.

With eight minutes of the second half played, Howard scored from the foul line for the Navy, tying the score at 19 points. Almost immediately, however, McBrayer scored on a quick side shot and gave the visitors the lead again by two points.

For the next six minutes, there was some of the hottest and fastest playing ever seen on the local floor. Miller, Navy, tied the score from the floor, and followed with another field goal, giving the Navy a two-point lead, but again McBrayer rung the ball, and the score was knotted at 23 points.

Jenkins, of Kentucky, was banished from the game, via the personal foul route. Dees replaced him. Jenkins' absence put a crimp in his team's defense.

Miller's foul goal and Smith's ringer from the floor gave the Navy the lead by 26 to 23. Owens scored after a nice dribble, and the Navy lead was cut to a point.

Owing to the gallant offense of Captain Howard of the Navy team, the Navy took a commanding lead in the last six minutes of the game. During that time, the Navy captain scored twice from the floor and as many times from the foul line, clinching the game.

The game, as a whole, was one of the fastest and most desperately contested battles ever seen here. The teams were closely matched, in the most features played the same type of game, though the dribbling of the visitors, particularly Owens and Jenkins, was superior to that of the Midshipmen.

Game Preview - Lexington Leader (January 18, 1928)

WILDCATS PLAY NAVY TONIGHT

Kentucky In Good Shape for Game With Fast Middle Quintet

ANNAPOLIS, MD., Jan 18. - After spending Tuesday seeing the sights at Washington, the Wildcats of the University of Kentucky spent today here leisurely, resting up for their game tonight with the Navy Tars.

The Wildcats, boasting a sophomore team that has conquered such quintets as Vanderbilt and Virginia, are in splendid condition and their coach, Johnny Mauer, said they are ready to put up their best battle of the season.

The game will stat in the Navy gymnasium at 8 o'clock tonight, 7 o'clock in Lexington Ky., the home of the Royal Blue boys.

The Navy is making no attempt to conceal the belief that it has its best basket ball team in years and there will not be a Middie in the academy who will think other than that the Wildcats are one of the best quintets in the entire country if they win tonight.

The Tars have lost only one game, that by a one-point margin, the University of Pennsylvania being its conqueror. Since that game, the sailors have improved a great deal.

Both teams tonight will play basket ball that is strikingly similar. Each quintet employs a man to man defense and each quintet uses a slow breaking offense. If both play up to the possibilities of this style of play, the score tonight ought not to be very decisive, one way or the other.

Game Writeup - Baltimore Sun

NAVY DEFEATS KENTUCKY FIVE

MIddies Stage Rally In Second Half to Overcome Foe, 32 to 26.

Annapolis, Jan. 18. - The dribblers from the University of Kentucky gave the Navy a busy afternoon today. The Tars, after trailing the Wildcats for the greater part of the game, came to life and won by the score of 32 to 26.

It was the third nerve-wracking and exceptionally fast basketball game that the Tars have had in a row. Unlike the game last Saturday with the Rutgers team, today's setto was not marred by rough play. However, there was action enough by both teams to satisfy even the most critical.

Kentucky Dribbling Good

The Wildcats had no outstanding stars. Every one of the six men who appeared on the court were fighters and each man knew what teamwork meant and played it. Their dribbling was excellent, as was their passing. In the first period they dribbled around the Sailors so swiftly that a Navy defeat seemed probable.

Kentucky was the first to score. Combs, the right forward, got under the basket and shot one in. Lincoln, of the second Navy team, that was started by Johnny Wilson, fouled him as he was making the toss, and Combs bagged the two additional points.

The Wildcats led by the score of 7 to 0 when Wilson sent in his regulars, composed of Dennett, Miller, Smith, Lloyd and Capt. Bill Howard. The Navy stars did not appear to slow up the Kentuckians and the first half ended with the score 16 to 10 in favor of Kentucky.

Tars Check Invaders

Navy came into the second half with a determination to mow down the visitor's lead and win. Kentucky attempted to continue its masterful dribbling and passes, but the Tars blocked them. Navy's passing, which was off color in the first half, became unerring in the second, and that fact resulted in the win for Annapolis.

Bill Howard was the bright all-round star of the game. He was a bulwark in defense, while he was a team in himself on the offense with 14 points. He was the big scorer of the game and proved himself today to be a most capable leader.

Photo from the 1928 Naval Academy Yearbook with what MAY be action from the Kentucky game. The caption does not identify the game.

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