Dontaie Allen had 20 of his 23 points in the second half but missed the potential game-winning shot. (SEC Photo)
Dontaie Allen did everything he could to help Kentucky pull off a gallant comeback in the Southeastern Conference Tournament but even the former Kentucky Mr. Basketball ran out of magic on the last shot. Allen scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half to help UK overcome a 44-30 halftime deficit and take a 71-66 lead with 4:28 to play. However, Kentucky made only one more shot and Allen missed a long 3-pointer just before the final horn as Mississippi State survived 74-73.
It ended a long, frustrating season for Kentucky — a preseason top 10 team — at 9-16.
“To play the second half the way they did says something about them. They never quit one time this year,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said.
Problem was Kentucky got “punked” the first half by the more physical Bulldogs who got 36 points in the paint. Mississippi State coach Ben Howland said his team was trying to be “physical and tough” against Kentucky while rolling to a 44-30 halftime lead that included a 29-15 rebounding advantage and 36 points in the paint to just 12 for UK.
SEC Network analyst Jimmy Dykes made it a little easier to understand.
“It’s men versus boys in this game. Kentucky is just getting jackhammered around the rim. State is causing all kind of problems for Kentucky inside,” Dykes said.
Allen helped solve those problems. He had 23 points and seven 3-pointers in UK’s double-overtime win at Mississippi State over two months ago. Knowing UK needed offense, Calipari started him in the second half and it paid off as he scored time after time. He finished the game 8-for-15 from the field overall and 6-for-13 from 3-point range in 29 minutes. He also had two steals and two rebounds and did not make a turnover.
Allen had just 20 points in UK’s previous 10 games but Calipari noted on his weekly radio show Monday that Allen had been “on fire” in practice and he played that way the second half.
“I think the biggest goal coming into today was not anything individually,” Allen said. “I wanted my team to get the win and us to go on a roll. I am disappointed. I am upset this team did not get to show what we can do.”
Mississippi State took the lead on two free throws with 7.1 seconds to play. Kentucky got the ball to an open Allen for the potential game-winning shot but just like has happened numerous times this season, the shot did not go down.
“Dontaie had it going. The kids loved it, I loved it,” Calipari said. “We got a good look (on the final shot). He was so wide open I let it go or I would have called timeout (to set up another play).”
Allen said it was a shot he should have made.
“You really can’t ask for a better shot, especially from someone like me who has ultimate confidence in himself,” Allen said. “I had it lined up straight. It just hit the back end (of the rim). I can live with that. It was a good shot.”
But it was also a miss that ended a season no one ever imagined the Cats would have this year.
