Vicky Graff Photo
Kentucky got pounded by No. 3 Texas 67-49 Thursday night. It was the first time UK has lost two straight games this season and first time to lose in Memorial Coliseum.
Kentucky’s offense was stagnant just like it was at Ole Miss in Monday’s loss and the Cats got pounded on the boards again giving up 20 offense rebounds after allowing Ole Miss to pull off 27 offensive rebounds.
Georgia Amoore scored 14 points and UK (19-4, 8-3 Southeastern Conference) got a double-double from Teonni Key with 12 points and 10 rebounds while Dazia Lawrence had 11 points. The rest of the team combined for only 12 points and now UK will face an uphill battle to have any chance to host a NCAA Tournament game.
Yet coach Kenny Brooks, as disappointed as he was with the loss, understood the game was about more than just basketball. It was the annual Kay Yow Cancer Game to uplift cancer survivors and that includes Brooks’ wife, Chrissy, who was honored at the game.
“It really puts it into perspective. This last year has been the hardest year of my life, and to watch my wife walk out there, and when they said she rang that bell on May the 24th (after her last chemotherapy treatment) … It really put things into perspective because she is the strongest person I know and knows that we did not get to this point by ourselves,” an emotional Brooks said in his postgame press conference.
“The power of prayer, she and I kept it to ourselves throughout the basketball season last year. When we told people, it was the biggest weight lifted off my shoulders because so many people helped us, and they prayed for us and helped us get through it.
“Nights like tonight, when you know what you have gone through, and know that you have gotten through it because of other people, and to be able to bring awareness to this nasty disease and that is what (Texas coach) Vic (Schaefer) and I talked about because he has a son who he almost lost, and nights like tonight really puts things into perspective that you cannot do things by yourself and you have so many great people that are helping you.
“The University of Kentucky has been great to me. I love when people come up to me before they even ask me anything about basketball, they will ask me how my wife is doing and that means everything, because family means everything. Tonight was special.”
Say amen BBN because some things are just bigger than a basketball game and as one who has a wife who is a cancer survivor I understand every word that Brooks shared about his wife.
One Response
Great news on Mrs. Brooks and hope the good news continues. Lady Cats need to use that news as a rallying point and not deflation like last 2 games. They have gotten steam rolled past week. Strack is mostly very good in these games but when she has bad games they are really bad. She has had foul problems in many of these games. Amelia also has to recapture her offense. Since we really don’t have a bench developed it is necessary for more than 3 people to step up.