Kentucky coach says Ute squad better than '98's

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Tubby Smith doesn't believe Kentucky's recent success against Utah in the NCAA tournament has any bearing on the Wildcats' next matchup with the Utes.

Kentucky is 5-0 against the Utes in the tournament since 1993, a streak of dominance that had one local newspaper referring to Utah as the Wildcats' "perennial NCAA punching bag." Second-seeded Kentucky (27-5) plays sixth-seeded Utah (29-5) in a regional semifinal Friday night in Austin, Texas.

But Smith said Tuesday that Utah's current team, led by All- American center Andrew Bogut, is better than the Utes' 1998 squad that lost to Kentucky in the national championship game.

"They had a lot of talented players in 1998," Smith said, rattling off names such as Andre Miller and Michael Doleac. "But this team, because of what they've been able to accomplish, suggests it is a balanced team."

Smith called Utah point guard Marc Jackson a better outside shooter than anyone on the '98 squad and said the 7-foot Bogut is a talented passer.

Utah, which won 18 straight games before losing in the Mountain West Conference tournament final, also have a new coach this time around. Rick Majerus resigned last season and Ray Giacoletti eventually replaced him.

The Utes upset third-seeded Oklahoma 67-58 in the second round to earn another shot at Kentucky.

"We were not predicted to win the last two games," Bogut said. "The 20 people on our staff knew we'd beat Oklahoma. We believe we can beat Kentucky. As long as the 20 people on our staff believe it, we'll be fine."

All the tournament meetings between Kentucky and Utah mean only one thing, Smith said, both "are pretty solid programs that can make it to postseason play. That's the best thing about it. It boils down to where you're seeded, and probably them being placed in regions away from the West Coast has something to do with why we meet so often."

Smith said it "does seem eerie" that the Wildcats and Utes will meet in Texas, because the 1998 title game was played in San Antonio.

"We're trying to correct some of the things we need to correct, individually and as a team," Smith said. "We're very well aware of what this game means.

"Some of the guys who have had the chance to play against Utah in the past realize how talented they are, and we know the level of intensity that they're going to come to play with and the hunger and aggressiveness that they play with. We're going to have to match that," Smith said.

The most recent tournament meeting between the teams came in 2003 in Nashville, Tenn. Kentucky won the second-round game 74-54. Five Utah players and five Kentucky players, including junior Kelenna Azubuike, remain from that game.

Azubuike said Kentucky's performance in a 69-60 second-round win over Cincinnati will give the Wildcats confidence, because they played tough and aggressive, which will be a key against Utah and Bogut.

"We feel a lot better," Azubuike said. "Last year we were so disappointed after (losing in the second round to) UAB, so it feels really good to get over the hump and go to the Sweet 16."

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