Behind Enemy Lines

Last year, it was a debacle: One of college basketball's biggest rivalry games turned into a complete annihilation. \nThe score: Kentucky 80, IU 41 in the RCA Dome in Indianapolis.\nIU coach Mike Davis said he hadn't thought about last year's loss until Thursday morning.\n"It hasn't crossed my mind until this morning, when we started talking about Kentucky," Davis said. "We have had so many tough games, you have to look at what you have in front of you. That game was probably over from the beginning. We never showed up to play that game last year."\nThis year, after dropping three straight games, the Hoosiers must show up and beat No. 10 Kentucky to snap that streak.\nIt's a rough predicament for the Hoosiers. Having already played North Carolina and UConn, IU's match-up with Kentucky is its third game against a top-10 team in its last four match-ups. The Hoosiers come into the game ice-cold from the floor, as IU is only shooting 34.8 percent for the season and less than 30 percent from three-point range.\nNot to mention that as they head into Saturday's game in Louisville's Freedom Hall, the Hoosiers haven't beaten Kentucky since 1999 and have lost nine of their last 10 to the Wildcats . The Wildcats lead the overall series, 26-21.\nTo win, IU will continue to rely on a stingy defense that limited Notre Dame to 55 points Wednesday night and hope its offense comes around, Davis said.\n"When you look at the scores of all our opponents -- if you hold North Carolina to 70 points -- you have a chance to win," Davis said. "You can say the same thing for UConn. The problem right now is that we are not making shots."\nThe Wildcats defense also has been stingy so far this season -- although against easier competition. In games against Coppin State, Ball State, Georgia State, Tennessee Tech, North Carolina and Morehead State, Kentucky has surrendered an average of only 58.7 points per game. However, in the two teams' one common opponent so far, North Carolina, the Wildcats gave up 91 points at UNC while the Hoosiers limited the Tar Heels to 70. \nThe No. 10 Wildcats are led by senior forward Chuck Hayes, who has tallied four double-doubles in the six UK games so far this season, and junior Kelenna Azubuike, who leads the Wildcats with 15.7 points per game. Kentucky is 5-1 for the season and is coming off a blowout victory against Morehead State Wednesday night, 71-40, in Lexington's Rupp Arena.\nIU hasn't broken the 70-point barrier all season, but Kentucky has in every game this season.\nTo get to that 70-point mark and win, the Hoosiers need better production from their starting backcourt of Bracey Wright and Marshall Strickland, Davis said. With both now in their junior years, Davis said it's time for them to figure it out.\n"When we played North Carolina here, (Rashad) McCants and (Raymond) Felton stepped up and made some plays," Davis said. "UConn did the same thing. (Wednesday) night, even though Chris (Thomas) struggled, he stepped up and made two big shots for (Notre Dame) last night. Unfortunately, Bracey and Marshall haven't."\nWright is averaging 15.2 points per game while Strickland is tallying 9.8 ppg.\nWright said he doesn't remember much about last year's game. He does remember Kentucky's second-half run.\n"I remember we were in there at halftime, and then all of a sudden we were down by 40," Wright said. "It was like a big blur after halftime. They pounded us inside. And I know both big men had 20 and 10 each."\nAnother Hoosier guard, senior Ryan Tapak, remembers last season's loss. And after coming off three straight losses, he said the Hoosiers have to regroup heading into Saturday's game. \nTapak also sees an opportunity.\n"That's the thing about a long basketball season," Tapak said. "How bad we feel now, we can turn it all around if we can get a win at Kentucky and get a win at Missouri and get this thing turned around."\n-- Contact staff writer John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.