On that day in 1989 Smith, an assistant then at Kentucky, watched the Jayhawks hand the Wildcats their second worse loss ever in a wild 150-95 win. After Kansas’ 73-46 victory over No. 21 Kentucky Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse the Wildcats coach might not want to comeback as the lopsided defeat marked Smith’s worse loss in his nine seasons as UK’s skipper.

“I never would have dreamed we would hold Kentucky to 46 points,” KU coach Bill Self said. “That was the key we got off to a big lead. Our defense was real good in the first half. They, fortunately for us, missed some shots but we really got out and ran well.

“The first 25 minutes we got out and ran great, the last 15 minutes we were icing it. I’m really proud of our players.”

Kansas was led by freshman Brandon Rush, who had a career game with his first double-double of 24 points and 12 rebounds. The KU freshman also tied his career-high in assists with four.

“Brandon as everyone knows is very talented, but he has yet to put a game together where he has excelled in all areas,” said Self, whose squad won its sixth-straight game and first over a ranked opponent in three tries.

“But he had yet to put a game together where he has excelled in all areas: shooting the basketball, creating off the bounce, rebounding and being aggressive. Previously, he had been great in two of the four, but today he was great in all four areas. He was totally dominant on both ends.”

Rush admitted he might have turned it up a notch because of the big-time atmosphere, but thought the game would go to the wire.

“I’ve been real guilty of laying back, taking days off and not playing to the best of my abilities,” Rush said. “This was a big game for us, so I had to turn it on.

“I thought it was going to be a down the stretch type of game,” Rush continued. “I figured it would be a one or two point game. We just came out and played harder than they did.”

But teammates said Rush’s focus and attitude was evident even before tipoff.

“He (Rush) was quiet before the game. He wasn’t joking like he normally does,” said KU guard Mario Chalmers, who had six points and five assists. “That’s when you know Brandon is focused.”

Indeed Rush scored seven of KU’s first nine points and the Jayhawks jumped out to a 13-4 lead before Kentucky had converted its second field goal. UK missed 17 of its first 20 shots and 0-for-7 from three-point range.

Kansas, which shot 50-percent while Kentucky shot just 24-percent and an icy 12-percent from three-point range (3-of-25), never looked back. KU increased its lead to 18-8 after the first 10 minutes and led 41-19 at the break as Rush poured in 16 points.

Kentucky, which had its lowest-scoring game since a 46-45 loss to Michigan State on Dec. 16, 2000, didn’t have a single assists in the first half.

“Nobody was screening. Nobody was passing,” said Smith, whose only other loss by 20 or more points came when he lost by 26 points to Indiana, 79-53, in December. “You have no chance of even competing if you don’t pass the ball.”

Rajon Rondo and Joe Crawford led the Wildcats with nine points a piece. It was the first game of the season UK had a player fail to score in double figures.

Rush said the key to the win was stopping the dangerous Rondo.

“We just cut the head off of their team, and that was Rondo,” he said. “He couldn’t get anything.”

Kansas had two others in double figures with Russell Robinson scoring 12 points and C.J. Giles adding 10.

Robinson said the crowd’s energy was a big factor in the victory, but said KU players proved something to their fans in return for the emotional boost.

“Today, we did a good job of showing the fans we can do it,” Robinson said. “We played a good game against a good team. Now, we’ve got to keep it up.”

The Jayhawks, who outrebounded the Wildcats 46-38, had 14 assists to 12 turnovers.

Kansas led by as many as 32 after an 8-0 run in the second half that was capped by back-to-back baskets by Giles.

“We just got outworked today,” Kentucky guard Ravi Moss said. “We have to look at ourselves in the mirror and see if we have any heart. They beat us to loose balls. They were tougher than we were today.”

While a smiling Self said the game was tremendously important from a confidence-standpoint heading into its Big 12 opener against Colorado on Wednesday, he said the real season starts then.

“This game is important,” he said. “But not as important as at Colorado.”

Second Half Action

Kentucky got the first bucket of the second half when Joe Crawford put back a miss by Sheray Thomas.

UK missed its 11th three and KU responded with Brandon Rush hitting a cutting C.J. Giles for a jam.

The KU big man hit the free throw to put KU ahead 44-21 with 18:16 left in the game.

Rush followed one spectacular play with another when he dribbled behind his back to avoid a Kentucky defender then hit a wide-open Christian Moody for another dunk.

Julian Wright added a nice pass to Rush, who was fouled in the lane. The freshman missed his first free throw but hit the second to give him 17 points.

Giles dropped another good pass from Mario Chalmers, but regrouped got the ball back and threw it down to give KU a 49-23 lead.

Kentucky has missed all 13 of its three-point attempts.

Wright added another amazing pass to Giles for yet another dunk.

Rekalin Sims added a free throw for UK, which trails 51-24.

Rush hit another three to tie his career-high with 20 points.

Ravi Moss gave Kentucky its first three with 14:18 to go as the Wildcats trail 54-26.

Rajon Rondo scored a basket and a free throws to give the Wildcats eight unanswered points.

Two rebounds by Rush give him a double-double and career-high 10 boards.

Rush set a new career-high for points with 22 on the ensuing possession when he banked in a shot in the lane.

The freshman followed with another lay-up off a break.

KU is hitting at 49-percent, while UK is still hitting 21-percent.

Thomas hit a jumper to make the score 58-34 with 10 and a half minutes to go.

Darnell Jackson scored for the Jayhawks the other way.

Wright looked as if he knocked down a three, but his jumper was rule a two as his feet were on the line.

KU coach Bill Self smiled at the long shot, but had to smile even more when Wright answered with a tip-in after Chalmers missed a runner. Wright now is taking over as he spun in the lane and knocked down a fade-away to give KU its biggest lead at 66-34.

Moss hit a long three for Kentucky.

Robinson added his 12th points on his first basket of the second half that came on a drive in the lane.

Kentucky coach Tubby Smith is in danger of his worst loss. Early in December, the Wildcats lost by 26 to Indiana.

Self has cleared his bench as KU leads 70-42 with 1:49 to go in the game.

Micah Downs hit a three with just over a minute left to give KU a 73-44 lead.

Kansas wins 73-46.

Halftime

Most Kansas fans probably couldn’t have even imagined things going this well.

The Jayhawks completely dominated tradition-rich Kentucky during the first 20 minutes Saturday and lead UK 41-19 at halftime in Allen Fieldhouse.

“Guys seem to be playing with more confidence,” KU coach Bill Self said at the break. “The whole team is playing well but Brandon and Mario got us off to a great start.”

Jayhawk freshman Brandon Rush has tallied a game-high 16 points and also grabbed seven rebounds, while Russell Robinson has 10 points.

Kansas shot 43.8-percent from the field (14-of-32 field goals). Kentucky, meanwhile has hit just 21.4-percent (6-of-28).

The Wildcats haven’t hit a three and have had eight turnovers compared to KU’s three.

Guard Rajon Rondo leads the Wildcats with six points.

First Half Action

Kansas won the tip and Mario Chalmers got the Jayhawks on the scoreboard as he drove into the lane for a lay-in that banked in off the glass.

Kentucky’s Sheray Thomas hit a pair of free throws to tie the game at the other end.

Brandon Rush missed a long jumper as the shot clock wound down, and UK’s Thomas was blocked by Rush.

The freshman forward came back for KU and hit a runner in the lane to put the Jayhawks back in front.

Joe Crawford knotted the game with Kentucky’s first field goal on a put back with just over 17 minutes to go in the first half.

KU followed by throwing the ball away on its ensuing possession.

After a flurry of misses including a blown dunk by C.J. Giles, Rush hit another jumper in the lane to put KU ahead 6-4.

After a couple of fouls on UK Rush continued his hot streak with an NBA-range three from the top of the key to put KU ahead 9-4. The Jayhawk freshman has scored all but two of Kansas’ points.

UK missed a three, but Rush got the rebound. Rush then came down on the offensive end and snagged a soaring rebound after a Mario Chalmers missed. But KU’s Sasha Kaun couldn’t convert an alley-oop.

Kentucky had the shot clock expire on its next possession.

Kentucky turned the ball over on an offensive foul by Shagari Alleyne going into the first timeout at 15:54.

Rush continued his hot start by knocking down an NBA-range three to put KU ahead 9-4. The freshman has all but two points.

Sasha Kaun, who missed a alley-opp on the Jayhawks last possession, converted the lob from Mario Chalmers this time down the floor.

Chalmers followed with a steal and lay-up to complete a 9-0 run by Kansas.

Rajon Rondo gave Kentucky its second field goal on an easy lay-in after picking up a loose ball.

Rush followed for Kansas with another basket for his ninth points, which gave KU a 15-6 lead.

Kentucky had just one field goal in 5:15 to open the game.

UK’s Thomas scored on another putback to cut the score to 15-8 with just under 11 minutes to go in the half.

Kaun added a basket in the lane off a feed from Julian Wright. That was followed by Russell Robinson coming up with a steal and foul.

The KU sophomore hit a free throw to give Kansas its largest lead at 18-8 with 10:40 to go.

UK has missed all four of its three-point attempts.

Robinson scored on a lay-up to put KU ahead by 12.

Rush, who already has seven rebounds missed a three, but Giles rebounded the ball and was fouled.

The sophomore got a roll on the first end of his one-andone to put KU up 21-8 with eight and a half minutes to go.

Chalmers missed a baseline jumper but Giles flew in for a flying putback to put KU ahead 23-8.

Rush reached double digits when he connected on another jumper in the lane that rolled in.

Crawford got a floater on the other end for Kentucky.

Rush, who has outscored Kentucky by himself, knocked down a free throw.

UK answered with a putback but Kaun followed with another lay-in for the 28-12 advantage.

Robinson got fouled hard in the lane by Lukasz Obrzut but the KU sophomore responded by nailing both free throws for the 30-12 lead with just under five minutes to go.

Kentucky is hitting just 20-percent from the field.

Robinson came back from the break with two free throws that gave him 10 points and KU a 37-14 lead.

Kaun missed a pair of free throws on KU’s ensuing possession.

Jared Carter got a shot to fall off the glass, while Rush erased his defender with a cross over but missed a finger roll when it rolled off the lip.

UK’s Carter missed his one-and-one attempt badly.

Rush missed another drive off the rim, but Kaun was there for the rebound and was fouled. Kaun hit both to put KU ahead 39-16 with two minutes to go in the first half.

Kentucky has seven turnovers, while Kansas has just three.

Rondo, who leads UK with six points, added two free throws for the Wildcats.

Rush came back the other way for KU and sunk two charities of his own. The freshman has 16 points and KU leads 41-18 with under a minute to go in the half.

Crawford added a free throw for Kentucky, which has made just six field goals.

Robinson missed a three at the buzzer but KU still leads 41-19

Kansas started forwards C.J. Giles, Christian Moody, Brandon Rush, and guards Mario Chalmers and Russell Robinson.

Kentucky countered with forwards Lukasz Obrzut and Sheray Thomas, center Joe Crawford, and guards Patrick Sparks and Rajon Rondo.

Pregame

Kansas basketball fans should be in for a treat today when KU and Kentucky, two of the country’s all-time winningest programs, square off in an 11 a.m. showdown in Allen Fieldhouse.

“I think there are only a handful of programs that have what Kentucky and Kansas have, and very rarely do they get the opportunity to play each other,” KU coach Bill Self said. “I think that’s what makes for special games.”

Indeed there is much more on the line today for the Jayhawks than their sixth-straight win or second-staight victory over the Wildcats.

A key win today could fuel a young Kansas squad’s start to Big 12 Competition next week.

“A good performance on Saturday would be a great springboard for our kids’ confidence going into conference play,” said Self of his 8-4 squad. “You can get confidence from winning games, but you still have to go out and beat someone of national magnitude to really believe that it’s going to help you win a hard game.

“Beating Cal the way we did in the second half was a good win for us, but we still need a big feather in our cap.”

Kansas has won its last five games after its 87-46 victory against Yale on Wednesday. The Jayhawks are outscoring opponents 75.4 to 59 on the season and 81.9 to 55 in their eight wins. Conversely, KU’s four losses have come by an average of 4.5 points with three of those by three points or less.

Kentucky has won its last four games and five of its last six heading into Lawrence. Currently ranked No. 19 in the Associated Press and No. 21 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ polls, the Wildcats are coming off a 59-57 win against Central Florida Tuesday. UK has held all but two opponents to under 70 points this season and is outscoring foes 70.6 to 61.4.

Freshman Brandon Rush leads Kansas with an 11.8 scoring average. The guard is making a team-best 54.8 percent from three-point range. Sophomore centers Sasha Kaun and C.J. Giles are next in scoring. Kaun is averaging 10.9 points per game and leads KU in rebounding with a 6.7 average. Giles is scoring 8.4 points per contest, is second on the team in rebounds at 6.5 and leads the team in blocked shots at 2.3 per outing.

Sophomore guard Rajon Rondo leads UK in scoring and rebounding with a 15.1 scoring average and 8.2 rebounds per game. Rondo also paces the team in assists with 5.3 per contest and steals at two per outing. Sophomore guard Ramel Bradley is next in scoring at 9.7 per game and sophomore guard Joe Crawford is averaging 9.3 points per contest.

“I think Rondo, and this isn’t coach-speak, is the best, most complete guard in the country,” Self said. “Defensively, helping others, rebounding the basketball, scoring. He’s got a unique way about him. He can change a game defensively in one or two possessions because of his length and his hands.”

Kentucky leads the all-time series with Kansas, 19-4, with three of Kansas’ four wins coming in the last six meetings. The series dates back to 1950 with a 68-39 UK win in Lexington. Last year, KU won its first series meeting in Lexington (65-59) in eight tries. Kansas head coach Bill Self is 1-1 against Kentucky – 1-0 while at Kansas after last season’s win and 0-1 the head coach of Tulsa in 1998 (the Wildcats emerged victorious in the game, 74-53).

In the first true road game of the season last year, second-ranked Kansas held on to beat No. 8 Kentucky, 65-59, Jan. 9 in Lexington, Ky., in front of a raucous Rupp Arena crowd of 24,367. With the win, KU improved to 11-0 on the season.

With KU clinging to a 58-56 lead, senior guard Michael Lee knocked down a three pointer with 31 seconds remaining to give the Jayhawks a 61-56 lead. On the ensuing possession, Kentucky junior Ravi Moss connected on a three from the corner to cut the Jayhawk lead to just two with 21 seconds remaining. Senior guard Aaron Miles was then fouled on the in bounds and knocked down two free throws to put the game on ice for KU.

Kansas senior Christian Moody led four Jayhawks in double-figures, scoring a career-high 11 points. Freshman C.J. Giles also added a career-high in his third collegiate start with 10 points, while sophomore J.R. Giddens and senior Keith Langford each scored 10 points. Moody and Langford tied for team-high honors with seven rebounds each. Freshman Sasha Kaun played 12 strong minutes, scoring seven points. The Wildcats were paced by the 12 points of junior Kelenna Azubuika. Sophomore Bobby Perry and junior Patrick Sparks each added 10 points in the defeat.

“We were lucky last year, but we also played really tough,” Self said. “Wayne (Simien) was out, Keith (Langford) got a concussion with about two minutes left, (Christian) Moody turned his ankle with about two minutes left, C.J. (Giles) had fouled out and Russell (Robinson) had his cornea scratched. We finished the game with four less players than we started with. The guys played great. I thought it was a great atmosphere and a great game.”