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Willie Cauley-Stein will be X-Factor in SEC title hunt

Willie Cauley-Stein - photo by Jamie Rhodes | USA TODAY Sports

– photo by Jamie Rhodes | USA TODAY Sports

's loss to arch rival Louisville may have been a setback for in-state bragging rights, but it also showed that this team has improved greatly over the last month. One player who stood out in particular was freshman center Willie Cauley-Stein, who usually comes off the bench but was put into the starting lineup against the Cardinals.

Despite his recent troubles at the foul line, Cauley-Stein's ability to rebound, clean up under the basket, block shots and play aggressive defense was a big reason why the Wildcats were still in the game against Louisville until the end.

If you've watched Kentucky basketball all season, however, this shouldn't have been a surprise. While his stat lines may not always be glamorous, Cauley-Stein brings an intensity and toughness that is sorely needed on this Wildcat team right now.

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On This Day In UK Basketball History

On March 28, 1992, in what many called the “best NCAA Tournament game ever,” Kentucky takes defending NCAA champion Duke into overtime before losing 104-103 in the East Regional finals in Philadelphia. A last-second shot by Christian Laettner sends Duke to the Final Four, and breaks the hearts of Wildcat fans everywhere. It is Cawood Ledford’s last game as the “Voice of the Wildcats.”

 

On March 28, 1998, against Stanford, Kentucky rallied from a 10-point second-half deficit, then grabbed a 5-point overtime lead, before fending off the Cardinals to advance to the title game for the third straight season. Jeff Sheppard canned three long-range three-pointers - two in the final three minutes and one in overtime - en route to a career-high 27 points.

 

On March 28, 2014, unranked Kentucky beat No. 5 Louisville 74-69, in the 2014 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.  Aaron Harrison buried a three-pointer from the left corner with 39 seconds left that put UK ahead to stay before 41,072 in Lucas Oil Stadium.

 

On March 28, 2015, No. 1 Kentucky defeated No. 8 Notre Dame, 68-66, in the 2015 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.  With its 37-0 record on the line, Kentucky trailed Notre Dame 59-53 with 6:14 left. UK rallied in front of 19,464 fans in Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena and preserved its perfect season thanks to a crucial blocked shot by Willie Cauley-Stein and two game-deciding free throws from Andrew Harrison in the final seconds.

 

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