Kentucky fans already have The Legend Of Cobb, and we were witnesses to a pretty decent first chapter to The Legacy Of Wall tonight.

Kentucky jumped out early and scored the first five points of the game, including another Patrick Patterson three (the second of his career). The Redhawks then built an 18-point lead aided by a 19-2 run as Kentucky went more than seven minutes without a field goal, until a Dodson three with 5:55 to go.

Flashes of VMI and BCG likely began running through many fans’ noggins.

Early, the Redhawks were shooting the lights out, almost literally. At one point more than halfway through the first half they were shooting 79% (mostly from downtown) and finished the half 10-of-16 (.625) from beyond the arc.

Orton looked aggressive and was moving well. Bledsoe was trying to do too much, basically dribbling strait into the defenders and generally just being careless with the basketball.

Wall was also shaky to start, but you can clearly see he has all the potential in the world. His length alone makes him a force on the defensive end of the court and he can get to the rim whenever he chooses. He also has the shiftability (think i just invented that word) to avoid charges and make ‘routine’ circus shots.

The Cats clawed back and eventually cut the Miami lead to three, but Nick Winbush hit his sixth three of the half (on his sixth attempt) to push it back to six. Dodson answered with his third three (on his third attempt) and the Cats finished the half on an 18-3 run to trail by three 39-36.

————— SECOND HALF —————

Kentucky came out playing much better defense in the second half but Miami countered by still hitting contested shots and the Cats helped them out with more sloppy play on the offensive end.

If you like offensive basketball, eventually you will enjoy watching this team. I’m not sure the shot clock went under 20 once the entire game when Kentucky had the ball.

Big Cuz, who had a terrible first game and a half, came out and dominated the game for a five minute stretch, starting at around the 15 minute mark — when Orton went to the locker room to get six stitches above his right eye from an accidental headbutt.

Wall got a breakaway jam with 7:57 to go to finally tie it up for the first time since it was 14 all with 13:32 to play in the first half.

Kentucky came out of the TV timeout and went underneath to Cousins who missed but stayed with it and finally got it to go on his second tip back. The Redhawks missed a three and Darius Miller got his first bucket since the first one of the game, hitting a three to give the Cats their biggest lead of the game at five.

Wall then fouled senior Kenny Hayes on a three point attempt, which of course he made to cut the lead to one. Cousins beasted it inside to push the lead the three, but Jeffersonville, Indiana’s own Antonio Ballard drained the Redhawks 13th three ball of the game to tie it at 59.

Winbush somehow got open and drained another three, his eighth, to give Miami a 65-63 lead with three minutes to play. Then following the final TV timeout, Patterson made two free throws, something Kentucky did not do well, just 14-of-24 (58%) for the game, to tie it up again at 65.

Wall penetrated and dished to Cousins who went strong to the hoop for an and-one with just under a minute and a half to play. The free throw wasn’t close and Charlie Coles called Miami’s final timeout with 1:15 to go and the Redhawks trailing 67-65.

The Cats locked em up on D and forced Miami’s Orlando Williams to take a running, floating jumpshot that wasn’t close. Then, as Calipari teams are known for doing, Kentucky sunk just one-of-two from the charity stripe to keep it a one possession game, 70-67.

Hayes then launched one from about 25 feet to tie it up with six seconds to play.

Enter John Wall. Wall pushed it up the floor and nailed the 12-foot pull up with a half second to go, allowing the Wildcats to escape 72-70.

Wall finished with 19 points, five assists, three steals and four turnovers. He was 4-of-9 from the field and 10-of-14 from the line.

Bledsoe had just two points on 1-of-5 shooting to go with four turnovers of his own. Patterson finished with 17 points and 10 boards, while Cousins also put up a double double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Nick Winbush finished with 26 points, six rebounds and three assists to lead the Redhawks.

I’m sure you’ll hear more about this one before Kentucky’s next contest on Thursday night against Sam Houston State in a warmup game for the Cancun Challenge.