Lexington, KY (SportsNetwork. Lamar Jackson Ravens Jersey .com) - Kentuckys next big test was supposed to come this weekend against a national powerhouse, not during a midweek game against an Ivy League school missing its best player. But there were John Caliparis top-ranked Wildcats, yet to score a point after five minutes against Columbia. There was no fire, Calipari said. There they were, trailing at halftime. There was no buzz, he said. And there they were, after 26 minutes, still yet to hold a lead. There was no nothing, Calipari said. But in the end, there was enough. Aaron Harrison scored 14 points and Kentucky finally pulled away in the last 10 1/2 minutes on Wednesday night to avoid what would have been a crushing upset ahead of Saturdays game against No. 21 North Carolina. The Wildcats beat the Lions 56-46 in the first meeting between the teams since the 1966 NCAA tournament. They trailed 11-0 in the first half, 25-23 at halftime and didnt take their first lead until there was 13:18 left in the game. Eventually, Calipari said, his team forced Columbia to take tough shots. As the game went on, we did it, he said. We had four turnovers. (It was) our third game in a row where were not making shots. I mean, literally, not making like open shots, shooting air balls, and missing them so poorly, open shots. The 10-point win was Kentuckys smallest margin of victory this season, but it wasnt the first time the Wildcats (10-0) underperformed against a seemingly inferior foe. They shook off a 38-33 deficit to Buffalo on Nov. 16 and beat the Bulls 71-52, then went on to rout Kansas by 32 points two days later. Willie Cauley-Stein had 10 points and 10 rebounds against Columbia, most of it in the second half, but no other Wildcats player scored in double digits. Andrew Harrison was 1-for-12 from the floor, highlighting Kentuckys shooting problems. I thought the energy was so bad, said Calipari. We threw it ahead, got it back, and stood straight up and stopped, when there were areas to get in the lane and throw that lob we throw or go in the lane and throw him a shot that he can make. Its all based on that. Maodo Lo scored 16 to lead Columbia (5-3), hitting several key 3-pointers in the first half. It was Columbias first game against a top-ranked team since losing to Indiana at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 26, 1975. We tried to take it like it was just another game, just one out of 28 games of the season for us, said Columbia center Cory Osetkowski. Granted it was against Kentucky, the No. 1 team in the country, but we just came out here and tried to play exactly like we play all the time and thats what we did. The last Lions victory over a ranked opponent technically came in 1994 after No. 14 Cal was forced to forfeit a game over an ineligible player. But Columbia hasnt beaten a ranked opponent on the scoreboard since topping No. 19 Rutgers on Dec. 2, 1976. More recently, the Lions lost on the road to a No. 2-ranked Michigan State 63-52 on Nov. 15 last season. Their first-ever game at Rupp Arena started with an improbable 11-0 run as the Wildcats, who had trailed for just 36 minutes all season, missed their first seven shots and the Lions made four of their first six. Calipari subbed out his five starters 2 1/2 into the game and Aaron Harrison, after checking back in, ended the field goal drought with a layup just over five minutes into the game. Later, a 7-0 Kentucky run was stopped by Los 3-pointer, which gave the Lions a 20-14 lead. Columbia made its run against the top-ranked Wildcats despite playing without star forward Alex Rosenberg, who led the Lions in scoring last season but withdrew from school last month because of a broken foot in order to protect his fourth year of eligibility in the Ivy League. Lo made Columbias fifth 3-pointer of the first half from the left corner with under a minute to play. I think we started off believing we could win in the locker room, yesterday and the day before, said Osetkowski. We have to come into a game like this believing we can win, and that was our mind set through the whole game even if we get down. We always believe we can come back, hit a shot here and there, get a stop. Thats what basketball is. The Lions didnt trail until Derek Willis free throws gave Kentucky a 36-34 lead. The Wildcats didnt begin pulling away until a 6-0 run capped by Cauley- Steins alley-oop dunk off a pass from Andrew Harrison made it 44-37 with 10 minutes left. Kentuckys lead reached 15 after that. It ended the game shooting under 37 percent, including 2-for 17 on 3-pointers. Game Notes Kentucky continued its best start since going 19-0 to begin the 2009-10 season ... In the only other meeting between the teams, Kentucky beat Columbia in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 18, 1948, on the way to its first national title ... Columbia fell to 6-43 against ranked teams. Orlando Brown Jr. Jersey . Blatter also told reporters Saturday after meeting with Qatars emir that the decision to award the tournament to the desert nation is "not reversible." There have been calls to move the tournament because of Qatars intense heat. Hayden Hurst Jersey . The Maple Leafs may not have had a pick until the third round, but they have made the biggest move of the second day of the Draft, dealing defenceman Carl Gunnarsson and a fourth-round pick in the draft to the St. http://www.cheapravensshoponline.com/Youth-Lamar-Jackson-Ravens-Jersey/ . In mens doubles, Vancouvers Vasek Pospisil and American Jack Sock reached the quarter-finals with a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over Croatian Mate Pavic and Andre Sa of Brazil.FIVE QUICK HOOPS THOUGHTS 1. SPURS WIN TITLE: The model NBA franchise. Bottom line, Im hopeful that everyone saw how beautiful the game is when its played with the team concept in mind and thats the right way to play. In a society where if very "Copycat" aligned, this could be a really good development for the game as a whole on all levels. Every coach out there has the blueprint that we all witnessed for the sacrifice and selfless play that is the core principle of the sport. Now its on every coach to demand that the game be played (and important for folks in authority to back this concept and their leaders) in the proper fashion with We/Us always coming first before I/Me and a guys nonsensical "brand". Youre a player, not a "brand". Its a TEAM game - always will be. Fingers crossed that young players across the globe and particularly here in North America (where some have a warped view of what the sport is) see this as a cool way of playing the game and that the "pass" is a great way of "expressing yourself". 2. LEBRON JAMES (Heat): Im tired of the knuckleheads that bash him vs. Michael Jordan. Hes a totally different player in a different era. The guy plays hard, is a great teammate and is the only reason the Heat even were able to compete in short stretches. I saw no Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Horace Grant, Toni Kucoc, John Paxson or Steve Kerr out there for Miami in this series. The guy was fighting many times on his own. Hed be a guy that I would be honoured to coach and Id say more than 99 per cent of players - current and retired - would love to have him as a teammate. Is he as good as Jordan? No. So what? Its not like he isnt laying it on the line each night. Hes still terrific and not the problem. Im far from an apologist. He has made his fair share of mistakes but at the core, he carries himself properly and values the team concept. I would take him any day of the week on my team. 3. CARMELO ANTHONY (Knicks): I said this after Game 4 and Ill say it again, I think the Melo to Miami rumours were a distraction to the Heat - particullarly to guys like Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Willie Snead IV Ravens Jersey. By the way, the two of them played poorly to say the least (24 points combined on 26 shots in Game 5). Not sure where he ends up but hes a wonderfully talented player who is an amazing scorer who Im not totally sold understands the 10-man (5-on-5) game and the value of team play. He needs a very strong coach and point guard to get him to see the light. In my opinion, Jason Kidd really helped him last season in his final year as a player, allowing him to understand the right way to play. With him though, its a daily fight to continue to get him to shake off bad habits and buy in to the value of the team game. He knows right from wrong - hes a big boy with tons of talent and money. Accountability is key with him. You keep him on the right path and he can really help you but you have to battle him every day. Ask George Karl - thats tiring. It can be done though. You need great energy and persistence to get him to do it each day. Teams need to decide if they want to fight that fight. 4. SHANE BATTIER and RAY ALLEN (Heat): Battier has already announced his retirement (guys actually retire? Not too often these days - normally guys hang on for anther deal as long as possible) and Allen might choose the same path. Both of them are FIRST CLASS, top-notch professionals who got everything out of their games. They had work ethics off the charts and are coachable. Wonderful examples of the best the game has to offer. Have always admired their approach. When you think of all the lucky guys who had a chance to play with these guys over the years, it has made the game better. Their influence and maturity were impactful, as was their play. 5. DAVID BLATT (Coach): Has had great success overseas and in international competition. Happy to see his name mentioned for the Cavaliers head coaching job as well as the top assistant job with the Warriors. Long overdue. Hes a top-notch offensive coach and gets a ton out of the talent level at his disposal. Very adaptable and creative. Would be a nice addition to the NBA coaching fraternity in some role. Cheap Heat Jerseys Cheap Bucks Jerseys Cheap Timberwolves Jerseys Cheap Pelicans Jerseys Cheap Knicks Jerseys Cheap Thunder Jerseys Cheap Magic Jerseys Cheap 76ers Jerseys Cheap Suns Jerseys Cheap Blazers Jerseys Cheap Sacramento Kings Jerseys Cheap Spurs Jerseys Cheap Raptors Jerseys Cheap Jazz Jerseys Cheap Wizards Jerseys ' ' '