Today’s Game

AT ST. LOUIS

Kentucky vs. Tulsa: The matchup between the fourth-seeded Wildcats and the 12th-seeded Golden Hurricane is filled with story lines. Kentucky Coach Tubby Smith got his first head job when Tulsa hired him in 1991. He guided the Golden Hurricane for four seasons and twice took them to the Round of 16. “It’s always tough, it’s always emotional, when you play a team where you once worked,” he said. He also must be concerned about the focus of his Wildcats, known as Team Turmoil this season. They played with unity and passion in their opening-round rout of Valparaiso, but this year they have regularly followed a superlative outing with a stinker. Said Wildcat guard Keith Bogans: “We know in the past we’ve played good games and then had letdowns.... We know we’ll have our hands full.” Tulsa is quicker than Kentucky, but far smaller and without any of the NBA prospects that litter the Kentucky roster.

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