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It's been nearly a month since Kentucky played a home game.
When the second-ranked Wildcats (6-0) return to Rupp Arena to host Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday, they'll look to remain undefeated and extend their regular-season winning streak to 27 games.
Kentucky, which
has not played at home since beating Tennessee Tech 108-81 on Nov. 28, is coming
off perhaps its most impressive performance of the season.
Junior forward Chuck Hayes scored a career-high 22 points, and senior forward
Erik Daniels added 19 to lead the Wildcats to an 80-41 rout of Indiana on Saturday.
Kentucky shot 54.4 percent from the field while holding Indiana to just 24.2 percent. The Wildcats also limited the Hoosiers to 15 second-half points and dominated the inside game. Kentucky outscored Indiana 48-16 in the paint and held a 54-35 rebounding advantage.
``We played with a different attitude in the second half and a different effort,'' Kentucky coach Tubby Smith said.
While the Wildcats cruised to victory, Smith said he was concerned that Kentucky turned the ball over 20 times. He also worried about his team's ability to keep its focus during the holidays.
``When you evaluate the tape like me and my staff has to look at it, we have to be concerned about certain things,'' Smith said. ``Again, that's not to take anything away from this win or the accomplishments of our team, but they have to be reminded, just like we all do, that there's another day coming and another game to play.''
Although the Wildcats have won all seven previous meetings with Eastern Kentucky, Smith said he is not expecting a walkover.
``They are holding people to 39 percent from the floor and 23 percent from 3, which is a lot better than we've been doing defensively,'' Smith said.
``They are plus 11 on the boards, which is better than we've been doing,'' he added. ``And although their record may not indicate it, they've lost some very tight games.''
The Colonels (3-4) have won two of their last three, including a 90-56 rout of Savannah State on Saturday. Junior forward Michael Haney led the Colonels with 20 points, and senior center Jon Bentley added 18.
Freshman guard Matt Witt leads Eastern Kentucky with 13.7 points per game.
Colonels coach Travis Ford played for Kentucky from 1992-94 and still holds the Wildcats' single-season record with 101 3-pointers.
This will be the Wildcats' final tuneup for Saturday's showdown with intrastate rival Louisville.