I sat in front of two UK boosters - had their blue Wildcats jackets on, whole 9 yards - and they raving before the game about how Blackmon was gonna dominate Alford.
Game starts, and Steve is on fire. Hitting everything, although many of his makes JBSr wasn't guarding him. UK boys say "he won't get those points against Blackmon". Almost on cue, Alford steals a pass on the wing and is flying to the other end for a layup. Blackmon was on the other wing and busts it downcourt to try to block his shot.
Steve goes up, Blackmon goes up . . . and at the last second Alford adjusts just enough to get the shot off and in over a clawing Blackmon. The almost exact play happened later that quarter. Our UK guys were so silent you could have heard a pin drop - if not for the 9,000 New Castle fans going nuts.
Blackmon did get one play in - actually, almost got it. But it was pretty cool. He went to the line for a 1-and-1, and as he was getting ready to shoot the FT he quickly shot/threw the ball hard again the backboard - obviously a play he had done before to get the ball to hit off the front of the rim and pop above it slightly, where he would swoop in and dunk on the rebound.
No one from NC - players, fans - were ready for it Blackmon timed it perfectly, and before anyone could move he had taken off from the foul line and was hanging in the air above the rim, ready to crush the ball through the hoop as it came off the front of the basket. But the ball hit the bankboard just a bit too low, and instead of popping up it rattled in the basket.
Everyone - and I mean EVERYONE - ooohed over that play. Only highlight of the night for the UK guys.
