Harrison twins bolster UK to SEC Tournament finals

Kentucky+Wildcats+guard+Andrew+Harrison+%285%29+drives+to+the+basket+during+the+second+half+of+UK+mens+basketball+vs.+Georgia+at+the+SEC+Tournament+at+the+Georgia+Dome+in+Atlanta%2C+Ga.%2C+on+Saturday%2C+March+15%2C+2014.+Kentucky+defeated+Georgia+70-58.+Photo+by+Emily+Wuetcher

Kentucky Wildcats guard Andrew Harrison (5) drives to the basket during the second half of UK men’s basketball vs. Georgia at the SEC Tournament at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga., on Saturday, March 15, 2014. Kentucky defeated Georgia 70-58. Photo by Emily Wuetcher

By Nick Gray | UK basketball beat writer

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Freshman guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison had played together throughout their childhood and tore through high school as a pair.

Now into March of their first college season, the twins put together consecutive performances as a combination like their youthful past for the first time this season.

The Cats pulled away from a scrappy University of Georgia in the second half to win the SEC Tournament semifinal 70-58, and the game was on their shoulders from the beginning.

Aaron Harrison had 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting. His 3-point attempts, seven in all, fell precisely into Georgia head coach Mark Fox’s game plan. But his four made 3-pointers did not.

“One of the things we banked on today is that (UK) wouldn’t shoot the three well, and they made shots,” Fox said. “That’s the difference in the game.”

Andrew Harrison had a career-high nine assists to go along with 12 points and five rebounds. He gave credit on his ball distribution to his teammates, who shot 9-of-16 from the 3-point line and 51 percent overall.

“They make me look good,” Andrew Harrison said. “They’re the ones making the shots.”

Fox’s dreams of winning a conference championship and earning an automatic bid were dashed by the Cats newly-energized backcourt. Fox discounted the last UK-Georgia matchup due to injury – a 25-point win by UK in January at Rupp Arena without Georgia guard Kenny Gaines.  He could not discount the Harrison’s performance Saturday.

“Those kids have really improved and they played well today,” Fox said.

UK hit six of its first seven shots to shoot to a 14-4 advantage. Aaron Harrison established himself inside – a dunk and a layup – and out – a 3-pointer.

As warm as the Cats were on offense to start, it finished the half slowly. The pace was also slow, primarily because of 24 total fouls charged in the first 20 minutes. By the end of the half, UK’s lead sunk to four.

UK head coach John Calipari has talked about his team still playing their game through contact throughout the season and said UK is getting better but has not solved the riddle of physicality.

“You have to be able to play that way,” Calipari said. “That doesn’t mean that you’re fouling, but you got to play through bumps and grinds.”

Four straight points from Georgia sophomore guard Charles Mann and a layup coming out of halftime sunk the lead to two points. Calipari and his staff had to get their team out of the slowness of the game.

“We had four guys pouting,” Calipari said. “My staff said, ‘Are you crazy? You should be laughing, not pouting.’ They stepped on the gas and started playing again.”

The Harrison’s had the pedal on the floor boards out of the timeout. Twice in a two-minute span did Andrew Harrison pass to Aaron Harrison for a 3-pointer, and UK’s lead was satiable again.

Georgia hung around for a little more time, keeping UK within a single run’s distance. But the Cats were the ones running, with Andrew Harrison’s 3-pointer – assisted by Aaron Harrison – extending the lead to 13 with 5:13 remaining.

The Cats will play the University of Florida, who beat the University of Tennessee 56-49 earlier on Saturday, at 3:15 p.m. on Sunday for the SEC Tournament championship.

The Gators defeated UK a week ago in Gainesville, Fla., completing a season sweep that has Calipari wary of what could happen on Sunday.

“I’ve had enough of Florida,” Calipari said. “It’s almost an honor to play a team like that. You have to understand when this game is close, they’re not giving you the game.”