Kentucky freshmen play like pros

INDIANAPOLIS - OK, so maybe they aren’t the quickest learners.

Still, the kids at Kentucky figured out Louisville just in time.

Aaron Harrison hit a three-pointer for the go-ahead score with 39 seconds left and Julius Randle made two free throws to lift the fantastic freshmen of Kentucky to a 74-69 victory over their in-state rivals.

The eighth-seeded Wildcats (27-10) led for a grand total of 65 seconds in this Midwest Regional semifinal. Now they will play Michigan on Sunday for a trip to the Final Four.

Few expected a run this deep as this season played out and Kentucky’s five freshman starters struggled to play a team game, but they’ve been learning slowly. Trailing by seven with 4½ minutes left, things kicked in again.

Actually, it was a sophomore, Alex Poythress, who scored five points in a 7-0 run that tied the game at 66-66 with 2:11 left. Then, it was the Kentucky freshmen who showed all the poise against the defending national champions, led by seniors Russ Smith (23 points) and Luke Hancock (19).

Harrison took a pass from Randle and spotted up in the corner for the go-ahead shot. Both finished with 15 points, as did another freshman starter, Dakari Johnson.

On the next possession, Louisville’s Wayne Blackshear was fouled. The 71 percent career free-throw shooter missed the first. Randle came down and made two free throws to put Kentucky ahead by three. Smith missed a tough look at a three-pointer on the next possession, and a few seconds later the Wildcats were chest bumping and Coach John Calipari was pumping his fists to the crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium.

This was the ultimate lesson in patience for a team that for so long had trouble showing any.

Louisville Coach Rick Pitino, who fell to 11-1 in Sweet 16 games, used a match up zone that the Wildcats had trouble working through.

The Cardinals led by as many as 13 in the first half but went into halftime leading by only three points despite holding Kentucky to 33 percent shooting from the floor.

Making this victory even more impressive for the Wildcats was that they played almost the entire game without Willie Cauley-Stein, an NBA-caliber forward who sprained his left ankle early, and James Young, who fouled out with 5:32 left.

That left it to Harrison, his twin brother Andrew (14 points) and Randle, a lottery pick in waiting who was a monster inside with 12 rebounds to go with his 15 points. He has had at least 10 points and 10 rebounds in all three NCAA Tournament games.