New York is still in a "John Wall state of mind"
By Staff
It’s apparent that Madison Square Garden and the University of Kentucky both experienced something very special on Wednesday Nights with UK’s 64-61 win over UConn. There is some buzz that UK may be making famed Madison Square Garden “Rupp Arena North” at least once a year. More on that in just a bit, but it’s obvious that John Wall left NYC seeing stars.
NY Daily New’s Mike Lupica is still star struck on Kentucky’s John Wall. In his article today, he states that “Kentucky freshman John Wall reminds New York of the talent that used to play at the Garden”. In it, Lupica raves:
The other night at the Garden, Kentucky vs. UConn, second game of a Garden doubleheader out of the past, a Kentucky freshman named John Wall took over the place the way stars are supposed to take over the place, in anything.
The article then delves into a general bashing of the Knicks, and a lament that the MSG has not had it’s share of exciting nights lately due to the tepid basketball that has been played there lately. But he admit’s the UK/UConn matchup was a tip to the “glory days” of MSG:
Wall is only passing through college, will play a year for John Calipari the way Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans did at Memphis. But for this one year he will be something to see the way he was Wednesday night. If you were there, you know that in the second half especially, he made the place feel and sound the way it used to.
The Garden wasn’t full when the tip for Kentucky and UConn finally came around 9:40, after St. John’s now an opening act had beaten Georgia. But this was a night when the people in charge didn’t have to lie about attendance, because the final crowd count didn’t matter, because even with empty seats at the top, the Garden sounded like 19,000 again and felt that way.
Speaking of Madison Square Garden, Bluegrass State Basketball is reporting that John Calipari and the administration of famed Madison Square Garden are in at least, preliminary talks to bring a Wildcat game to MSG every season:
The administration of the legendary arena approached Calipari following the overwhelming display of Kentucky fan support during this week’s Kentucky vs. Connecticut game. He said he was told that if UK can continually bring that many fans, they should consider hosting a game in New York each season.
This would make a great deal of since since Calipari was looking to add a “big name opponent” to UK’s schedule on a neutral floor for this season. Among the games being rumored were Texas, Kansas in Saint Louis, and Duke in either Atlanta or Nashville. Duke routinely plays games at MSG and a UK/Duke matchup would be very appealing and on a very big stage, but from all indications Duke has no interest in playing UK on a yearly basis.
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