Ex-Bearcat leads upset of No. 1 Kentucky
Downey scores 30 to lift South Carolina past Wildcats
January 27, 2010, 9:45 a.m.
STAFF REPORT
Devan Downey, who played at University of Cincinnati as a freshman, scored 30 points as South Carolina handed Kentucky its first loss of the season 68-62 on Tuesday night.
The Wildcats, who fell to 19-1 overall and 4-1 in the Southeastern Conference, moved atop the rankings this week for the first time since 2003.
Downey, the SEC's leading scorer, eclipsed the 30-point mark for the fourth time in six league games for the Gamecocks, now 12-8 overall and 3-3 in the SEC. He finished 9-of-29 from the field, but also was 10-of-11 from the free-throw line.
It was South Carolina's third consecutive win against UK, but it was the school's first-ever win against a team ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll.
"This is what happens when you have young guys who think we're are going to win at the last minutes of the game," Kentucky head coach John Calipari said.
Freshman DeMarcus Cousins matched his career bests of 27 points and 12 rebounds to lead Kentucky, which had been the nation's last unbeaten team.