Kenny Colston’s postgame UNC-UK thoughts

Senior Ramon Harris hugs freshman John Wall after a play during the first half of UK's game against UNC on Saturday, Dec. 05, 2009 at Rupp Arena. UK defeated UNC 68-66.

No, it doesn’t have the same effect as “Jesus wept,” but for many UK fans it was probably close.

Because when Wall lined up for those final two free throws that clinching the 68-66 win in Rupp Arena, the once sure victory was no longer so sure. UK led by only three. Missed free throws would have sent the game into overtime, something that wouldn’t have benefited UK.

So Wall lined up and shot. Swish. Smile. Rupp Arena exhales.

After that, it didn’t matter what John Wall did. A miss wouldn’t have mattered (he did make the second, though) and North Carolina’s last second 3-pointer would have still been a point short of sending the game into overtime.

But the fact that Wall — who started the game explosive and then was sidelined with cramps for most of the second half — was the guy to hit those clinching free throws was beyond the perfect Hollywood script. It was almost like destiny. All week, Wall was peppered about why Carolina didn’t recruit him hard enough. How tough that must have been for a kid who grew up in UNC’s backyard. Blah, blah, blah.

So he took care of it Saturday. He torched Carolina every chance he got. Fast break dunk. Fast break reverse lay-up. Fast break alley-oop to Patrick Patterson. Repeat.

Then came the cramps. The Cats’ nearly fell apart. One IV in the locker room later, Wall returns. He doesn’t look to be 100 percent and the Cats still are wilting to the Tar Heels.

But in the end, like many times before, Wall came through. Gave that signature smile. Cats win. It’s a situation UK fans should come to expect throughout the season. The Boy Wonder pulling victory after victory out of his hat.

In the end, a lot of people are going to say UK has arrived with Saturday’s victory. Maybe they have. But on the cautionary side, Wednesday’s matchup against UCONN in Madison Square Garden will be more telling than Saturday’s win. A win on Wednesday, or even a close loss, will show everyone what the Cats are really made of.

But I’ll say this, if John Wall ends that game with a smile, Big Blue Nation might weep.