The Seattle University men’s basketball team hung tough with the Kentucky Wildcats, but a scoring drought in the first half allowed Kentucky to open an early lead as the Wildcats defeated the Redhawks, 82-63, Saturday night in an exhibition game before a crowd of 20,096 at Rupp Arena.

Two three-pointers by Ricky Berry (Phoenix, Ariz.) in the first three minutes of the game allowed Seattle University to take an early 6-3 lead, but Kentucky went on a 29-4 run over the next 12 minutes to open a 22-point advantage. The Redhawks scored the final six points of the first half to cut the Wildcat margin to 15 points at 39-24 going into halftime.

Ryan Coldren (Fall Creek, Ore.) hit a three-pointer to start the second half, but Kentucky scored 14 of the next 17 points to extend its lead to 53-30. Coldren hit two more three-pointers as part of an 8-0 Seattle run late in the game to bring the Wildcat lead under 20 points, where it stayed for the remainder of the contest.

Coldren led all players with 21 points, shooting 4-of-8 from the three-point line and 5-of-6 from the free throw line. Berry finished with eight points, while Michael Knight (Seattle, Wash.) scored seven points and Austen Powers (Glendale, Ariz.) earned six points and five rebounds, all in the second half. Shaun Burl (Berkeley, Calif.) fought foul trouble throughout the night but finished with six assists, and Leigh Swanson (Mountlake Terrace, Wash.) did not hit a field goal but contributed five rebounds and two blocked shots.

Patrick Patterson did not miss a shot for Kentucky, going 6-of-6 from the floor and 5-of-5 from the free throw line to finish with 17 points, plus he pulled down seven rebounds, dished out four assists, and blocked three shots. Joe Crawford scored 14 points for the Wildcats, while Mark Coury had 11 points and nine rebounds and Jodie Meeks added 11 points and six rebounds to the winning effort.

Kentucky, ranked #20 by the Associated Press in its preseason Division I poll, shot 49 percent from the field, including 50 percent from the three-point line, and 77.1 percent from the free throw line. Meanwhile, Seattle, receiving votes in the NABC Division II poll, shot only 34.5 percent shooting from the field and 59.3 percent from the charity stripe. Kentucky won the rebounding battle, 40-33, but both teams were sloppy with the ball at times, as the Redhawks committed 18 turnovers and the Wildcats finished with 16 turnovers in the game.

At halftime of the game, members of the 1957-58 teams from Seattle and Kentucky that met in the 1958 NCAA title game in Louisville, Ky., were honored as this game was set up in part as a reunion. Seattle University was represented by then-head coach John Castellani, Jim Harney, Clair Markey, Charlie Brown, Jerry Frizzell, Bob Siewarga, and John Kootnekoff.

Seattle University opens the 2007-08 regular season by hosting the Elgin Baylor Classic on Friday, Nov. 16 and Saturday, Nov. 17. The Redhawks will face ninth-ranked Humboldt State on Friday before playing against Cal State Stanislaus on Saturday, with both games scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at the Connolly Center.