By Stewart Mandel, SI.com

One Shining Moment

	Freshman Rajon Rondo (right) had 16 points and seven assists in UK's 69-60 win. Elsa/Getty Images

For those who have watched the often ugly, often frustrating growing pains of the baby-blue 2004-05 Kentucky Wildcats, it was a play that encapsulated their entire season.

The Wildcats were clinging to a 62-59 lead when freshman guard Rajon Rondo ran down the floor on the fast break and attempted to throw a lob to fellow freshman Randolph Morris under the basket. Unfortunately for Rondo, the ball bounced off the rim. Fortunately for the 6-foot-10 Morris, it bounced straight into the air and back down into his hands, from which he went up over Cincinnati's Jason Maxiell for the layup and drew the foul, putting his team up five and whipping the Wildcat faithful into a frenzy.

Over the game's final minutes, Morris would brick a free throw (on the aforementioned 3-point play) and airball a short jumper, not entirely surprising events based on his up-and-down season. But he would also grab four important defensive rebounds and block a shot with 37 seconds left to seal a Sweet 16 berth for his team. Between Morris' 12 points and 11 rebounds and Rondo's 16 points and seven assists, the freshman duo "definitely came of age," said Kentucky coach Tubby Smith. "They showed tonight why they really were two of the top players in the country coming out of high school."

In an ugly game marked by an unusual amount of airballs, missed dunks and, particularly on the Bearcats' side, wide-open bricks (they shot 24.3 percent in the second half and 32.8 percent for the game), the Wildcats prevailed the same way they have on 26 other occasions this season: By wearing their opponent down with intensity. They shot 51 percent against the nation's top field-goal percentage defense and outscored normally inside-dominant Cincinnati 34-12 in the paint.

Senior Chuck Hayes (10 points, eight rebounds) and junior Kelenna Azubuike (19 points, seven boards) had plenty to do with that, but the difference in the game was unquestionably the play of the two freshmen, each of whom started nearly every season but averaged a modest eight points a game while adjusting to the next level.

"Me and Randolph were talking in the huddle every timeout," said Rando. "We told each other, 'It's time to step it up and show people we're not too young [to win in the tournament]."

Player Who Impressed Me

While Morris looked lost as often as he looked dominant, Rondo was smooth and in control throughout while running the team. He was the Wildcats' top scorer in the first half (10 points), making a 3-pointer and scoring on a breakway dunk during their explosive 16-7 start, then, when things got testy in the second half, orchestrated numerous fast breaks off Cincinnati's many misses.

"Rajon's floor game has really improved," said Smith. "His decision-making has been outstanding."

Rondo invoked the name of another famous freshman point guard in discussing his desire to lead the 'Cats through the tourney as a freshman.

"Mike Bibby did it [at Arizona]," said Rondo. "There's no reason why a freshman can't play at this level."

Courtside Confidential

Kentucky outscored Cincinnati 9-1 during the last 5:05 of the game, with the Bearcats missing their final 13 shot attempts, most of them from behind the arc. "We got tired," said Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins. "We didn't make them because they wore us down." ... Kentucky's 7-3 center Shagari Alleyne played just nine minutes but notched two blocks, both against Eric Hicks, and on consecutive trips down the court. .... Kentucky super fan Ashley Judd was noticeably absent (she's filming a movie in South Africa), but Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning was in attendance, as was Bearcats diehard Nick Lachey. ... Thanks to a sea of Kentucky and Illinois fans, this year's Indianapolis pod set an NCAA first and second-round attendance record of 40,331.

Championship formula

This year's Kentucky team isn't nearly as imposing as some of Smith's recent editions, yet this is only the second time since 1999 it has made it to the Sweet 16, and they have a decent draw next round in sixth seed Utah, which upset Oklahoma to set up a rematch of the '98 title game from Smith's first season. (It will even be played in the same state, Texas). Utah's All-America center Andrew Bogut will pose a tremendous matchup problem for the undersized Wildcats, but then again, many thought the Bearcats' rebounders would pose problems for Kentucky as well and it didn't happen. Plus, the Wildcats' tenacious man-to-man defense will likely wreak havoc on the Utes' shooters.

If Kentucky can get past the next round, it could set up yet another tourney showdown between the Wildcats and Duke in the Elite Eight, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. While expectations in Lexington always center around Final Fours and championships, just reaching the Sweet 16 is a significant accomplishment for this team, which, while talented, is extremely raw and lacks the firepower to make a deep run.