In this Cats Illustrated feature, our staff writers offer their first impressions from the exhibition opener...

JUSTIN ROWLAND:

Kentucky's defense is going to travel. It should be a constant throughout the season and that's a reason this team can accomplish big things. Immanuel Quickley appears much better, Ashton Hagans was active, and Tyrese Maxey is going to be better than he was tonight. I like how this team runs the floor. Nate Sestina was solid in most parts of his game. But I don't know how strong this team is going to be down low. It has been my concern and they didn't rebound well, nor do they appear to score easily around the basket. All in all a solid win, but we still don't know a lot.

TRAVIS GRAF:

It’s just one exhibition game, but I’m starting to think that this team is going to take some lumps this season. There’s no excuse to lose the rebounding battle to Georgetown College, regardless of injuries. The lack of a post presence was eye-opening tonight. I thought the Cats might struggle in that regard, but I didn’t expect it to be as bad as it was in this game. Post scoring seems to be a glaring problem moving forward. Also, I also don’t see how you keep Sestina off of the court. The grad transfer just makes winning plays. Whitney and Montgomery played about as bad as you possibly can, so that will do nothing but add to the pro-Sestina movement. I feel like this team has the potential to be a defensive juggernaut, but it’ll be interesting to see where they get their scoring from on a nightly basis. Finally, I’m going to be a really big advocate of the three-guard lineup moving forward.

JEFF DRUMMOND:

By exhibition game standards, this was a quality opponent and a good tune-up for the Cats. Georgetown College enters its NAIA season as defending national champs and was not intimidated coming into Rupp Arena. The results were not too surprising. Kentucky's backcourt is really impressive. You have to think John Calipari is seriously considering playing the "three-point guard" lineup of Ashton Hagans, Immanuel Quickley, and Tyrese Maxey he teased during Media Day. The trio produced 44 points and went 7-of-14 from beyond the arc in this one. The Cats' frontcourt production remains a question mark. Nate Sestina had a nice double-double off the bench with 11 points and 10 rebounds, but the Cats didn't get a great deal from veterans Nick Richards and E.J. Montgomery or freshmen Keion Brooks Jr. and Kahlil Whitney, who had only 11 rebounds between them. As a result, Georgetown outrebounded UK 45-39. That feels ominous with rugged Michigan State waiting in the regular-season opener.