In our regular postgame feature, the Cats Illustrated staff offers its first impressions from Kentucky's 80-72 win over Mississippi State on Tuesday night at Rupp Arena.
TRAVIS GRAF:
If you would’ve told me before the game that Kentucky would go 1-10 from behind the arc and get out-rebounded by three, I would’ve thought the Cats lost. Much to my surprise with those stats, UK controlled the game throughout. It was the Cats' first win of the season when losing the rebounding battle. If EJ Montgomery gave you a similar performance to this on a nightly basis, UK would have the nation’s best frontcourt. Nick Richards had 25 points in the second half, after only tallying 2 in the first. Nate Sestina gave some good minutes as well. For this team to turn the next corner, Ashton Hagans needs to start trending back in the right direction. He had a decent stat line tonight, but he still made some avoidable mistakes. Tyrese Maxey and Immanuel Quickley did some good things, and UK was able to get to the free-throw line at will in the second half. This was a big-time bounce-back win.
JUSTIN ROWLAND:
I didn't know exactly what to expect from Kentucky tonight. On the one hand, the fans and UK's players have not always been at their best in home games this season. But you had to lean towards assuming the Cats would be ready to play following a loss to Auburn. In the first half UK's supporting cast of Nate Sestina and EJ Montgomery was the story. In the second, Nick Richards reminded everyone that he's one of the nation's best big men. Mississippi State is a quality team capable of beating a really good team any given night. The big thing is an up and down UK frontcourt, aside from Richards, was up to the challenge against a stout Bulldog team.
JEFF DRUMMOND:
EJ Montgomery picked a great night for arguably the best game of his UK career. He's had more points and more rebounds before in other games but not against an opponent the quality of Mississippi State. He was the MVP in the first half, and Nick Richards took the baton and ran with it in the second half. The duo finished with a combined 39 points and 19 rebounds. If those two guys can bottle that up and play that well in the same game on a consistent basis, Kentucky starts looking like a much more formidable threat in March.
