RECAP: Kentucky Wildcats top Troy but still seeking 40-minute effort
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- For about 30 minutes of action Monday at Rupp Arena, Kentucky coach John Calipari thought he was finally going to see the elusive complete-game performance from his young Wildcats.
"I love this team," the UK boss shouted during a timeout at the 10-minute mark and UK leading Troy by 21 points.
Then it unraveled.
No. 8 Kentucky could not put the finishing touches on the blowout, instead settling for a 70-62 win over the Trojans, who closed the game on a 20-7 run.
"When you're up 21 and you're ready to bury somebody and you just start acting like it doesn't matter anymore... That's that old AAU high school stuff," Calipari said.
"We're just not ready to play 40 minutes because they will revert. They let go. They go back to their old ways. And that's the fight. Whether it's going to take a loss to a team that we should beat, and then they all get together and say, we got to stop. I don't know."
Kentucky (4-1) made only two buckets over the final 10 minutes of play. The Cats missed nine of their last 11 from the field and committed six of their 16 turnovers during that span.
The rough landing nearly wiped out some of the good things UK had accomplished throughout the game, including holding Troy to 35.9 percent shooting from the field and owning a 53-30 rebounding advantage.
Said Troy coach Phil Cunningham: "Their length and their quickness on the perimeter – once you think you’ve got an open shot they close the gap, and then it becomes a contested shot."
Freshman forward Kevin Knox led the Cats with 17 points. Freshman point guard Quade Green added 13 for UK.
Troy (2-3) got 17 points from senior guard Wesley Person.
In this Cats Illustrated "Rapid Recap" feature, we touch on some quick-hitters from UK's victory...
THE GOOD:
The Cats crashed the boards in a big way, turning in their best rebounding effort of the season. Redshirt freshman guard Hamidou Diallo led the way with a career-high 10 rebounds, while freshman big men PJ Washington and Nick Richards each added eight. Troy managed only six offensive rebounds for seven second-chance points. The last two UK opponents (Kansas and East Tennessee State) had combined for 37 offensive rebounds leading to 33 second-chance points.
THE BAD:
Kentucky coughed the ball up 16 times, including 10 by the freshman trio of Quade Green, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Washington. The latter pushed his season total to 20 turnovers in five games.
THE UGLY:
Seven points over the last 10 minutes of play against Troy (who gave up more total points to North Dakota, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and something called Brewton-Parker than it surrendered to UK) has to put shivers into Big Blue Nation as the Cats inch closer toward December and a schedule that gives way to names like Virginia Tech, UCLA and Louisville.
GAME BALL:
Wenyen Gabriel, Kentucky - The sophomore forward gave perhaps the most steady performance of the night, scoring 12 points, grabbing six rebounds and blocking two shots in 27 minutes of action. He seemed to draw less in-game criticism from his coach than any other UK player on the night.
BY THE NUMBERS:
1st - Meeting between UK and Troy in men's basketball.
2 - Fast-break points for the Trojans against the UK defense.
4-for-27 - Troy shooting from the 3-point arc.
20 - Bench points for the Cats, a season high.
41 - Most points in a first half by UK this season.
149-5 - Cats' record under Calipari when holding an opponent to under 63 points.
19,548 - Attendance at Rupp Arena.
QUOTABLE:
"I had to battle them too much in the second half. I've got to teach them how to win." -- UK coach John Calipari
UP NEXT:
Kentucky returns to action Wednesday at Rupp Arena in an 8 p.m. ET tipoff against Fort Wayne on the SEC Network.