With the 40 point outburst fresh in the minds of the Wildcats, they came into this game looking to build on their much needed win against the Rebels of Ole Miss Tuesday night. The Aggies came in looking to right the ship as they have struggled somewhat in the SEC. Aside from their win over Kentucky, A&M hasn't done much by the way of winning. Again, same as last week, both teams are looking to make a statement, in 40 minutes one of them will...
Before tipoff, Matt Jones of Kentucky Sports Radio said, Kentucky fans made-up 1/3 of the fans inside Reed Arena. Impressive for any other school, but everyone knows, Kentucky fans have no problem traveling. Then as the Tennessee/Arkansas game came to an end, we had the pleasure of watching Jimmy Dykes trying to shoot over Nerlens Noel during warm-ups, what a pleasure that was.
Kentucky opened the scoring of the game off a dunk by Noel after Archie Goodin had his first shot rejected. Noel recorded his first block with 18:35 left in the first. Kentucky looked good early on, good defense and rebounding, they will have to maintain those two things going forward. Wiltjer nailed his first three with 16:16 to go in the first, picking up where he left off Tuesday night. At the first timeout, Kentucky led 5-0 with 16:00 left. Then we get the pleasure of watching the end of the Kansas game because that's what Kentucky fans wanted to see. Plus side, looks like they are on their way to a loss to Oklahoma State at Phog Allen for the first time since 1989, so that's good. Cowboys win, now we're allowed to watch the Cats. When the game returns, Kentucky was up 9-1 with 13:38 to go, Nerlens has 6pts and 1blk. We also get to see Willie Cauley-Stein in action finally, good to see.
Kentucky playing really good defense so far, holding A&M scoreless from the field until the 12:00 minute mark. Just as I say that, it's all even at 9-9 with 9:50 to go after the Aggies put together a 9-0 run, defense not as good as it was earlier in the game. Archie Goodwin doing good so far on Elston Turner as he has 0pts with 8:16 in the first. Noel goes down with an injury at the 7:38 mark, looks to be his knee, doesn't look good at all on the replay. He leaves the game with 8pts, 4rebs and 1blk. He checked back in at the 7:18 mark, must not have been as bad as it looked, Kentucky fans were nervous to say the least. Elston got his first 2pts off freethrows after a foul by Archie Goodwin on a drive to the basket by Turner. I have to admit, the first half was painful to watch, like watching paint dry as the Aggies slowed it down and drained the shot clock, horrible. Noel got his tenth point of the half on a nasty one handed put back slam off a Julius Mays miss. Noel just keeps improving every single game, much like Anthony Davis did last season, scary.
Kentucky went to the break up 30-21, but should've been more. Turnovers, missed freethrows and defensive break downs are hard to overcome...
FIRST HALF STATS:
UK- 11-23 FGs, 4-8 3FGs, 4-8 FTs, 19rebs, 7ast, 6TOs
A&M- 7-29 FGs, 0-9 3FGs, 7-7FTs, 18rebs, 3asts, 3TOs
Kentucky started the half by sending Elston Turner to the line for freethrows, of course he made both. Kentucky got its first points of the half off a nasty dunk by Noel off an inbounds play, that gave him 12 with 18:22 left in the game. Lob from Harrow to Noel gave him 14, Cats led 35-27 with 17:01 to go. Just like that, at the first timeout, Kentucky's lead was cut to five (35-30) after a made three by Fabyon Harris. Senseless turnovers killed Kentucky in the second half, hard to watch at times. When guys just literally hand a ball to their defender, it's aggravating to say the least considering it happened twice (Mays and Harrow). In the second half, Ryan Harrow seemed to have Archie Goodwin's mindset of driving the lane just to pick up an offensive foul with guys open on the wings, that can't happen and them be successful.
At the 11:45 mark Kentucky had a 45-40 lead after an Archie Goodwin circus shot went in. Yes I know he got the "and-one", but he gets called for the offensive foul more times than not on those types of plays and he's luck he didn't get one called on that one as well. He's gotta improve his decision making or this team doesn't have a prayer this season. Caruso for A&M tore Kyle Wiltjer up so many times in the second half that I lost count. After such a good couple games, Kyle seemed to revert back to his old self tonight in the second. At the 9:12 mark Kentucky led 51-46 and was lucky to be up by that much considering how they played to that point.
Wiltjer finally came out of his shell so to speak scoring in the post pushing Kentucky's lead back up to 54-48, he's got to do more of that. But again, what good does it do to score if you give up an easy bucket on the other end and then immediately turn it over on the very next possession. Kentucky hasn't looked particularly good tonight on either end of the floor, kinda like the Alabama game after winning at Auburn. If Nerlens was telling the truth when he said "we owe them something" meaning A&M, they sure didn't show it.
With 6:32 to go Wiltjer only had 8pts, like I said many times, for Kentucky to win he has got to score in double figures. Kyle just didn't have the same intensity we seen in Oxford, he has to bring that every night. Finally, at the 5:00 mark Kentucky seemed to pick up the defensive effort, but decision making on offense negates anything they accomplish on defense.
Wiltjer wasn't the only one not giving the effort needed in this game. With 4:00 left in the game, Alex Poythress' line was 3pts and 4fouls. Yes he had a few rebounds, but that guy has got to score. With so few scoring options on this team, you can't have one of them having 3pts.
The one thing in the game that was sorta promising is that Kentucky never really looked rattled at all. Their bad play wasn't nerves this outing, it was just that, bad play. It was also nice to hear a C-A-T-S Cats, Cats, Cats chant that loud on the road. Kentucky fans never cease to amaze me with how they are willing to follow this team.
Of course Elston Turner was the one to tie it at 62-62 to send it to overtime.... If anyone else ever tells you Elston Turner can't play just because he has been down in SEC play, smack them.
Kentucky leading 64-63 caught a break in the extra session when the do all point guard Fabyon Harris fouled out with 14pts after he sent Julius Mays to the line for two, which he made. The Cats looked somewhat better in overtime, but still had some trouble getting their offense set when they needed a bucket. It's a slow process when your trying to bring a team like Kentucky along, but they have got to give the effort and for the most part, they haven't aside from Wiltjer and Noel. Those are the only two who have improved since SEC play started, the others have to get it together.
Clutch freethrows from Julius Mays set up your final score of 72-68 as Mays finished with a season high 19pts. Julius won this game for Kentucky with his shooting and freethrow shooting in overtime where he was 5-6 from the line.
Elston Turner, you know the guy that a lot of people was talking about how he'd been playing so poorly as of late, well he sent this game to overtime and ended up with 21pts. Good outing for him as he almost single handedly won this game for the Aggies, again.
All in all, it was another win Kentucky had to have, no matter how ugly it was. This should solidify their spot in the tournament. Now it should be all about seeding as long as they take care of business.
One cool moment, at least if you are the Harrison twins (who was in attendance) is having Kentucky fans chant your name in Texas on Texas A&M's home floor.
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