Photo by Vicki Graff
Saturday afternoon in Rupp Arena made for quite the display of Kentucky Basketball. Head coach John Calipari and his talented Wildcats played host to the UNC Greensboro Spartans in what was expected to be close matchup.
The game’s first half lived up to the hype, as Kentucky trailed 40-37. However, the second half belonged to the home team. Calipari’s group won the final 20 minutes of action by as many points to win the game, 78-61.
The win meant much more than a number in a column, as Kentucky had won six straight but against lesser competition. The Spartans, however, are a team that nearly knocked off Gonzaga in last year’s NCAA tourney and posted a legitimate threat to the Wildcats on Saturday.
However, led by veteran Reid Travis, Kentucky prevailed when the possessions mattered most.
Travis scored 22 points and added 12 rebounds while playing 37 of the 40 possible minutes. In a game when the Wildcats needed a consistent inside presence, Travis’s ability to physically dominate his opponent moved the needle for Kentucky.
Freshman Tyler Herro continued his stellar play in Kentucky’s backcourt, filling the bucket for 18 points as the team’s second-leading scorer. Saturday was the second-straight and third time out of four that Herro has scored in double-figures.
Freshman Keldon Johnson, the “1B” to Travis in regards to Kentucky’s most consistent players, posted 13 points and 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Johnson had several key baskets down the stretch as the Wildcats sealed the win.
Though the stat sheet didn’t show it, Ashton Hagans continued to excel late in games. Calipari repeatedly put the ball in the freshman’s hands, rewarding his defensive efforts (three steals & a block).
However, this led to the decrease of sophomore Quade Green’s playing time (eight minutes). Sophomore Nick Richards (one minute) also received the same fate in Kentucky’s front court.
Calipari’s decision to go with his newcomers certainly paid off late in the game, but is also unusual due to the experience both Green and Richards bring to the table. Both of their statuses will be worth monitoring as the team moves forward to their matchup against Seton Hall in the Citi Hoops Classic.
