Photo by Vicki Graff
The story regarding Kentucky’s first half of the season was written by three freshman: Ashton Hagans, Keldon Johnson and Tyler Herro. Each has won the SEC Freshman of the Week award twice and had multiple standout moments for the eighth-ranked Wildcats.
The two veterans in Kentucky’s front court, though, had struggled to find a consistent rhythm. While PJ Washington and Reid Travis have had their moments, the most significant came Tuesday night in Kentucky’s 76-55 win over the 22nd-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs.
It was Herro who led the first half surge, scoring 11 of Kentucky’s 34 first half points and scoring nearly half of Mississippi State’s 24.
However, as the Bulldogs adjusted to Herro on defense, Washington rose above all to lead the Wildcats to victory. After scoring just six points in the first half, Washington erupted for 15 in the second period. He swished 9-15 shots, included three of his five attempts from behind the arc.
The sophomore also grabbed six rebounds and blocked four shots in his dominant performance, which is a kind of play Kentucky could use more of as the season further unfolds.
Herro finished the game with 18 points, the team’s second-leading scorer. Despite scoring seven of Kentucky’s first nine points, Keldon Johnson was held to just two more for the rest of the contest.
Reid Travis had what many believed to be a comeback game at Auburn, scoring 17 forceful points. However, his offensive struggles resurfaced with evidence of a 1-6 shooting performance. The graduate transfer didn’t let poor shooting sway his efforts, though, as he grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.
Aside from Washington’s second-half outburst, the sustained consistency of Nick Richards was yet another positive sign for the Big Blue Nation. Richards played just ten minutes but was extremely effective when on the court. He scored eight points and grabbed six rebounds in limited action, mirroring the hustle we’ve seen over recent weeks.
As a team, Kentucky’s win came on the defensive side of the basketball. The Wildcats held the Bulldogs to just 31% shooting from the floor and an astounding 15% from behind the arc. They also forced 15 turnovers and turned that into 17 points.
Kentucky was also active and efficient in the fast break, scoring 16 points in that fashion. Needless to say, Ashton Hagans and his career-high nine assists had much to do with the team’s second-straight game scoring over 70 points.
Up next will be Kentucky’s toughest challenge of the season. On Saturday afternoon, the Wildcats will play host to the ninth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks. Tuesday night’s win over a quality Mississippi State team shows promise, but a competitive fight should always be expected from a Bill Self team.
Tip-off is set for 6 P.M. EDT at Rupp Arena, with on-air coverage provided by 106.5 WKDZ radio.
