The more Kentucky passes the more fans love this team

jan-13-3

TyTy Washington is a willing passer just like his UK teammates. (Vicky Graff Photo)

If there is one reason — other than Oscar Tshiebwe — that I think Kentucky fans really like this year’s basketball team it is the way the team passes the ball, especially the last month. The ball seldom stops or gets stuck in a player’s hands.

Sahvir Wheeler has 102 assists and 41 turnovers. TyTy Washington has 76 assists and 28 turnovers. Four more players — Tshiebwe, Kellan Grady, Davion Mintz and Jacob Toppin— all have 15 or more assists.

As a team, UK has 278 assists compared to 187 turnovers while UK opponents have more turnovers — 202 — than assists — 161.

After Kentucky beat Vanderbilt Tuesday and had 15 assists with nine turnovers, I asked Calipari if he was just lucky to have an unselfish team or had he coached the team to be unselfish.

“They’re veterans, a bunch of them and they’ve played,” Calipari said. “You can’t — every time you catch it, try to make a play. It takes high school guys (freshmen) time to understand you’re better off with the ball moving and it’s an easier game for everybody … that’s the kind of stuff that we’re looking for and it takes time.

“You can’t listen to the clutter. If you do listen to the clutter you try to make a play every time. Just be part of the team.”

Calipari loved the way his team built a 28-point lead at Vanderbilt before letting go of the rope after he took his starters out.

“How about this? Play fast and have nine turnovers. We made multiple passes,” Calipari said. “Everybody calling me loves this team because we pass and move the ball. Every time you pass there is a chance for a turnover. We only had nine and two were in the last few minutes.”

Calipari also liked the overall energy. He said the team “defended our butts off” early in the game and held Vandy to 35 percent shooting most of the game.

“We are getting better. We have got to be a great execution team and defensively we have got to fight and team rebound,” Calipari said.

That message resonated with junior Keion Brooks, who had nine points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal.

“Coach has been on me to play with high energy and continue that through the whole game,” Brooks said. “I have got to use my speed, length, and athleticism to make plays. I try to do what I can to help the win whether it is rebounding, defending, or scoring.”

2 Responses

  1. This team is passing better without Sahvir in the lineup. Sahvir should not be expecting to come back as a starter. He can still help the team being a change of pace guy on both ends of the floor, but Ty Ty has the team playing at a high level. It would be a mistake to change that formula.

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