Sahvir Wheeler didn't have a field goal at South Carolina but he had a lot to be happy about with 11 assists. (UK Athletics Photo)
In the last three games, Sahvir Wheeler has attempted 17 shots and missed them all. Teams dare him to shoot and he’s not been able to knock down any type of shot. Against South Carolina, he was 0-for-4 from the field and had four turnovers in 33 minutes. However, he also had seven assists and UK won 66-55 on the road.
Kentucky coach John Calipari made it clear after the game that missed shots did not worry him.
“He impacts the game. The good news is if you’re struggling or needs to come out, we are fine,” Caliipari said after the Alabama win. “How many point guards impact the game like he does? Not many. Not many in this country.”
In UK’s last game at South Carolina, Wheeler was 0-for-5 from the field with five turnovers in 37 minutes. This time he had 11 assists and UK won 86-76.
Calipari has double downed in his support of Wheeler.
“The greatest thing for Sahvir is he has as big an impact as anybody even when he doesn’t make a shot,” Calipari said. “Defensively, leading us, creating, breaking down people …
“He worries about making shots. Stops. It doesn’t matter except to you. But it doesn’t matter to our team. And when it doesn’t matter to you Sahvir, you are going to make more shots.”
“But when you are feeling the weight of the world because I am missing them (shots), I didn’t score. Don’t. The impact that anybody about basketball sees that he has is even when he doesn’t score … when he scores we win pretty big.”
Kentucky returns to action this afternoon when it hosts Florida and coach Mike White certainly has noticed UK’s resurgence from last year’s 9-16 debacle.
“What a bounce back from a year ago,” White said Friday. “That story in itself is unique … in terms of struggles to be really, really quickly. This team has a chance to win it all.”
Kentucky (20-4, 9-2 SEC) is ranked fifth in the polls and No. 4 in the NET rankings. The Cats are also 14-0 at home this season.
“There’s very few teams out that don’t have a glaring weakness,” White said. “They’re one of them.”
