Vicky Graff Photo
John Calipari could have been upset that his team lost a seven-point lead in regulation and had to go to overtime to beat St. Joseph’s 96-88 and avoid an early season upset.
Instead, the Kentucky coach welcomed the opportunity it gave him to learn more about his team.
“We messed around and the game goes to overtime. I need to know who will go in and make plays anyway. Who relishes the moment?” Calipari said.
The answer was West Virginia transfer Tre Mitchell. He never wavered in his confidence and hit two early 3-pointers in overtime to give UK a lead that enabled the Cats to end the upset bid.
“It’s open so I was letting it go – I know Cal would probably yell at me if I didn’t,” Mitchell said. “If they’re going to leave me open, I’m going to shoot it.”
Mitchell finished with 22 points on 7-for-15 shooting. He was 4-for-10 overall from 3-point range but made the two biggest shots for UK in overtime. He also pulled off six rebounds and blocked four shots while holding down the middle with UK’s three 7-footers still out for various reasons. Mitchell also dished out four assists and played a team-high 41 minutes.
“We learned how to finish a game and that’s a good learning experience,” Mitchell said.
UK Radio Network analyst Jack Givens noted that Mitchell “forced a key turnover late” that was another example of his overall versatility.
Mitchell now has 17 assists and just two turnovers in four games. He leads Kentucky in blocks (7) and rebounds (33). He’s also shooting 41.2 percent from 3 and 57.4 percent overall while averaging 14.4 points per game. Mitchell is also leading the team in minutes played at 35.7 per game.
“For his career (before getting to UK) he had more turnovers than assists,” UK coach John Calipari said. “I am happy for him. He has a great temperament. I thought he started the game soft and I told him he better go fight. You have got to show motor and be desperate in what you are doing and he did that.”
Calipari loved that Mitchell made what he called “the moment” shots that win games.
“There was that play, the moment, when one team is playing with house money and we’re playing with – we’ve got to win. And it never phased him,” Calipari said.
Mitchell downplayed what he did.
“I don’t think that it is necessarily the moment for me because I try to stay present throughout the entire game so regardless of what the outcome or the score is going to be – if I get an open look, I’m going to take it,” Mitchell said.
2 Responses
Tre has emerged as the leader of this team. Not only making shots, but taking guys aside during the game.
Late in the game, when they were in a free throw huddle, it was Tre standing there with his arms draped around the group and they were looking at and listening to him. He is a leader and respected by the others. Got to have a player like him to hold the youngsters together.
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