Kentucky Defense Puts the Hurt on Duke

Brandon Garrison and Otega Oweh celebrate after UK’s win. (Vicky Graff Photo)

For all the attention given to Kentucky’s offense and 3-point shooting, it was DEFENSE that got coach Mark Pope his first signature win at UK.

The Wildcats overcame a nine-point halftime deficit to beat Duke 77-72 and finally win a game in the Champions Classic again.

Kentucky won despite hitting only 25 of 62 shots (40 percent). It did make 10 of 25 3s but it was the defense in the second half, especially down the stretch, that got this win over No. 6 Duke.

“We didn’t know what we had and we still don’t know but we learned a lot. We learned that the fight is in them. I am just beside myself as to where this team might be able to go,” said former UK All-American Jack Givens on the UK Radio Network postgame show.

“You are playing Duke, which is one of the tallest and longest teams in the country. You are not going to make shots and the offense is not going to be smooth. What are you going to do to win games on those nights? Kentucky proved we love the 3 but times it is just not there and Kentucky just did what they had to do.”

ESPN analyst Jay Bilas questioned UK’s defense in the first half when Duke seemed to score at will in the paint. However, Bilas was quick to credit the Kentucky defense for what it did in the second half.

“What a second half by Kentucky defensively,” Bilas said. “Kentucky was making every pass difficult for Duke. Kentucky’s defense was at a different level in the second half.”

Backup center Brandon Garrison, who had two blocks and one steal, said assistant coach Alvin Brooks kept telling the team to get kills (three straight defensive stops equals one kill).

“Everybody thinks we are an offensive team but in practice, we get after it (defensively),” Garrison said.

With Kentucky leading 72-70 after a three-point play by Andrew Carr, Lamont Butler created a turnover by Duke freshman sensation Cooper Flagg. Pope asked for a review after the ball was originally awarded to Duke and the replay clearly showed the ball went off Flagg.

With the score tied at 72, Duke had the ball when Otega Oweh slid over to take the ball from Flagg as he drove into the lane with 12 seconds left. Oweh was fouled and hit two free throws to make it 74-72.

Flagg turned it over again with Amari Williams pressuring him and Butler was fouled with 5.1 seconds to play. He hit the first one and then Oweh did a spin move on Flagg to get the offensive rebound and then made two free throws to seal the deal.

Carr had 17 points on 5-for-8 shooting from the field and 5-for-6 at the foul line. He also had five rebounds and three assists in 30 tough minutes. He seemed to score at the biggest times but Givens also was impressed by his defense.

“He was matched up with some tough guys. I think because defense is not the strongest part of his game but you have got to give him credit because he really worked hard,” Givens said.

Oweh rebounded from a subpar first half offensively to finish with 15 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block in 31 minutes. The only other player in double figures was Williams with 10 points even though he was just 3-for-12 from the field. Williams did have eight rebounds, two blocks, and two assists.

Butler had nine points while Garrison and Koby Brea both had eight in the balanced scoring effort.

Kentucky still won even though Jaxson Robinson, the player many thought would be UK’s go-to guy in big games, had just one point. He went 0-for-4 from the field and did not have an assist in 27 minutes. He did block two shots and make one steal.