Koby Brea Found More Ways to Help Beat Vols

Kobe Brea did a lot more than make 3-pointers against Tennessee Tuesday. (Vicky Graff Photo)

Koby Brea scored more points when Kentucky beat Tennessee in Knoxville last month than he did when the Cats beat the Vols 75-64 Tuesday night in Lexington. However, Brea probably played an even better game and more important role in Tuesday’s win.

He went 4-for-9 overall from the field but was 3-for-6 from 3-point range. He did not get to the foul line and after going 7-for-8 in Knoxville but still finished with 11 points, two assists, two steals and one rebound in 33 minutes.

Brea had played what coach Mark Pope called his best defensive game in Saturday’s win over South Carolina and he was solid on that end again. He was also brilliant late in the game when he had to help share the point guard duties after Lamont Butler went down with an injury,

He made two deep shots from 3-point range late in the game when UK came from behind to stun the No. 4 Vols again.

“Honestly there wasn’t much thinking going on. It was just playing the game, understanding the situation that we were in, what we needed,” Brea said. “I just felt like I have confidence in myself, and I feel like the team has confidence in me too. I can take those shots and make those shots.”

He did it at the most crucial time and helped create the shots himself. He said he hopes his play proved to Pope that he can be an “every day guy” that can be counted on.

“Coach was like, ‘You going to bring that same energy today?’ and I’m like, ‘Coach I’m doing this every game, every practice,’” Brea said.  “It’s just about me trying to better myself and understand that I’m not just doing this for myself but for my team as well. Just trying to go out there and give my all every time.”

His highlight play was a no-look pass to Otega Oweh for a dunk that made the Rupp Arena faithful erupt.

“That was probably one of the top plays in my career. I was just talking to O (Otega) about it, he cut at the perfect time. As soon as I saw him move, I was like ‘that’s perfect,’ but it was a great feeling,” Brea said..” Just to have that kind of play at such a big game like that, to do it at home, just made it more special. Good feeling for sure.”

Pope said numerous individual players made “great plays” in the win but admitted that Brea’s pass to Oweh “stuck out” as one of the biggest highlight plays.

“You have Koby Brea kind of against some full-court pressure, being in attack mode, getting downhill, slicing the floor, digging in. That’s his new coined term we are trying to inspire him with to get downhill,” Pope said. “Digging in and throws an alley-oop to Otega Oweh cutting from the baseline corner.  

“Those are not the two guys we normally script to do that. We see guys growing and their games are expanding and growing and they are getting more comfortable with each other. It’s pretty great.  It’s really special.”