Andrew Carr Does It All for Cats in Key Road Win

Andrew Carr (Vicky Graff Photo)

Sometimes game-winning plays can go unnoticed because they do not happen at the end of the game.

Kentucky forward Andrew Carr had a series of game-winning plays early in the second half of Saturday’s 91-83 win at No. 15 Missouri.

Carr blocked a shot and then made a steal that led to an Otega Oweh layup with 17 minutes, 58 seconds to play. That helped UK get off to a fast start to extend its lead that eventually reached 16 points.

He finished the game with 16 points on 5-for-8 shooting, including 2-for-3 from 3 and 4-for-6 at the foul line. He also had 12 rebounds, including five offensive boards. Carr completed his stat line with a team-high three assists (his first time this season to lead the team in assists), two blocks, one steal and only one turnover. He also drew six fouls and played 34 minutes in what has to be his best overall game of the season.

Carr seemed to make key plays at both ends of the court at the biggest times and showed that maybe he is finally back 100 percent healthy after being hampered by a back injury for about two months.

“Carr has remained so active in this game on both ends of the court,” ESPN analyst Dane Bradshaw said. “He made cuts to bail out teammates and just stayed so active.”

That paid off when Missouri rallied to cut UK’s big lead to 67-61. Carr battled to get a 50-50 ball that led to a 3-pointer by Otega Oweh with 5:22 to play. When the lead got down to 72-67, Carr hit a free throw and then blocked a shot and grabbed a rebound on the defensive end. If that wasn’t enough, he dunked an offensive rebound for a 75-67 lead with 3:12 left.

“He has been the best player on the court on both ends. He is making all the little plays at the biggest times,” Bradshaw said. “He made everybody around him better. He was the cleanup guy on both ends and was that constant for Kentucky. Good to see him back feeling close to 100 percent and if Andrew Carr is looking like this Kentucky is going to be so much better in tournament play.”

This was only Carr’s third double-double but he seems on track to have more.

In Kentucky’s 96-83 loss at Alabama on Feb. 22, he had 17 points on 6-for-9 shooting. A week later in the 94-78 loss to No. 1 Auburn he had 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting. Now he went 5-for-8 at Missouri and got even more active on the boards.  Contrast that with the seven-game stretch in SEC play from mid-January to mid-February when he had 34 points in seven games battling his back injury compared to scoring 53 points in games against top 15 teams Auburn, Alabama and Missouri.

“Andrew Carr quietly played himself a very, very good game,” UK Radio Network analyst Jack Givens said. “His dunk follow was the knockout punch to help Kentucky get a win it really needed and wanted.”

Physical teams had bothered Carr in SEC play as his back just could not always take the pounding. However, now he’s able to not only withstand the physical play but also make plays inside himself after he got his first double-double in SEC play.

“This is who he has been. He was this the first couple of months of the season,” Kentucky coach Mark Pope said. “He had five or six weeks where he was struggling so much with back pain.

“He was unbelievable today, especially on the glass contesting rebound after rebound. He started out matched up with their five (center) who is a big, strong human being. I am so proud of him.”