Mo Dioubate listened to questions Monday but made it clear the Cats know they have yet to peak this season. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Kentucky’s 92-83 loss at Florida Saturday cost UK a chance to claim a share of first place in the Southeastern Conference and was also the first time since the Cats started their dramatic comeback streak that they didn’t finish the job.
However, the loss to the defending national champion clearly has not impacted UK’s belief that it can still continue winning. Guard Denzel Aberdeen made that clear immediately after the loss and forward Mo Dioubate emphasized the same point Monday.
“We talked about it. We was right there. We were literally right there. We felt like we were gonna win that game. We made major comebacks all game, but it was just hard for us to get the lead,” Dioubate said.
“That just comes with the game sometimes. We gotta go through certain games like that to get certain feels. To where when you’re in that position again, you won’t allow it to happen.”
Kentucky returns to action tonight against Georgia. The Cats dropped back out of the top 25 this week and definitely cannot afford to let a home game slip away.
Georgia has SEC wins at South Carolina, Missouri and LSU. The Bulldogs lead all Division I programs in fast break points (21.6 points) and blocks (6.6) per game and also rank in the top 10 in scoring offense (No. 7 at 90.3 points per game) and bench points (No. 10 at 34.3 points per game).
Georgia plays at a fast pace because of a deep playing rotation. Eleven Bulldogs average double-figure minutes per game and the Bulldogs have combined to record 102 double-figure scoring games.
Jeremiah Wilkinson is averaging a team-high 17.1 points per game while Blue Cain is adding 13.6, Marcus “Smurf” Millender 12.0 and Kanon Catchings 10.8.
Despite Saturday’s loss, UK is still 8-2 in its last 10 SEC games but Dioubate said Monday the team knows it can still do more.
“Once we’re locked in, we can make a really good run. A lot of people don’t know what’s up with this team. Sometimes we play like we’re a great team, and the next game we play like we don’t even know each other,” Dioubate said.
“I have confidence in this team. Once we play together, we get into that mode. When we went on the stretches that we did, we were really locked in. I think we have a lot of that in us still. When we play together, play connected, I don’t think there’s many teams that can (compete with) us when we’re in that mode.”
Kentucky’s resiliency has also turned into one of the team’s best traits. Dioubate said that will not change.
“That’s just the mentality. Don’t give up no matter what. I try to tell the guys, too. Don’t give up. We play for each other. Don’t give up on me and I won’t give up on you,” Dioubate said.
