Justin Edwards (Vicky Graff Photo)
This figured to maybe not quite be the cakewalk that Kentucky’s 40-point win over New Mexico State was earlier this week but it also didn’t figure to be a big struggle against Texas A&M Commerce for Kentucky in Rupp Arena Friday night.
The Lions lost 78-46 to Texas A&M Monday and 73-46 to Texas Tech Wednesday before traveling to Kentucky. Yet it was the Lions, not UK, who roared to start the game and led 19-6 before the Cats took control and won 81-61.
Kentucky coach John Calipari had to like the balanced scoring — Antonio Reeves 21 points, Tre Mitchell 18, Justin Edwards 16, Rob Dillingham 12 and D.J. Wagner 11. He had to like the balanced rebounding — Mitchell 8, Edwards 7, Reeves 6, Dillingham 5 and Jordan Burks 5.
However, Kentucky has to be a lot better in its next game against No. 1 Kansas. The Wildcats had just 12 assists on 32 field goals. They gave up too many open 3-point looks, especially in the first half.
“Loved it,” said Calipari about the Lions’ fast start. “The problem we had was we were getting beat off the dribble. We have guards that we’re saying that you are supposed to be able to play the ball and they got by us. And they knew they played that way, you know, some of the stuff that we had gone over.”
Kentucky only used seven players with Adou Thiero in concussion protocol and three 7-footers still out for various reasons. Kentucky outrebounded Texas A&M-Commerce only 36-33.
“We’ve got a lot of concerns coming up Tuesday night, not just that,” Calipari said. “ I can only talk so much and then if you are not coming up with balls, you are not getting in there, then you can’t be in the game. You have got to be able to guard, if you want to — you guard, you play. If you can’t guard and you are giving up too many baskets. It’s hard here.
“But I thought, like again, we made some adjustments. We backed up the defense. And you have to say, well, again, the tapes that I watched, they did not make the shots that they made today. And you have got to give them credit. They came in here inspired. How about third game in six days, traveling and coming from Louisville and everything else, give them credit.”
The plus could be that UK only had three turnovers. Or is that a positive?
“Would you say we were playing pretty fast?” Calipari said after UK’s lowest turnover game since it had only two in a win over Vanderbilt to open 2020-21 SEC play . “Folks, we had just three turnovers. Now I wonder if we’re not being aggressive enough.
“How the heck do you end the game with three turnovers? That’s, like, ridiculous. We made some bad decisions, guys running up the middle trying to throw it to them. It didn’t end up in a turnover but there were probably four or five plays that easily could have.”
It was only the fourth time in Calipari’s time at UK that the Cats have committed three turnovers or fewer. “
