CHICAGO – I’m in Chicago for the annual Champions Classic at the United Center. No. 1 Duke plays No. 2 Michigan at 7 but I’m more interested in seeing how 5 Kentucky plays against surging 4 Kansas in the second game.
The young Cats, who start five freshmen, are 2-0 after victories over Utah Valley State and Vermont at Rupp. But neither game was a work of art. Kentucky had to overcome a nine-point halftime deficit against Utah Valley State to win by 10 and had to go down to the wire to defeat underrated America East power Vermont, 73-69 in a game where the Catamounts had a three point attempt to tie with 8.3 seconds to play.
“Kicking dogs. Throwing cats,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said. “I’m dying here. I got a noose around my neck. I’m holding onto a rope, my hands are bleeding. I’m kicking alligators and I’m coaching freshmen. I’m fighting to get my mindset in that I’ve got to stay in the moment of all this and I’ve got to be as positive for these guys as I can, and then I have to build toward the end of the year.”
Aside from 6-8 freshman forward P.J. Washington, who finally had a breakout game against Vermont with 17 points and 10 rebounds this team has been an enigma. The Cats only out rebounded Utah Valley, 39-38, when they shot just below 40 percent and their free throw percentage was less than 70 percent. They shot 20.6 percent from the three in the first half and actually shifted to zone when they went on an 18-0 run to put the game away. Then, against Vermont, the Cats struggled with perimeter defense. Vermont’s Trae Bell-Hayes shot 8 for 12 inside the arc, lighting up Kentucky’s freshman point guard Quade Green and the Catamounts made 10 threes. “I know my defense wasn’t good,” Green said. Freshmen Shai Gilgeous Alexander and Hamidou Diallo both struggled with man-to-man assignments, too.
Kansas guards Devonte Graham, Lagerald Vick And Syl Muhhailuk, a senior and two juniors, could be the best back court Kentucky plays all season. They combined for 48 points and 16 assists in the Jayhawks’ opening game victory over Tennessee State. “If our guards can’t stay in front of people, we’ll get beat by 30,” Calipari said. “Thirty.”
