Kentucky's Koby Brea launched one of the 42 3-pointers that Mark Pope's squad took on Wednesday night in the Wildcats' 123-52 exhibitino win over Kentucky Wesleyan. (Photo by Jeff Drummond/Cats Illustrated)
QUICK TAKES: Kentucky 123, Ky. Wesleyan 52
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated
Managing Editor
@JDrumUK
In our regular postgame feature, the Cats Illustrated staff offers its first impressions from Kentucky's 123-52 romp over Kentucky Wesleyan in the first of two exhibition games leading into the new college basketball season...
JUSTIN ROWLAND:
Kentucky looked fantastic tonight. They have a lot of very experienced players who played within what they do well and seem like they have embraced roles early. The ball movement on offense gave them a lot of good looks from outside and they capitalized. They sure do have a lot of capable shooters. Defensively, the quickness of their hands stood out. This team wasn't able to really challenge UK or expose weaknesses and that's a big asterisk but that's exactly how you wanted the season to start. Williams plays so hard inside and really makes a lot of things happen. Butler's ball pressure is something that will really disrupt opponents. You saw the experience in the first exhibition game.
JEFF DRUMMOND:
In a word, refreshing. Kentucky played loose, embraced Mark Pope's new style, and really never gave a good Division II program like Kentucky Wesleyan a chance to think it was ever in the game. I never thought we were going to see a game like this tonight. Even wondered if KWC might hang around for a half. Big Blue Nation has to be giddy about the 3-point shooting. The Cats finished at an absurd 21-of-42 after beginning the game 3-for-12. Nine regulars attempted a 3-pointer and seven different guys made one. Five splashed multiple 3s, including five apiece from Jaxson Robinson and Ansley Almonor. Even more impressive was the way they shared the ball and got each other looks. UK finished with 32 assists and only five turnovers. Just crazy numbers all the way around. Now we all take a deep breath and remind each other this was just an exhibition game. But, wow, what a great first impression for Pope.
TRAVIS GRAF:
Trying to not get carried away with a D-II exhibition here, but Kentucky played a modern brand of basketball that I’m sure was refreshing to all of the fans watching. Jaxson Robinson and Andrew Carr will probably end up being Kentucky’s best players consistently, but there’s a handful of players who could be the best on any given night. Otega Oweh had a great showing and Lamont Butler is going to be the team’s energy giver. They shot a lot of threes and played fast while not having to give up effort defensively to do so. The trio of Butler, Oweh, and Williams gives Kentucky a high floor on the defensive end.
QUICK TAKES: Kentucky 123, Ky. Wesleyan 52
First impressions from the Cats' exhibition opener.
