QUICK TAKES: Kentucky vs. North Florida
Kentucky's Sahvir Wheeler put pressure on the UNF ballhandler during Friday's game at Rupp Arena. (Jeff Drummond/Cats Illustrated)
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated
Managing Editor Edit
@JDrumUK
In our regular postgame feature, the Cats Illustrated staff offers its first impressions from Kentucky's 86-52 win over North Florida on Friday night at Rupp Arena...
DAVID SISK:
Kentucky's 86-52 win was about playing an overmatched North Florida squad, but it also had to do with things the Cats repeatedly do well. Let’s get the obvious out of the way by stating they only made six of 25 three pointers... but that wasn’t an issue. They still shot almost 60% inside the arc. UK also won the rebounding battle by 17, and second-chance points were a big part of the first-half offense. Despite the subpar shooting, 23 of the 37 made shots came via the assist. Sahvir Wheeler had 14 of them. Kentucky has 28 transition points and didn’t give up any. The Cats also scored 20 points off 21 Osprey turnovers. The biggest constant may be the stingy defense. Since the Duke game, they have given up point totals of 60, 55, 59, 61, and 52 for a 57.4 point per game average. That will carry over when the schedule becomes tougher in mid-December.
JEFF DRUMMOND:
It seems like Kentucky has gotten out of the gates slowly in several of these mismatch games, but when you look up at the scoreboard at the end of the night, the Cats have 80-something points on the board. To do that tonight while making only six 3-point shots bodes well for their offense on those nights where the deep shots aren't falling. I don't think UK will have very many of those, but it's nice to know they have other options to fall back on. At the end of the night, you have five players between 12 and 14 points and another with eight. Terrific balance, and that's while playing without veterans Keion Brooks and Davion Mintz, who were absent with flu-like symptoms. The engine driver, point guard Sahvir Wheeler, was doing his thing once again with 14 assists to go along with his 12 points. And what does it say for big man Oscar Tshiebwe when he "only" grabs 16 rebounds to go along with 12 points?
JUSTIN ROWLAND:
This team was due for a flat performance because everybody has them. This was a good night to have a flat start. UK has also been forced to adjust game to game based on who has been out. Tonight it was Keion Brooks and Davion Mintz. Daimion Collins made the most of the opportunity with his ability to run the court and play above the rim. The shooting was dreadful for Kentucky as a whole, but it was still a blowout. They were missing a lot of good looks from inside and outside the arc, especially early. They just kept fighting and scrapping on defense and eventually the floodgates opened. I don't take a lot from this game because North Florida looked really bad, but Kentucky is doing to these teams what you would like to see a good team do to them. Oscar Tshiebwe again dominated the glass. North Florida simply could not slow Wheeler or Washington. Wheeler getting out and running was one thing that really blew the game open after the ugly start. You won't see Grady and Allen shoot that poorly in the same game many times.
