Cats outlast Vanderbilt in roughhouse affair
Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe wrestled Vanderbilt center Quentin Millora-Brown for a loose ball during Wednesday's game at Rupp Arena. (Jeff Drummond/Cats Illustrated)
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated
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@JDrumUK
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Surging Kentucky faced a different kind of challenge on Wednesday night against Vanderbilt.
The Commodores brought a roughhouse approach to Rupp Arena in hopes of derailing the No. 5 Wildcats, and the physical play kept Jerry Stackhouse's team in the game, but Kentucky had too much depth for the visitors in a 77-70 victory.
Grad senior guard Davion Mintz came off the UK bench and played through the bumps and bruises and scrapes en route to a season-high 21 points, making him the sixth player to top 20 points in a game this season for the Cats.
"If I took my sweater off right now, you could see all the scratches on my arm," Mintz said of the physical nature of a game that featured 44 total fouls, three flagrant fouls, two technicals, and 58 free throws attempted.
"(Vanderbilt) came to fight. The SEC is the best conference in the country right now, and... when teams come in here, they want to play hard. We have a great audience, a great platform, so guys aren't going to come in here and lay down."
Kentucky (18-4, 7-2) has to be prepared for the tactic moving forward, according to head coach John Calipari.
"Like I told them after, ‘Guys, if I watch that tape and I'm an opposing coach, I say, ‘Let's just try to beat the crap out of a couple of these guys, they'll go away,'" Calipari said. "Can't accept that."
Added Kentucky forward Keion Brooks Jr., who complemented Mintz with his second-straight 20-plus scoring effort: "It was just one of those games where it was physical. We got pushed around a little bit in some areas and in some spots. We have to look at the film because we don’t want other teams to come in and think they can just push us around.”
Kentucky led by as many as 16 points in the first half and by 10 at halftime. Vanderbilt clawed within one early in the second half but could never wrestle the lead away from the home team.
The Cats also got 11 points, 17 rebounds, four steals, and three assists from junior center/forward Oscar Tshiebwe, who was the focus of Vandy's physical gameplan. He struggled offensively (2-of-5 FG, 7-of-13 FT) and committed four turnovers. He also picked up a pair of Flagrant 1 fouls in retaliation for some of the shots he absorbed.
Grad senior guard Kellen Grady gave UK a fourth player in double figures with 12 points on a 4-for-8 shooting night from beyond the 3-point arc.
Vanderbilt (11-10, 3-6 SEC) got a game-high 33 points from junior guard Scotty Pippen Jr. Jordan Wright added 14 for the Commodores, who shot a respectable 46% from the field, held Kentucky to 39%, and out-rebounded the nation's leading rebounding team 37-30.
"You look at the numbers, you would say, 'Wow.' But we win the game, we move on. Next game," Calipari said.
The Commodores were hurt, however, by 18 turnovers leading to 15 points for the Cats.
*****
In this "Rapid Recap" feature, we touch on some quick-hitters from the UK victory...
KEY MOMENT:
After Vanderbilt used a 21-6 run to close within 44-43 early in the second half, Kentucky responded with a 12-3 spurt of its own to regain control. Brooks had seven points in the run, and Mintz had five.
GAME BALL:
Davion Mintz, Kentucky - The veteran combo guard played his finest all-around game of the season, scoring 21 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field and a 4-for-7 night from beyond the arc. He also went 5-for-5 at the line and provided his typical strong defense.
BY THE NUMBERS:
1st - Back-to-back 20-point nights of Keion Brooks Jr.'s career at Kentucky. He had 27 on Saturday at Kansas and 20 tonight against Vanderbilt.
9 - Assists for UK point guard Sahvir Wheeler, the fifth time this season he's recorded nine or more.
14-0 - Kentucky record at Rupp Arena this season.
16th - Double-double of the season for the Cats' Oscar Tshiebwe. That currently ranks third in the nation. It was his ninth straight game with double-figure rebounds, the longest streak at UK since Julius Randle had 10 in a row in 2014.
200th - Matchup between UK and Vandy. The Cats lead the all-time series 153-47, including 12 straight wins.
QUOTABLE:
"They did good stuff. They run good stuff. They create good shots. I'm glad we're done playing them. They got the big kid (LIam Robbins) now. They've got another guy with size who can play. So, we're done. We're done. If we see them again, it will be in the (SEC) Tournament, and I hope we don't see them in the tournament." - UK coach John Calipari on Vanderbilt
UP NEXT:
Kentucky returns to action on Saturday in an 8 p.m. ET tipoff at Alabama on ESPN. The Crimson Tide (14-8, 4-5 SEC) are coming off a 100-81 loss at No. 1 Auburn on Tuesday. Alabama features one of the most unique resumes in the country this season with wins over ranked teams like Gonzaga, Houston, LSU, Tennessee, and Baylor but losses to Iona, Davidson, Georgia, and Missouri.
