For fans of competitive basketball, Kentucky's 88-40 victory over Radford Wednesday night made tryptophan seem like a stimulant. Instead of feasting on Thanksgiving turkey, the Cats gorged themselves on the lowly Highlanders.
No. 2 Kentucky (5-0) either took a step toward displaying the kind of toughness Coach John Calipari ordered on Tuesday or simply couldn't avoid beating the holiday stuffing out of Radford.
Calipari suggested it was a psychic tonic for a young team after the ups (Penn State) and downs (Old Dominion) of last weekend.
"We play Penn State, we're world beaters," he said. "We're beating anybody. Where's the Lakers? Then you go to (the Old Dominion game), and you're like, 'Oh, my gosh, we're not very good' and 'I'm not very good,' and 'What is wrong with me?' You want them to play well."
Terrence Jones, who led UK with 17 points, noted the value of self-esteem. "Confidence is everything," he said.
Radford (3-4) saw its all-time record against ranked opponents fall to 0-14. The average margin of defeat going into the UK game was 32.5 points.
For the third time in five games, five UK players scored double-digit points. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist added 15, Marquis Teague 13, Anthony Davis 12 and Doron Lamb 10.
Freshman Sam Malone may have had the game's most memorable play. He dribbled down on the fast-break, stutter-stepped by Radford's Brian Darden and scored on a layup with 1:29 left.
"That was the best play of the game," Jones said. "He definitely has some confidence right now."
Radford narrowly avoided becoming only the fifth UK opponent in Rupp Arena history to fail to score 40 points. The Highlanders got there on Jareal Smith's three-point play with 42.5 seconds left.
With Kentucky ahead 45-14 at halftime, Radford had to go on a relative scoring burst to avoid setting a Rupp Arena record for futility. The standing record for fewest points scored by a UK opponent in Rupp Arena remained the 32 posted by Morehead State on Dec. 16, 1995.
Radford turned over the ball on its first five possessions and didn't hit the rim with a shot until 17:19 remained in the half.
Meanwhile, Kentucky sputtered a bit at the start (six of 17 shooting in the opening 10 minutes) yet still led 14-0. That's when Radford finally scored on a Blake Smith jumper — heavily contested by Jones — at the 10:24 mark.
Radford scored on back-to-back possessions only once en route to a six-for-34 shooting half.
Guard Jareal Smith, an all-tournament selection in what could be called the lower bracket of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic last weekend in Connecticut, missed his four shots in a scoreless first half.
Kentucky seemed intent to establish Jones in the low post to start the game. He scored from there on UK's first two possessions. On the third trip downcourt, he missed from the post.
Kentucky outscored Radford 28-8 from the paint in the first half. A part of that was a 12-2 advantage in points off turnovers.
Those looking for hopeful signs inside a non-competitive game could take notice of Teague's two turnovers (and five assists) in 31 minutes. He came into the game with 11 assists and 18 turnovers.
"I was thinking too much," he said. "Over-thinking ... Coach Cal was telling me things he wanted me to do. I went out trying to do them to perfection. That was causing me to mess up."
Calipari said he would give Teague a margin for error: one "flub" per half. To which, Teague said, "I still don't want to make that turnover. But I know if I make it, he's not going to yell at me."
Coming off six turnovers against Old Dominion, Teague reassured Calipari.
"I thought he played under control," the UK coach said. "Now, he scored points without trying to score points."
Radford tried without much success, as evidenced by two-for-25 shooting from three-point range. Leading scorer Jareal Smith finally scored with 13:09 left. After missing his first seven shots, he did a 360-degree spin and scored.
Kentucky switched to a 2-3 zone with less than 10 minutes left. Radford scored on two of its first five possessions.
During the television time out with 6:45 left, many fans headed for the exits.
Blake Smith hit Radford's first three-pointer with 6:09 left. The Highlanders had missed their first 20 attempts from beyond the arc.
The Kentucky men's basketball team whipped Radford 88-40 Wednesday night. The Cats either took a step toward displaying the kind of toughness Coach John Calipari ordered on Tuesday or simply couldn't avoid beating the holiday stuffing out of the Highlanders.
