Calipari’s ‘worst 3-point defensive team’? UK doesn’t look the part against Bulldogs

When opponents’ three-point shooters were feasting on Kentucky this season, John Calipari had a sobering message for his players.

“Coach was telling us we’re probably the worst three-point defensive team that he’s had,” Ashton Hagans said late Tuesday night.

The players’ reaction?

“The guys started laughing,” Hagans said.

Laugh at what sounded like an insult?

“It’s true at the same time,” Hagans said. “I guess that’s why we’re laughing. Really, it’s because of Keldon (Johnson). The clown.”

There was no laughter, nervous or otherwise, earlier in the evening, especially from Mississippi State. The Bulldogs made only three of 20 three-point shots in Kentucky’s 76-55 victory in Rupp Arena.

Mississippi State’s season-low point total, which Hagans was aware of, continued a trend. The Bulldogs became the third UK opponent of the last four to score its fewest points of the season. Georgia (49) equaled its lowest total while Vanderbilt (47) set a new low-water mark.

PJ Washington, who led Kentucky with 21 points and four blocks against the Bulldogs, needed one word to explain this new-found stinginess on defense.

“Communication,” he said before elaborating. “Knowing somebody is going to have your back.

“At the beginning of the year, we were all just playing our own man. But now we’re playing each other’s man.”

Mississippi State Coach Ben Howland credited Kentucky’s defense with speeding up his team and taking it out of a comfortable rhythm. This was evident early as the Bulldogs missed 14 of its first 15 three-point shots. This was in stark contrast with what UK assistant coach Tony Barbee said of State on Monday. “They don’t get rushed,” he said, “and they get the shots they want every time down.”

Not this game as UK improved to 15-3 overall and 5-1 in the Southeastern Conference. State fell to 14-4 overall and 2-3 in the SEC.

Calipari credited Hagans with setting a tone on defense.

“When you’re on the ball playing like he does, it bleeds into everybody else,” the UK coach said.

It was not the seamless 40-minute performance that Calipari has held out as an objective. An early 13-point cushion became a 41-39 lead with more than 13 minutes left.

But contributions from several players, including EJ Montgomery’s first three-pointer of the season, translated to a comfortable final margin that was greater than the combined difference in State’s earlier three losses (14 total points).

Another slow start seemed in the offing as UK fell behind 4-0 in the first 69 seconds. In that time, Washington put up an air ball. Then Quinndary Weatherspoon stole a pass and sped to a fast-break dunk.

But Kentucky blew away any thoughts of another double-digit deficit early by scoring the next 10 points. If evidence was needed that UK is better when it can score in transition, this turnaround provided it. Eight of the Cats’ first 18 points came on fast breaks.

For this early breakout, Washington credited “our defense. Getting stops, and then getting out in transition. That’s the big thing for us. We score really well in transition.”

The Cats got only two more points in transition the rest of the half. Washington’s fast-break dunk came with 2:53 left.

Good defense kept Kentucky ahead even as the easy baskets disappeared.

Mississippi State, which came into the ranked No. 29 in three-point shooting accuracy, made only 31.1 percent of its shots (19 of 61).

Kentucky led by as much as 13 in the opening 20 minutes. State got a lift from its “legacy bench,” three players whose fathers played for the Bulldogs. UK’s lead twice diminished to seven points.

A halftime deficit for State bode well for Kentucky. A rally from a halftime deficit at Dayton on Nov. 30 marked the first time that the Bulldogs won a “true” road game when trailing at the half since Jan. 21, 2012 (a 39-28 deficit became a 78-77 overtime victory at Vanderbilt).

A bit of retaliation at bay. With 18:20 left, Weatherspoon appeared to push off Johnson for a score. About 90 seconds later, Johnson appeared to poke Weatherspoon the face early in a drive that put UK ahead 39-30.

Barely three minutes later, it was a good time for the resolve that Kentucky showed at Auburn on Saturday to reappear.

Mississippi State scored seven straight points to close within 41-39. In this sequence, Weatherspoon beat several UK players to a long rebound. He scored five of the points.

UK called timeout with 13:36 left. A Richards dunk off a pretty whip pass by Herro eased the growing unease in Rupp Arena.

With 11:09 left, Weatherspoon fouled Herro on a three-point attempt. Herro, whom Barbee on Monday called the “ultimate confidence guy,” made all three free throws. That made him 5-for-5 for the night and 22 of 22 in SEC games.

Reid Travis’ 11th rebound helped Kentucky re-establish a double-digit lead with 8:17 left. He passed to Immanuel Quickley, whose three-pointer put UK ahead 54-43.

State called timeout that made little difference. A corner three-pointer by Washington gave UK its largest lead yet — 57-43 — with 7:13 left.

Another three-pointer by Washington, this time from the top of the key, again put the Cats ahead by 14. This time it was 62-48 with 5:15 left.

Next game

No. 9 Kansas at No. 8 Kentucky

6 p.m. Saturday in SEC/Big 12 Challenge (ESPN)