Former star point guard says he would hate to go against UK’s Hagans

From one point guard to another, ESPN analyst Jay Williams lauded the play of Kentucky freshman Ashton Hagans.

“A lot of players given the position of point guard don’t know what comes with that,” said Williams, who played point guard for Duke. “With Ashton, we’re watching it in front of our eyes: a young man develop and evolve into a leader this team really needs.

“You can have a team of really talented players. But on every team that wins a championship, you need that next level of mentality. You need that dog mentality. I think that’s what Ashton brings to the table.”

With two or more steals in each of the last eight games, Hagans has become synonymous with disrupting the opposition’s offense. Williams could relate to the disruption opposing point guards might feel against Hagans and UK.

“As a point guard, one of the things I hated was as soon as I turned around, there was a guy in my face,” the ESPN analyst said. “I had to work to get the ball up the court. All of a sudden, I’m starting my offense from half-court because my back is turned toward you.

“There’s a world of difference if I can face you up and get to the three-point line, in operating territory. And Ashton doesn’t allow you to do that.”

Another ESPN analyst, Seth Greenberg, said the point guard matchup between Hagans and Kansas freshman Devon Dotson was one to watch. In Monday’s victory over Iowa State, Dotson had eight assists and no turnovers in 38 minutes. Perhaps showing his age, he had one assist and seven turnovers two days earlier at West Virginia.

Giant blue wood?

The current Cats are on pace to average fewer blocked shots than all but one of John Calipari’s previous nine UK teams. Kentucky carries an average of 5.3 blocks into the game against Kansas.

Only last year’s UK team averaged fewer blocks: 4.8 per game.

ESPN analyst Jay Bilas offered a colorful description of Kentucky’s recent ability at rim protection when an opponent got near the basket.

“When you went in there, it was like throwing a Frisbee through trees,” he said. “It was going to hit the tree somewhere. There’s not as many trees in the (UK) forest.”

To extend the analogy, Nick Richards could be a giant redwood (blue wood?), Bilas said.

“When Nick Richards is in, he changes them,” Bilas said.

‘Vulnerable’

During an SEC teleconference Thursday, Calipari said his team was “vulnerable.”

When asked to explain Friday, he said, “Just that we’re playing a really good team, and we’re vulnerable to that. Let’s see how we do.”

Reid Travis offered a we’re-only-human comment.

“There’s a part of vulnerability every time you lace ‘em up and go out there and play a team,” he said. “In a game like this, we are vulnerable. We don’t know how things are going to shake out. . . . We’ve got to trust our preparation.”

Versus top 10

Kansas has won 13 straight regular-season games against opponents ranked in the top 10 of The Associated Press media poll. That includes two such victories earlier this season: 92-87 over then-No. 10 Michigan State and 87-81 over then-No. 5 Tennessee.

Kansas’ last regular-season loss to a team ranked in the top 10 was to then-No. 1 Kentucky in the 2014 Champions Classic. UK’s 72-40 pummeling of Kansas is the most lopsided loss in Bill Self’s coaching career.

UK’s victory snapped a seven-game Kansas winning streak against top-10 opponents. So the Jayhawks are 20-1 in their last 21 regular-season games against top-10 opponents.

As for Kentucky in regular-season games against opponents ranked in the top 10, the Cats have an 11-11 record during John Calipari’s 10 seasons as coach.

Correction

An earlier story noted how Kansas had beat three teams currently ranked before center Udoka Azubuike’s season-ending injury. The story mistakenly said Michigan was one of the three teams.

The three teams currently in the top 12 of The Associated Press poll that Kansas beat were No. 6 Michigan State, No. 1 Tennessee and No. 12 Marquette.

Etc.

▪ Kentucky leads the series 22-9. Kansas has won the last three meetings, and six of the most recent nine.

▪ Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas and sideline reporters Maria Taylor and Holly Rowe will call the game for ESPN.

▪ Tom Leach and Mike Pratt will have the radio call on the UK Sports Network.

SEC/Big 12 Challenge

Saturday’s schedule

Noon: Alabama at Baylor

Noon: Florida at TCU

Noon: No. 24 Iowa State at No. 20 Mississippi

2 p.m.: South Carolina at Oklahoma State

2 p.m.: Texas at Georgia

2 p.m.: Kansas State at Texas A&M

4 p.m.: Vanderbilt at Oklahoma

4 p.m.: West Virginia at No. 1 Tennessee

6 p.m.: Arkansas at No. 14 Texas Tech

6 p.m.: No. 9 Kansas at No. 8 Kentucky