Calipari’s reaction to another close call for Kentucky: ‘How did we win the game?’
Ah, that’s more like it.
Well, relative to losing to Evansville last week, an 82-74 victory over Utah Valley on Monday night was a return to Kentucky basketball’s bottom-line normalcy: winning.
Utah Valley — rated at No. 201 in the nation according to statistics savant Ken Pomeroy — played Kentucky competitively for 40 minutes.
Kentucky, shorthanded with both EJ Montgomery and Immanuel Quickley sidelined by injuries, answered Coach John Calipari’s call for more effort in rebounding. UK outrebounded Utah Valley 46-27.
But three-point shooting continued to be an early-season issue as UK missed 11 of its 12 shots from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Utah Valley made 11 of 31 three-point shots.
“You can’t have a team make 11 and you make one,” Calipari said. “How did we win the game?”
Calipari labeled UK’s 1-for-12 three-point shooting against Utah Valley (and 13-for-61 — 21.4% accuracy — through four games) as “our issue right now.”
Nate Sestina, who missed his three shots from beyond arc, suggested patience was the answer.
“It just happens,” he said. “A little funk for a couple guys. Once you see some shots go in, things change. Guys’ mindsets change. And the rim gets a little bigger.”
The result was another surprising possession-by-possession basketball drama. Unlike the Evansville game, it ended in victory.
The tension reached a zenith when the fourth of TJ Washington’s five second-half three-pointers reduced Kentucky’s lead to 68-67 with 3:24 left. He finished with 22 points.
Calipari said Washington’s shooting spree was the latest example of an opponent inspired by a game against a highly ranked Kentucky team, this time No. 9.
“When you have nothing to lose and you’re taking 30-footers,” Calipari said.
The UK coach second-guessed his decision in the second half to briefly play zone. During that time, Washington made his first three. The defender left Washington open.
“Now, do you understand why I hate zone?” Calipari said.
After UK missed two shots, Utah Valley had a chance to take the lead. But the aptly named Trey Woodbury missed an open three-pointer from the left corner.
Utah Valley did not score again for almost three minutes.
Nate Sestina’s three-point play off a pass from Ashton Hagans eased nerves. Hagans led all scorers with a career-high 26 points.
Then after Utah Valley missed another three-pointer, Nick Richards’ tip-in made it 73-67 with 55.3 seconds left. Richards finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds, which was his second double-double of the season and third of his career.
The victory, which improved UK’s record to 3-1, evoked memories of something Calipari said on Sunday. “Be grateful for bad stuff and grateful for what it does for you.”
Utah Valley, which has been picked to finish sixth in the Western Athletic Conference by media and league coaches, fell to 3-2.
Kentucky did not deliver an early knockout. The 35-27 halftime score matched UK’s largest lead in the opening 20 minutes.
With Calipari having emphasized offensive rebounding, he probably liked the putback by Sestina that put Kentucky ahead 20-17 with 6:58 left. It was one of nine offensive rebounds in the half for UK.
The second half began well for Kentucky. The Cats scored the first two baskets to expand the lead to 40-27. A Richards dunk was the first basket followed by Maxey’s drive to a three-point play. Utah Valley center Brandon Morley picked up his fourth foul on the drive, which came with 18:38 left.
Those baskets were part of a 17-4 Kentucky run that covered the final 3:37 of the first half and the first 3:42 of the second. It put UK ahead 44-28.
The lead was 52-38 when Washington gave the Cats a scare. He hit three three-pointers in 68 seconds, the third narrowing UK’s lead to 54-47 and prompting a timeout with 11:11 left.
The Wolverines twice closed within six, then twice got within four points of Kentucky.
When Hagans missed a three-pointer (making UK one of 11 from that range), Utah Valley converted at the other end with a fast-break layup that reduced Kentucky’s lead to 60-58.
By then, the crowd’s chants of Go Big Blue were an urgent call for a counter, not the typical celebration of being part of Kentucky basketball.
Of Kentucky’s winning, if not dominant, performance, Hagans said, “We have our ups and downs right now. But it’s going to get there. It’s a long season. We have plenty of games. We’re going to try to make the best of it.”
Next game
Mount St. Mary’s (Md.) at No. 9 Kentucky
7 p.m. Friday (SEC Network)
