‘I don’t have the answer.’ Kentucky’s poor shooting perplexes Calipari.
After Wednesday’s surprising 69-66 loss to Utah, John Calipari did not sound angry. Yet another instance of Kentucky being the gang that couldn’t shoot straight — this time making only two of 17 three-point shots — left him seemingly perplexed. He sounded unsure of how to address his team’s well-documented problem with making shots from outside the paint.
“I’m going to tell you, all good looks,” the UK coach said of his players rolling three-point snake eyes again and again. “Probably five of them were air balls. So, I don’t have the answer. I wish I did.”
UK’s three starting guards — Tyrese Maxey, Immanuel Quickley and Ashton Hagans — combined to make one of 12 shots from beyond the arc. That included two well-executed plays in the final 15 seconds that resulted in three-point misses by Maxey and Quickley.
Calipari has repeatedly said UK must make more three-point shots. He again said he’d like to see the Cats make five to seven shots from beyond the arc on a regular basis.
“I believe we have good shooters,” he said. “(It’s) just they may be timid right now. Literally pulling up and (the shots) not close to the rim. ‘What’s on your mind?’ So we’ve got to fix some of that.”
Kentucky came into the game ranked 344th in the nation in three-point baskets per game (4.4 per) and 296th in three-point shooting accuracy (29.4 percent). Those numbers slipped to 4.2 per game and 27.5.
When asked why UK’s three-point shooting remains problematic, Hagans was philosophical in his response.
“Open shots,” he said. “We’re just missing them. . . . Just got to keep getting back in the gym. Keep shooting the shots. ‘Quick’ missed some big shots. He’s one of our best shooters. Tyrese missed some big shots. He’s one of our best shooters. I missed some shots. It happens to the best of us.”
Kentucky (8-2) missed all seven of its three-point shots in the first half. Kahlil Whitney, who had not made a three-point shot since Nov. 22, made UK’s first with 17:54 left. The second — and last — came from Hagans with 10:06 left, and reduced Utah’s lead to 56-44.
Kentucky rallies
Despite the misfires, which contributed to UK trailing for 37 minutes and 42 seconds, the Cats rallied. A 10-point deficit with barely six minutes remaining became a 66-66 tie in the final minute.
Utah took the lead on Timmy Allen’s contested floater with 37.1 seconds left. After a blocking call on Utah was changed to a charge on Maxey upon review, a free throw by Rylan Jones with 15 seconds left gave the Utes a three-point lead.
Kentucky ran a well-executed play that resulted in an open three-point shot for Maxey. He missed to complete an 0-for-4 game from beyond the arc.
“That was what was drawn up in the huddle,” Hagans said of the play. “I saw his man back up. He had the shot. But, you know, it didn’t go down.”
When a scramble for the rebound resulted in possession for Kentucky, there was one more chance to send the game into overtime.
But Quickley missed an open three from the corner. Calipari voiced hope in how Quickley asked to take the shot.
“What I was happy about is he wanted it,” the UK coach said. “That’s the first step. You cannot be afraid to miss shots. You cannot be afraid to miss the game winner.”
“We wanted them to shoot threes’
Utah was not the first opponent that talked after a game about wanting Kentucky to take perimeter shots.
“It was kind of a big plan for us,” Allen said. “We wanted them to shoot threes, but not dare them too much.”
Utah Coach Larry Krystkowiak acknowledged this was part of the plan.
“Up to this point, I think it’s a fair statement to say their perimeter shooting is not one of their strengths . . . ,” he said. “Not dare them, but if you’re going to get beat, I think that’s the place to get beat against them. Try to keep them out of the paint.”
Conversely, both coaches spoke of Utah’s good shooting as a key. The Utes’ overall shooting percentage of 54.8 and accuracy from three-point distance (53.3 percent) were season highs for a UK opponent.
Calipari cited five instances when Utah either made a shot or got fouled shooting as the shot clock dwindled down to a final second or buzzed. With Utah clinging to a three-point lead inside the final three minutes, Riley Battin hit a three to put the Utes ahead 66-60. Earlier in the game, Allen just beat the shot clock.
“Those were kind of back breakers,” Calipari said.
Krystkowiak agreed.
“You don’t get easy threes against Kentucky unless you make the extra pass,” the Utah coach said. “And that was a focal point for us. . . .
“I thought the key to the game was making shots. We made big shots. We shared the ball late in the shot clock. And that took a little bit of the air out of their sails.”
Next game
No. 6 Kentucky vs. No. 5 Ohio State
What: CBS Sports Classic
When: 5:15 p.m. EST Saturday
Where: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
TV: CBS-27
This story was originally published December 19, 2019 at 6:57 AM.
