Immanuel Quickley’s still ‘steaming hot’ as Kentucky fends off Alabama
How hot is Immanuel Quickley these days?
“Steaming hot,” he said after Kentucky defeated Alabama 76-67 on Saturday. “If you touch me, you might burn.”
Quickley made five of six three-point shots against the Crimson Tide. That made him 12 of 17 from beyond the three-point arc in UK’s last three games.
“I have a lot of confidence right now,” Quickley said. “The ones I’m missing, I’m kind of shocked. My heart drops a little. ‘Dang, I didn’t make it.’”
Quickley’s latest sharpshooting keyed a startling reversal of form that further accentuates a college basketball season marked by surprise.
Alabama came into the game with the fourth-most prolific scoring offense in Division I basketball at 84.4 points per game. Fueling all that scoring was an average of 11.1 three-point baskets a game, which was the nation’s third highest. Alabama, 8-7 overall and 1-2 in the Southeastern Conference, matched the season-low of four three-point shots it made against Rhode Island Nov. 15.
“We needed to shoot it a lot better than four of 21 from three if we want to have a chance in this game,” Alabama’s first-year coach, Nate Oats, said.
Meanwhile, Kentucky, which ranked No. 344 in threes per game (4.7), made nine of 15 from long range. The nine threes were one shy of a season-high (10 against Lamar). And the 60-percent shooting was Kentucky’s best accuracy this season, and its three-point shooting since making 12 of 18 (66.7 percent) against Alabama in the 2018 SEC Tournament.
A three-pointer — what else this day? — eased UK to its 12th victory in 15 games. Nursing a 71-67 lead, UK (12-3, 3-0 SEC) called timeout with 1:01 left. On the ensuing play, Quickley inbounded the ball, took a return pass from Nick Richards and swished a three-pointer.
Calipari second-guessed the decision to halt play to make sure UK got a shot from Quickley.
“‘I ice you, I ice you,’” he said he thought of how the timeout might impact Quickley. “‘And you’re my guy.’ And he still makes it.”
Quickley, who led UK with 19 points, said the timeout had no impact on his shooting. He read his defender, he said, and faded to the corner for the shot.
EJ Montgomery said Quickley is “super hot” at this time. “He’s knocking down all the shots,” he said, “and he’s just loving it.”
Quickley held out UK’s best perimeter shooter last year, Tyler Herro, as a role model. He said he regularly goes to the managers’ dressing room to watch 35 minutes or so of video of Herro.
“Because I’m kind of put in those same positions,” Quickley said. “Pull-ups and stuff like that. Just trying to take those things and implement them in my game and make it easier.”
The first half began the role reversal between Kentucky and Alabama.
Alabama made only three three-pointers and left the court needing a big second half to end up scoring 90 or more points in a sixth straight game.
Kentucky’s 45-36 halftime lead marked the second-highest scoring first half of the season for UK. The Cats led Eastern Kentucky 46-25 at halftime.
Alabama made only three of 13 three-point shots in the first half. Alabama missed its first six three-point shots and didn’t connect from three until Jaylen Forbes (who came into the game four for 20 from three) hit from the left corner with 8:52 left.
Kentucky took the lead for good with 13:10 left in the half when Ashton Hagans made two free throws.
The first-half lead reached its zenith when Nick Richards made a free throw to put UK ahead 45-32 with 29.9 seconds left.
John Petty Jr. hit a high-arcing three from the top of key with 10.2 seconds left to set the halftime score.
Kentucky expanded its lead to as much as 52-37 with Quickley hit a three-pointer with 17:09 left. That made UK six of eight from three.
Although Alabama kept missing its threes, the Tide kept competing. A fast-break layup by Kira Lewis Jr. reduced Kentucky’s lead to 55-48 with 12:21 left.
Kentucky went more than four minutes without a basket. That helped Alabama close within 59-54 heading into the final 7:32.
Alabama got as close as 63-60 with 5:02 left.
Then, continuing the role reversal, Kentucky eased tension with a three-pointer by Quickley from the corner. It was a preview of his clutch shot inside the final minute.
Calipari likened Quickley’s work ethic to Herro’s and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, two players who gained a reputation for spending extra time in the practice gym, and two players Quickley sees as role models.
“I want to be able to do the same things,” he said, “and maybe one day be in their positions.”
Next game
No. 14 Kentucky at South Carolina
6:30 p.m. Wednesday (SEC Network)
This story was originally published January 11, 2020 at 4:55 PM.
