‘Now we have a 7-footer.’ Richards steps up big in UK’s win at Texas Tech.
After Kentucky defeated No. 18 Texas Tech in overtime Saturday night, John Calipari showed the gratitude he felt in the winning locker room.
“I kissed Nick on the forehead,” he said of big man Nick Richards. Then, the UK coach said he told several of Richards’ teammates that they also needed to show their appreciation.
No doubt the UK players got the point. Richards made two free throws with 10.3 seconds left to give the 15th-ranked Cats a 76-74 victory. That capped a 25-point game, which equaled his career high (against Fort Wayne on Nov. 22, 2017).
Richards also grabbed a season-high 14 rebounds in posting his eighth double-double of the season. His four blocks showed he did not forget his rim protection duties.
What would the game had looked like if Richards did not loom large?
“We have no chance of winning without Nick,” said Immanuel Quickley, who contributed 21 points as UK’s only other double-digit scorer. “Nick, what he did for us … not too many big men in the country are doing that.”
In an assessing a Kentucky team that improved to 15-4 (and 5-1 against teams in the NCAA Evaluation Tool’s top 50), Calipari saluted Ashton Hagans as a “killer” point guard. He noted the presence of shooters (seven of 15 on threes). But he singled out Richards as a difference-maker.
“Now we have a 7-footer,” Calipari said of Richards. “How many guys have 7-footers that can do what that kid does? Not many.”
That Richards led the way — with the help of sophomores Hagans and Quickley — seemed timed to send a message. It came one day after freshman Kahlil Whitney dropped a bombshell on social media by saying he was leaving. His AAU coach, Mike Irvin, said a lack of playing time led to Whitney’s decision.
Of course, Richards has blossomed in his third UK season. His first two seasons were marked by sometimes shockingly short cameo appearances (one minute of playing time against Auburn in the 2019 NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight) and a two-year scoring average of less than five points per game.
“Everybody has their own story,” Richards said when asked about the contrast between his patience and Whitney’s half-season college career. “Just because I go to a school known for one-and-done doesn’t mean I had to be a one-and-done.
“Over the last three years, I’ve had the best years of my life.”
A native of Jamaica, Richards got a relatively late start in basketball. He acknowledged that he needed time, maybe more time than a player who is the product of the U.S. youth basketball culture, to grow comfortable.
“I feel very comfortable,” he said. “I know my role on the team, right now. Even though I don’t take the most shots on the team, I still know my role. Rebound. Block shots. Get easy baskets when needed. Set good screens. I feel very comfortable.”
Kentucky won the hard way.
The Cats led 59-50 with less than seven minutes left. But with Davide Moretti making six of seven free throws, Texas Tech got the game into overtime.
It helped that Moretti, who ranked seventh nationally in free-throw accuracy (91.5 percent), missed one with 18.4 seconds left.
Then UK led 72-66 with barely three minutes left in overtime.
After UK stumbled (five straight scoreless possessions) and Texas Tech tied it at 74-74, Richards made the winning free throws. That capped 5-for-5 perfection in overtime with a partisan home crowd in a frenzy.
When asked what he’s thinking as he steps to the line in clutch situations again and again, Richards seemed puzzled by the question.
“What am I thinking?” he said. “I’m thinking, we need it.”
The game featured only two double-digit leads. UK led 48-38 and 50-40. Those leads lasted a total of 57 seconds.
If this possession-by-possession game had a pivotal moment, perhaps it came in the closing seconds of the first half.
UK scored five points in the final 5.6 seconds to take a 36-34 halftime lead. After a timeout with 18.3 seconds to go, Tyrese Maxey hit a turnaround floater.
Then after Tech carelessly threw away the inbounds pass, Quickley made a three-point heave from near mid-court.
Going into the game, Kentucky had a 13-1 record when leading at halftime. The Cats were 1-3 when trailing.
Quickley and Richards said the half-court shot was not an example of serendipity.
When Quickley was asked about the shot, Richards interjected an explanation.
“Every shootaround, every shootaround,” he said in indicating that Quickley practices such shots.
To which, Quickley concurred.
“Every shootaround we do half-court shots,” he said. “I guess that’s my practice for that.”
Next game
Vanderbilt at No. 15 Kentucky
6:30 p.m. Wednesday (SEC Network)
This story was originally published January 25, 2020 at 10:23 PM.
