Indianapolis brings out the unexpected again as Kansas edges Kentucky
There’s something about Kentucky basketball and Indianapolis that brings out did-that-just-happen disbelief.
UK’s last two regular-season games there saw a 72-40 victory over Kansas on Nov. 18, 2014. It was the most lopsided loss in Bill Self’s coaching career with the Jayhawks.
Four years later, UK opened the 2018-19 season with a 118-84 loss to Duke. That was the most lopsided loss in John Calipari’s coaching career.
On Tuesday, Kentucky twice led Kansas by as much as 13 points in the first half. In Calipari’s time as coach, UK had a record of 282-8 in games it led at some point by a double-digit margin.
Kansas followed Richmond’s example on Sunday by outplaying Kentucky in the second half. Helped by UK’s second straight poor shooting from three-point range, Kansas came back and won 65-62.
UK(1-2) made only three of 21 three-point shots. The final miss — by Davion Mintz with seconds remaining — set the final score. Mintz’s three-pointer with 12.4 seconds left had brought Kentucky within 63-62 with 12.4 seconds left.
Ochai Agbaji made two free throws with 10.2 seconds to go to put Kansas ahead by three. Jalen Wilson led Kansas with a game-high 23 points.
The loss came despite a glittering performance by UK freshman Isaiah Jackson. He scored seven points but also grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked eight shots. The blcoks tied for the sixth-most in Kentucky basketball history.
Brandon Boston and Mintz led UK with 12 points each.
Kentucky rode defense to a 35-29 halftime lead. Kansas made only four of its first 24 shots.
Offensive woes hurt Kentucky down the stretch of the first half. UK had no baskets in the final 4:19. In that time, Kansas went on a mini 9-3 run.
Both teams struggled offensively early. They combined to make only three of their first 16 shots.
Kentucky missed its first six three-point attempts. That made 17 straight misses counting the 0-for-10 shooting against Richmond. Dontaie Allen broke the ice when he made a corner three (set up by Lance Ware’s pass out of the post) with 6:12 left in the half. That gave UK its first 13-point lead, 26-13.
Kentucky also matched in the first half the five assists it totaled against Richmond.
Kansas averaged 92 points in its first two games: a victory over St. Joseph’s and a loss to No. 1 Gonzaga. The Jayhawks did not reach double figures against Kentucky until big man David McCormack posted up for a score with 7:22 left in the half.
Leading scorer Christian Braun (19.0 points per game) was scoreless until a basket with 4:36 left in the first half.
UK’s leading scorer in the first half was Jackson, who nearly matched his average going into the game (7.5 points) with seven points. He also grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked four shots in the opening half.
Kentucky did not KO Kansas in the early minutes of the second half. With UK making only one of its first 11 three-point shots, the Jayhawks got within 38-33 at the first television timeout.
After a basket 30 seconds into the second half, Kentucky did not score again until Boston’s driving shot with 12:01 left.
Boston’s basket put UK ahead 40-39. It erased a 39-38 Kansas lead. Braun’s two free throws with 12:46 left had given the Jayhawks their first lead since the 16:15 mark of the first half.
Maybe more telling, Olivier Sarr picked up his fourth foul on the play.
Neither team took charge down the stretch, which led to a second straight possession-by-possession test for the Cats.
This story was originally published December 2, 2020 at 12:19 AM.
