‘TyTy was amazing.’ Washington breaks Wall’s UK assists record in win vs. Georgia.
In a relief role that figures to reverberate for a long time, freshman Ty Ty Washington did more than set a Kentucky record with 17 assists in leading the way to a 92-77 victory over Georgia on Saturday night.
He gained a nickname.
That the person inspired to give him a nickname was the player he filled in for so admirably made it seem all the more significant. That person was point guard Sahvir Wheeler. “The guy who stirs the drink for us,” Coach John Calipari had said a day earlier.
“After the game, he just started calling me ‘PG1,’” Washington said. Then as if speaking in Wheeler’s voice, he added, “I don’t need to come back. You’ve got it under control. You’re ‘PG1.’
“He was super excited for me.”
Kentucky’s depth charge included its other drink stirrer, too.
Oscar Tshiebwe, who earlier this season set a Rupp Arena record with 28 rebounds, found a new way to make his mark. He scored a career-high 29 points while also grabbing 17 rebounds.
Kentucky improved its records to 12-3 overall and 2-1 in the Southeastern Conference.
Georgia, which fell to 5-10, seemed a less imposing opponent to test UK’s adaptability. A media poll, plus preseason magazines like Athlon, Lindy’s and Blue Ribbon all picked the Bulldogs to finish last in the Southeastern Conference.
Wheeler sustained a neck injury when he ran blindly into a screen less than four minutes into UK’s game at LSU on Tuesday. His status for Saturday’s game was in doubt. Washington, also sidelined for part of the LSU game by cramps, sensed he might be called upon to be Kentucky’s point guard.
“I had a feeling he wasn’t going to play because there’s no need for him to rush back,” Washington said. “This team had good depth. So, if he goes down, the next man steps up. That’s what I feel I did.”
Washington broke the Kentucky record set by John Wall, the first in a long line of standout point guards who have played for Calipari-coached UK teams.
“It excites me,” Washington said. “It’s John Wall. I’ve watched him play. I’ve watched a bunch of his highlights at Kentucky.”
Washington said he was unaware of the possibility of breaking the record as the game entered its final minutes. A staffer tried to tell him during a timeout, he said.
“I was walking out of the huddle, so I didn’t even know what he was saying,” Washington said. “Once I got close … all my teammates were telling me, like, yo, you need two more to get the record.”
Calipari said he was unaware of the record. But if he had known, he said he might have tried to help a player set that kind of record.
“If it’s points, I’d probably take somebody out,” the UK coach said. “If you’re talking assists or rebounds, I don’t mind leaving a guy in.
“But the game will dictate. If you’re up 30, I’m not doing that … at the expense of the other coach and their program.”
Kentucky led 40-37 at the end of a competitive first half that saw 10 lead changes and neither team leading by more than six points. Tshiebwe had already clinched his 11th double-double. He had 12 points and 10 rebounds in the opening half. The lead among Division I players is 12 (Fardaws Aimaq of Utah Valley).
UK made eight of its first nine shots of the second half to twice assume its largest lead to that point: 57-45 with 15:27 left and then 60-48 at the 14:13 mark.
The possibility of a Georgia comeback faded when Davion Mintz hit a floater and then Tshiebwe rose for an offensive rebound on Mintz’s miss from three-point range and dunked before gravity brought him back to the floor. The crowd roared its approval.
Calipari said that Washington and Wheeler play the point guard position differently. On offense, Wheeler can be a one-man fast break rushing the ball up the court. Washington is more inclined to pass it ahead, the UK coach said.
Wheeler noted the difference on defense during halftime, Calipari said. “He stood and said, listen guys, our game is pressuring people and getting into their legs.”
Mintz, who played a bit of point guard in relief of Washington, saluted the freshman. Washington had only two turnovers in almost 37 minutes of play.
“TyTy was amazing,” Mintz said. “… It just made everything easy. …
“No one knew how many assists, the score. I didn’t know how many points I had. We were just playing. When we got in a rhythm like that where we’re just naturally hooping and not thinking. When we play like that, with that mentality, things that happened today happen. Guys get career highs.”
Washington and Wheeler usually play together. Each has point guard responsibilities, Calipari said.
When asked if Wheeler will play Tuesday at Vanderbilt, Calipari said, “if he practices Monday, he’ll be available for the game on Tuesday.”
Next game
No. 16 Kentucky at Vanderbilt
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday
TV: ESPN
This story was originally published January 8, 2022 at 10:35 PM.
