Kentucky point guards’ assignment: Disconnect Vanderbilt’s ‘engine’
Even with Kentucky on cruise control to a victory against Georgia on Saturday, the television timeout inside the final four minutes caused Kellan Grady to do a double take.
“I had no idea he had even 10 assists,” he said Monday in recalling the play of TyTy Washington. “I looked up (at a video board), there were 15 assists next to his name.
“But he just repeatedly makes the right play, the easy play.”
Washington, whom UK Coach John Calipari has called a “silent assassin,” quietly amassed a program-record 17 assists.
That impressed assistant coach — and former point guard — Jai Lucas.
“Seventeen assists in college is ridiculous,” said Lucas, who attributed the record-breaking performance to teammates making shots and the freshman’s willingness to pass.
Even though Washington’s seemingly effortless play can add a surprise element to his final statistics, his contributions in Kentucky’s next game figure to be easy to notice and appreciate. The same would apply to Sahvir Wheeler, the starting point guard who missed the Georgia game because of a neck injury sustained early in the game at LSU on Jan. 4. After the victory over Georgia, Calipari said Wheeler’s availability at Vanderbilt would depend on whether he participated in Monday’s practice.
The game at Vanderbilt puts a focus on point guard competition.
A media poll voted Vandy’s point guard, Scotty Pippen Jr., as the Southeastern Conference’s preseason player of the year.
“I’m thankful,” Pippen said in October when asked about the media vote. “But … the ultimate goal is to win this year.”
Counting 2021-22, Vandy has a 13-59 SEC record the last four seasons. That’s a winning percentage of .181.
Pippen put his name in the 2021 NBA Draft after ranking second among SEC players in points, assists and steals last season.
During an October appearance on the SEC Network, Vandy Coach Jerry Stackhouse said he and other staffers went to Pippen’s predraft workouts in Miami and Los Angeles “to let him know the importance of him to us.”
Pippen ultimately chose to play for Vandy again this season. “I kind of went back and forth with the whole concept,” he said of the decision to either remain in the draft or return to Vandy.
When asked how Pippen could improve, Stackhouse said, “Scotty is really a sponge. … He listens really well. He takes what we tell him and puts it in his play.”
Vandy, 9-5 overall and 1-1 in the SEC, had a highlight with a 75-74 victory at Arkansas. That snapped Arkansas’ 16-game home winning streak. Pippen drew 10 fouls in that game, but he also had seven turnovers.
After a 72-70 loss to South Carolina last weekend, Pippen has 1,097 points. That’s 42nd on Vandy’s career scoring list. Luke Kornet, whose roots can be traced to Lexington and include former Vandy big man Frank Kornet, is 41st with 1,135 points.
Grady noted that he competed against Pippen in each of the last two seasons when Davidson played Vandy. “He’s a good player,” Grady said.
Lucas called containing Pippen, who averages 18.3 points, a big challenge for Kentucky.
“He’s kind of the engine to their team,” Lucas said. “He’s not shooting the ball well numbers-wise (30.7 percent from three-point range). … But you know what he’s capable of. He’s a big part of the game plan.”
Although offense is the glamour side of basketball, defense has been stressed to UK’s point guards, Lucas said.
“One thing with Sahvir, Coach Cal has been on him ever since he’s been here,” the assistant coach said. “He had to be a disruptor on defense. And he’s done a great job of that.”
The UK coaches are encouraging Washington to put a greater priority on defense.
“He’s a freshman,” Lucas said with a knowing tone in his voice. “Defense is not the first thing on your mind when you’re a freshman.”
Lucas spoke of Kentucky having a fearsome foursome of capable guards. Besides Wheeler and Washington, that would include Davion Mintz (who had 19 points off the bench against Georgia) and Grady.
Calipari has recalled Grady playing point guard against UK as a freshman for Davidson. Grady pointed out that he has played the position as recently as last season and it was his original position.
“I’m capable and ready if that’s what I’m asked to do,” he said.
Lucas suggested backcourt performance is of make-or-break value perhaps not only at Vanderbilt but long term.
“If you want to be really good, especially late (in games) in this conference, you have to have good guards (and) multiple point guards,” he said. “We have that ability.”
Tuesday
No. 18 Kentucky at Vanderbilt
When: 7 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1
Records: Kentucky 12-3 (2-1 SEC), Vanderbilt 9-5 (1-1)
Series: Kentucky leads 151-47
Last meeting: Kentucky won 82-78 on Feb. 17, 2021, at Nashville
