Injuries force UK to find a variety of ways to win. How will that look when LSU visits?
After beating No. 25 Alabama on Saturday without Sahvir Wheeler and TyTy Washington, Kentucky will be riding high going into Wednesday night’s game against LSU.
“It says we’ve got a really good, complete team,” associate coach Orlando Antigua said Tuesday of the 90-81 victory over Alabama. “And we’ve been able to build a mentality of (the) next man up.”
Wheeler and Washington have a combined assist-to-turnover ratio of better than two-to-one (452-218). Going into the LSU game, the rest of UK’s players have 180 assists and 203 turnovers.
Yet, UK had 13 assists and only seven turnovers against Alabama.
“I think it just shows the depth and resiliency of our team,” Keion Brooks said of Saturday’s victory. “We have a lot of guys who are prepared to step up when their time is called (and) when their name is called.”
On his radio show Monday night, UK Coach John Calipari said that Wheeler and Washington did not participate in that day’s practice.
Of the game against LSU, Calipari said, “We’re going to be shorthanded, I think.”
Antigua said he did not know if Wheeler and/or Washington would play against LSU.
Because LSU and Alabama have different styles of play, the challenge of playing while shorthanded remains, Antigua said.
Stats savant Ken Pomeroy ranks LSU as having the third-best defense in Division I. Coincidentally, he ranks Kentucky as having the third-best offense.
As of Tuesday, Alabama’s defense ranked No. 81.
LSU (19-8 overall and 7-7 in the Southeastern Conference), also ranks first among Division I teams in steals (11.3 per game) and sixth in opponents’ turnovers (18.22 per game).
“Very handsy,” Antigua said of LSU’s attempt to “mix up the game” by playing multiple defenses. “So, it’s going to be key for us to make sure we handle their pressure. . . . They throw a lot out there to get a team confused.”
Not for the first time this season, Calipari used the radio show to ask fans to come to the game. He acknowledge the 9 p.m. start by saying, “I would suggest having dinner downtown. We’re going to need fans because this is going to be a really, really hard game.”
Antigua saluted Kentucky’s ability to adapt and adjust. Against Alabama, UK did not rely as much on speed and transition offense. Despite only eight fast-break points, UK still made 53.2 percent of its shots.
“I think what’s impressive has been the different ways we’ve had to figure out how to win,” he said.
Rebounds
Oscar Tshiebwe has grabbed 411 rebounds this season. He needs seven more to have the most rebounds by a UK player since Bob Burrow had 459 in the 1954-55 season.
Since Burrow, the most rebounds grabbed by a UK player are 417 by Julius Randle in the 2013-14 season and 415 by Anthony Davis in 2011-12.
The UK record for rebounds in a season is 567 by Bill Spivey in 1950-51.
That record is within reach by Tshiebwe if Kentucky advances to the championship games of the SEC and NCAA tournaments. That would mean 13 remaining games in which he would break the record by averaging 12.1 rebounds.
Tshiebwe is averaging 15.2 rebounds. The UK record for rebound average in a season is 17.7 by Burrow in 1954-55.
Against Alabama on Saturday, Tshiebwe had his ninth straight double-double (21 points and 14 rebounds) and 21st of the season.
“It’s, like, ho-hum,” Antigua said. “It’s impressive.”
A better Oscar?
The news that Tshiebwe can profit from name, image, likeness opportunities created speculation that that made it more likely that he could play for UK again next season.
That raised the question of how he could improve.
While noting that coaches are never satisfied, Antigua cited ball handling, passing and extending shooting range as facets of the game Tshiebwe can improve.
Tshiebwe has made dramatic improvement this season as a low-post scorer. He’s gone from being indecisive due to mulling too many options to being assertive, Antigua said.
“I think we simplified a lot of things for him, and it really helped his game blossom.”
‘Confident kid’
Kellan Grady scored a season-high 25 points against Alabama on Saturday. That raised his career point total as a college player to 2,335.
When asked if that performance — which included equaling a career-high seven three-point baskets — could bolster Grady’s confidence, Antigua smiled.
“Kellan is such a confident kid,” Antigua said. “I don’t think he needed that kind of game to give him more confidence.
“But it was great to see because if anybody’s deserving, it’s Kellan. He works extremely hard. He’s such a positive kid, such a great piece of our team.”
Etc.
Karl Ravech and Jimmy Dykes will call the game for ESPN.
Wednesday
LSU at No. 6 Kentucky
When: 9 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1
Records: LSU 19-8 (7-7), Kentucky 22-5 (11-3)
Series: Kentucky leads 91-28.
Last meeting: LSU won 65-60 on Jan. 4, 2022, at Baton Rouge, La.
This story was originally published February 22, 2022 at 1:57 PM.
