‘Good and bad.’ Collin Chandler’s first UK basketball start was a mixed bag
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- Kentucky sophomore guard Collin Chandler started in UK’s exhibition loss to Georgetown.
- Chandler led UK in minutes played with 28 and scored 11 points in the defeat.
- Last season, Chandler came off the bench to appear in 30 games for the Wildcats.
Another Kentucky basketball player with expectations for a breakout season was given a major playing opportunity Thursday night.
But the results weren’t straightforward.
UK basketball’s surprising home exhibition loss to Georgetown University featured a first Kentucky start for sophomore Collin Chandler.
After fellow sophomore Trent Noah cracked Kentucky’s starting lineup for last week’s exhibition win over preseason No. 1 Purdue, the same starting chance went to Chandler, a second-year guard who appeared in 30 games off the bench for the Wildcats last season.
UK was down its top two options at point guard against the Hoyas. Expected starter Jaland Lowe is nursing a right shoulder injury, and senior transfer Denzel Aberdeen is dealing with a recent leg injury. So Chandler slotted into the Kentucky starting five and took over the “1” spot for Mark Pope’s team.
How’d that go?
In a team-high 28 minutes, Chandler scored 11 points on 2-for-9 shooting from the field. (Those 11 points would have matched a career best for Chandler, had this been a regular season game).
He made just one of his six 3-point attempts. He knocked down six of his eight tries from the free-throw line. Chandler matched the game high in both assists (three) and rebounds (seven). He also had five turnovers, the most of any player in the game.
It was a performance full of ups and downs. Postgame, Pope admitted as much while speaking through a hoarse voice.
“I thought Collin was exactly what you’d expect,” Pope said. “I thought he battled. I thought he competed. I thought he made some mistakes.”
To be clear, Chandler’s play in a losing effort against Georgetown included signs of progress for the 21-year-old, who finished his freshman year averaging just 10.4 minutes per contest.
He showed glimpses of ballhandling ability and hustled to loose balls. He also showed his backcourt versatility by shifting over to shooting guard when freshman Jasper Johnson entered the game: Johnson finished with seven points as part of a 3-for-10 shooting night.
Pope also cited Chandler’s plus-minus statistic, a negative-7 on a night when UK lost by 14 points, as a promising indicator.
“He has a positive impact on the court,” Pope said. “He’s going to get way better. This was a first time (starting) for him. I think he’s going to be an outstanding player.”
But there was also plenty to critique. Georgetown guards drove by Chandler off the dribble, a contributing factor as the Hoyas shot 65% (26 for 40) on shots inside the 3-point arc and piled up 38 points in the paint. Chandler was out-muscled on defense occasionally, and was also guilty of over-anticipating and overpursuing the ball. He finished with four fouls.
And in keeping with the exhibition nature of the contest, there were moments to learn from for Chandler. He was whistled for stepping on the out-of-bounds sideline before taking, and making, a 3-pointer in the second half and later had another shot blocked from a similar spot on the floor.
Chandler’s most likely role on this Kentucky team is not as a starter. But it is as a contributor, and likely a significant one. His ability to make the most of his minutes will be a major factor in what the Wildcats’ season becomes.
“Collin was exactly what you saw tonight,” Pope said. “Both good and bad. He’s going to be a terrific player.”
Collin Chandler makes first UK basketball start as Wildcats deal with injuries
Chandler wasn’t among the three UK players designated for postgame interviews.
Otega Oweh was one of the picks, though. The preseason SEC Player of the Year is one of four returnees on Pope’s second UK team, with Chandler also part of that group.
Oweh — who led UK in scoring with 17 points against Georgetown — knew what it meant for Chandler to get his first start at the college level.
“I’m happy Collin got the start... He was the point guard. He had to run the whole show,” Oweh said. “I thought he did a good job.”
Oweh also acknowledged the Wildcats’ current volatility at point guard.
Lowe injured his right shoulder two weeks ago during Kentucky’s annual Blue-White Game. During UK’s practice Wednesday afternoon, which was open to media members, Aberdeen injured his leg.
“Denzel, he brings that calm poise to our team,” Oweh said. “I feel like we kind of missed that a little bit (against Georgetown). (Aberdeen) is our backup point guard. He gets a lot of reps at the point guard position. Obviously when you have our starting point guard and our backup (out), it’s a tough blow. But we preach that next-man-up mentality, and Collin had that today. He did a good job.”
Pope is hoping that both Aberdeen and Lowe will be back in action in the next week or so. Kentucky’s regular season opener is just days away, with Nicholls of the Southland Conference coming to Rupp Arena on Tuesday night. Valparaiso is in town next Friday night. Then, UK’s first major test of the season arrives with a trip to Louisville on Nov. 11.
That matchup with Pat Kelsey’s Cardinals is less than two weeks away, and UK is navigating a point guard situation that’s very much in flux.
“It’s a challenge, but that’s what basketball is. It’s going to throw you a bunch of challenges,” said Oweh, who was playing on a minutes restriction against Georgetown as he returns from an offseason turf toe injury.
“We would hope to be healthy the whole year, but it’s going to throw you some ups and downs and some curveballs. We just have to make do with what we have. I feel like we practice every day with different ballhandlers, so it shouldn’t really be a surprise in the games.”
