Malachi Moreno posts historic performance in UK basketball’s time of need
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- UK basketball center Malachi Moreno had an impact performance against Mississippi State.
- Moreno, a freshman starter, had 17 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals.
- Moreno returned to UK’s starting group due to the absence of Jayden Quaintance.
When Kentucky basketball needed it most, the freshman star of this season’s team came through with a historic all-around performance.
Freshman center Malachi Moreno — a five-star high school recruit from just down the road in Georgetown — tallied 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals as UK got on the board in SEC play with a 92-68 home win over Mississippi State on Saturday night.
That final stat line from Moreno hasn’t come around too often in the annals of UK men’s hoops. Since the 1996-97 season, Moreno is just the third Kentucky player to meet that threshold of points, rebounds, assists and steals in one game.
The others? Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Rajon Rondo.
“It makes you feel good to be in a space with those two elite guards. But I’m nowhere compared to them,” said Moreno, who only had one turnover in 28 minutes on the floor. “They have big-time accomplishments that I can only dream of. It’s a really cool accomplishment to have, and it’s just another stepping stone for me.”
Moreno’s outing came during a particular time of need for the Wildcats. Not only was head coach Mark Pope’s team reeling following early SEC defeats at Alabama and to Missouri, but it was also shorthanded for Saturday’s matchup with the Bulldogs. Sophomore forward Jayden Quaintance was a surprise absence from the game, missing out due to swelling in his knee as he continues to round his way into playing shape after suffering a torn ACL last season.
This meant Moreno moved back into the starting lineup for the 10th time this season. And what followed was his best all-around effort to date against a quality opponent.
“We had some guys step up and calm us down,” Pope said, prefacing his praise for Moreno. “I thought Malachi Moreno had an unbelievable night. Like, just a really incredible night against an incredible, really physical frontline.”
In particular, Moreno’s ball distribution was noteworthy. The playmaking ability of UK’s big men has come into question recently, particularly after postgame comments by Alabama coach Nate Oats after the Crimson Tide’s home win over Kentucky on Jan. 3.
“They throw it in, like, these guys aren’t trying to pass. They’re trying to score the ball,” Oats said that day, after UK’s four big men (Mo Dioubate, Brandon Garrison, Moreno and Quaintance) combined for two assists in a 15-point loss.
This past week on his radio show, Pope rattled off the ways in which UK’s forwards and centers are integral to the team’s offensive flow. Pope spoke about cut assists, duck assists and seal assists, non-traditional statistics that are tracked by the Kentucky coaching staff and highly valued within Pope’s playing style.
“In those senses, our bigs are having a massive impact on making plays for teammates,” Pope said Jan. 5.
Against Mississippi State, Moreno’s effectiveness was plain for everybody to see. His 10 first-half points led all UK players at the break, as did his five first-half rebounds. His four steals directly led to six Kentucky points. Moreno’s six assists were also a career best at the college level.
“We milked him in the post more than we ever have this season,” Pope said. “He really responded. He handled the double team. He was pretty good in one-on-one situations. He handled the short roll. I thought he was elite and I thought he steadied us a little bit.”
Moreno’s teammates, who acutely understand the value of his distinct skills, also felt that calming presence.
“He really plays like an upperclassman, and he just understands the game at a high level,” said sophomore wing Kam Williams. “... We know that he can score one-on-one in the post, so having a lot of off-ball movement, kind of like distracting the outside, just allows him to go to work.”
It seems likely that Moreno will have plenty of chances in the near future to continue his work down low. It’s unclear what the timetable may be for Quaintance’s return, but his effectiveness has declined following a blockbuster UK debut last month against St. John’s.
Additionally, starting point guard Jaland Lowe reaggravated his right shoulder injury. His long-term outlook is also unknown.
This figures to provide an opportunity for Moreno to continue to display his evolving playmaking skills, which is something that drew him to Kentucky as a McDonald’s All-American recruit.
“That’s how (Pope) builds his offense. Just being able to put the ball in the (centers’) hands and letting them make plays,” Moreno said. “I think tonight my teammates just gave me the trust with the ball in my hands that I was able to make plays and find them.”
