Ulis leads Kentucky to OT victory over Texas A&M

A basketball axiom was on display in the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game Sunday. Star players must step up in order to win big games. It’s something to keep in mind entering college basketball’s grandest stage: the NCAA Tournament.

Tyler Ulis personified that belief in leading Kentucky to an 82-77 overtime victory over Texas A&M.

The battle of regular-season co-champions lived up to the hype. Neither team led by more than five points through the first 36 minutes. Or as A&M glue guy Alex Caruso said, the game was “overtime-worthy.”

Ulis willed Kentucky to the victory that avenged an overtime loss at A&M in February.

In a stretch of more than 10 minutes in the second half, Ulis had a hand in nine straight scores for Kentucky. He made five shots. He assisted on three other baskets. He hit two free throws.

On the defensive end during this time, Ulis made two steals and forced another turnover when he dropped down to double-team big man Tyler Davis in the low spot.

“He has no fear,” teammate Marcus Lee said. “He takes on all challenges, and that’s what you need in a leader. Someone that will lead you to the promised land.”

A three-pointer by Jamal Murray broke Ulis’ monopoly and gave Kentucky a 67-60 lead with 4:01 remaining.

A&M refused to lose without a fight. The Aggies’ stars, Danuel House and Jalen Jones, also answered the big-game challenge. They scored all but four of A&M’s points in the final 15-plus minutes.

House’s floater, heavily contested by Ulis, tied it at 67-67 with 18.7 seconds left.

Ulis — who else? — tried to win it for Kentucky. But his off-balanced shot from about 12 feet bounced off the rim. That sent UK and A&M into overtime for the fourth time in the last five meetings.

In overtime, Ulis had a hand in Kentucky taking the lead for good. His pass set up a Derek Willis three-pointer from the right wing that put the Cats ahead 78-75 with 1:01 left.

As UK Coach John Calipari explained, Ulis called the play for Willis “because they were just playing Tyler so tight.”

After House missed, Jamal Murray — another UK star for the big moments — swished another three-pointer from the left wing that meant victory.

Ulis, who played every minute of a game for the seventh time, scored a career-high 30 points.

“When I feel like we’re not getting anything going, I just try to get in a rhythm,” Ulis said. “With Jamal, they were fouling him, denying him. I just try to make things happen for us.”

House, who led A&M with a career-high 32 points, saluted Ulis.

“He’s a floor general,” House said. “He guides and leads his troops, and my hat goes off to him.”

When asked how a player who is only 5-foot-9 can have such a big impact, House smiled.

“Height doesn’t have anything to do with it,” he said. “He’s a little man. But he has a big heart.”

Kentucky, which won its 29th SEC Tournament championship (not counting the one vacated in 1988), improved to 26-8.

Texas A&M will also take a 26-8 record into the NCAA Tournament.

Neither team led by more than seven points in a competitive first half.

Kentucky got off to a good start. In what appeared to be a set play, the Cats scored the game’s first points (and maybe unleashed a heretofore unseen maneuver) when Skal Labissiere threw a lob that Murray dunked.

UK led by as many as four points three times early. But mounting fouls complicated the game.

Ulis, who had 11 first-half points, tied it at 28-28 with 5:26 left by hitting a three-pointer in transition.

But House and Jones, who scored 11 straight points in one stretch, kept A&M ahead. The pair combined for 19 points in the first half.

In plays that remind older UK fans of Bobby Joe Hill of Texas Western circa 1966 championship game, Ulis twice stole the ball from Caruso.

Ulis converted both times. His pull-up jumper put Kentucky ahead 46-45 with 15:19 left. It was UK’s first lead since 18-17.

Then Ulis rolled to a fast-break layup to make the margin three points. A&M called time with 14:54 left.

An Alex Poythress dunk off a lob from Ulis put Kentucky ahead 50-45 with 14:03 left. That was UK’s largest lead to that point.

But A&M scored the next eight points.

Ulis would not allow Kentucky to wilt. He fed Isaiah Briscoe for a layup. He hit a three-pointer as the shot clock expired. He hit a pull-up jumper. He passed to an open Willis in the left corner for a three-pointer.

All came in a five-minute stretch that gave Kentucky a 60-58 lead going into the final 7:32.

Calipari said Ulis’ fearlessness makes him well-suited for making clutch plays. It’s a familiar role for Ulis.

“It’s always been like that,” he said. “Except for last year. That’s a team that will never happen again.

“I’ve been in this position before. I just try to play my game.”

Although Calipari said UK’s postseason chances will rise or fall depending on how the “bigs” produce, Jones did not agree. A&M’s all-SEC player saw Ulis as Kentucky’s indispensable player.

“Without him,” Jones said, “they wouldn’t have many wins.”

This story was originally published March 13, 2016 at 3:24 PM with the headline "Ulis leads Kentucky to OT victory over Texas A&M."