The truth sets Kentucky free. ‘It was really important for us to get this win.’
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Game day: Kentucky beats Louisville in OT
Click here to read all of the Lexington Herald-Leader’s coverage from Saturday’s 78-70 University of Kentucky men’s basketball overtime victory over Louisville in Rupp Arena.
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We all know the annual Kentucky-Louisville basketball game is always a big game no matter the year or the place or the circumstances. But you needed only notice one subtle fashion detail to know just how big the Cats’ 78-70 overtime win over the Cards on Saturday was to the team in blue and white.
John Calipari wore a tie.
Yes, for the CBS cameras, for the gravity of the moment, or maybe just for a sartorial adjustment in search of a good luck charm, the Kentucky coach eschewed his usual open-collar look for some serious neckwear — we’re guessing Ellen approved — symbolizing the seriousness of the moment in what for his struggling Cats was Desperation Day.
“I don’t pay attention to that stuff,” Calipari said afterward.
We do. Oh, you bet we do. And against the No. 3-ranked team in the country, the dreaded in-state rival up the road, Saturday was a must-win game for the Wildcats and one that, what do you know, the Cats got.
Tyrese Maxey scored 27 points, Nick Richards contributed a double-double and, in a terrific game that had a little bit of everything from ex-Cat Isaac Humphries singing the national anthem to Bill Murray decked out in U of L gear — son Luke is a Cardinals’ assistant coach — to Calipari being called for a technical foul for being out of the coaching box, Kentucky went an extra five minutes to hand Louisville its sixth straight loss at Rupp Arena.
“It was really important for us to get this win,” admitted UK sophomore guard Immanuel Quickley afterward. “We had lost a couple of tough ones. For us to get this win psychologically was really good.”
Ah, finally, honesty. After all, after the twin-killing in Las Vegas, losses to first Utah and then Ohio State, dropped Kentucky to 8-3, the Cats were in dire need of a statement victory if for no other reason than their own confidence. Enter Chris Mack’s Cardinals, another former No. 1 team now No. 3 in the rankings, 11-1 on the season and proud owner of the ACC Preseason Player of the Year in Jordan Nwora.
Alas, Saturday was a nightmare for Nwora. He missed eight of his 10 shots, including five of six from three-point range. The junior who had scored 20-or-more points in eight games ended up with just eight points and a seat on the bench for a significant stretch of the second half. “He didn’t play well,” Mack said afterward. “Other guys were playing harder.”
Meanwhile, Kentucky played as hard if not harder than it had all year. UK’s defensive effort was exemplary, especially in the first half when it forced Louisville into a ghastly 1-of-11 from three-point range on the way to a 32-24 halftime lead.
And when Louisville rallied from a dozen points down for a 46-45 lead with 9:31 left and a 54-53 advantage with 3:28 remaining, Calipari’s club regathered itself and nearly won the game in regulation when Keion Brooks’ tip of a missed Maxey shot rolled in and then back out again.
“(Coach) said, ‘We’re absolutely fine, everybody relax,’” recounted Quickley. “That was exactly what he said.”
Quickley sank an off-balance three-pointer to put UK up 65-64. Next, the embattled Richards completed an old-fashioned three-point play to tie it at 68, followed by another inside bucket for a 70-68 lead, and two free throws to put the Cats ahead for good at 72-70.
His 13 points and 10 rebounds didn’t earn Richards’ Star of the Game. That honor went to Maxey, who hit nine of 14 shots and four of five three-pointers in easily his best performance since his spectacular splash in UK’s season-opening win over then-No. 1 Michigan State in the Champions Classic.
A lot had happened since then. A lot of it bad. Evansville. Utah. Ohio State. A home loss to Louisville would have no doubt doubled the doubt about this Kentucky team heading into the new year. And when Desperation Day was over, when UK had secured the must-win, even the head coach admitted the truth.
“This was a great win for us,” Calipari said.
Seriously.
This story was originally published December 28, 2019 at 8:44 PM.
