UK big men make a statement vs. UAB. Can Cats count on that going forward?
Analysis from No. 9 Kentucky’s 69-58 win over UAB:
How the game was won
Kentucky post players Nick Richards and EJ Montgomery overpowered UAB and Ashton Hagans flirted with John Wall’s UK single-game assists record as the Wildcats won comfortably in Rupp Arena.
Who’s hot
1. Nick Richards. The 6-foot-11 product of Kingston, Jamaica, continued his early-season breakout with 16 points (on 7-for-7 shooting) and nine rebounds.
2. EJ Montgomery. This was the Montgomery (16 points, eight rebounds, two blocked shots) Kentucky needs to have realistic Final Four hopes.
3. Ashton Hagans. UK’s sophomore point guard seemed on pace to threaten John Wall’s UK single-game record of 16 assists for much of the game — but “settled” for 12 dimes to go with nine points.
4. Tyreek Scott-Grayson and Jalen Benjamin. The UAB starting backcourt — each had 19 points — acquitted itself well in Rupp.
Who’s not
1. UK freshmen swingmen. Kahlil Whitney (0-for-5 field goals) and Keion Brooks (2-for-5) did not have ample luck getting the ball into the basket.
2. Tavin Lovan. The former Franklin-Simpson High School star had only two points and two rebounds for UAB — but can someday tell his grandkids he scored against Kentucky in Rupp Arena.
3. UAB offensive rebounding. The Blazers entered the game as the second-best offensive rebounding team in the country. Kentucky limited the Blazers to eight offensive boards and won the overall rebounding battle 39-26.
Key number(s)
Fourteen. Kentucky’s win evened its all-time series record vs. UAB at 3-3. There are now 14 current Division schools with an all-time winning men’s hoops record vs. UK: Arizona (3-2), Connecticut (4-1), Evansville (1-0), Gardner-Webb (1-0), Georgetown (2-0), Louisiana (1-0), Memphis (1-0), Middle Tennessee State (1-0), North Carolina (24-16), Saint Louis (9-8), San Diego (1-0), Seton Hall (2-1), Southern California (3-0) and Texas at El Paso (nee Texas Western) (1-0).
The ‘Cats-mosphere’
1. Ex-Cat and Rupp Arena game host Ravi Moss led the crowd in singing “Happy Birthday” to Joe B. Hall, Ellen Calipari, Joel Justice and Nick Richards.
2. On the eve of his 91st birthday (Nov. 30), Joe B. was in Rupp Arena. A steady stream of well-wishers kept stopping by the front-row seat of the former UK coach — even during live game action.
Jack Givens, star of Hall’s 1978 NCAA championship team, sat in the aisle to talk to his coach for a good bit of the second half.
3. Bailey Tillery, a junior in the UK School of Music, sang a well-received rendition of the national anthem.
Up next
No. 9 Kentucky (6-1) will face Fairleigh Dickinson (1-5) on Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. in the first Saturday home game of the season. The SEC Network will telecast the contest. Coach Greg Herenda’s Knights will play Quinnipiac Dec. 3 before facing UK.
This story was originally published November 29, 2019 at 9:23 PM.
