Five things you need to know from Kentucky’s 82-80 win over Auburn
Five things you need to know from the Kentucky Wildcats’ 82-80 win over the Auburn Tigers in an SEC college basketball game at Rupp Arena in downtown Lexington:
1. Kentucky finally closed out a close game — barely. UK entered its 2020-21 twilight zone — the game action that follows the final television timeout — with a 74-68 lead.
Of course, Kentucky came face-to-face with its late-game demons. On its first four possessions after that final TV stoppage, UK turned it over twice and had a bad shot blocked for what was a de facto turnover.
Led by JT Thor (24 points, 5-of-6 three-pointers), Auburn charged back and tied the game at 77 on an Allen Flanigan steal and layup with 46 seconds left.
Staring at another late-game collapse, the Cats refused to blink.
Davion Mintz — whose turnover led to Flanigan’s tying basket — drained a cold-blooded three-pointer from the right wing with 33 seconds left.
After Isaiah Jackson blocked a Sharife Cooper layup attempt with 25 seconds left, Kentucky made just enough free throws (two of four) to survive.
The Wildcats are now 3-5 in games decided by three points or less or in overtime.
2. Kentucky freshmen came up big. For much of this struggling season, UK’s 2020 recruiting class has not lived up to the past standard of play set by first-year players in the Wildcats’ one-and-done era.
On Saturday, the current Cats frosh met that standard.
In an energetic, all-around performance, big man Isaiah Jackson went for 18 points, 11 rebounds and two blocked shots — including the game-clincher.
Wing Brandon Boston had 17 points, 14 in the second half, and made five of eight three-point tries.
Point guard Devin Askew had nine points, five rebounds and four assists with only two turnovers. Defensively, he helped harry Auburn star Sharife Cooper into a 6-of-23 shooting performance with six turnovers.
It was nice to see UK’s frosh have a moment to shine.
3. UK’s best stretch of season. Down 36-30 after a shaky first half, Kentucky responded with its best stretch of basketball of the season in the first 8:29 of the second half.
Kentucky hit nine of 13 shots to start the second half, five of six three-pointers.
John Calipari said afterward that a big key to UK’s scalding start to the second half was playing inside out through the post.
Olivier Sarr, Kentucky’s 7-foot senior transfer from Wake Forest, assisted on UK’s first three buckets, one an Isaiah Jackson layup, followed by three-pointers from Brandon Boston and Davion Mintz.
It was a Sarr three-pointer that put UK ahead 42-41.
Sarr ignited a 30-11 charge to start half two that flipped the game’s momentum — and gave Kentucky (6-13, 5-7 SEC) just enough cushion to survive.
4. Cats slow Pearl’s roll. With its victory, Kentucky kept Bruce Pearl from claiming a winning record vs. UK as Auburn head man and stopped a stretch in which the Tigers had beaten the Wildcats three out of four, four out of seven and five out of nine.
Pearl is now 5-6 against Kentucky as Auburn coach; 8-13 in head-to-head matchups with Calipari at various schools; and 9-16 against UK overall.
After starting his Wildcats coaching career 8-0 vs. Auburn, Calipari is now 13-5.
5. Cats avert more negative history. By winning, Kentucky did not lose a fifth straight game for the first time in the Calipari coaching era (since 2009-10). Nor did the Wildcats loses a third straight contest in Rupp Arena for the first time in the history of the venue — which opened in 1976-77.
This story was originally published February 13, 2021 at 3:32 PM.
