Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s win over UAB
Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s 69-58 win over UAB on Friday night at Rupp Arena:
1. Well hello, EJ Montgomery
After withdrawing his name from the NBA Draft last spring, Montgomery’s sophomore season got off to a rocky start. The 6-foot-10 forward stepped on the foot of a Michigan State player in the second half of UK’s 69-62 win in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden and sprained an ankle in the season opener. That caused him to miss UK’s next two games, including the shocking home loss to Evansville.
He returned last Friday against Mount St. Mary’s, scoring seven points and grabbing six rebounds in the Wildcats’ win. He followed that with seven points and four boards in the Cats’ victory over Lamar on Monday night.
With Nate Sestina out of the lineup thanks to a fractured left wrist, Montgomery got the start against the visiting Blazers. And he took advantage. Montgomery scored a career-high 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds. He was much more aggressive, taking 13 shots and hitting seven. On the defensive end, he blocked two shots.
Combined with fellow starter Nick Richards, the 6-11 junior, Montgomery gave the Cats more length and rim presence than they had enjoyed previously. If Montgomery can string together games like the one he produced Friday, this can be a much, much better team.
2. UK kept UAB off the boards
Coach Robert Ehsan’s Blazers entered Rupp Arena as the second-best offensive rebounding team in the nation. UAB was rebounding 42.1 of its offensive misses. Only Illinois was better at 46.6. “We’re one of the better rebounding teams in the nation,” Ehsan said after the game.
But not against Kentucky. UK outrebounded the Blazers 39-28 overall. Kentucky had 11 offensive boards, compared to eight for UAB. The Cats ORP was not great at 28.6. But UAB’s ORP was just 20.0, well over 20 points below their average.
Richards led Kentucky in rebounding with nine. Seven of those came on the defensive end. Of Montgomery’s eight boards, six came on the defensive end. And Calipari complimented freshman Johnny Juzang, who grabbed a pair of offensive rebounds.
3. Calipari goes to bat for Ashton Hagans
The UK point guard tied his career high with 12 assists. He also scored nine points and made two steals. The Georgia native was also one of three from three-point land. After an 0-for-9 start from behind the line, Hagans has now made four of his last seven three-point attempts.
All that, as well as Hagan’s exemplary defense, caused Calipari to not just sing Hagans’ praises in the postgame press conference, the UK coach asked if there is a better point guard in the country. Cal claimed if there is one, he hasn’t seen him. Its was an obvious call for more people to pay attention to Hagans’ game.
“You can say there are better point guards in the country, but you’ve got to tell me who you’re talking about,” Calipari said. “Because when you defend the way he defends and you’re tough as he is. He went 12 assists, two turnovers.”
Not that Hagans’ game is perfect right now.
“He just needs to be a little more disciplined in what he’s doing,” Calipari said before adding, “I need to know who is better than him. Like, I don’t see it. I mean, OK, this kid and that kid and that kid. Well, let me tell you, you win games with guys like him. You do.”
This story was originally published November 29, 2019 at 10:36 PM.
