Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s win over Missouri
Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s 71-59 win over Missouri on Saturday at Rupp Arena:
1. Ashton Hagans’ injury not bad as it could have been
The sophomore guard took a bad step in the second half and came up holding the back of his foot. The initial worry, said UK coach John Calipari, was Hagans had injured his Achillies tendon. Turned out that was not the case. Cal said Hagans has a low ankle sprain.
“As you know a high ankle sprain takes two weeks,” Calipari joked afterward, when of course the recovery time is much longer. “A low ankle sprain takes about 18 hours.”
It would be a shame if Hagans missed Tuesday night’s game at Georgia. Hagans is a Georgia native who put on a show against the Bulldogs last year, scoring a career-high 23 points in a Kentucky win.
Plus, Hagans is the straw that stirs UK’s drink. He didn’t make a shot and had five turnovers on Saturday against Mizzou, but Hagans also had seven assists and both Immanuel Quickley (23 points) and Nick Richards (21 points, 12 rebounds) gave credit to Hagans for setting up their games.
Hagans was also seven of eight at the foul line, as Kentucky went 27-for-30 from the stripe for 90 percent on the afternoon.
2. The Nick and Quick Show: Nick Richards and Immanuel Quickley
That’s what UK sports information director Tony Neely called the team’s stars when Neely announced various game notes to the media while we were waiting on first Missouri players, then Missouri Coach Cuonzo Martin and then Calipari to come out and answer questions.
Richards got most of the postgame love. After all, the junior center notched his sixth double-double of the season. Richards’ 17 first-half points helped the Cats take a 31-26 lead at halftime. Foul trouble, and a silly double technical foul with Missouri big man Jeremiah Tilmon, marred his second half, but Richards still finished with a 9-for-13 showing from the field.
“Why would you get in a back-and-forth with another player when you’re playing that well,” said Calipari afterward. “So he hasn’t come through all the way.”
As for Quickley, the sophomore followed his career-high 18 points against Louisville with another career-high on Saturday. Quickley was four of eight from three-point land a perfect nine of nine from the foul line. On the season, Quickley has made 46 of 48 free throws for 95.8 percent. That’s a record-setting pace. But we don’t want to jinx him.
3. A two-day flip before UK’s first true road game of the season
That’s true road game. Kentucky has played neutral site games against Michigan State (New York), Utah (Las Vegas) and Ohio State (Las Vegas) — Ohio State Coach Chris Holtmann referred to it as “somewhat neutral” after the Buckeyes’ win — but have yet to venture into the home building of the opponent. That changes Tuesday.
And Georgia is coming off a 65-62 win at No. 9 Memphis on Saturday. True, Memphis freshman star D.J. Jeffries did not play, and James Wiseman is long gone, the Tigers’ freshman star having signed with an agent during a suspension, but it’s an impressive win for Tom Crean’s Bulldogs nonetheless.
Georgia got 15 points and 12 rebounds from Rayshaun Hammonds. Heralded Dawg freshman Anthony Edwards added 13, though Edwards made just four of 17 shots. Georgia held Memphis to 36.1 percent shooting in improving to 10-3. Memphis did miss nine of 20 free throws.
“Like I said, going to Georgia, our hands are full,” Calipari said. “I haven’t seen much, but I know their coach. I know how good he is. I know how hard their team will play.”
This story was originally published January 4, 2020 at 6:24 PM.
