Ten Kentucky basketball notes as the Cats try to shake off that loss at Tennessee
Ten Kentucky basketball notes after the Wildcats lost 76-63 at Tennessee on Tuesday and prepare for the visiting Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday:
1. After shooting 67.9 percent in that 28-point spanking of the Vols in Lexington, Kentucky shot just 34.3 percent in Knoxville on Tuesday. That was UK’s lowest field goal percentage since shooting 31.8 percent at Tennessee on March 2, 2019. The Vols won that game 71-52.
2. Kentucky is 2-3 this season when shooting less than 40 percent from the floor. UK won at Texas A&M despite shooting 36.2 percent. It beat Vandy at home despite shooting 38.6 percent. It lost to Duke in the Champions Classic when it shot 37.7 percent. It shot 36.2 percent in the loss at LSU and 34.3 percent in the loss at Tennessee.
3. Kentucky’s struggles on Rocky Top dropped the Cats from fourth to sixth nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to Ken Pomeroy’s numbers.
4. Tennessee averaged 1.136 points per possession, the highest PPP against UK since Auburn’s 1.254 on Jan. 22. UK averaged 0.905 points per possession, just the sixth time the Cats have averaged less than 1.0 per game. The other five — 0.955 vs Duke; 0.998 at Notre Dame; 0.839 at LSU; 0.885 at Texas A&M and 0.892 at Alabama.
5. Since Kentucky’s loss at Auburn on Jan. 22, Oscar Tshiebwe has averaged 16.25 points and 16.25 rebounds per game. Heading into Wednesday night’s play, Tshiebwe led the nation in rebounding at 15.3 per game. Utah Valley’s Fardaws Aimaq was second at 13.1, followed by North Carolina’s Armando Bacot at 12.2.
6. UK’s Keion Brooks scored eight points at Tennessee. After scoring in double figures five straight games, the junior forward has scored just 10 points over his last two games.
7. After missing the Florida game with an ankle injury, Jacob Toppin scored 11 points and grabbed six rebounds in 20 minutes in Knoxville. That’s his most time on the court since he played 23 minutes at Texas A&M on Jan. 19.
8. Kellan Grady is 8-of-23 from three-point range over his last three games for 34.8 percent. On the season, the Davidson transfer is shooting 43.4 percent from three-point range. He had scored in double figures for seven straight games before managing just six points Tuesday.
9. If TyTy Washington cannot play against Alabama, Davion Mintz has scored in double figures each of the last three games. Mintz is 8-of-18 from three-point range over that span.
10. Sahvir Wheeler’s five assists were his fewest since he was credited with four assists in the loss at Auburn.
This story was originally published February 17, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
