Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s Champions Classic loss to Michigan State
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Game day: Michigan State 86, No. 4 Kentucky 77 (2OT)
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Tuesday night’s men’s basketball game between Kentucky and Michigan State in Indianapolis.
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Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s 86-77 double-overtime loss to Michigan State in the Champions Classic on Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse:
1. Same site, same result for the Cats
Back in March, in the first round of last season’s NCAA Tournament, No. 2 seed Kentucky lost to No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s 85-79 in overtime at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
This season, in the Champions Classic in mid-November, No. 4-ranked Kentucky lost to unranked Michigan State 86-77 in double overtime at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
In March, the Cats were 4-for-15 from three-point range for 26.7 percent. On Tuesday, the Cats were 7-for-25 from three-point range for 28.0 percent.
In March, the Cats were 23-for-35 from the foul line for 65.7 percent. On Tuesday, the Cats were 16-for-24 from the foul line for 66.7 percent.
In March, Kentucky suffered late-game breakdowns that helped the Peacocks overcome a deficit to defeat the Cats in the first overtime. On Tuesday, Kentucky suffered late-game breakdowns that helped the Spartans overcome a defeat the Cats in the second overtime.
There’s one big difference between the two losses, of course. Back in March, that Kentucky team was playing in its 34th and last game of the season. Tuesday was just the Cats’ third game of the season and first with a full complement of players, including reigning national player of the year Oscar Tshiebwe and sophomore forward Daimion Collins.
Still, it was almost eerie the similarities between UK’s last game in Indianapolis and Tuesday night’s game in Indianapolis. Especially the late-game breakdowns.
UK led Michigan State 62-60 with 15.4 seconds left only to see the Spartans’ Malik Hall break wide-open off an in-bounds play under the State basket to score with 3.7 seconds left to send the game into the first overtime.
In that first OT, Kentucky jumped to a 67-64 lead and 71-69 with 7.6 seconds left only to allow a wide-open Hall drive to the basket for a jam with 1.4 seconds left that sent the game into a second overtime.
And that second overtime came without the services of Tshiebwe, who fouled out with 32.8 seconds left in the first extra period after scoring 22 points and grabbing 18 rebounds in his first game back from knee surgery. (More on that later.) And without Oscar in the middle, Tom Izzo’s team hurt the Cats time and time again with lobs to center Mady Sissoko to pull away for the win.
“We got discombobulated,” said Calipari, who added that because of this early point in the season and with the various injuries and absences, his team had not been able to practice those late-game situations.
Still, said Calipari, “We’re just not ready to play against a team that is ready to finish out games. And that’s on me.”
2. Kentucky did not look like a better shooting team
While this was just the third game of Kentucky’s 2022-23 season, it was the first against a quality, tough, hard-nosed opponent that as a program is traditionally known for its defense.
And after making 22 of 43 three-point shots in wins over Howard and Duquesne at Rupp Arena, the Cats struggled from beyond the arc against the Spartans, missing 18 of 25 three-point attempts. Overall, Kentucky shot 38.6 percent to Michigan State’s 40.6 percent.
In the first two games as a Wildcat, Antonio Reeves had made 10 of 18 three-point shots on the way to 40 points. Against Michigan State, the Illinois State transfer was 1 of 7 from the floor, including 1 of 3 from downtown on the way to just five points in 22 minutes.
In his first two games as a Wildcat, CJ Fredrick was 6 of 12 from three-point land on the way to 34 points. Against Michigan State, Fredrick was 2 of 7 from the floor, including 1 of 6 from three on the way to five points in 32 minutes.
Combined, Kentucky’s best shooters were 3-for-14 overall, including 2-for-9 from three-point range.
“There were shots our guys did not take, there were shots we didn’t take,” Calipari said afterward. “I told them, ‘Look you got to shoot e’m, you’ve got to make that play and if you don’t we’ll rebound your miss.’”
This might indeed be a better perimeter shooting team than Calipari has enjoyed the past few years, but it will have to prove that against good teams.
3. There were positives, especially from Oscar
As previously mentioned, Tshiebwe produced a double-double in his first game back from offseason knee surgery. Oscar looked very much like the old Oscar, snatching rebounds and muscling his way to points underneath the basket. He was 9-for-17 from the floor and six of his 18 boards came on the offensive end.
With the game tied at 58, UK’s Jacob Toppin made the first of two free throws, but missed the second. There was Tshiebwe to grab the rebound and score to put the Cats up 61-59 with 2:17 left. It was vintage Oscar.
And, as Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said afterward, “Oscar is not Oscar yet.”
Cason Wallace was another bright spot. The freshman guard tied a UK single-game record for steals with eight. He finished up with 14 points, five rebounds and five assists to go along with those eight steals in his team-high 44 minutes.
Sahvir Wheeler also had his moments, finishing with 16 points and eight assists in 40 minutes. Wheeler was 6-for-15 from the floor, but made two of his six three-point attempts. A negative: Wheeler was just 2 of 4 at the foul line, including a miss in the first overtime as UK was 4 of 6 from the stripe in the game’s first set of five extra minutes.
Afterward, Michigan State’s Izzo had a message for Kentucky fans: “Don’t jump off the ship. ... I really do love Kentucky’s team.”
Said Calipari, “I’m glad we played in this game. We learned a lot about our team.”
This story was originally published November 16, 2022 at 12:06 AM.
