Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s lopsided win against Kentucky State
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Game day: No. 16 Kentucky 99, Kentucky State 53
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Thursday night’s men’s exhibition basketball game between Kentucky and Kentucky State in Rupp Arena.
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Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s 99-53 romp over Kentucky State in an exhibition game Thursday night at Rupp Arena:
1. Let’s start the season already
After four games at GLOBL JAM 2023 in Canada, Big Blue Madness, the Blue-White Game and exhibitions against Georgetown College and Kentucky State, we’re more than ready to see this Kentucky team play a real game.
At least Georgetown College gave John Calipari’s young team a game for a half last Friday. Kentucky State was no match for Cats on Thursday. The Thorobreds were bashed 111-53 by Kentucky in an exhibition at Rupp last season. It was more of the same this time. UK led 50-20 at the half before outscoring the visitors 49-33 in the second half.
One problem with these exhibitions. Three problems, actually. No Ugonna Onyenso. No Aaron Bradshaw. No Zvonimir Ivisic. In fact, Ivisic wasn’t even at Rupp Arena. He was back on campus because of illness. Bradshaw and Onyenso again sat out as they continue to rehab from foot surgeries.
New Mexico State arrives Monday for the regular-season tipoff. And not a moment too soon. Have no idea as to the degree of difficulty New Mexico State will bring. Still, we’ll be able to tell more then.
2. Let’s talk about life beyond the arc
John Calipari told Tom Leach on his pregame show that he asked the KSU coaches not to use a zone defense. The Kentucky coach said he had not time yet to work on zone offense with his team.
Zone or no zone, the Cats ended up 10 of 25 from 3-point range for 40%. Calipari’s club made three of eight 3-point attempts in the first half before going 7 of 17 in the final 20 minutes.
UK opened the second half with a barrage of triples. Antonio Reeves nailed back-to-back 3-pointers at the 18:21 and 17:46 marks. Tre Mitchell hit a 3 from the top of the key at the 16:43 mark. He followed with with another 3 at 15:41. And another triple at 14:51.
“Mitchell is going to give people problems the way he can step out and hit that three,” Kentucky State coach Jamaal Jackson said.
“I thought Tre played with more of a motor tonight than he had been playing,” Calipari said.
Reeves ended up 4 of 6 from 3 on the way to a game-high 20 points. Mitchell was 3 of 5. D.J. Wagner was 2 of 6.
Kentucky was 8 of 22 from three against Georgetown.
3. Let’s talk about the changing times
Early in the first half, I tweeted that the days of UK fans packing Rupp Arena for an exhibition game are over. The crowd for the Georgetown College game last Friday was late arriving. Same for Thursday night. And there were plenty of empty seats.
I received several replies on X. Here are three:
This story was originally published November 2, 2023 at 9:36 PM.
