LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Perry Stevenson is just a freshman, but his Kentucky teammates can already tell it’s been a while since the Wildcats had this kind of a threat.
Stevenson had 11 points – one of four Kentucky players in double figures, but it was his nine rebounds and five blocks that opened eyes Monday in the No. 22 Wildcats’ 81-50 exhibition victory over South Carolina Upstate.
Center Randolph Morris said Stevenson reminds him of Tyrus Thomas, who helped lead Louisiana State to the Final Four last year.
“It’s a great feeling to have that kind of second line of defense behind you,” Morris said.
Joe Crawford had 17 points to lead Kentucky, but was only 5-of-15 from the field in the team’s second and final exhibition tuneup.
Once again, it was the freshmen – Stevenson and guard Jodie Meeks – who provided the spark.
Shortly after entering the game early in the first half, Meeks scored on two fastbreak layups just seconds apart. He was fouled on the second, connecting on the free throw. He had 13 points.
Tubby Smith’s team got a 3-pointer from new point guard Ramel Bradley 30 seconds in and never looked back. Bradley also provided Kentucky’s sole low point, fouling out late in the game.
“I could have slowed down a couple times, but coach Smith wasn’t too upset,” Bradley said.
More problematic for Smith was Kentucky’s shaky defense, aside from Stevenson.
“They missed a lot of open shots,” he said of the Spartans. “We’ve got to be better defensively.”
While building their first-half lead, the Wildcats proved on back-to-back possessions they can be dangerous both inside and out.
First, Morris slammed a one-handed dunk to cap a three-on-one break for two of his 13 points. Next time down, the Spartans closely defended the lane, leaving Crawford wide-open on the baseline to swish one of his three 3-pointers.
For South Carolina Upstate, a school with 4,500 students in Spartansburg, S.C., four starters return from last year’s team that made the Division II NCAA tournament. Rhett Hardin led the way with 14 points, all of them in the second half.
“It’s an unbelievable atmosphere,” Spartans guard Jay Free said of Rupp Arena. “It’s not every day you get to play in a place like this. This is something that you will never forget.”
The game at Rupp marked the collegiate debut of South Carolina Upstate’s Nick Schneiders, a 7-foot-2, 250-pound center from Germany. He had no points and three rebounds, missing two free throws in the final minute.
Kentucky opens the regular season Nov. 15 against Miami (Ohio).
