No. 10 Kentucky Hosts Southern on Tuesday
After more than a week off, Kentucky returns to the court on Tuesday, hosting Southern University at Rupp Arena.
Kentucky has used the time away from the court to get healthy from both injuries and illness. A number of Wildcats have been out due to one or the other over season’s first seven games.
UK head coach John Calipari has even shared in the illnesses.
“We are so beat up and sick, thank goodness we’re not playing,” Calipari said on Thursday. “I got the sniffles and I have a little, you know, nasal, chest. I worked out today, just trying to see if maybe that will make me feel better. But we’ve had one with mono, one with strep throat. Probably can’t give all of it, but you have guys (sick). Today’s practice will probably have seven players there and like two managers.”
Still, the Cats have posted a 6-1 record and will look for their seventh straight win against UK alum Sean Woods and his Southern team on Tuesday.
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| Kentucky vs. Southern | ||
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Tues., Dec. 7 – 7:00 p.m. ET |
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TV: SEC Network |
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| UK | Stats | SU |
| 6-1 | Record | 3-5 |
| 83.6 | PPG | 72.0 |
| 60.4 | Opp PPG | 73.5 |
| .483 | FG% | .436 |
| .388 | Opp FG% | .439 |
| 45.8 | RPG | 29.7 |
| .378 | 3PT FG% | .383 |
| .284 | Opp 3PT FG% | .337 |
| 16.2 | APG | 14.2 |
| 5.2 | SPG | 6.2 |
| 5.8 | BPG | 4.2 |
Calipari is looking for his team to finish games in a stronger fashion.
“What we have to get better at: how we finish a game,” Calipari said. “I took guys out the last game. ‘Oh, you’re going to mess around the last five, six minutes? Then you won’t be in.’ This is about us playing against ourselves.”
Calipari is also looking for another inside presence on his team.
“We need another post-up guy or two,” Calipari said. “So, we’ve got this week to find out, is there another action that we can use to get into something that can post? And it doesn’t have to be Oscar (Tshiebwe). Who’s another guy that we can post up? How about we need 3s? How can we do this?”
Southern enters Tuesday’s game with a 3-5 mark on the season. The Jaguars are led in scoring by wing Tyrone Lyons, who averages 14.3 points per game. Guard Brion Whitley comes off the bench to average 13.5 points per outing, while guard Jayden Saddler posts 10 points per contest.
Welcome Back, Sean Woods
The matchup with Southern will also be a reunion of sorts for Sean Woods, head coach of the Jaguars and former Kentucky player. A UK Athletics Hall of Famer, Woods is the program’s all-time leader in career assists per game (5.3) and was the program leader in career steals per game (1.582) at the conclusion of his career.
Woods led Kentucky in assists in his three seasons of action, but he particularly shined during the memorable 1991-92 season. After helping UK win the Southeastern Conference regular-season and tournament titles that season, he played a key part in UK’s run to the East Regional finals.
The 1992 All-Regional Team selection recorded 21 points, nine assists and scored the go-ahead basket with 2.1 seconds left vs. Duke in what many consider the greatest college basketball game of all time. The Blue Devils won in improbable fashion.
Woods was one of the “Unforgettables,” a group of four seniors who helped Kentucky navigate through a three-year postseason ban that culminated with the memorable 1992 run. He was the only non-Kentuckian among the four.
“It’s always nice to go back home and take your players to a place where you played at,” Woods said when the game was announced this summer. “I’ve always wanted my guys to have the same kind of experience I had as a student-athlete and what better place to take them than to one of the most historic places in college basketball, Rupp Arena. Looking forward to being competitive and having a chance to win too, but not only that to have a chance to play in front of family and friends and take my guys to a place where it all started for me.”
Woods has coached against his alma mater before in previous head coaching stops at Mississippi Valley State and Morehead State. Kentucky is 3-0 in those games.
Big First Half Leads Kentucky Past Central Michigan
One difference between this rout and others before it was the lightning pace No. 9/10 Kentucky played toward building it.
Oscar Tshiebwe had 20 points and 16 rebounds, TyTy Washington Jr. added 15 points and the Wildcats quickly overwhelmed Central Michigan for a 85-57 victory on Monday night.
The Wildcats (6-1) shot 52.6% in the first half before cooling off to finish 43% overall while dominating the rebuilding Chippewas (1-5) in most phases.
They led 25-5 within seven minutes and maintained at least a 25-point cushion for much of the contest. Kentucky’s six wins have been by an average margin of 28.3 points.
Considering the Wildcats played short-handed yet again because of injuries and illness, their latest lopsided win revealed more about their resolve.
“I feel like these games are good for us because we’re really working on our team chemistry, still just trying to find ways to play off of each other, find ways to get easier baskets,” Washington said. “Especially with teams like that, that came out playing hard and aggressive. That’s the type of stuff we need to face before we go more in depth into the season.”
Jermaine Jackson Jr. had 11 points, and Cameron Healy and Miroslav Stafl each added nine for Central Michigan, which dropped its third consecutive game. It spoiled the Lexington return of first-year Chippewas coach Tony Barbee, who took over the program in April after seven seasons as a Kentucky assistant.
“We came out a little nervous and I’m sure it had a lot to do with their pressure and how they played,” Barbee said. “Two things you can’t do against Kentucky is give them transition baskets and second-chance points on the offensive glass.”
At the same time, Barbee’s squad of 12 newcomers displayed some of what he learned with the Wildcats. While the Chippewas never got within striking distance, their zone helped hold Kentucky to 32% shooting after the break and finished 7 of 16 from long range.
“I’m telling Tony he did a great job of saying, ‘We’re not backing down,'” said Kentucky coach John Calipari, who improved to 18-1 against former assistants. “His team never stopped. They played physical. They’ll win their share.”
Tshiebwe was 6 of 8 from the field and 8 of 11 from the foul line in 26 minutes to key his sixth double-double this season. Washington was 6 of 11, including 3 of 5 from behind the arc, and chipped in six rebounds as Kentucky controlled the boards 47-30.
The Wildcats also won the paint 36-26 and committed just six turnovers while scoring 23 points off 15 Chippewas mistakes.
• The Wildcats, who entered the contest No. 1 in the nation in rebounding margin, continued their rebounding dominance with a plus-17 margin. UK has outrebounded all seven opponents this season and has a plus-19.4 average margin for the season
• Calipari improved to 18-1 all-time vs. his former assistant coaches, including 9-0 vs. Barbee
• Tshiebwe had his seventh straight double-figure rebounding game with 16. It marked the second time this season he’s scored at least 20 points and had at least 15 rebounds
• Washington has scored in double figures in each of UK’s six wins. He made three 3-pointers and has drained at least two in four of the last five games
• The Wildcats outscored the Chippewas 20-4 on fast break points. UK has outscored its last three opponents by a combined 61-7 in transition
