Kentucky Hoping to Bounce Back, Facing North Carolina in Las Vegas
The last seven days have been an adventure for the Kentucky men’s basketball team. First, the Cats lost at Notre Dame on Saturday in a game that came down to the wire. UK hit just two of 19 from behind the arc and fell 66-62 in South Bend.
The Cats returned home to face finals week and also participated in a telethon to raise money for the victims of tornado damage in western Kentucky.
It seemed that Kentucky had navigated a difficult week and was ready to get back to a normal routine – playing and practicing basketball. But in this week of craziness, even the basketball portion of their lives was turned upside down.
Kentucky was scheduled to face Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic in Las Vegas on Saturday. But word came on Thursday that the Buckeyes had issues with COVID-19 on their team, so they would not be making the trip west.
The Cats boarded a plane Thursday night and headed to Vegas without an opponent. On Friday, it was announced that UCLA had also been forced to opt out of the CBS Sports Classic, leaving just Kentucky and North Carolina able to play in the event.
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| Kentucky vs. North Carolina | ||
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Sat., Dec. 18 – 5:30 p.m. ET |
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| Coverage | ||
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TV: CBS |
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| UK | Stats | UNC |
| 7-2 | Record | 8-2 |
| 80.3 | PPG | 80.4 |
| 61.4 | Opp PPG | 70.9 |
| .481 | FG% | .483 |
| .394 | Opp FG% | .431 |
| 43.9 | RPG | 40.6 |
| .302 | 3PT FG% | .409 |
| .299 | Opp 3PT FG% | .323 |
| 16.3 | APG | 15.0 |
| 6.7 | SPG | 5.5 |
| 5.8 | BPG | 3.7 |
So now, the Cats and the Tar Heels will meet for the fourth time in the history of this event. Kentucky fell to UNC last year but the Cats hold a 2-1 edge over the Tar Heels in the CBS Sports Classic.
The last time these two teams met in Vegas was probably the most memorable game in CBS Sports Classic history. Malik Monk scored 47 points, including a game-winning three-pointer inside the final minute, as the Cats held off the Tar Heels 103-100.
This year’s North Carolina squad, under first-year head coach Hubert Davis, is 8-2 through 10 games. The Tar Heels have won their last five contests, including a 72-51 win over Michigan in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in early December.
Caleb Love leads UNC in scoring, averaging 16.2 points per game. Armando Bacot averages 14.3 points and a team-high 9.8 rebounds per contest. Five Tar Heels average double figures in scoring.
As for the Cats, they are just excited to get back on the floor and to have a chance to get rid of any bad feelings lingering from the Notre Dame loss.
“Very excited. I feel like our whole program is excited, especially after a loss like that,” said freshman guard TyTy Washington Jr. “We didn’t shoot the ball well in that game.”
Specifically, Washington cited the Cats’ poor shooting.
“We didn’t shoot the ball nearly as good as we can,” Washington said. “We’ve been keying in on making shots, being shot-ready at all times.”
UK head coach John Calipari is still trying to figure out the most efficient way for this group to play on offense. Washington says it’s still a work in progress.
“We’re still trying to figure things out,” Washington said. “You can’t stuff it down to Oscar (Tshiebwe) every time. Teams are going to start double-teaming. So all of the rest of us on the court, we have to step up. We’ve been trying different ways for us guards to get going.”
The Cats will get a chance to do that and to get redemption for the Notre Dame loss on Saturday. It just won’t happen against the opponent everyone thought UK would face.
Kentucky United’ Telethon Raises More than $3 Million for Tornado Relief
Big Blue Nation proved Tuesday that its passion goes far beyond just the athletic fields.
The University of Kentucky athletic department, along with JMI Sports and WLEX-TV, produced a “Kentucky United for Tornado Relief” telethon that helped generate more than $3 million (with matching funds) to assist victims of the devastating tornadoes that ravaged through the state last week. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go to the American Red Cross to aid in the relief efforts in Kentucky and to benefit the victims of the catastrophic event.
With donations still coming in at the conclusion of the telethon, the tabulation had reached $3,031,241 at that point. Through Wednesday, it had surpassed $3.7 million with hope to surpass $4 million by the weekend. Donations can continue to be sent in to redcross.org/donate/cm/wlextv-pub.html/ (site will be active through Dec. 19) or by mailing a check to the American Red Cross (Attn: Kentucky Tornadoes; 1450 Newton Pike, Lexington, KY 40511).
Every head coach who was in Lexington on Tuesday volunteered his or her time. The coaches teamed with UK student-athletes, who took time off during exam week to handle the multitude of telephone calls.
“On an incredible night, the Big Blue Nation and all of Kentucky continue to show the special bond that exists throughout the people of the Commonwealth,” said Mitch Barnhart, UK Director of Athletics. “As relief organizations and volunteers continue to help rebuild the lives of so many, we are thankful to all who contributed to the telethon, the volunteers who made it happen, the American Red Cross, WLEX and JMI Sports. When you raise more than $3 million in four hours through the hearts of wonderful people who care so deeply about those who are hurting, it’s really special.
“We will continue to find ways to help rebuild, restore, heal and return stronger than before. Our hearts extend this hope and promise to the people of Western Kentucky.”
In addition to Calipari and his wife, Ellen, contributing to the cause, several former players also provided support, including: Bam Adebayo (2017), Eric Bledsoe (2010), Devin Booker (2015), Willie Cauley-Stein (2013-15), DeMarcus Cousins (2010), Enes Freedom (2011), Tyrese Maxey (2020), Malik Monk (2017), Jamal Murray (2016), Julius Randle (2014), Karl-Anthony Towns (2015) and John Wall (2010).
Ohio State head men’s basketball head coach Chris Holtmann, a native of nearby Nicholasville, Kentucky, called in to announce a $50,000 donation. UK was originally scheduled to play OSU this weekend in the CBS Sports Classic. Additional notable contributions came from Iowa Hawkeyes’ head football coach Kirk Ferentz and Steve Hogan the CEO of the Citrus Bowl. The Wildcats will play the Hawkeyes in the Citrus Bowl later this month. Nike is also planning to contribute 14,000 pairs of shoes as part of its contributions to the tornado relief efforts.
Kentucky United was broadcast by WLEX-TV, with assistance from JMI Sports, as University of Kentucky Athletics hosted the event at the Kentucky Farm Bureau Recruiting Room at Kroger Field.
Spearheaded by Calipari, UK has held three previous telethons to assist with natural disasters. In 2010, Kentucky and Calipari used a telethon to raise more than $1 million for victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. UK followed that up with another telethon in 2012 that generated $1 million for victims of Superstorm Sandy, and again in 2017 following Hurricane Harvey that devastated the city of Houston. Calipari also helped raise funds for West Liberty, Kentucky, after tornadoes ravaged the town in 2012.
Wildcats Fall at Notre Dame in Down-to-the-Wire Affair
In Kentucky’s first true road trip of the season, the Wildcats dropped a 66-62 heartbreaker to Notre Dame in the final minute of the game.
Blake Wesley sunk a driving pull-up jumper in the lane with 11.7 seconds to go to put Notre Dame ahead. UK had a look to tie the score, but TyTy Washington Jr.’s attempt missed.
Notre Dame (4-4) ended a three-game losing skid in its first matchup of the season against a ranked team, while also halting the Wildcats’ (7-2) seven-game winning streak.
Wesley and Dane Goodwin scored 14 points each for the Irish, who erased a 53-48 Kentucky lead at the 8:07 mark with an 11-1 spurt, then scored the game’s final five points over the closing 1:31.
The Wildcats’ Oscar Tshiebwe led all players with 25 points. He was 11 of 14 from the field to go with seven rebounds and game highs of three steals and two blocks. Fort Wayne native Keion Brooks added 12 points and seven rebounds in his first game back in his home state.
“Let’s hope it’s a fluke,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said of his team missing 17 of 19 shots outside the arc, while Notre Dame was going 7 of 22 from long distance.
Calipari, though, said the loss was more about defensive breakdowns over the final eight minutes, and he rattled off several examples.
“When you’re shooting 2 of 19, you can’t afford to do that, too,” Calipari said, “and that’s what happened.”
Kentucky’s seven-game winning streak, its best since winning eight in a row in the 2019-20 season, came to an end
- The game was closely contested with seven ties, 15 lead changes and no lead larger than five points by either team
- For the first time this season the Wildcats were outrebounded (33-28)
- UK had a season-low five turnovers but also a season-low nine assists
- Tshiebwe is the first UK player to post three straight games of 20 or more points since Immanuel Quickley in February of 2020
Locked in for a big one tomorrow afternoon ?? pic.twitter.com/Jnxoi29Z56
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) December 18, 2021
