Cats Bounce Back in Big Way Against Tar Heels

It was just one week ago that Kentucky put together its worst performance so far this season. The Cats, facing their first true road game of the season, came up short at Notre Dame, falling 66-62.

Kentucky had a week to think about the loss and to get better. And get better they did.

The Cats went from their worst performance of the season to their best on Saturday, crushing North Carolina 98-69 in the CBS Sports Classic at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

At Notre Dame, the Cats struggled from behind the arc, hitting just two of 19 three-point shots. On Saturday, it was a different story, with UK hitting eight of 15 (53.3 percent) from downtown. Kellan Grady led the charge, hitting five of his seven shots from long range on his way to 18 points.

UK point guard Sahvir Wheeler had his best game of the season, bar none. The 5-9 dynamo from Houston had 26 points, one short of his career high, to go with eight assists and four steals. Perhaps more importantly, Wheeler pestered North Carolina’s guards the entire game.

It all added up to Kentucky’s second-biggest win ever over North Carolina. Only an 83-44 win on Jan. 9, 1950 at Alumni Gym in Lexington has had a larger margin of victory in the series.

UK head coach John Calipari had a feeling that his team would play better in this game.

“They had three great days of practice and they were focused,” Calipari said of his team. “We had a great shootaround, so they were ready to play.”

Calipari also switched up some things on offense to help this team.

“When you go to the dribble drive, you’re opening up the court,” Calipari said. “I loved our aggressiveness.”

The win was especially gratifying for Wheeler, who struggled just one week ago against Notre Dame. He said that last week’s game was not on his mind.

“Nothing was in my mind,” Wheeler said. “Everyone’s going to have a bad game. It just so happened it was that game and we lost.”

Calipari implored Wheeler to take the team on his shoulders this week.

“Sahvir, lead us. It’s not based on how you’re playing, Sahvir,” Calipari said. “Lead us. And that’s what he did today.”

Saturday’s game was one that Wheeler was looking forward to because he loves the big stage.

“I’m a confident kid. I play for the big lights,” Wheeler said. “This is why I came here, to play against the best, to be challenged every day in practice and to play a tough schedule. This opportunity, I was really looking forward to it.”

North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis admitted that Wheeler was the best player on the floor in Saturday’s game.

“We did not have an answer for Wheeler,” Davis said. “We knew that he was a dynamic player who makes plays. He was better than any one of our guards.”

After such a struggle last week at Notre Dame, Kentucky bounced back, in a very big way, on Saturday against North Carolina.