You listen to John Calipari and it sounds like the formula could be just that simple for the Kentucky Wildcats.
On a day that saw national title contender, North Carolina, get embarrassed by 33 at Florida State, Kentucky erased an eight-point, second-half deficit on the road. It makes you wonder just how good this team could get if it plays the way its coach wants.
Here’s the pro-con report for the Cats’ 17th win of the season:
PROS
- Will to win, especially MKG and Anthony Davis
- Defense. UK held the Vols scoreless on seven consecutive possessions down the stretch.
- For the mistakes Calipari laments, this team has shown an excellent closing punch, even in defeat at Indiana—save for that last play
- Kyle Wiltjer. His outside shooting could be a huge boost to this team in March and today was one of his best games relative to the level of competition
CONS
- First-half rebounding. Kentucky came close to being beaten on the boards for the third straight game, because of that first-half performance.
- Doron Lamb and Darius Miller. It’s hard to see the Cats achieving their goals without getting more from these two than they gave today
All in all, it was a good day for Big Blue. For just the second time since 1960, the men’s basketball team won in Knoxville in the same season in which the UK football team beat the Vols.
You can follow Tom’s daily coverage of the Cats at www.tomleach.com and listen to his “Leach Report” radio show on WLAP, AM-630 from 9:05-10am each Monday-Friday.
–Tom Leach
