Is Kentucky turning a corner?
That may seem like an odd question considering the Wildcats are 17-5 overall. But we have to ask that question.
Are the Wildcats turning the corner? Are they starting to look like they might be more than just a collection of talent?
Tuesday night’s 83-81 overtime win over Vanderbilt raises the question in a multifaceted way.
We all know about Kentucky’s rally from being down by 15 at the half at West Virginia on Saturday night, something it was not clear this team had in them. For much of the year, this has looked like a talented team that is missing something. They haven’t looked like they have that extra gear, that mentality that they simply are not going to lose.
The question now was whether or not Saturday was a fluke, or the beginning of a new-look Kentucky team. And for a lot of Tuesday night, it looked like it was the former. Vanderbilt came into Rupp Arena and led by six at the break, then opened up a 45-31 lead less than five minutes into the second half.
It didn’t look good for the home team.
Kentucky would storm back to get within 47-44, but the Commodores responded with five straight as part of a 10-2 run to get the lead back to double digits with under ten minutes to go. Even as the Wildcats continued to rally, Vanderbilt led 70-65 after a steal and layup by Joe Toye with 39 seconds left.
But there’s a reason Vanderbilt is the only SEC team with an RPI that has three digits. Riley LaChance missed the front end of a 1-and-1, then Jeff Roberson missed a second free throw, after which they would foul Shai Gilgeous-Alexander going for a loose ball. He would send the game to overtime.
The Wildcats survived and had all the momentum. Then they kept it going, scoring the first four points and leading until a LaChance layup with over a minute and a half to go. With the game tied late, Quade Green sliced through a defense that wasn’t set after the Commodores had just tied the game and got what would prove to be the game-winning layup. Kentucky survived.
It’s not good that the Wildcats barely came out on top at home against the one team in the SEC that has no real path to an NCAA Tournament at-large bid. On the other hand, this is a game they might well have lost a month ago. This team may be turning over a new leaf and becoming tougher, especially when their backs are against the wall. They may be starting to realize that they need another gear.
It’s no secret that this team lacks a real seasoned leader. The Wildcats were gutted by early NBA defections, as usual, but this time around it also claimed veteran players from last season’s team who could have returned and provided an intangibles presence to this team. That means this group has had to learn to be more than just a collection of talent on the fly. They’ve been thrown to the wolves. They have largely succeeded, but their failures have made one question this team’s ceiling.
The two most recent games might be a sign that this team’s ceiling could be closer to what many thought before the season. If this team is growing up, it means they will be very dangerous in the month of March.
Side Dishes
Trae Young had another big game, and Oklahoma needed every bit of it to hold off Baylor 98-96. Young had 44 points, with 31 coming in the second half, and handed out nine assists. Also in the Big 12, TCU got a much-needed win at Oklahoma State, 79-66.
Elsewhere in SEC play, Auburn went two games up on everyone else by winning 79-70 at Ole Miss, while Florida lost at Georgia 72-60, which drops the Gators into a three-way tie for second. Texas A&M got a much-needed win, an 80-66 decision over Arkansas.
Also, as Ted Sarandis and I talk about in a forthcoming podcast, North Carolina has now lost three straight after losing at Clemson 82-78 on Tuesday night. But the Tar Heels may have taken bigger hits, as Theo Pinson went down with a strained shoulder and the school has suspended Jalek Felton indefinitely. The freshman, who is the nephew of Tar Heel great Raymond Felton, cannot participate in any university activities, so it goes beyond the basketball program. Reports indicate that the school is investigating an alleged incident involving Felton, and it could end at any time pending the outcome of it and when it is completed.
A notable result in the MAC on Tuesday night was Kent State handing Buffalo their first conference loss, as the Golden Flashes beat the Bulls 82-79. Also in the mid-major ranks was your stat line of the night: in South Dakota State‘s 80-60 romp over Omaha, Mike Daum had 35 points and 18 rebounds.
Miami has suffered a tough blow, as Bruce Brown will have surgery on his left foot on Thursday to address an injury sustained in practice on Monday. The sophomore guard leads the team in rebounds, assists and steals and is their second-leading scorer, and after he was in a bit of a slump he appeared to be ready to break out of it.
Tonight’s Menu
It’s an even busier night this time around, with a few games out west as part of the slate.
- The night begins with a Big Ten clash as Michigan State hosts Penn State, and there’s also an SEC matchup as Tennessee hosts LSU while East Carolina hosts Tulane in the American Athletic Conference (6:30 p.m.)
- Action in The American continues right after that as Cincinnati hosts Houston (7 p.m.)
- An important ACC game is on tap as Virginia hosts second-place Louisville as the Cardinals try to get a little closer (7 p.m.), while in other action Miami hosts Pittsburgh (7 p.m.), Georgia Tech hosts Syracuse (8 p.m.) and Boston College hosts a Virginia Tech team that is trying to keep its momentum going (9 p.m.)
- West Virginia tries to bounce back from the loss to Kentucky on the road at Iowa State (7 p.m.), while in-state rivals meet later as Texas Tech hosts Texas (9 p.m.)
- A battle of 5-3 Big East teams is on tap as Seton Hall hosts Providence (7 p.m.), while Marquette hosts Butler later on (9 p.m.)
- Missouri Valley leader Loyola Chicago tries to fend off one challenger as they travel to Bradley (8 p.m.)
- More SEC action on tap includes South Carolina hosting Mississippi State (8:30 p.m.) and Missouri visiting Alabama (9 p.m.)
- Purdue’s latest challenge in the Big Ten comes in the form of a visit from Maryland (8:30 p.m.)
- late game worth watching is in the Mountain West, where Fresno State visits conference leader Nevada (11 p.m.)
