University of Kentucky basketball put in another dominating performance on Tuesday night. They made short work of Texas-Arlington. The final score of the game was 92-44. However, the real power of UK basketball was shown in the first half of the game. They won the first half 55-12 including a 42-5 run to end the half.
Kentucky’s defense was in full force once again. They held Texas-Arlington to 27% on 17 of 63 shooting. The strong defense though could be contributed to the blue and white platoon system. The numbers for the game are truly astonishing. Take a look at the following facts:
- 4 minutes separated the top nine ball players tonight. Trey Lyles and Dakari Johnson led with 21 minutes and Willie Cauley-Stein was the low man with 17 minutes.
- The Wildcats had 11 blocks.
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The Wildcats had 6 steals.
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The Wildcats had six players in double digits with Devin Booker leading the way (19 points).
Outside of those stats that showed dominance, here are some stats that are just head-scratching:
- Dakari Johnson scored all 12 points from the free throw line. He was 12-14 from the line and 0-1 from the field.
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They did not have a shot blocked.
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The Wildcats six wins have come with a 36.5 point average.
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Coach Calipari is not afraid to pull the plug quickly. The second platoon on one of the shifts was only in there for 1:42. They had turnovers and he replaced the whole team.
Player of Game: Devin Booker
Devin only played 17 minutes but he scored 19 points. He was 7-8 from the field including 5-6 from the 3 point line. He also had 2 rebounds and 2 steals and played stellar defense for the ‘Cats.
The next game for the Wildcats will be Providence on Sunday.
They are a team to watch and enjoy. If the Wildcats continue to buy into the philosophy and share the minutes; there will be no stopping them. With them sharing the minutes; the energy is always up. The big question will be, what happens to sharing the minutes when they get challenged?
Photo Credit: UKathletics