Kentucky surrenders double digit, first half lead to fall to Kansas 65-62
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Photos by Matt Kryger, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Olivier Starrs picks up his fourth foul in the second half on a play that Coach Calipari described as the dumbest foul he has ever seen. Dontaie Allen follows the play.
Kentucky had dropped a Sunday matinee game vs. Richmond that saw them not hit a single three pointer and struggle mightily from behind the arc. On Tuesday, in a top 20 matchup with Kansas in the Coaches Champion Classic in Indianapolis they missed their first six attempts from behind the three point line.
Dontaie Allen who had went 1-3 from long range in the opening game victory against Morehead State but did not play in the loss vs. Richmond checked into the game at 7:45 left with UK up 21-9.
It only took him 93 seconds to stop the Wildcat drought when he nailed a 3-point bomb from the corner right in front of the Jayhawk bench off a kickout pass from Lance Ward. The shot gave Kentucky its biggest lead it would have in the night.
It would be Allen's who played four first half minutes only shot attempt in the first half.
Kansas would cut the Wildcats' 10-point lead down to 35-29 at the half after Allen was substituted out.
"I think we’ve got a good 3-point shooting team, but we’re just not making them right now. It could be the pressure. These kids have never been in this situation and it means more," said Coach John Calipari about his team's shooting woes.
After scoring the first three points of the second half to build a 38-29 lead, the Wildcats would go on a 7:28 minute scoring drought in the second half in which the Jayhawks would cut the UK nine point lead to a 39-38 Kansas lead.
"Our point guards can’t have eight turnovers between them over dribbling, and trying to control the ball versus just give it up and get away," said Coach Cal before adding, "We had 16 turnovers and eight from your point guards. You’re going to lose. Well, why did they have eight? Because they’re trying to make hard plays. Instead of making the easiest play and getting away from the ball. But the 16 were spread out because I think Brandon had three, Terrence had three. Between those two they had six. So it was our guards who turned it over.”
Allen would get another good look in the second half but the shot would be long as the two teams were tied at 44. He would finish with three points in eight and half minutes of playing time.
Davion Mintz would hit two three pointers in the game to provide another long range spark for the Wildcats including one late in the second half that brought Kentucky within a single point and only 12 seconds left.
Kansas would add two free throws and Allen would return to the game and the Wildcats trailing 65-62. Mintz would get a contested look at the basket with the chance to send the game to overtime but it would miss.
Brandon Boston and Mintz would lead Kentucky in scoring with 12 points each. Boston would struggle from the field going 4 of 13 including 0-4 from the three point line. As a team, Kentucky would go 3-21 from behind the arc. Besides Allen and Mintz, the rest of the team was 0-14.
Isaiah Jackson would score seven points but grab 12 rebounds and block eight shots.
Oliveir Sarr was hampered by foul trouble playing just under 14 minutes and scoring eight points while grabbing six minutes.
Freshmen guards Devin Askew and Terrence Clarke struggled going 4-18 from the field while scoring 13 points in their combined 59+ minutes played.