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Finally! The Kentucky Wildcats finally get their first signature win of the season against the No. 9 ranked North Carolina Tar Heels.
Ashton Hagans was the best player on the floor for the Wildcats, specifically in the defensive end, ending with seven steals.
Keldon Johnson kept his hot streak alive with 23 points and hitting four three-pointers. And Reid Travis did Reid Travis things with 20 points and six rebounds. The Wildcats got a much needed confidence booster heading into the Louisville game next weekend.
If Kentucky can keep up that defensive intensity all season long, then we could be in for a fun ride.
Here’s what social media had to say about the huge win for the Wildcats:
We were ready for the moment this time.#UKvsUNC pic.twitter.com/Kt0nfcQgzQ
— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) December 23, 2018
Big Blue Nation, STAND UP! pic.twitter.com/dPvii9roDV
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) December 23, 2018
What an AWESOME win for Kentucky!
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) December 23, 2018
Great performance from start to finish
Despite Kentucky winning this game, this will still not stop the stupidity of UNC fans to always tweet a potato quality gif of Luke Maye hitting a shot two seasons ago
— Ian Teasley (@ianteasley) December 23, 2018
Ashton Hagans is the greatest point guard in Basketball history
— Brent Wainscott (@BrentW_KSR) December 23, 2018
Ashton Hagans.
— BIG BLUE NATION #BBN (@UKBasketbalI) December 23, 2018
That’s all that needs to be said
Roy Williams: "The amazing thing is I look down and Ashton Hagans is 2 for 6, 7 points and I thought in some ways was more dominating in the game than anybody."
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) December 23, 2018
Is Asthon Hagans becoming the guy he thought he was getting? "Uh, yeah. I'm putting the ball in his hands and he's making the right plays." Says they made a little "tweak" a week and a half ago with him and he's taking off. "He's making strides."
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) December 23, 2018
That feeling when you lead your team with 23 points against No. 9 UNC pic.twitter.com/yWDa6ij9Tv
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) December 23, 2018
Keldon Johnson now shooting 55.5% FG for the season and 46.2% from three point range. He has arrived. pic.twitter.com/LRKBbAESt3
— Scott Charlton (@Scott_Charlton) December 23, 2018
Ashton Hagans has established himself at point guard. PJ Washington, Keldon Johnson and Reid Travis are all capable of getting 20 points on any given night. I'll tell you this: When Tyler Herro starts consistently knocking down his threes, this Kentucky team will be LETHAL
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) December 23, 2018
┏┓
— noah. (@LastDanceWade) December 23, 2018
┃┃╱╲ in this
┃╱╱╲╲ house
╱╱╭╮╲╲ we
▔▏┗┛▕▔ respect
╱▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔╲
Keldon Johnson
╱╱┏┳┓╭╮┏┳┓ ╲╲
▔▏┗┻┛┃┃┗┻┛▕▔
Signature win for the 2018-19 Cats. Momentum is going in the right direction heading into Louisville next weekend then SEC play.
— Aaron Gershon (@agershon99) December 23, 2018
— KY Clips (@KY_Clips) December 23, 2018
Reid Travis post game interview. #BBN pic.twitter.com/RKh4tm99lo
— KY Clips (@KY_Clips) December 23, 2018
Safe to say Kentucky made efficient use of the shot clock. pic.twitter.com/KQH27PNah3
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 23, 2018
‘
Mitch Barnhart congratulating the team after beating North Carolina. pic.twitter.com/05cmlwY40z
— CoachCal.com (@CoachCalDotCom) December 23, 2018
UK now 2-1 against teams from North Carolina. pic.twitter.com/n7v8wIaGAK
— Evan Hatter (@ehatt493) December 23, 2018
This quote alone has made my Christmas the best ever https://t.co/8QG9GtOlFU
— Wildcat Statue (@WildcatStatue) December 23, 2018
It was kinda weird how the game stayed in the 'UK comfortable lead' zone almost the entire way. Never quite pulled away, but never let UNC go on a run and really get into it.
— Jason Marcum (@marcum89) December 23, 2018
North Carolina came into the game as the #1 Rebounding team in America
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) December 23, 2018
Kentucky out rebounded them 43-33
#BBN, you choose. Who was your Player of the Game vs. North Carolina in the @CBSSports Classic?
— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) December 23, 2018
Watching our teams learn, grow and come together is so much fun. So happy for these guys
— Megan Calipari (@MeganteCalipari) December 23, 2018
I’ll take a Seton Hall gut-wrenching loss in the The Big Apple for a North Carolina smackdown win in the Windy City every damn day and twice on every damn day.
— Rex Chapman (@rex_rexchapman) December 23, 2018
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