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The Kentucky Wildcats escape with a victory over Utah Valley, 82-74.
Kentucky didn’t play a terrific game, but they at least won this one. However, one glaring issue for the Wildcats is three-point shooting. Kentucky went 1/12 from behind the line, and that was WITH multiple wide-open shots.
Ashton Hagans had a career high 26 points, and Nick Richards had another monster game with 21 points and 10 boards.
One thing is for sure, this ain’t the same team that beat Michigan State two weeks ago. It’s only November, but they have a long way to go to reach their full potential. Kentucky will be in action again Friday night against Mount St. Mary’s.
Here’s what Twitter had to say:
Final from @Rupp_Arena.
— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) November 19, 2019
Kentucky 82, Utah Valley 74 pic.twitter.com/txdrZL6En4
FINAL | It wasn’t pretty, but Kentucky is back in the win column after an 82-74 win over Utah Valley.
— Eli Gehn (@EliGehnTV) November 19, 2019
Ashton Hagans took over in the 2nd half and finished with a game high 26 pts pic.twitter.com/4P4E5UFswo
Final | Kentucky 82, Utah Valley 74
— TheCatsPause247 (@TheCatsPause247) November 19, 2019
Ashton Hagans: 26 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast
Nick Richards: 21 pts, 10 reb
Tyrese Maxey: 14 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast
Nate Sestina: 8 pts, 12 reb
Keion Brooks: 5 pts, 4 reb
Kahlil Whitney: 4 pts, 5 reb
Johnny Juzang: 4 pts, 2 reb
Our offense currently is Ashton Hagans and Nick Richards play Pick and Roll
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) November 19, 2019
We shot 8% from 3 point line
At least we hit Free Throws...31-34 is great
Not ideal but, we won
Honestly, same. pic.twitter.com/HUxZe5XTXN
— Bobby Reagan (@BarstoolReags) November 19, 2019
SMU just knocked Evansville off for their first loss of year. Meanwhile, Kentucky is in a battle with Utah Valley. How did Kentucky just handle Michigan State? What a weird start to the season for Cats.
— Charlie Walter (@CharlieWalterTV) November 19, 2019
This is the oddest three-game stretch of Kentucky basketball that I can remember.
— Adam Luckett (@AdamLuckettKSR) November 19, 2019
Dontaie Allen (knee), Nate Sestina (foot), Nick Richards (ankle), EJ Montgomery (ankle), Ashton Hagans (leg) and now Immanuel Quickley (chest) have all missed practice or game time, dating to preseason, with injuries. For a team with a small margin for error, bad early luck.
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) November 18, 2019
Kentucky is dealing with:
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) November 19, 2019
-a not-100% Ashton Hagans
-EJ Montgomery out
-No Immanuel Quickley tonight
-Dontaie Allen recovering from ACL.
-7 scholarship guys healthy.
-Nick Richards getting over ankle injury
Past two games haven’t been great, but I’m not panicking on them
I understand there is a lack of patience with Nick Richards at times on the offensive end, but he has guarded his tail off in the first half and has 11 points & 7 boards at the half. 5 of 5 from the line. Finding a way to create points. @KentuckyRivals @RowlandRIVALS
— David Sisk (@CoachDavidSisk) November 19, 2019
Idc what anyone says I LOVE Nick Richards
— Barstool UK (@BarstoolUK) November 19, 2019
Today in “Things I didn’t expect to write in mid-November,” thank goodness for Nick Richards.
— Tyler Thompson (@MrsTylerKSR) November 19, 2019
Say what you want about Nick Richards, that mid range jumper is pretty damn smooth.
— Travis Graf (@Trav_Graf) November 19, 2019
Tyrese Maxey puts it down on the rack attack plus the foul. pic.twitter.com/ZQZ3MG5K1m
— Scott Charlton (@Scott_Charlton) November 19, 2019
Hot damn, Keion Brooks!!! pic.twitter.com/ouWhVXQ8x4
— Scott Charlton (@Scott_Charlton) November 19, 2019
Tyrese Maxey has looked like a freshman since the opener at MSG. He HAS to be the go-to guy for this Kentucky team. Can’t have Ashton Hagans and Nick Richards taking big shots with game on the line.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) November 19, 2019
If a player doesn’t play perfect defense/offense Jimmy Dykes will criticize. You’d think he’d still be in coaching with this pursuit of perfection.
— T.J. Walker (@TJWalkerRadio) November 19, 2019
UK is 21/22 from the foul line, +16 on the glass, Utah State is shooting 41.8%, and hasn't hit a barrage of threes. A lot of this is directly related to 1/11 from three. Utah State is +21 pts from downtown. It's not a one-game, one-season problem, going on three years.
— Justin Rowland (@RowlandRIVALS) November 19, 2019
Utah Valley's T.J. Washington (22, 5 and 5 tonight): "We knew after the Evansville game Kentucky was beatable."
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) November 19, 2019
Gonna be a bunch of teams taking big swings with belief that the giant can be toppled after these last two games.
Remember when fans wanted tougher non-conference games at Rupp?
— Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) November 19, 2019
Kentucky would score 20 more points a game if they just finished at the rim.
— Nick Roush (@RoushKSR) November 19, 2019
The Cats improve to 3-1 this season.
— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) November 19, 2019
Back in @Rupp_Arena Friday for the second of the four-game #BBN Showcase, which runs through Black Friday. pic.twitter.com/Mu5GlJk90s
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