The Kentucky Wildcats get their first gut-check win of the season over Texas A&M, 64-58. Kentucky held the Aggies to 23 points in the second half.

It was a game in which Kentucky, for all intents and purposes, played poorly for about 34 of the 40 minutes. It was an ugly win and a gut-check game for the Wildcats. They also did this in what was the biggest crowd ever at Reed Arena for the Aggies. This is also the first game Kentucky has won this season by single digits.

Kentucky came out ice-cold, and pretty much continued that way. Kentucky shot 4-18 from three and 42% from the field for the game, a pretty stark contrast from last Saturday.

Kentucky isn’t going to shoot lights out every game, and a gut-check win is what was needed for this team.

Texas A&M came into the game winners of eight straight, and was 15-2 on the season (4-0) in SEC play. Any road win is a good win.

Let’s hope that this was the poor shooting game ahead of a trip to Auburn this coming Saturday. No. 12 vs No. 2. It should be a dandy.

Box Score

MVP

It’s tough to choose an MVP from this one. Sahvir Wheeler led the team in scoring, but was rattled all game by the Aggies press and struggled with turnovers. Oscar Tshiebwe had yet another double-digit rebound game, with 14 boards.

But my MVP of the game is Jacob Toppin. Toppin provided a great spark off the bench for a flat Kentucky team and brought the hardest fight tonight in College Station. Toppin finished with nine points and six rebounds, including a clutch free throw to put the ‘Cats up three with a minute to go.

Highlights

Go follow our Twitter page and then go ‘like’ our Facebook page for all of the latest Kentucky Wildcats news and views. Got a link you think we should check out? Email us at seaofblue@gmail.com.