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The Kentucky Wildcats drop their second game in a week, this time in Spokane to Gonzaga, 88-72.
After a disastrous first half, Kentucky battled back in the second and got the game to as close as four points, but never could string together stops to slow the Zags down. Timme, Julian Strawther and Rasir Bolton, most notably, killed the Cats on the offensive end, combining for over 60 points.
Oscar Tshiebwe, again led Kentucky with 20 points and 15 rebounds.
In their first two games against tough competition, Kentucky has either not shown up, or withered down the stretch.
John Calipari has a long season ahead and the team can get better, but through both Michigan State and Gonzaga, it hasn’t looked pretty.
Here’s how Twitter reacted.
Final from Spokane. pic.twitter.com/GqqrRhdVnt
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) November 21, 2022
I think it's obvious that Tom Izzo and Mark Few both out-coached John Calipari in these last two games.
— Myron Medcalf (@MedcalfByESPN) November 21, 2022
Better effort in the 2nd Half but still a really disappointing performance
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) November 21, 2022
Kentucky falls at Gonzaga 85-69
— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) November 21, 2022
Wildcats shoot 39.1% from the field, 24% from three, outrebounded 39-29 pic.twitter.com/JlE9K4y9Au
Final: #2 Gonzaga 88 #4 Kentucky 72
— Brandon Ramsey (@BRamseyKSR) November 21, 2022
-Oscar Tshiebwe led the way with 20 points & 15 rebounds.
-Drew Timme was dominant, but it was Rasir Bolton & Julian Strawther who really killed the 'Cats.
-Embarrassing 1st Half effort dug too big of a hole. Played even in 2nd Half.
The most humbling take here is it came down to a lot of 1 on 1 basketball and Gonzaga just won those matchups time and again.
— Justin Rowland (@RowlandRIVALS) November 21, 2022
Also huge deal that Gonzaga got punched by Texas earlier this week. Zags came in playing for their lives, while the Cats will drop to 0-2 in their first two competitive non-con games.
— Ethan DeWitt (@EthanDeWitt1) November 21, 2022
These past 2 weeks pic.twitter.com/Cg5hsF80JP
— Barstool Kentucky (@BarstoolUK) November 21, 2022
Only 2 teams since 1985 have won the NCAA Tournament after having 2 losses in the month of November: 1986 Louisville and 1988 Kansas
— Corey Price (@coreyp08) November 21, 2022
Final | Gonzaga 88, Kentucky 72
— TheCatsPause247 (@TheCatsPause247) November 21, 2022
Oscar Tshiebwe: 20 pts, 15 reb, 2 stls
Jacob Toppin: 16 pts, 3 reb
Cason Wallace: 14 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast, 4 stls
Antonio Reeves: 10 pts
Sahvir Wheeler: 7 pts, 4 ast
CJ Fredrick: 3 pts, 3 ast
Lance Ware: 2 pts
Kentucky's shooters have just been brutal against good competition.
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) November 21, 2022
CJ Fredrick now 1 of 8 FG, 1 of 5 from 3.
Antonio Reeves 3 of 11 FG, 1 of 5 from 3.
Those two (quality shooters over long careers at other schools) are a combined 7 of 33 FG, 4 of 19 3s vs. MSU and Zags.
Asked Oscar what Kentucky should look like offensively and why they can't score against quality competition:
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) November 21, 2022
"Most of the time we don’t really run what Coach is asking us to do."
Well, that's not great.
Jacob Toppin says it was "we didn't have any fight" and then "made stupid plays, me included." https://t.co/HROx1r6ThW
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) November 21, 2022
For the first time in program history, @KentuckyMBB has 2 losses by at least 9 points each in the month of November
— Corey Price (@coreyp08) November 21, 2022
FWIW, this is more scheme to me than effort level for Kentucky. Texas and Tennessee gave the blueprint for making Gonzaga look bad on D. Run ball screens relentlessly. Get them spaced out. They struggle to contain.
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) November 21, 2022
Kentucky....has not done that. They've done the opposite of that
This Kentucky team looks WAY better when Cason Wallace is running the offense. May not be the same level of passer as Sahvir Wheeler but at 5’9” with no right hand and a lackluster shooter limits you so much in the half-court.
— Global Scouting (@GlobalScouting_) November 21, 2022
Don’t want to say this because some people may be too dense to understand, BUT… For Kentucky to reach its ceiling the offense cannot be run THROUGH Oscar Tshiebwe. Oscar still got his today, but at what price?
— Mike B (@AllMikedUp_) November 21, 2022
Gonzaga just beat Kentucky by 16, in a game where they shot:
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) November 21, 2022
* They shot 33 percent from three
* Had 18 turnovers
Zags didn't play anything close to their best game - and it wasn't close.
This one flat out falls on John Calipari.
Didn't have his team ready to play.
Gonzaga's Rasir Bolton on taking it to Kentucky early: "It kinda shook 'em."
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) November 21, 2022
Antonio Reeves and CJ Fredrick disappear against any team with talent. Going to be a LONG season unless they get their together.
— Danny Davis LLTC5 (@DannyDa27021564) November 21, 2022
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