A Sea Of Blue - Kentucky falls to Ohio State: Everything to knowOnline Home of the Big Blue Nation: Kentucky Wildcats Sports for the Discerning Fanhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46621/aseaof-fav.png2019-12-25T06:30:00-05:00http://www.aseaofblue.com/rss/stream/207960912019-12-25T06:30:00-05:002019-12-25T06:30:00-05:00Kentucky Basketball Report Card
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<img alt="COLLEGE BASKETBALL: NOV 05 State Farm Champions Classic - Michigan State v Kentucky" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FlJIXEi3mqmd0EOsszjCMdVGuxk=/1164x0:3473x1539/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65967395/1180981266.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The big test comes on December 28th against the No. 3-ranked Louisville Cardinals.</p> <p id="sljRkO">Kentucky’s recent trip to Las Vegas was supposed to be a nice little tune up prior to the much anticipated matchup with Louisville and the start of conference play in January. </p>
<p id="Lc3fHV">Little did we know that an 0-2 record in Sin City would expose the need for a complete overhaul of a disoriented half-court offense that features one of the nation’s worst three-point shooting teams as the Cats have plummeted to No. 19 in the most recent AP Poll. </p>
<p id="vtpnl2">With a restless fan base in full panic mode, let’s take a look at some of the highs and lows of the 2019 non-conference schedule and give the Wildcats a grade at the semester break. Of course, the big final exam comes on Saturday when No 3-ranked Louisville looks to get its first win at Rupp Arena since 2008. </p>
<p id="onYRKH"><strong>RECORD SO FAR: 8-3 Overall</strong></p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kentucky now has losses to both Evansville and a brand new Utah team.<br><br>Anarchy?<br><br>Nope. Just College Basketball. <br><br>Pac-12 stock continues to go up in 19-20.</p>— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1207569778401054720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2019</a>
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<p id="7EIO7X"><strong>BEST WINS: Michigan State</strong></p>
<p id="s4IcBG">Kentucky opened the season with a thrilling victory over top-ranked Michigan State at Madison Square Garden and quickly became the No. 1 team in the nation. The win was also the coming out party for freshman <span>Tyrese Maxey</span> who almost single-handedly torched the Spartans with 26 points, including some deep threes that had Dick Vitale losing his mind on national television. <span>Nate Sestina</span> also hit some big shots in the opener as expectations hit a fever pitch with some projecting a tight strangle-hold on the No. 1 ranking throughout November and December. </p>
<p id="QQueKg"><strong>UNEXPECTED LOSSES: Evansville, Utah</strong></p>
<p id="iNkrZG">In the blink of an eye, Kentucky went from feast to famine as unranked Evansville played the role of spoiler in what’s now considered one of the all-time epic fails in UK basketball history with a 67-64 shocker at Rupp Arena. </p>
<p id="T0bP0w">The game was billed as a nice little homecoming for Evansville Coach Walter McCarty, a UK All-American that was part of the 1996 NCAA title team. The Purple Aces entered the game as a 25-point underdog, but played with a fearless abandon as the Cats withered under pressure over the final five minutes of the game and never had a chance to win.</p>
<p id="XHCUdj">The loss to Utah was another stunner as the Cats trailed by as many as 17 points and finished 2-for-17 from three-point range. Utah followed up by getting blown out by No. 20-ranked San Diego State 80-52.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">You’ll read this in the morning. Yes, <a href="https://twitter.com/UtahMBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UtahMBB</a>, the 3rd youngest team in the country, just beat No. 6 <a href="https://twitter.com/KentuckyMBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KentuckyMBB</a> in Las Vegas. Major offensive issues for Wildcats. Right now, ugly to watch.</p>— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) <a href="https://twitter.com/franfraschilla/status/1207547403932520448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2019</a>
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<p id="XOSNdo"><strong>BEST PLAYERS: </strong><span><strong>Ashton Hagans</strong></span><strong>, Nate Sestina</strong></p>
<p id="T2nFaY">The good news is that sophomore Ashton Hagans has quickly emerged as Kentucky’s best player and is now getting national attention as arguably the best point guard in college basketball.</p>
<p id="yWrPGQ">Hagans, known primarily as a defensive stopper, has elevated his offensive game this season and currently leads the team in scoring at 13.9 points per game and has been clutch from the free throw line, connecting on 52-61 (.852). He’s also making progress with his perimeter shooting and will continue to rise up <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft">NBA draft</a> boards.</p>
<p id="ZiDbpP">Maxey, currently projected as a first-round NBA pick, has flashed signs of greatness and Sestina is undoubtably Kentucky’s best three-point option. Maxey is averaging 13.1 points per game while Sestina brings some much needed stability and is second on the team in rebounds at 6.0 per game. Against ranked teams (Michigan State, Ohio State), Sestina has averaged 12.0 points (7, 17) and has hit 6-of-10 from three-point range (1-2, 5-8). </p>
<p id="g3Z3uW"><span>Nick Richards</span> has also shown improvement against a weak non-conference schedule, but has yet to put together solid numbers against quality teams. He currently averages 11.9 points and 6.9 rebounds with 25 blocks on the season. </p>
<p id="5vh19s"><strong>PLAYERS WHO MUST STEP UP: Kahlil Whitey, </strong><span><strong>EJ Montgomery</strong></span><strong>, Nick Richards</strong></p>
<p id="EZDBDQ">Other than Hagans, it seems every player on Kentucky’s roster has struggled at one time or another this season as UK Coach John Calipari has started six different lineups. </p>
<p id="HNgjkZ">The biggest surprise this season has been the dismal play of <span>Kahlil Whitney</span>, the former five-star recruit that had NBA scouts drooling in the pre-season. Whitney has simply been a bust early on, looking lost and confused in a random Kentucky offense that’s currently on life support. Much like a <span>Hamidou Diallo</span>, Whitney has tremendous athleticism and has the potential to be a special defender. However, he’s also a weak ball handler and poor shooter who struggles in the half-court offense. </p>
<p id="kjImqj">EJ Montgomery remains the biggest mystery as the 6-foot-10 forward is either the best player on the floor (25 points, nine rebounds against Fairleigh Dickinson) or completely disappears (0 points in 20 minutes against Georgia Tech). The sophomore lefty has to find some balance and continue to focus on rebounding and blocking shots as his offense production will most likely be a moving target all season. </p>
<p id="PTyzlJ">Richards is also a big piece of the puzzle and has to step up in big games. It’s one thing to get a double-double against a low mid-major program, but the real test will be how he performs against Louisville and throughout the SEC season. The most telling stat is that the 6-foot-11 center scored just two points and failed to get a single rebound against Ohio State. Bottom Line: Nick Richards must reinvent himself and fight back in 2020. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nate Sestina also a difference-maker for Kentucky. Bottom line is Nick Richards and EJ Montgomery aren’t much of a threat on offensive end. Both put up numbers against low-majors. Sestina spaces court, makes shots and plays with intensity.</p>— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops/status/1208532726715994112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/KentuckyMBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KentuckyMBB</a> team must find production from their interior players if they will be a national contender / difference tonight vs highly rated <a href="https://twitter.com/OhioStateHoops?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OhioStateHoops</a> was lack of inside production . Had strong 3 pt shooing by Nate Sestina that kept them in game . Big W for OSU 71-65</p>— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) <a href="https://twitter.com/DickieV/status/1208551898963427328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p id="TxplpM"><strong>GLASS HALF-EMPTY: Demise of the half-court offense?</strong></p>
<p id="kmjnNt">With the big goose egg in Vegas, the Chicken Little crew on social media seems to be already preparing for the end of time. In fact, it’s been open season the past few days Calipari’s coaching style, archaic offense and one-and-done culture that seemingly values NBA draftees over championship banners. </p>
<p id="Iu7IL9">First of all, any shots at Calipari are misguided as the Hall of Fame Coach is simply one of the best in the business. In fact, he was just named Coach of the Decade by Sporting News.</p>
<p id="M3Mi8I">But that certainly doesn’t mean that Calipari should get a free pass as woeful shooting and an inept offense has Big Blue Nation on edge this season. For all the talk about the dribble drive, positionless basketball or playing random, this team has become a predictable mess and easy to scout for opposing teams. Everything begins with a high ball screen with hopes for a scoring opportunity out of the pick-and-roll. If that breaks down, Plan B is to drive the lane, force a shot and hope for a trip to the foul line. If it sounds familiar, just watch any NBA game and you’ll see the same thing. </p>
<p id="wUPYJ6">So here’s my argument. There’s a big difference between preparing kids for the NBA and winning college basketball games. Maybe it’s time to run a more traditional motion offense with more down screen action and the occasional back pick for an easy lay-up. How about a few set plays or quick hitters to give this team some confidence?</p>
<p id="fsSaQQ">In the end, we just have to trust the process and hope that another young team finds it way. </p>
<p id="Rh0d7V">What I do know is that we now have 10 years of data in the Calipari era that includes a national championship, four Final Fours and seven Elite Eight appearances. That’s enough evidence for me to be content with the process of wait for the big pay off in February and March. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"> 7 Elite Eights<br> 4 Final Fours<br> NCAA title<br><br>"No one defined the 2010s in the same way as Calipari, nor achieved the same degree of consistent excellence."<a href="https://twitter.com/KentuckyMBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KentuckyMBB</a>'s John Calipari is our college basketball Coach of the Decade. <a href="https://t.co/WweUHgNdUK">https://t.co/WweUHgNdUK</a></p>— Sporting News (@sportingnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/sportingnews/status/1209188963929542656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2019</a>
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<p id="RFoYcU"><strong>GLASS HALF-FULL: Plenty of time to right the ship</strong></p>
<p id="HGy8An">For those die-hard fans that still envision a Final Four run in March, rest assured that this Kentucky team will look much different in February as Calipari is the master of the “tweak” and getting teams to peak at the right time. </p>
<p id="5H588r">Assuming the Cats can finally get over the injury bug, this team will ultimately start knocking down shots and calls for a revamped offense will soon be put to rest. Hagans will continue to be an elite point guard and Maxey will most certainly have some big games down the stretch with his ability to score the ball. You can also expect Sestina to become the heart and soul of this team as he wraps up a stellar college career. </p>
<p id="r2nt9L">With so much focus on a struggling offense, it’s also easy to forget that Kentucky has the potential to be a scary good defensive unit. In fact, Hagans and Maxey alone can create havoc on the defensive end and Richards and Montgomery have the ability to control the paint as big-time rim protectors. </p>
<p id="ldqEpD">Most importantly, Wildcat fans should find comfort in the fact that there’s little separation this year in college basketball as blue bloods such as Kentucky, Duke and North Carolina have all lost early season non-conference games at home. Once considered unthinkable, the college basketball landscape is now up for grabs as we’ve already had six different No. 1-ranked teams. </p>
<p id="mru5Sx"><strong>NEXT UP: Louisville at Kentucky (December 28th)</strong></p>
<p id="VeRX37">Ironically, Kentucky’s greatest weakness is where Louisville thrives as the Cardinals are one of the best perimeter shooting teams in college basketball.</p>
<p id="x767BF">While Kentucky is ranked as one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the nation (.278), Louisville is one of the best (.376) and will not be intimidated by the big moment and bright lights of Rupp Arena. Coach Chris Mack has the Cardinals off to an 11-1 record that also included a short stay as the No. 1-ranked team in the country prior to losing to Texas Tech. In what some project as a down year for the SEC, this just might be the Cats last chance for a signature win to build the post-season resume. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kentucky with a rough 72 hours in Las Vegas, going 0-2 with losses to Utah and Ohio State. Wildcats now get one week before turning around and playing Louisville in Lexington. <br><br>Right now, Kentucky’s second-best win is over Georgia Tech.</p>— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/1208551340143710208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p id="mWiTZ5"><strong>CURRENT GRADE: C</strong></p>
<p id="I1V0Ep">With two losses to unranked teams, poor shooting and a make shift half-court offense, the Wildcats have looked very average at times this season. In my grade book, average is reflected as a solid C with plenty of room for improvement. </p>
<p id="qU96wi">Despite a bumpy ride this season, a win over Louisville would certainly get the Cats back into the national conversation and be the gift that UK fans so desperately want this holiday season. Let’s just hope we ace the test on Saturday.</p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/12/25/21032226/kentucky-basketball-report-cardGreg Goins2019-12-22T09:15:00-05:002019-12-22T09:15:00-05:00Nate Sestina has breakout game in close loss to Buckeyes
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<figcaption>Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Perhaps the biggest bright spot from UK’s two games in Vegas. </p> <p id="RkifYB">The <a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/">Kentucky Wildcats</a> were downed in Las Vegas by the No. 5-ranked <a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com/">Ohio State Buckeyes</a>, resulting in their third loss of the season and their second in a row after losing to Utah on Wednesday.</p>
<p id="RlA4s5">It was a close game all throughout, and it was thanks to fifth-year senior Nick Sestina. The Bucknell grad transfer made his return to action against Utah, failing to log a point in ten minutes of action.</p>
<p id="VBlFJU">That wasn’t the case against the Buckeyes though.</p>
<p id="lBHQ6n">Sestina came out hot, scoring a team-high 17 points. He joined <span>Tyrese Maxey</span> and <span>Ashton Hagans</span> as the only Wildcats in double figures. It was a complete effort from Sestina who pulled down four rebounds and dished out one assist as well.</p>
<p id="iy675e">It was his season high, and it was just an all-around fundamental performance, showcasing a top-tier IQ of how to thrive in Coach Cal’s offense. </p>
<p id="0Fb2ad">Sestina had five threes on a mere eight attempts, a solid 62.5% from downtown. Coming off the bench, Sestina played well with Hagans and Maxey, rolling off the pick-and-rolls into wide-open three-point attempts. He was just 3-for-13 from deep into the matchup.</p>
<p id="pbhX0U">Outside of those three and <span>Immanuel Quickley</span>, the Wildcats didn’t have a player score over five points, and that one was reason Sestina’s big night wasn’t able to be capped off with a victory in Vegas.</p>
<p id="v6dhZT">Moving forward, Sestina has earned big minutes.</p>
<p id="BF6QZD"> In his six games prior to his injury, Sestina was averaging 27.7 minutes. With this breakout performance, he’ll certainly start to eat into <span>Nick Richards</span> and <span>EJ Montgomery</span>’s minutes, the team’s two starting bigs who combined for six total points. </p>
<p id="GfXRZd">Coach Calipari has to do something to get more production from his frontcourt. On top of that, Cal has noted that the team need more three-point shooting, and shooting 5-for-8 from three is exactly what the head coach ordered.</p>
<p id="RLLD5w">The Wildcats were in the game with in the final minutes because Sestina’s terrific play, and it’ll likely be rewarded in the coming future.</p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/12/22/21033455/uk-basketball-nate-sestina-has-breakout-game-in-close-loss-to-buckeyesNathanBeighle2019-12-22T07:00:00-05:002019-12-22T07:00:00-05:00John Calipari & Wildcats recap loss to Ohio State
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<p>The Cats have officially hit a wall offensively. Can it recover in time to beat Louisville next week? </p> <p id="McGvQf">After a tough loss to Utah on Wednesday night, John Calipari and his Wildcats had an opportunity to make up for it with a game against Ohio State. It ended up as a missed opportunity, though, as the Buckeyes beat Kentucky 71-65 in the CBS Sports Classic. This sends UK home from Las Vegas with two losses and more questions than answers. </p>
<p id="sLKrwW">The Wildcats actually hung with the Buckeyes throughout the contest. Ohio State’s largest lead was only seven and Kentucky kept it within a possession for a majority of the game, but they just couldn’t ever take control of the game. Ohio State always had an answer and Chris Holtmann’s team deserves a lot of credit for that. </p>
<p id="9CKZKd">UK even got the best performance they've gotten so far out of <span>Nate Sestina</span> this season. Without his shooting, this game would have been a lot uglier than it already was at times. Sestina scored a season high 17 points on 5-8 shooting from three point range. It was a welcome sign to have Nate break out, but it didn’t result in a win. </p>
<p id="bi5cD7">It was a struggle on both sides of the ball for just about everyone else. <span>Ashton Hagans</span> showed out in the first half but was held relatively quiet in the second. <span>Tyrese Maxey</span> scored 15 points, but his inconsistency on offense can be very frustrating at times. <span>Nick Richards</span> was limited to 2 points and 0 rebounds in 12 minutes due to foul trouble. When you look through the box score, you’re just left wanting more across the board. </p>
<p id="4BwmsM">Here’s what Calipari and some of the players had to say after the game:</p>
<p id="4NpqVg">THE MODERATOR: We’ll start with questions for the student-athletes.</p>
<p id="pjFAsE"><strong>Q. For both you guys, Nate, how do you explain the difference from your game against Utah and the way it unfolded tonight. And Ashton, after he answers, what sort of impact do you think Nate had on the game?</strong>NATE SESTINA: I kind of talked to you about it earlier, just coming back for my first game after an injury I was a little hesitant, didn’t want to put my hand out there, put it in passing lanes, go up with two hands to rebound. And I talked to the coaching staff and they were just like, listen, you need to just forget about it, forget about the injury. Talking with our trainer Jeff he kind of said the same thing, just go out and play and don’t think about it. And I tried to do that today, diving on the floor, not thinking about it. But I think kind of carrying that over into today it was just a toughness thing. We knew they were going to be physical, the Big-10’s known for that, I played Ohio State last year, they were physical, so I kind of knew that coming in and I was just trying to do the same thing for them.</p>
<p id="42lf83">ASHTON HAGANS: Nate’s presence being on the floor it was a big deal tonight. He knocked down some big threes that we needed and then got other guys hitting shots, which he’s a vocal leader at all times, on and off the court and that’s what we need, but also the Utah game we didn’t start off with no energy, there was none of that. Tonight I feel like we had a lot of energy starting off the game, finishing too, but we just messed up on certain parts, but now we got a couple days to fix that when we get back from this break, just ready to get back to work.</p>
<p id="iifaTt"><strong>Q. Ashton, what’s the most important thing in your mind that this team’s got to get right, figure out in the next however many, two, three months?</strong>ASHTON HAGANS: There’s nothing too big, I would just say just coming together more, having each other’s back more, helping each other out. But other than that I think we’re getting it, everyone’s getting their role coming into it, but obviously also we just got to start sharing the ball but that comes with getting closer on and off the court. But it’s just small things right now.</p>
<p id="BwogT5"><strong>Q. There were a couple times during the game you kind of grabbed guys and were saying something to them after a play or something. Is that something you’re trying to do more of and kind of what was going through your mind on some of those things?</strong>ASHTON HAGANS: Just trying to get guys going, not too much on them but just trying to talk to them. If we mess up, just keep talking to them, like if I do something wrong, I know I’m going to hear it from Nate, I know I’m going to hear it from E.J., things like that, so that’s just what I try to do, just talk to the guys every time.</p>
<p id="HBc4WH"><strong>Q. The Ohio State guys talked about this game being a 40-minute grind, kind of a test of wills. And you guys were right there blow, counter blow, how do you feel about coming out of a game like that against a highly ranked team right there?</strong>NATE SESTINA: For us it kind of shows where we are right now. I think from the beginning of the year until now we have really improved our toughness you saw guys getting chippy, guys were bumping guys around, diving on the floor, guys stepping up, blocking shots. Like I said before, like this is a big toughness game for us and I mean I don’t really remember the score but I think we were starting to click and we’re like two or three possessions away from really getting this thing going and it really starts with like Ashton said, it starts with on and off the court relationships and we’re starting to do that. Guys are hanging out with guys outside of basketball and that trust carries on to the court so that every time we step on we know that guys are going to be there for each other.</p>
<p id="9pwBVT"><strong>Q. Nate, after two straight losses on this trip, what was the mood like in the locker room after the game?</strong>NATE SESTINA: Pretty solemn, but we have a team full of guys that are ready to play and the game coming up is huge for us, it’s an in state rivalry, it’s a big, another big toughness game for us, and the tension around that game is so much more and we know that and the attitude for them coming in, the attitude for us coming in, it’s kind of the same thing, it’s two big dogs going after it and whoever is hungrier at the end of the game is going to get the bones as <a href="https://ukathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=3255">Kenny Payne</a> said to us tonight.</p>
<p id="2tmccO"><strong>Q. I know you guys just came off two big losses but the Ohio State head coach, he did say that Coach Cal finds a way to make runs deep in March. What’s your confidence in him and each other and what are you going to focus on once conference play starts?</strong>ASHTON HAGANS: We had our up-and-downs with last year, this year it’s the same thing, we lose we always hear something but we just got to stick with each other. Cal’s coaching us to win in March and so we just got to keep on fighting no matter what happens, just stick with each other like I said earlier and just keep fighting.</p>
<p id="PqxOIU"><strong>Q. Nate, you’ve not played in the Louisville/Kentucky rivalry yet but I’m sure the guys have talked to you about it. What are you expecting in that game next weekend and what have the guys told you?</strong>NATE SESTINA: It’s going to be a dog fight and Cal said to us today that they’re like 1-11 against us and however long and that’s big. I mean they’re coming in looking to get a win, we’re coming off of two losses, they think that we’re going to come in and kind of lay an egg, so I think for us and for me personally at least I haven’t played in this game you I understand what it’s like to play in big games and in a rivalry game like this is something that I’m really looking forward to. When I committed here that was one of the games that they talked about, so I’m really looking forward to it, got to get away, take a little mental break, be home for Christmas, I know everybody’s going to be in the gym, everybody’s going to be working out and we’re going to come back and get after it.</p>
<p id="CfWThl">THE MODERATOR: All right, we’ll let you get back to your team. Coach, give us your thought on this afternoon’s game.</p>
<p id="ynk2OU">JOHN CALIPARI: We fought. We tried. Thank God we had Nate. I think we put ourselves in a position where we had a chance to win, we just wouldn’t pass the ball. We’re still, we’re opening up the courts to drive people because everybody will collapse and they did collapse and we tried to shoot it anyway. I mean we did -- I called my last timeout to make us pass that ball where E.J. threw -- I called a timeout to say, you’re going to pass this ball. So we came down three straight times with guys wide open and shot it into a guy 6’-10”. We’re still learning. But if this is who we are, we’ll be fine. Nick didn’t play great, E.J. played okay, we just got to get those guys going a little bit.</p>
<p id="i87eAH">THE MODERATOR: All right, we’ll take questions.</p>
<p id="EgQh8y"><strong>Q. Over the last several games you said our guys aren’t passing the ball. What has?</strong>JOHN CALIPARI: They started today, we did pretty good for awhile. It was in the last four minutes they wouldn’t pass. I mean, I thought they did a good job, we got 17 assists and 11 turns, which in our case usually wins games for us. But there could have been three more assists in the last four minutes and we would have had 20 assists, 11 turns and it would have been like a good night. But we chose to try to score it versus, they’re collapsing, that’s what they’re doing and I, what Nate did for us, folks, is he started making shots so some other guys, it’s contagious, they can make a shot now. So we get seven today. If we get seven we’ll be fine. Seven for us, eight, six, a game, we just can’t go 2-17. 1-12. And the problem is we still had a lot of guys go 1-6, 1-5, and they were wide open like they’re wide open and when those guys start making it, we’re spacing the court how I would like to space the court. So we can get to the rim. Now unusual for us to get, have a team shoot more free throws than us. Like on the year we’re way more free throws than the other team. This is an aggressive team, they’re, they were physical, they did some good stuff.</p>
<p id="7Dn5QA"><strong>Q. After the Utah game, the way it ended on Wednesday, did you get an explanation on the restricted circle?</strong>JOHN CALIPARI: I asked about the one today.</p>
<p id="5etFEo"><strong>Q. Did you get -- the way it ended on Wednesday did you get a different explanation today?</strong>JOHN CALIPARI: They, you know, that’s my story and I’m sticking with it.</p>
<p id="ajcsAW"><strong>Q. The start, it seemed like this was the </strong><span><strong>Derek Willis</strong></span><strong> plan for Nate?</strong>JOHN CALIPARI: Yeah.</p>
<p id="RtMQBJ"><strong>Q. To come in as a stretch guy and let him shoot threes?</strong>JOHN CALIPARI: Yes.</p>
<p id="dbrgiq"><strong>Q. When did you decide --</strong>JOHN CALIPARI: Before we talked about it, just so you know. So we spent two days just like one of the things I said, Nate, what were we running for you to get you threes? And then we put in some stuff and what they did after he banged a couple, they just said okay we’re going to switch. Well, there’s two things you do, you run him into the post with the point guard, and you bring that other big out or you tell your point, it’s called a boomerang, he throws it, they get it right back to him and he goes downhill right at that big. You do one of the two. We’ll work on that kind of stuff, we haven’t had it. The biggest thing is we got the ball in the lane like we want to and we just ran people over. I told Ashton, he played great, but he’s got to lead us the whole game. The play at the end of the half where he just, a minute to go, we could have gone in up at halftime, and he just, you’re down one versus two and you ran the guy over. Wait a minute. And we had a good game plan of trying to grind them out a little bit because they’re a very good defensive team, they played very physical, they’re a bump and grind kind of team and we wanted to bump and grind them and I thought we did pretty good. I mean I, at the end of the day, I don’t know exactly what we shot, but it was pretty high and they make 10 threes a game that was an emphasis for us and we held them until the last two where we rotated and they made two at the end. So you hold attempt that makes 10 to basically four, I thought we did good. This was a good time for us. I mean the last 10 minutes of Utah and this game, I mean that’s a top 1, 2, 3, team. That’s what they are. Their shooting guard played today, he had been out a couple games he didn’t play against Minnesota in the last game, but he played today. And so for us to be able to say, okay, now let’s clean up all this other stuff, let’s get guys to fight, Nick’s got to come back, I told him, you got to get back in the gym, you put yourself in this position by how you practice and how you approach this, now we, it’s not acceptable, let’s go.</p>
<p id="D3pfxM"><strong>Q. Follow-up on Nate. You may have answered it with not passing at the end, but he goes the last 14 minutes without a three-pointer?</strong>JOHN CALIPARI: Well they switched and did some stuff.</p>
<p id="bd5RIa"><strong>Q. He took him away?</strong>JOHN CALIPARI: Yeah. And that guy can coach too.</p>
<p id="YJ5aLp"><strong>Q. Like you said you guys are generating a lot of open shots and it’s guys like Tyrese, like Johnny, like Immanuel who are good shooters they’re just missing shots. Do you have any idea like why, like what makes you think that they’re just missing shots?</strong>JOHN CALIPARI: Probably mindset. Like you can’t really say like, well I come out every time I miss a shot. No, that’s not true. So then it become, at one point I was trying to get them to just say one word in your mind when you go to shoot it. Straight. Straight. Straight. Because if you’re thinking straight you can’t think I’m going to miss this too. I’m missing this, oh my God. So you just, then that worked a little bit. And then I was like, well, if there’s another word that will make you feel good before you shoot, say that word. Maybe it was a high school team you got 40 against. “Saint Alysosis” and then shoot it. Because the mentality of shooting, you cannot be afraid if you miss one or two, then pass on the next three, because you kill your team. But if I miss five in a row I’m embarrassed. Excuse me? Get in the gym then. The one way is get in the gym and master your craft. We got good shooters, if you watched us practice yesterday, we made 50 threes. They’re like -- and then -- and it’s not just missing, it’s hard right. You hear what I’m saying? It’s not di, di, di. No, it’s, like boom, boom, zing. I mean that’s what it is. So I just think, again, the toughness of playing here, got to be tough, got to be a dog. Every game is someone’s <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/super-bowl">Super Bowl</a>. Ohio State played their butts off today and they ground it out, they played to win a game and they played and fought and pushed and were big and I mean they played. And that’s what -- I told them, I said you could say it’s hard to play -- it’s hard to play against these teams that are trying to kill you. The other thing that happens I’m trying to explain, they will look at a guy like Tyrese and say, he’s a lottery pick? Well watch what I do to him. Then why am I not a lottery pick? They don’t get, well we’re exchanging basket, hi, how are you, good to see you. These dudes are fighting and this is the process we go through every year. When they figure it out, if I don’t fight I’m not making it. If I’m not a dog, if I’m not -- you don’t make it. And it’s not about exchanging basket, let me get more shots. No. Now you’re 1-12. What do we do now? So, but I’m not spending much time on it, we’re just taking a lot of shots and we chart every shot. And at some point you say, fall back on your training, you made 60 in five minutes, you made 67 in five minutes. You can’t make them when you’re wide open? But I think I got a good shooting team. Thank goodness for Nate today.</p>
<p id="52RqrR"><strong>Q. What’s the team plans for Christmas and is it good to maybe step away for a few days?</strong>JOHN CALIPARI: Good for me, I know that. I don’t know if it’s good for them. Nine of them are already going to the airport, going separate ways home. Johnny’s got the shorter trip to L.A., he’s laughing, I’ll be home in 30 minutes. The rest of us got long flights. But I grabbed each of them individually and talked to them and just told them, maybe gave them a critique a little bit but I said, go have fun with your family, we’ll deal with it when we come back. We do this every year. The NCAA’s made it not an option any more. You got to take four days. Well we always took four days. I didn’t care what -- and I basically did it because I really cared about my own family. I wanted to be with my family for four days. I don’t care. I’m not playing over Christmas, I’m not, we’re taking four, five days, three days, this year we’ll take four, but now the NCAA makes everybody do it. I thought it was an advantage for us. Because we were playing teams that were given no Christmas break and they would play and get ready and I thought it was our advantage because of how we did it. So now it’s no longer an advantage.</p>
<p id="M75s6T"><strong>Q. You talk about guys getting shots. E.J. just took four, first 17 minutes didn’t have a shot. What is he not doing to get more involved and why is he not shooting it more?</strong>JOHN CALIPARI: Well one of the things is you can offensive rebound and go get shots, so now you don’t have to worry about someone passing you the ball just say I’m going to rebound offensively. The second thing is fight in the post where we can throw it to you. Now it becomes so it’s obvious that you got to get it. Last game he begged me, like get me it in the block. Today we tried to run a couple things to him, couple of things to Nick, but it didn’t materialize because that guy worked harder than they did. You got to work harder than that guy to get open than he is working to keep you to not catch it. And it’s all what we’re going through. This is normal, it’s just, you know, you would rather learn from close wins, we had our chance today, we were down two with a few minutes to go. We had our chance. And then the same with Utah. Tie game with a minute to go, whatever it was. We had our chance. And we let it slip. So now we move on. Folks, I tell you all, have a merry Christmas, hope you get to enjoy your family and I hope you enjoyed the game today. Thanks.</p>
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https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/12/22/21033528/ncaa-basketball-john-calipari-uk-wildcats-ohio-state-buckeyes-newsSamuel Gillenwater2019-12-21T20:47:53-05:002019-12-21T20:47:53-05:00Twitter reactions to Kentucky’s loss to Ohio State
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<figcaption>Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A week to forget in Vegas. </p> <p id="a5RVKv">The <a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/">Kentucky Wildcats</a> drop their second straight game, heading to 8-3 on the season, to Ohio State, 71-65. </p>
<p id="FQ5izJ">It was a close game through the entire 40 minutes, however Kentucky pretty much imploded during the final five minutes against a veteran team that knew how to finish. </p>
<p id="hlG9Nk">The good news is <span>Nate Sestina</span> did have 17 points and was Kentucky’s main source of three-point shooting, hitting five of Kentucky’s seven. He appears to be fully recovered from his wrist surgery. </p>
<p id="3pJOFa">Overall, Kentucky isn’t very good right now and they have a lot of problems to take care of, whether that shooting, defense, shot selection, etc. You name, Kentucky needs help with it. </p>
<p id="eZix2Y">Anyway, let’s see what social media had to say about this second game of an atrocious Las Vegas trip: </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Final score from Vegas. <a href="https://t.co/HYhWeo6IYw">pic.twitter.com/HYhWeo6IYw</a></p>— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/KentuckyMBB/status/1208554291264278528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Biggest problems on this team (to me):<br><br>1. Need another star. A guy they thought would be one (Whitney) hasn’t <br><br>2. No easy baskets in the post <br><br>3. Everyone except Hagans struggles to guard off the bounce<br><br>Not sure how these get fixed to be honest</p>— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) <a href="https://twitter.com/KySportsRadio/status/1208552968900857861?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ugly shot chart for UK in the paint today. Only Montgomery and Hagans were above 50% shooting there, and Montgomery was only 2-3. Against 1 guy over 6’8”. Not a good look when guys can’t finish.</p>— Hoops Insight (@HoopsInsights) <a href="https://twitter.com/HoopsInsights/status/1208553287391367169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Officiating was horrendous in both games, but this team has zero identity offensively. Kentucky has scored 69 points or less in four of its last five games.</p>— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) <a href="https://twitter.com/JackPilgrimKSR/status/1208551666657554432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">That was definitely a walk and the officials are definitely butt but Kentucky still doesn't deserve a win.</p>— Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrewFranklinKSR/status/1208550793701478400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hagans, Maxey and Sestina have combined for 46 points. Basically, nobody else showed up.</p>— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyleTucker_ATH/status/1208550434861748227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Problem isnt “One and Done.” You can win titles with a great team of One and Dones<br><br>You can win titles with teams of 2-4 year players that are all good and grow <br><br>The issue is when half the team are returning Sophs and half are “non-elite” Fresh<br><br>That’s a hard combo to win with</p>— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) <a href="https://twitter.com/KySportsRadio/status/1208554156069466113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">OSU coach Chris Holtmann called Vegas "a *somewhat* neutral" environment. Says he thinks Kentucky will still have a great year.</p>— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyleTucker_ATH/status/1208554347660890112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">No strong takes about Kentucky are permitted before mid February. We've all seen this movie before, haven't we?</p>— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/SethDavisHoops/status/1208551448717545472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Players not-named Nate Sestina were 2-of-15 from behind the three-point line. <br><br>Kentucky football can win without passing. Kentucky basketball can't win without shooting.</p>— Nick Roush (@RoushKSR) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoushKSR/status/1208553534305832960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">O/U 3 “FIRE CAL” calls on the postgame show tonight</p>— Evan Hatter (@ehatt493) <a href="https://twitter.com/ehatt493/status/1208558735922225152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kaleb Wesson is exactly what Kentucky is missing. He’s owning the inside.</p>— Tyler Thompson (@MrsTylerKSR) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsTylerKSR/status/1208547056077295616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kentucky just has too many guys where you don't know what you're going to get on a night to night basis. That's to be expected from freshmen. Not so much from sophomores and juniors.</p>— Chris Fisher (@ChrisFisher247) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisFisher247/status/1208552975322537986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">FINAL: Ohio State 71, Kentucky 65. <br><br>UK has Louisville at Rupp a week from today. Has become even more critical since ‘Cats have a couple of bad losses, and with fact there won’t be any real “resume” wins in SEC besides Auburn.</p>— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops/status/1208551352768569344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Well, here's something to cheer up Kentucky fans: Utah is getting blitzed by 30 against San Diego State. <br><br>Strap in, BBN, it could be a bumpy rest of the season.</p>— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyleTucker_ATH/status/1208559454582476801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">I find myself going round in circles with UK basketball. It used to be my favorite thing to watch by far. It's not now, and it's not close. I honestly don't even enjoy discussing it. This isn't a Calipari thing. It's a "this shit is boring" thing. I don't watch the</p>— Brian Eldridge (@BriEldridge) <a href="https://twitter.com/BriEldridge/status/1208556774820855809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The team fought hard and I know there are moral victories in Lexington, but I understand the process. And I trust The Process™️.</p>— Terry The Real TB Brown™️ (@TBrown_80) <a href="https://twitter.com/TBrown_80/status/1208550599870033920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">These Cats have a loooooong way to go.</p>— Derek Terry (@DerekSTerry) <a href="https://twitter.com/DerekSTerry/status/1208550194951798785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sestina called the postgame locker room "pretty solemn" after going 0-2 in Las Vegas. Says Louisville game looms especially huge now.</p>— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyleTucker_ATH/status/1208561603324465152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nate Sestina says that despite the loss, he felt Kentucky was just a few possessions away from pulling ahead late in the game, feels the team is right on the cusp of "clicking."</p>— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) <a href="https://twitter.com/JackPilgrimKSR/status/1208561815140978688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2019</a>
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<p id="TGdWjj"><em>Go</em><a href="https://twitter.com/aseaofblue"><em> follow our Twitter page</em></a><em> and</em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/GoASoB/posts/"><em> ‘like’ our Facebook page</em></a><em> to get all of the latest Kentucky Wildcats news and views. </em></p>
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https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/12/21/21033436/uk-basketball-twitter-ohio-state-kentucky-news-cbs-sports-classicIanteasley2019-12-21T20:20:45-05:002019-12-21T20:20:45-05:00Box score & MVP from Kentucky vs. Ohio State
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Ohio State at Kentucky" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YKN8qjIw8kYx6-57Uo6z11tOf0s=/0x179:2417x1790/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65953977/usa_today_13824847.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Kentucky gave a top-five Ohio State team everything they wanted but came up short. </p> <p id="vJHqLL">The <a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/">Kentucky Wildcats</a> were looking to avenge their loss Wednesday night as they took on the <a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com/">Ohio State Buckeyes</a>. </p>
<p id="gLqsbR">Unfortunately, Kentucky lost their second straight game, as they struggled on the offensive end down the stretch in a close game with the Buckeyes. </p>
<p id="FhKITh">The first half was a fast-paced game with both teams trading baskets. </p>
<p id="axbLL6">Each team answered the others big shots with big shots of their own and at the break, it was Ohio State with the 37-36 lead. </p>
<p id="gzJuIp">The second half was just like the first half, as each team exchanged big shots and made big time plays defensively. </p>
<p id="y5UejV">However, in the end it was the Buckeyes that emerged victorious with a 71-65 win.</p>
<h1 id="RmlW7M"><strong>Box Score</strong></h1>
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<h1 id="PXe4qn"><strong>Game MVP</strong></h1>
<p id="iiLoqC">A year ago, <span>Ashton Hagans</span> put on a dominating performance in the CBS Sports Classic when he made life difficult for <span>Coby White</span> and the <a href="https://www.tarheelblog.com/">North Carolina Tar Heels</a>. </p>
<p id="OIcqFE">He was excellent again today as he finished with 14 points, 9 assists, 3 steals and a rebound. </p>
<p id="in6j51">However, the MVP of this one goes to a guy in his second game back from injury, and that is Nate Sestina. </p>
<p id="aDjb5s">Cal said earlier in the week that he wants to run plays to get Nate more opportunities from three. That is what he did by running pick and pop plays for him to have open looks from deep. </p>
<p id="YnEBrD">Sestina took advantage of those chances as he was 5/8 from deep and finished with a season-high 17 points. He also had 4 rebounds and an assist. </p>
<p id="L2kfKc">This team has struggled with three-point shooting, but if he can provide a consistent threat from deep, then that will open up driving lanes for Hagans and <span>Tyrese Maxey</span>. </p>
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https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/12/21/21033416/kentucky-wildcats-box-score-game-mvp-uk-ohio-state-2019Adam Haste2019-12-21T19:54:51-05:002019-12-21T19:54:51-05:00Kentucky falls to Ohio State: 4 things to know and postgame banter
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<img alt="Ohio State v Kentucky" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ck_BGcv1BmKF8cUnTjhmbLOxexM=/0x46:3307x2251/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65953886/1195304284.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Cats fought hard, but the offensive woes continue in another narrow loss. </p> <p id="aCT4Hg">The <a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/">Kentucky Wildcats</a> dropped their second game in a row, this time losing 71-65 to the <a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com/">Ohio State Buckeyes</a>. The game was close throughout, but Kentucky was unable to get over the hump and take the lead late in the game.</p>
<p id="LrFPAD">The Wildcats were led in points by <span>Nate Sestina</span> with 17, and Tyrese Maxey led the team in rebounds with six. The Buckeyes dominated the paint, and Kentucky was unable to score efficiently enough to keep up down the stretch.</p>
<p id="himD9I">The Wildcats are in real danger of losing three in a row with a strong Louisville team coming to Rupp Arena on Saturday. Hopefully, this week is more of a wake-up call for Kentucky and less of a sign of things to come. Here are four things you need to know about the game.</p>
<p id="hnXom0"><strong>Sestina has to hit shots</strong> </p>
<p id="8MdUsb">I know many vans expected Nate Sestina to be more of a <span>Reid Travis</span> type. But not only is it obvious that his strengths lend themselves to more of a pick and pop role, but is also becoming clear that his outside shooting will be vital to Kentucky’s long-term success. </p>
<p id="r9GbHB">Sestina played the big man role well tonight, getting tough rebounds and fighting in the paint. But hitting three-pointers kept the Wildcats in the game when they were having trouble getting buckets.</p>
<p id="KeWAuC"><strong>Hagans has to be THE guy</strong></p>
<p id="3JbgiH"><span>Ashton Hagans</span> looked like an All-American during the first half tonight. He had only one turnover in 19 minutes, he led the team in points, and he was a menace defensively. While he did not look as dominant in the second half, his performance early in the game was enough to show that he is the best player on the team. Hagans may not be the highest draft pick in June, but he is Kentucky’s best college basketball player right now.</p>
<p id="RHAR4x"><strong>Better shot selection</strong></p>
<p id="b6WSAH">For most of the game (and the season?), it looked like Kentucky was settling for bad shots. Ohio State got open buckets in the paint all night long, in part due to the heavy whistles of the officials. And the Wildcats were trying to trade those easy buckets for long jumpers and contested lay-ups at the rim.</p>
<p id="v9QPPm">Kentucky struggled to get good looks against the Buckeyes against both the zone and man-to-man defense. There was rarely a rhythm. Most of Kentucky’s points came on transition baskets and runners when guys took it on their own. There were very few shots taken from executing a well-designed play.</p>
<p id="LpjZIk"><strong>Freshmen need to step up</strong></p>
<p id="RLXh9V">For perhaps the first time in the John Calipari era at Kentucky, the slate of 5-star freshmen are contributing very little to the success(?) of this team. <span>Tyrese Maxey</span> has been good-to-great for most of the year, but no other freshman has contributed consistently. </p>
<p id="rKu0eY"><span>Kahlil Whitney</span> looks lost most of the time, Keion Brooks has not been able to bring it every night, and <span>Johnny Juzang</span> often seems scared to death. The Wildcats are obviously going to have to rely on the veterans to have a successful season, but without contributions from the new guys they ceiling gets much lower.</p>
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https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/12/21/21033413/kentucky-basketball-ohio-state-buckeyes-4-takeaways-uk-wildcats-newsJamie Boggs2019-12-21T15:39:30-05:002019-12-21T15:39:30-05:00Kentucky vs. Ohio State game thread and pregame reading
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<img alt="COLLEGE BASKETBALL: DEC 22 CBS Sports Classic - North Carolina v Kentucky" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/N-qpNpPh6Oi3xZJ1GngVoKhEI4U=/319x175:1546x993/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65953227/1074720058.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Cats and Buckeyes clash in the CBS Sports Classic. </p> <p id="LAyLFA">The <a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/">Kentucky Wildcats</a> are back in action today as they take on the <a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com/">Ohio State Buckeyes</a>. </p>
<p id="TUk76P">The game will be played in Las Vegas and is scheduled to start at 5:51 pm EST after the UNC vs UCLA game took longer than expected. <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/">It can be streamed online using CBS Sports</a> and the <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/mobile">CBS Sports Mobile App</a>. </p>
<p id="jXRt9P">It is the second game of a double-header that can be viewed on CBS. It follows the UNC-UCLA matchup, so it may end up starting around 5:30, depending on the result of that game.</p>
<p id="WskplW">Today will arguably be the biggest test of the Cats season. Michigan State hasn’t quite turned out like everyone thought, and the Buckeyes are playing great in every facet of the game.</p>
<p id="RbZ6BW">After Wednesday’s loss, the morale on this team is not very high. However, these next two games against Ohio State and Louisville can change everything. </p>
<p id="SbLj4A"><span>Nick Richards</span> and <span>EJ Montgomery</span> combined for 13 points against the Utes. If the Cats are going to win this game, they’re going to need these two to step up big time.</p>
<p id="p584Ls">Get hyped for today’s game by checking out some of these pregame reads!</p>
<ul>
<li id="M1BegZ"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/12/20/21030362/kentucky-basketball-ohio-state-buckeyes-time-tv-channel-online-stream-odds">Kentucky vs. Ohio State: Preview, viewing info and score projection</a></li>
<li id="kNQeJk"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/12/21/21028010/kentucky-wildcats-news-kai-sotto-uk-recruiting">Kai Sotto talks Kentucky and his recruitment</a></li>
<li id="RHgM5X"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/12/19/21030309/uk-wildcats-news-john-calipari-big-blue-nation-ncaa-basketball">John Calipari has a message for the Big Blue Nation</a></li>
<li id="ZimeCN"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/12/21/21029186/uk-basketball-recruiting-2021-class-jaden-hardy-paolo-banchero">Recruiting analyst says UK is in good shape with 2 elite 2021 recruits</a></li>
<li id="Z2DFxf"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/12/20/21032114/uk-basketball-cbs-sports-classic-kentucky-news-ncaa-tournament-bracketology">CBS doesn’t include Kentucky in updated Bracketology</a></li>
<li id="0M71VY"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/12/20/21030092/uk-wildcats-basketball-john-calipari-three-point-shooting-focal-point">John Calipari has to make 3-point shooting a focal point</a></li>
<li id="wIOd8i"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/12/20/21031874/ohio-state-osu-buckeyes-news-chris-holtmann-kentucky-wildcats-basketball">Ohio State’s Chris Holtmann grew up a Kentucky fan</a></li>
<li id="lJJ2j9"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/12/19/21030110/uk-basketball-john-calipari-utah-utes-news">John Calipari believes Utah loss is the medicine UK needs</a></li>
<li id="ZlpYFD"><a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/12/19/21029591/kentucky-basketball-uk-wildcats-season-2019-20">Will the Wildcats end the year with a whimper?</a></li>
</ul>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/12/21/21033024/how-to-stream-uk-basketball-ohio-state-live-blog-cbs-sports-classic-2019TJ Barnett2019-12-21T13:59:32-05:002019-12-21T13:59:32-05:00Kentucky vs. Ohio State: Game time, TV info, live stream, odds & predictions
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0YCraeMwRVxOUfzEfG0wxVHJ3U4=/0x0:5184x3456/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65944685/wildcat_mascot.5.jpg" />
<figcaption>Drew Brown - Sea of Blue</figcaption>
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<p>All the need-to-know info for Wildcats vs. Buckeyes.</p> <h2 id="vz9nhb">
<a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com/">Ohio State Buckeyes</a> (10-1) at <a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/">Kentucky Wildcats</a> (8-2)</h2>
<ul>
<li id="c4Dnu0">
<strong>Game Time:</strong> 5:15 pm EST on Saturday, December 21st</li>
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<strong>Location</strong>: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.</li>
<li id="UYyEZO">
<strong>TV Channel:</strong> CBS</li>
<li id="jpNQeF">
<strong>Announcers</strong>: Brad Nessler; analysis, Bill Raftery; sideline, Jamie Erdahl</li>
<li id="FL9Gxm">
<strong>Radio</strong>: Tom Leach and Mike Pratt will have the UK radio network call on 630 AM, 98.1 FM in Lexington, and on the <a href="https://ukathletics.com/signingday/general/general/3/">UK Sports Network</a>.</li>
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<strong>Online radio: </strong><a href="https://tunein.com/radio/Kentucky-Football-s230317/">TuneIn broadcast</a> or <a href="http://ukathletics.com/">UKAthletics.com</a>.</li>
<li id="8z2uzO">
<strong>Online Stream: </strong>The game can be streamed online using CBS Sports</li>
<li id="EcfBB6">
<strong>Odds: </strong>Ohio State is currently a three-point favorite as of Saturday afternoon. <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game?gameId=401166125">ESPN BPI</a> gives Ohio State a 68.6% chance of victory. <a href="https://kenpom.com/team.php?team=Kentucky">KenPom</a> gives the Buckeyes a 67% chance of winning in Vegas.</li>
<li id="0xsbrO">
<strong>Rosters</strong>: <a href="https://ukathletics.com/roster.aspx?path=football">UK</a> | <a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com/">OSU</a>
</li>
<li id="mv0qKk"><a href="http://www.t-mobilearena.com/events/detail/cbs-sports-classic">Tickets</a></li>
<li id="g8MVhJ"><a href="https://ukathletics.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary">Live Stats</a></li>
<li id="O7lbmv">
<strong>Predictions</strong>: <a href="https://kenpom.com/team.php?team=Kentucky">KenPom</a> projects Ohio State to win 68-63. <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game?gameId=401166125">TeamRankings</a> has the Buckeyes winning 67-64, while numberFire went with a 67-65 Ohio State victory. </li>
</ul>
<p id="TFfDP3">While we wait for the game, here is UK’s HYPE video to get you fired up for the game today: </p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BounceBack?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BounceBack</a>. Fight and Finish.<br><br>Cats vs. Buckeyes. The @CBSSsportsClassic tonight in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BBNVegas?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BBNVegas</a> <a href="https://t.co/2H79Aulgpq">pic.twitter.com/2H79Aulgpq</a></p>— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/KentuckyMBB/status/1208375314897948675?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2019</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
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<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="ajX934">
<p id="NwPbMT">The Wildcats lost their second game of the season on Wednesday to the struggling <a href="https://www.blocku.com/">Utah Utes</a>. Many fans in Big Blue Nation are panicking, as they do nearly every December. But don’t we always look back and realize that was silly when March rolls around?</p>
<p id="QMfSU4"><span>Ashton Hagans</span> has been Kentucky’s most consistent player, followed by Immanuel Quickley. Nick Richards is in the middle of a rough stretch after starting the season out looking like a great NBA prospect. And none of the young guys has seemed to show up on a consistent basis.</p>
<p id="3QbSy5">Perhaps the biggest concern for the Wildcats is outside shooting. As a team, they are hitting just 27.5% from behind the three point line. And there is not a single player on the roster shooting better than 33.3%. Shooting has rarely, if ever, been the strength of Calipari teams. But this season, it seems to be possibly their biggest weakness.</p>
<p id="SO4erL">Ohio State is having a great season so far, aside from their loss to a less than impressive Texas Tech team. They have wins over Cincinnati, Villanova, and North Carolina, and they were in line to be the No. 1 team in the land before they fell to Minnesota. </p>
<p id="vd1vdn">The Buckeyes are led in points, rebounds, and blocks by 6-9 forward Kaleb Wesson. And, unlike Kentucky, they are a very good shooting team from deep. As a group, they have hit 41.6% of their three-pointers on the season. They have five (!) players shooting 41% or better.</p>
<div id="oSZTDj"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dWp-JwercoU?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media; accelerometer; gyroscope; picture-in-picture"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="CBKPxP">This is a huge matchup for Kentucky. If they are able to pull out a win, the doubters will be forced to take a step back and reassess their “Kentucky is done” takes. But if the Wildcats fall for the second game in a row, people in blue t-shirts across the country are going to start hitting the panic button. </p>
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https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/12/20/21030362/kentucky-basketball-ohio-state-buckeyes-time-tv-channel-online-stream-oddsJamie Boggs