No. 9 Kentucky keeps looking for ways to improve

LEXINGTON

Kentucky it seems can make teams feel like they’re playing a different sport when they’re on the basketball court.

Lipscomb coach Lennie Acuff waited until late in his media session to drop the line of the night from the podium.

On Kentucky’s defense, which caused Lipscomb to shoot 17.2% from 3-point range: “You feel like you’re on a hot stove the whole possession,” Acuff said.

He had just watched No. 9 Kentucky torch his Lipscomb team 97-68 Tuesday night in Rupp Arena.

So, now, Kentucky has moved into some kind of basketball hot stove league.

These overmatch games have been quite effective so far for UK as it moved to 4-0 this season.

It had no trouble making baskets, hitting 54.8% from the floor and 12-of-25 on 3-pointers for 48%, but the assist totals were probably nagging to coach Mark Pope.

UK had 10 assists and eight turnovers, which also were a problem for Pope.

“I’m nit picking … but we only had 10 assists tonight,” Pope said. “That’s not us. The turnover game is massively important the way we play. We believe the more attack mode we are, the more aggressive we play, the less turnovers we’re going to have.”

Lipscomb had little stopping power on the defensive end, and Kentucky has the capability to score a lot no matter who is on the floor.

Jaxson Robinson might have struggled some in the UK win over Duke, but he was over that short slump in time for this latest improvement matchup.

The graduate 3-point shooter led the Wildcats with 20 points, hitting 6-of-10 from the floor, 3-of-6 from 3, and all five of his free throws.

Kentucky also has some outrageous help off the bench. UK’s non-starters have scored 36 points a game, and they are outscoring opponents by 18.3 bench points a game.

All of Pope’s talk about coming at you in waves is growing in reality every game, it seems like.

Kobe Brea has been a big part of the offensive production off the bench. One of the top 3-point shooters in the country scored 12 points against Lipscomb, going…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/no-9-kentucky-keeps-looking-101700659.html

Author : Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.

Publish date : 2024-11-20 10:17:00

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