Defense remains the key for Kentucky Wildcats basketball

Forget for a moment that the Kentucky Wildcats were facing UT-Arlington. That is what the critics are going to say anyway. For every double-digit win the Kentucky Wildcats basketball team has had this year, they have harped on the schedule and that Kentucky is playing a cupcake schedule. Never mind the fact this Kentucky Wildcats team destroyed Kansas. The Wildcats schedule before January will more than validate this team.

And never mind the fact that this team is putting up perhaps the best defensive performance the NCAA has seen. Some people still find a way to nitpick what is clearly going to be a very special team and season. For the first half last night, we say what can happen when the Kentucky Wildcats offense and defense get on the same page and Kentucky closed the half on a 28-0 run as part of a bigger 42-5 streak. We can talk offense and we can talk platoons, but defense is the story with this team.

"UK allowed just 12 points in building a 43-point halftime advantage, the second-largest in school history behind only the 44-point lead the 1996 team had on LSU on the strength of an 86-point explosion. Astoundingly, UT Arlington made just four field goals in 32 attempts, compared with eight blocks for the Cats, as UK closed the half on a 42-5 run. The performance would have been more remarkable if it wasn’t so, well, commonplace for this team. Six times in 12 halves now, UK has allowed held its opponent under 20 points. The Cats have not yet allowed 40-percent shooting from the field in a game this season and opponents are shooting just 28.7 percent from 2-point range, good for second nationally. UK has 60 blocks to boot, and at least seven in every game this season. “This team has a chance of being one of those teams you talk about defensively, like of all time, if they choose to be,” Calipari said. “But they’re going to have to choose to be that.” It seems they’ve already made that choice."

. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

John Clay takes a look at some of the numbers from last nights game.

"– Texas-Arlington shot 27 percent, the third-lowest against UK this year. Montana State shot 19.7 percent and Kansas shot 19.6 percent. – The Mustangs made just four of 21 threes for 19 percent. Over the last two games, UK has held opponents to six-of-44 from three-point range for 13.6 percent. – Texas-Arlington averaged 0.636 points per possession, the fourth team out of six to fail to get to 0.7 points per possession. Last year’s Kentucky team held just one opponent under 0.7 — Robert Morris at 0.658. – Devin Booker scored a career-high 19 points. Over his last three games, the freshman has made 18 of 24 shots, including 12 of 17 three-pointers. – Karl-Anthony Towns turned in his first collegiate double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Towns has 21 rebounds in 37 minutes over his last two games. – Aaron Harrison scored 11 points, his third consecutive double-digit scoring game."

Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

In case you missed it, here are the highlights from The Kentucky Wildcats big game, plus Coach Calipari and player videos.