Bounce Back: Front Court Steps Up in Kentucky Basketball Win Over Mississippi State
The Big Men, spearheaded by Nick Richards, lead Kentucky Basketball to an 80-72 victory over Mississippi State.
To paraphrase the great contemporary American philosopher Sean Anderson, known professionally by his stage name Big Sean:
Last time took an “L”, but tonight, I bounced back!
After the road loss to Auburn on Saturday, this victory puts the Cats back on the winning track.
Nick Richards reemerged as a commanding presence and firmly cemented his standing as the favorite for Conference Player of the Year in the SEC as Kentucky Basketball defeated Mississippi State at Rupp Arena 80-72.
While it was incredible to see Richards showcase the dominant level at which he has consistently performed in SEC play, a huge part of the story of the was the performance of fellow frontcourt staples E.J. Montgomery and Nate Sestina.
I’m always on my job, I got no hobbies:
E.J. had his best game since the Cats beat Georgia 89-79 at Rupp a couple of weeks ago, scoring 12 points while grabbing 8 rebounds. Montgomery also contributed 3 steals and a block to stuff the stat sheet on both ends.
Most impressively for E.J., he showed a level of aggressiveness that Kentucky Basketball fans were hoping to see on a more consistent basis this season. Tuesday night was Montgomery’s fourth game scoring in double figures this season and his fourth game grabbing as many as 8 boards. His 3 steals matched E.J. ‘s season total coming into this game.
Sestina, meanwhile, had a stretch late in the first half where Mississippi State could not match up with him. He showed versatility both in the post and from the mid-range; the kind that made him an all-Conference selection in the Patriot League. Sestina contributed 6 points and 3 rebounds, also adding a block.
I woke up in Beast Mode:
Nick Richards had another “Tale of Two Halves” game as he dominated the second half, scoring 25 of his 27 points after halftime. Richards also added his tenth double-double of the season for Kentucky Basketball, pulling down 11 rebounds.
You ain’t gettin’ checks:
After struggling as a frontcourt unit versus a much smaller Auburn team on Saturday, the Big Cats stepped up in a huge way, meeting the challenge of Conference Player of the Year candidate Reggie Perry head-on!
After scoring 51 points in his last two games versus Florida and Tennessee, respectively, Perry was held below his season averages by Kentucky Basketball and their trio of bigs. He shot 4-16, scoring 14 points and grabbing 8 boards before fouling out.
You just fall down and never fall off:
Ashton Hagans continued to be in a shooting funk. Hagans was 2-7 for 6 points. Without the foul trouble from Saturday, however, Hagans was able to stay on the floor and be the playmaker for his teammates. He played 35 minutes and had 6 assists with only 2 turnovers, overcoming this issue, as well.
While there were some moments of tenaciousness on the defensive end from Tyrese Maxey, he was not his usual self as a scorer. He tallied 8 points on 4-9 shooting and 0 free throws. Maxey did impress with his ability to facilitate the offense, though, as he dished out 5 assists. This marks his third game of the season totaling at least 5 dimes. Maxey added 4 rebounds (all defensive) along with 2 steals.
Overall, there was a tenacity and toughness from Kentucky Basketball in this game, as the Cats were able to get to the line 36 times and shot 86% from the charity stripe (31-36). 49 second-half points allowed, however, gives John Calipari a point of emphasis in practice this week.
Poor shooting from behind the three-point arch (1-10) meant that Kentucky Basketball never pulled away, letting Mississippi stay in the game. Kentucky never trailed, though, and held the lead for nearly 39 of the 40 minutes played. The Cats built a 14 point second half lead- which Mississippi State was able to close to 6 with just under 3 minutes to play.
Betting on me is the right risk:
Props to Immanuel Quickley. While his shot wasn’t falling with the usual frequency (3-11, 1-6 from three), he remained aggressive on offense and posted his second consecutive 20+ point game, and third in his last four contests. Quickley finished with 21 points and shot an astounding 14-14 from the free-throw line.
After a tough game on Saturday, this victory certainly proves one truth about Kentucky Basketball; if you a real one, you know how to bounce back!