Kentucky basketball: Even shorthanded same team, same woes, same result

Kentucky basketball in the closing minutes is the same broken record game after game.

The Kentucky basketball team went to Missouri short-handed and slogged through 36 minutes keeping within clawing distance of the Tigers. But a familiar thing happened when the clock fell below four minutes and once again the wheels came off in a 75-70 loss.

Jacob Toppin was sick and remained in Lexington along with still injured Terence Clarke. Toppin’s natural hustle and athleticism were sorely missed.

The game clock hit 3:58 and a timeout with No. 18 Missouri leading 68-65. Would it be the same head-shaking result or by some miracle a fantastic finish?

If you have watched this team all season you should have selected option1.

Despite what John Calipari called “funky lineups” they actually fought valiantly, but as in most of their games closing minutes a wave of confusion swept over them, and no one seems to know what to do.

The Missouri wave in all likelihood will be the one that sweeps this team’s sliver of post-season aspirations out to sea and down to the seafloor.

Losing their fifth of out the past six games and sitting at  5-11, 4-5 in the Southeastern Conference there is no hope of going to the big dance without winning the conference tournament. That too would take a miracle.

Another stumble out of the gate

Kentucky started out with Olivier Sarr picking up two early fouls and heading to the bench after playing just eight minutes and scoring two points.

Dontaie Allen played seven minutes in the opening half and missed both shots. Brandon Boston played 14 minutes and netted just two points.

Lance Ware played well in the opening half with five points and grabbed two rebounds.

That was all.

Missouri who normally shoots six three-pointers a game, and ranks 303 in the nation, nailed 7 of 11 in the opening half and sprinted out to a 40-27 halftime lead.

The Wildcats found their stride to open the second half but broke down in the stretch.

Kentucky opened the second half on an 8-0 run while Missouri missed its first eight attempts. They sliced their way to as close as 43-42 on a Boston runner, but they would never take the lead the entire game.

Missouri’s long-range bombs chilled meanwhile and the Wildcats seized their chance as it took until the clock hit 13:46 for the Tigers to knock down their first field goal.

Missouri could never put Kentucky away and you kept willing this team to make a run another run on top of the 15-2 they used to erase the halftime hole.

Ware played his heart out on the floor and Isaiah Jackson made the stellar blocks, steals, and rebound time and time again. He was a human highlight reel.

Sarr’s three-pointer cut the Mizzou lead to 67-63 with 5:52 to play, but then the ghosts of games past hopped off the bench to haunt the Wildcats as the game turned for home.

Those being poor shots, bad turnovers, a technical foul on Devin Askew for arguing about not getting a foul called, Sarr and Boston both fouling out, and bumbling ball handling.

Kentucky actually won the rebounding battle but turned it over 17 times in the game and committed 24 fouls in which the Tigers made 18 of 26 at the line that proved to be the difference.

You ask yourself “What the **** was that?”

As in many cases as the horn sounds we’ve become accustomed to putting our heads in our hands shaking in disbelief wondering “What the **** was that”.

Lob passes that looked more like a Tom Brady lasers to Grok that Jackson couldn’t come close to catching even though he appears to be Superman at times.

Balls dribbled off feet, knees, and out of bounds. Bodies falling on the floor more than upright. Askew turning the ball over and taking more ill-advised shots. And the most perplexing question of all was why did Allen not play a single solitary minute of the second half?

That question was bound to come up but there was Cal Speak with no real logical reasoning in the post-game press conference as to why Allen never checked in.

"“We shot 60 percent in the second half and I just ran with the guys that were playing well. And if you watch, what they were doing to Dontaie, they were going right at him defensively. So, whoever he was on, that’s what they were doing. Our biggest thing was, we were getting great stops and scoring. So, next game, he may play 25, 30 minutes. This game, it was my choice. I rode with the team that was playing well in the second half.”"

Cam’Ron Fletcher even made his first appearance since December 19 after taking a sabbatical at home after an outburst on the bench. He returned to the team but Calipari hasn’t played him since, but he checked in to count it – one minute.

Calipari was also asked about leaving Toppin and Clarke in Lexington with coach Joel Justice.

"“I want to see the kid (Clarke) practice tomorrow and Friday to see if there’s any chance that he could play against Tennessee. So, he didn’t need to be here. In basketball, when you’re looking at a guy, what, we needed a cheerleader? He didn’t need to be here. He needs to get ready to try to play that game Saturday. If he can’t practice, without limping, Thursday and Friday, then he won’t play Saturday and we just keep it out and we’ll see where this thing goes. It comes to a point where you’re out five, six weeks, means you’re just not capable, the pain is too much for you to play at all. So that’s why we left him at home.”"

It’s clear Clarke is probably done for the year and if he comes back won’t have much to contribute.

Rising to the occasion

There were several players who rose to the occasion but there simply wasn’t enough of five-players connecting at the same time on the floor as it has been all year.

Davion Mintz was spot on from the field hitting on 6 of 12 field goals including 4 of 9 from three-point range for 18 points to go with two rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and two steals.

Jackson eight points, 10 rebounds all on the defensive end,  four blocked shots, three assists, and two steals.

Ware played 29 minutes and contributed eight hard labor points all in the paint to go with 10 rebounds and three blocks.