Kentucky fans have been waiting for the "real" Kam Williams to show up. On Tuesday afternoon, he didn’t just show up. he kicked the door down.
After struggling to find his rhythm early in the season (shooting around 23% from deep coming in), Williams exploded for 26 points on 8-of-10 shooting from three-point range in Kentucky's 99-85 win over Bellarmine.
It was the kind of performance that changes the trajectory of a season.
The transfer guard finally found his rhythm for Kentucky basketball and the numbers were staggering
Bellarmine head coach Doug Davenport admitted his game plan was risky: play zone, pack the paint, and "dare them to shoot."
For Kentucky, that was like inviting a shark to a buffet.
"We turned it into target practice, and they made them," Davenport said after the game. Kentucky made 16 of 30 in a wild barrage of 3-point bombs.
Mark Pope noted that the zone simplified the game for a shooter who might have been pressing. "I think it was good for him to make them here too," Pope said. "When you are a really good shooter, you make shots. It’s not... an anomaly. It’s just how it should be."
Otega Oweh: The Point Forward?
While Williams was launching from deep, Otega Oweh was the one loading the weapon.
Oweh played one of his most complete games of the season, finishing with 10 assists to go along with 10 points and zero turnovers. Pope called it "absolutely fantastic," specifically praising Oweh’s ability to turn the corner and find space.
"He did it by getting downhill and making plays for guys," Pope said. "I would like that to happen every game for the rest of the year."
If this is the version of Kam Williams and Otega Oweh that Kentucky takes into SEC play, the ceiling for this offense just got a lot higher, and it was much needed.