Louisville had some choice words for the Cats last night after they defeated Jackson State 106-70. Kasean Pryor told the media he would "see them Tuesday" after a win and "expletive em," talking about the Cats.
Well, Kentucky just delivered their 107-point answer.
After a dreadful first-half struggle against Nicholls State earlier in the week, the Cats looked like a completely different team in the first 20 minutes against Valparaiso, exploding for 59 points. It was the most in a half since 2023.
Keep in mind, they scored just 77 the entire game against Nicholls State.
The second half was equally impressive on the scoreboard, but the shooting did cool off significantly. After a blistering 7-for-13 (53.8%) from deep in the first half, the Cats were just 4-for-15 (26.7%) in the second. That kind of drop off is not what you want to see, but the second half saw a lot of rushed shots to try to get in on the action.
The Wildcat dominance was in the details
This 107-59 beatdown was a total team effort, though. The box score is exactly what Mark Pope wants to see for his team going forward.
- Balanced Attack: Six different Wildcats scored in double figures.
- Moreno Shines: Malachi Moreno led the way with a dominant double-double: 18 points and 10 rebounds.
- Pope's Offense: The ball was moving, leading to 27 assists on 37 made baskets.
- Hyper-Efficiency: Denzel Aberdeen (12 points) and Brandon Garrison (12 points) were a combined 7-for-7 from the field and 9-for-9 from the free throw line. Collin Chandler was on fire, adding 14 points on 4-for-8 from three.
- The Free Throw Fix: After three games of struggles, Kentucky was a nearly perfect 22-for-26 (84.6%) from the free throw line.
Both teams will enter Tuesday's battle with a lot of confidence and swagger.
The intensity, pace, and execution the Cats played with in that first 20 minutes will be exactly what's needed for 40 minutes when they travel across I-64 to take on Louisville Tuesday night.
Who will come out ahead in Pope v Kelsey 2.0? We're about to find out.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion