A practice run: Cats beat neighbor Transy 97-53 in exhibition

After much anticipation from both fans and players, the Cats were able to play someone other than themselves in an exhibition game against Transylvania Wednesday at Rupp Arena. The Cats came out on top of a 97-53 final score, shooting 59.1 percent from the floor.

Transy started off on top with junior guard Barrett Meyer scoring the team’s first five points early in the game, but UK answered with an 13-0 run to take the lead 17-11.

The Pioneers were playing fast with the guards from the start, hustling on both sides of the court while playing fearless defense and drawing fouls.

“We approached this game as a way to try to help the University of Kentucky get ready for those early games in the season,” Transylvania head coach Brian Lane said. “There was not an intent at any time to come in and think we were going to win the game.”

Lane said the goal was to provide offensive strategies that UK will likely see throughout the season.

The Cats, finally getting a chance to compete, were performing defensive strategies, but there is still room for adjustment. They were pressing, but often lost men on all sides of the court, allowing the Pioneers to find an open man on the perimeter.

“We have a long way to go. I think everyone knows it,” UK head coach John Calipari said. “We’ve got a couple guys that play with great intensity. They’re going to have to spend a lot of time on the court.”

Without having a chance to run the dribble-drive and multiple difficulties with mismatches, the players are aware that they have some adjustments and improvements to make in order to successfully compete this season.

“Every freshman was probably the best player on their team,” sophomore forward Terrence Jones said.  “(They) shot majority of the shots, and now you gotta alternate to different roles playing with so many different good players around you. It’s not as easy as it seems.”

The adjustment isn’t coming as a shock for the freshmen, though.

“For them to be that small they played really aggressive and physical without big guys,” freshman guard Marquis Teague said. “At first we were having trouble posting them, but they were really physical with the guards all night.”

But this game doesn’t count toward the season and UK was looking at Wednesday as a way to come together and play as a team for the first time.

“It was fun to actually get to compete against other teams and all (of) us to play together for the first time,” Teague said.

Five of the Cats walked away from the exhibition game with double-digit points. Jones finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Senior guard Darius Miller counted for 10 points and five rebounds. Sophomore guard Doron Lamb ended with 19 points to close out the game while freshmen Marquis Teague and forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist debuted with 14 and 19 points, respectively.

Calipari said that Kidd-Gilchrist, judging from Wednesday night, would likely be a starter for UK. Since the Cats did start off slow he changed the attitudes of the players to pick them up and have them play more aggressively and with more intensity.

“He plays just like DeAndre (Liggins). He is a great player and dug deep,” Lamb said. “He played good off the bench making shots and playing defense.”

Freshman forward Anthony Davis had eight blocks to end the game, most of which occurred while Transy players were attempting three-point shots, and this is something that is to be expected from Davis as the season progresses.

In regard to possibility guard Stacey Poole may transfer from the program in the next week, Calipari said, “We don’t have any roster changes, so there’s nothing to talk about right now.”

UK returns to Rupp Monday against Morehouse at 7 p.m.