By Alex Forkner | Sports columnist

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There was basketball in Rupp Arena Tuesday night — semi-real, quasi-competitive basketball that doesn’t count for anything.

“This was a scrimmage against ourselves,” head coach John Calipari said. “We didn’t play anybody.”

But, boy, was it fun to watch.

Blue defeated White 99-71 in a fast-paced, high-flying affair in front of a scrimmage-record 15,035 fans. Here are five takeaways:

1. Young is money

Freshman guard James Young has a game so smooth Rob Thomas and Carlos Santana should write a song about it.

Young finished with 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting, 3-of-5 from three-point range, displaying a stroke and ability to finish that could make him a 20-ish points-a-night kind of guy.

But Young isn’t just a scorer. He disrupted passing lanes and racked up deflections, finishing with seven steals. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Young draw the defensive assignment of stopping opponents’ best scorers this season.

“I just played my game,” Young said. “Got open shots, got defensive rebounds, got some steals. It’s just my game.”

2. Julius Randle will be hard to handle

Please pardon the poetry, but sometimes the truth rhymes.

“What was really good, (Randle) wasn’t getting the ball early and he just played,” Calipari said. “Eventually, he started getting it. He even missed about three layups or he would have had six to eight more points. He’s really good.”

Randle powered his way to 21 points and eight rebounds. His first step is quicker than a bear trap snapping shut. His crossover is enough to leave defenders cross-eyed. If you meet him in the lane — even the checkout lane at the grocery — duck and cover.

3. Derek Willis wants playing time

Just as no one expected, Willis was the White team’s star player, racking up 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 5-of-6 on threes, and eight rebounds.

The freshman forward was widely regarded as the odd man out in this latest recruiting class — a 4-star in a 5-star’s universe — but the freshman looked right at home amongst his more touted teammates.

“He has no conscience whatsoever,” Calipari said. “He just lets it go.”

This UK team is already deep, and if it can get that sort of output from an unexpected source, it’ll rival the Marianas Trench.

4. Half-strength Harrison duo

Freshman point guard Andrew Harrison logged only 10 minutes and missed the second half entirely with a knee contusion that he suffered in practice recently. He finished with just one assist in the game.

His absence meant his twin brother, freshman Aaron Harrison, a shooting guard by trade, had to bump over and play the point. He finished with 19 points and six assists.

“It’s tough,” Aaron Harrison said of the position change. “You have to be in a lot better shape than everybody else on the team. I’m getting used to it, but I’m ready for Andrew to get back.”

5. Education pays

And so does attending basketball scrimmages, apparently.

Calipari awarded biology freshman Amanda Dowell and mechanical engineering senior Josh Lawson scholarships covering spring tuition.

Why did Dowell decide to attend?

“My mom called me and told there was a scholarship available, so I thought I better get here,” she said.

Lawson had a test to study before, but decided to play the odds.

“It means I don’t have to take out loans,” he said. “It’s a pretty big deal. It gives me the opportunity to stay in school, so I’m pretty excited about it.”