Calipari got his wish, Cats hit in mouth early in 71-52 win over Buffalo
Buffalo senior forward Xavier Ford (35), UK freshman forward Karl-Anthony Towns (12) and junior forward Willie Cauley-Stein (15) attempt to grab a rebound ball during the first half of the University of Kentucky vs. State University of New York at Buffalo men’s basketball game at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., on Sunday, November 16, 2014. Buffalo led 38-33 at the half. Photo by Tessa Lighty
November 17, 2014
By Kyle Arsendorf
UK head coach John Calipari wanted his team to get hit in the mouth early in the season.
He got what he was looking for Sunday as Buffalo came to Rupp Arena and landed a haymaker on the Cats in the first half.
UK’s offense came out sloppy early in the game and took a 34 percent shooting average into the locker room at half time.
Buffalo’s junior guard Jarryn Skeete began the game firing and hung 14 points on UK in the first half, including the only four 3-pointers for the Bulls.
“We said in the locker room that we were going to play as hard as we could, and it was going to be what it was going to be,” Skeete said. “We wanted to play defense like we know how to play, hit open shots and see if they fall.”
Despite Skeete’s efforts, the Bulls didn’t shoot particularly well from the field in the first half either, but were able to draw 13 fouls from UK and sink 10 of their 14 free throws to take a 38-33 lead to the locker room.
“We didn’t want to dig ourselves a hole early,” Buffalo head coach Bobby Hurley said. “We had some good early possessions and backed it up on the defensive end. Unfortunately there were two halves to be played.”
UK’s second platoon began the second half with a five-point deficit that was soon erased by a 3-pointer, a steal and a dunk from freshman forward Trey Lyles.
He followed that up with an assist to freshman guard Tyler Ulis on the next possession to give the Cats their first lead since the 4:10 mark of the first half.
“(Lyles) got us all excited and got the crowd into the game,” Ulis said. “I feel like the team just gave up from there.”
The Cats used Lyles’ explosion to springboard past the Bulls and soon took control of the game, holding them to only 14 second half points on 4-19 shooting.
“We didn’t convert as well (in the second half) and we didn’t get as many easy shots,” Hurley said. “Our shots in the second half were a lot more contested and a lot more difficult to find.”
The difference in the game was the turnover margin. At halftime, UK had 10 turnovers to Buffalo’s seven, but was able to reverse that in the second half and force 10 turnovers from Buffalo.
“Our energy went up, and then they were on their heels,” Calipari said. “What we were in the second half, that’s who we should be the whole game.”
The Cats won the second half 38-14 on their way to a 71-52 victory over the Bulls, and will now look toward Kansas on Tuesday in Indianapolis.
Calipari told his team at halftime that he was happy about the outcome of the first half and if they lost, he’d be happy about that too.
“Now we go to Kansas and it’s the same thing,” Calipari said. “We probably need another hit in the mouth. There are no excuses.”
