By Joshua Huff

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The depth of UK overwhelmed a Middle Tennessee State team that came in with intentions of spoiling UK head coach Matthew Mitchell’s 100^th win at Memorial Coliseum but MTSU instead ran into the wall that is UK’s improving pressure defense.

Nine players scored for the Cats against a feisty MTSU squad that started off the game strong but withered away down the stretch as UK used a combination of pressure defense and for what seemed like the first time in weeks, an effective offense.

UK shot a blistering 63 percent from the three-point line and finally found some footing at the free-throw line as they made 13-of-18. But it was its defense that really caused the Blue Raiders fits.

“I thought we saw a lot of deflections tonight,” Mitchell said. “And that was a real key in disrupting MTSU, trying to deflect the ball and not letting them get into a real rhythm offensively.”

However, with all the positives that UK took out of this game, the 28 turnovers the Cats committed put a slight damper on the evening.

“Just think what we could have done if we had taken care of the basketball,” Mitchell said.

If UK had taken a little bit more care of the basketball they would have been able to hold MTSU to less than 62 points, an observation that Mitchell pointed out along with the defense’s contribution to the win.

“I thought our defense was active tonight,” he said. “That is something that is going to be key and we’re working on press and press helped us tonight cause some disruption. We really were able to deny the point guard and so that was good.”

The poor decisions on offense though, hampered what was a good scoring night for UK. The lack of focus and discipline, Mitchell observed, is constantly putting the Cats in awkward positions, which lead to the poor passes and consequently, more turnovers.

“We just get ourselves into a spot,” Mitchell said. “Where we over-dribble against a packed defense, we don’t reverse the ball, we don’t move the basketball. Linnae (Harper) tried to dribble through the teeth of the defense tonight. Janee (Thompson) continues to throw diagonal passes against a packed zone. I mean, it’s something we can correct.”

UK has weathered the storm so far this season when it comes to its mental errors and poor judgment with the ball. Baylor and Louisville nearly buried the Cats before UK snapped to and righted the ship during the second half. The Cats were lucky on Friday that they possessed a deeper and more talented team than MTSU because that many turnovers doesn’t win many teams games.

Yet win UK did, perhaps not in resounding fashion but as has been the case this season, the Cats take yet another lesson into their next game. The lesson this time, limit the turnovers. The win may not have been pretty but as Mitchell said, every game at UK is a blessing despite the outcome.

“I am grateful,” Mitchell said. “I’m really grateful, I’m blessed to be coaching at Kentucky. I thank god every day that I am here and I hope we win 100 more out there.”