Cats continue their big-game dominance

Kentucky+head+coach+John+Calipari+conducts+his+platoons+during+the+first+half+of+the+UK+vs.+UCLA+game+at+the+United+Center+in+Chicago+%2C+Il.%2C+on+Saturday%2C+December+20%2C+2014.+Photo+by+Jonathan+Krueger

Kentucky head coach John Calipari conducts his platoons during the first half of the UK vs. UCLA game at the United Center in Chicago , Il., on Saturday, December 20, 2014. Photo by Jonathan Krueger

By Kyle Arensdorf

It’s hard to take individual positives from of a game that was never really close, but one bright spot would be the big-stage shooting ability of freshman guard Devin Booker.

The blowout win against Kansas was Booker’s national stage debut, and he came up relatively small, making only one of his six 3-point attempts for just five points.

But against the Bruins, Booker was perhaps the best he’s been all season, and missed just one of his six attempts from 3-point range (tying his season-high of 19 points).

”Shooters go through slumps some times, and you just have to shoot your way out of it,” Booker said. “When you have a team behind you that tells you to keep shooting it and a coach that tells you to keep shooting it, it makes it easier.”

Shooting your way out of a slump is one thing, but the clean looks have to be there too. They were there in abundance against UCLA, and it was a result of a great tandem game from UK’s two point guards.

On Thursday ESPN released a top-10 list of the best point guards in the college basketball. Sophomore guard Andrew Harrison and freshman guard Tyler Ulis were notable snubs.

Perhaps not coincidentally, the two responded with their best game as a pair all season, dishing out the most combined assists (14) they’ve had on the year.

Size will remain a present factor for the Cats all season, so this will be a team that goes as its guards go.

UK handed UCLA its worst loss of the season by 19 points, and if the Cats get similar guard play to what they did Saturday, it’s hard to see a team being able to manufacture a different result.