The Kentucky men’s basketball team took on the Kentucky State Thoroughbreds Friday evening, winning 83-51 in its second of two exhibition games before the regular season starts. The Cats had three players in double figures, and the leading scorer, who totaled 15 points and five rebounds, had zero points and zero rebounds just a few days ago.  

What changed? Freshman Kahlil Whitney says it’s all about his confidence. 

“I went to the gym after the first game,” Whitney said post-Kentucky State. “I was 0-for-5 so I had to get back in the gym to get that stroke back.”

The extra practice paid off—he went 7-of-13 against KSU, three assists and three blocks. In addition to his confidence, he says giving his all is another big part of why he had a successful game. 

“Just playing hard at all times,” Whitney said. “I took a lot of plays off the first game and I just can’t do that. With my type of athleticism, I have to keep my foot on the gas at all times.”

Kentucky assistant coach Joel Justus gives kudos to Whitney’s play on the glass and says his rebounding is something the coaching staff will expect out of him this season. In high school, he averaged 5.7 rebounds per game. Justus says his jump shot is just a plus. 

“I think that’s what Cal has really got after him, to be a guy that’s involved on the ball, off the ball, rebounding, deflections, he’s such a live body and he should be a guy that’s a tremendous two-way player and then he makes shots,” Justus said. “So that comes as a byproduct of being involved in the game, being a guy who is trying to kind of impose his will both ends of the floor. I think that you can expect that out of Kahlil. Then the jump shots, I think, are an added bonus.”

After his no-score game against Georgetown, Whitney says coaches like Kenny Payne and his teammates told him to “keep his head up, keep working hard and good things are going to happen.”

“Some games my shot’s not going to fall and I have to do the other things,” Whitney said. “I’ve got to rebound, deflect balls and win the floor.” 

Although he’s willing to admit that his shot isn’t always going to fall, he’s confident in the long jumper he’s developed and says he’s been he’s been shooting that since high school. The tough part, he says, will be translating that to the next level.  

The Cats are making an emphasis to play tougher and more physical, and Whitney says it’s been a point of emphasis in practice.  

“A lot of box out drills, bodies banging against each other,” Whitney said. “We’ve got the No. 1 team in the country coming up Tuesday, and they’ve got some big guys on that team so we have to be physical.”

Next up for the Cats will be a No. 1 versus No. 2 matchup in New York City against Michigan State in the first regular-season game. Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m.