Cason Wallace hit big shots against Florida at the encouragement of Savhir Wheeler

No Oscar Tshiebwe, no problem.

Because Kentucky had a Cason Wallace.

Against Florida, it was Wallace who paced Kentucky in scoring with his 20 points on an efficient 7-of-10 performance from the field. More than a scorer, Wallace was a menace on defense too with a career-high three blocked shots and a steal in his starring role in Kentucky’s narrow win over the Gators. He helped pick up the slack while Tshiebwe and Antonio Reeves struggled (Tshiebwe still got 15 rebounds) along with exceptional performances by Jacob Toppin and CJ Fredrick. Toppin had a double-double.

Sahvir Wheeler also played well in his 26 minutes off the bench. In fact, John Calipari said afterward, “Without him, we don’t win this game.”

For example, Calipari credited Wheeler with directing the offense toward Wallace late in the game when Wallace made multiple buckets from the primary ballhandler spot to protect Kentucky’s lead. As Calipari explained it, Wheeler told him, “Let Cason handle it. I’ll just be on the wing.” Calipari added, “That’s a teammate. That is a teammate.”

Wheeler also hit shots. He made four of his five attempts from the field and never turned the ball over.

Regarding Wheeler’s unselfish play in a reduced role, Wallace said, “It gave me a lot of confidence knowing he wanted the ball in my hands. When you get to play with a teammate that doesn’t care about his own play and wants you to succeed, that’s a great teammate and a great person.”

On Wallace’s confidence, it was clear how confident he was in his game when he admitted he didn’t even realize the magnitude of the three-pointer he hit to push Kentucky’s lead back out to eight with two minutes and change to go. Florida had scored four straight to cut into the Wildcats’ lead when Jacob Toppin’s offensive rebound set up Wallace’s stepback three to add some comfort room as time ticked on.

“Honestly, I didn’t know how big it was until after the game,” Wallace admitted in his postgame comments. “It just shows how comfortable I was and how my teammates believed in every shot I take.”

On Saturday it was Wallace’s turn to take some of the game’s biggest shots in securing a sixth straight SEC victory for Kentucky. Next game, he may put his belief behind someone else to step up in chasing seven straight. Maybe he returns the gesture to Wheeler or, even better, Tshiebwe and Reeves bounce back quickly.

“It just depends on who’s having their night,” said Wallace after his 20-pointer against the Gators. “Everyone is a great player and is capable of scoring the basketball, so it just depends on whose night it is.”

Against Florida, it was Wallace’s night to lead the way with the most points he’s ever scored against an SEC opponent and then the final stamp on the game by hitting both ends of a one-and-one bonus with 13 seconds to go. The freshman made all five of his shots at the line.

Hear from him, Toppin, and CJ Fredrick in Kentucky’s postgame player interviews below.

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