KSR's quick takeaways from Kentucky's win over Kentucky Wesleyan

Kentucky has gotten its first unofficial victory of the season, defeating the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers by a final score of 95-72. It was the team’s first exhibition matchup of two, with the second being matchup against Miles College next Friday.

What were the biggest takeaways from the win? And what should fans expect as the team prepares for its next exhibition game and beyond?

TyTy Washington is a professional bucket-getter

No recruiting outlet had TyTy Washington ranked higher than No. 14 in the country this past season. 247Sports had him ranked No. 19 overall and the No. 4 point guard in America.

18 first-year better than TyTy Washington? Nonsense. Zero chance.

The former five-star recruit finished with 18 points on 7-8 shooting and 3-3 from three to go with two assists, two steals one rebound and one turnover in the win. He was able to find his spots and knock down shots at all three levels.

Above all else, there’s a clear confidence for Washington when he lifts for jump shots, especially from deep. In wide-open catch-and-shoot opportunities, you expect every shot to fall through the bottom of the net. The 6-foot-3 guard expects them to fall, too.

John Calipari can’t stop raving about Washington, and the praise is well deserved. He’s a professional bucket-getter, regardless of competition.

No one on last year’s roster can do what Sahvir Wheeler does

Sahvir Wheeler finished the day with 10 points on 3-7 shooting and 1-2 from three to go with six assists, three rebounds, three steals and just one turnover. The box score looked pretty, but his on-court impact beyond the numbers was even greater.

Respectfully, Kentucky didn’t have a single player on last year’s roster that can push the ball ahead and control the pace of the game the way Wheeler does. When he’s on the floor, the ball is always moving and buckets are easy to come by in transition.

Dribble separation was a major issue on last year’s team, and that’s arguably Wheeler’s greatest strength. He showed it again in the team’s win over Kentucky Wesleyan.

What happens when Oscar Tshiebwe is out?

Oscar Tshiebwe entered the game with a minor hip injury, one that would limit him to a single half of action. John Calipari confirmed his limited status before the game.

There were already questions surrounding Kentucky’s other frontcourt pieces beyond Tshiebwe. What could the Wildcats get out of the likes of Lance Ware and Daimion Collins? Was it enough?

Beyond the injury, Tshiebwe picked up two quick early fouls, both in the first nine minutes of the game. He’d play 17 total — seven after the break — but it gave Calipari his first look at his frontcourt without his menacing 6-foot-9, 255-pound center in the lineup?

The verdict? Not great, specifically on the defensive end of the floor. With Tshiebwe out, Kentucky Wesleyan attacked the interior and thrived. Panther forward Jomel Boyd led the way with an absurd 29 points (12-17 shooting and 2-2 from three) and eight rebounds.

Collins finished with six points on 3-5 shooting to go with two rebounds, one block and one turnover in 21 minutes. Ware added four points on 2-2 shooting to go with three rebounds, two blocks and two turnovers in 16 minutes. Tshiebwe was third-lowest on the team in minutes (17) but still finished with 11 points (4-4 FG, 3-4 FT), 10 rebounds and one assist.

Kentucky appears to be just fine with Tshiebwe on the floor, but between foul issues and minor bumps and bruises, will the Wildcats survive with him on the bench? That remains to be seen.

Defense remains a potential issue

Following the Blue-White Game last week, John Calipari mentioned that he wasn’t sure if Kentucky’s offensive success was due to the team simply being good on offense or poor on defense.

Would both be an acceptable answer? It might be after Friday night.

The team put up 95 points on 54% shooting (38-71) and 38% (11-29) from three. That’s impressive no matter which way you slice it. They did, however, allow 72 points on 46% shooting (30-65) and 37% from three (7-19). Interior defense was the biggest issue, with Calipari stressing that fact over and over during his postgame press conference.

Against Kentucky Wesleyan, you can live with 23-point wins with strong shooting numbers and impressive individual performances. But the Wildcats are just 11 days away from Duke. Defense like this won’t cut it.