KSR's takeaways from Kentucky's 2OT loss to Michigan State

Kentucky couldn’t get the job done on the big stage, falling in double overtime to Michigan State in the Champions Classic to move to 2-1 on the year. It was a rough offensive performance, one that saw the Wildcats shoot just 38.6% from the field, 28.0% from three and 66.7% from the line. UK was also outrebounded 45-38, struggling with the Spartans’ physicality and toughness — Tom Izzo’s specialties as a coach.

Michigan State looked to muck things up, and unfortunately for Kentucky, it was a winning recipe for the Spartans in the form of a 86-77 victory.

How did the loss come together for the Wildcats? KSR has the takeaways, live from Indianapolis.

Gainbridge Fieldhouse strikes again

Kentucky’s postseason ended before it really even began at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis this past year, a crushing loss to No. 15 seed St. Peter’s in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

Before that, the Wildcats fell in the Champions Classic vs. Kansas to open the 9-16 season in 2020-21 — a disastrous evening with no fans and poor play. And what about the 34-point loss vs. Duke in the same event back in 2018, the welcome-to-superstardom game for Zion Williamson that came at Kentucky’s expense? You guessed it, Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

And maybe the toughest loss of all? The Wisconsin game in 2015 to end the Wildcats’ historic undefeated season in the Final Four — 38-1 came right here in Indianapolis.

Four consecutive losses for Kentucky in Indianapolis. This place is a living, breathing nightmare for the basketball program.

Late-game execution was a nightmare

Where to even begin here?

Wide-open dunks for MSU at the end of regulation to send it to overtime and again in overtime to send it to double OT. Back-to-back misses on mid-range jumpers from Sahvir Wheeler and Oscar Tshiebwe at the end of regulation, both forced looks, the latter coming early in the shot clock. Missed free throws down the stretch to seal the win. Costly turnovers. Just go down the list.

John Calipari took the blame for a lot of the team’s late-game struggles, but added that a lot of the confusion and errors came as a result of limited playing time together on the floor. He said the Wildcats simply weren’t ready to close out a game on this stage against well-coached teams like Michigan State.

“They executed better than we did,” Calipari said. “That’s on me.”

Rotations were bizarre, with random pieces coming in and out throughout the game with no real rhyme or reason. Calipari hoped to see who worked better with others and who struggled, who didn’t fit. The team is working from behind with so many rotation pieces missing early in the season, creating ugly play early against real competition.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, they head to Spokane this weekend to take on a top-five program in Gonzaga on the road. Unlike this house-divided environment in Indianapolis, that atmosphere will heavily favor the Zags.

No one to stop Joey Hauser

Speaking of a lack of execution, how the hell did Joey Hauser get open so often? Calipari isn’t sure either, especially considering the 6-9 stretch forward was at the top of Kentucky’s scouting report from the start. They built their defensive gameplan around Hauser, yet he continued to get clean looks coming off screens and on missed assignments for the Wildcats.

The final result? 23 points (8-16 FG, 4-7 3PT, 3-4 FT) and eight rebounds in 46 minutes. He was simply unstoppable, with Kentucky unable to find a solution to slow him down. Jacob Toppin got in early foul trouble, but still had his fair share of defensive lapses, while Daimion Collins left Hauser open for several wide-open looks. Others tried their hand ranging from Lance Ware to Sahvir Wheeler, but no luck.

Malik Hall added 20 points and five rebounds, while Mady Sissoko finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two assists. The star of the show, though, was Hauser.

Shooters go cold (and the offense didn’t help)

Antonio Reeves and CJ Fredrick came together to lead Kentucky in scoring in each of the team’s first two games. They were human flamethrowers, putting up a combined 74 points on 24-43 shooting and 16-30 from deep against Howard and Duquesne.

Tonight? A combined 10 points on 3-14 shooting and 2-9 from three, five points apiece for the wing duo.

What happened? For one, the number of designed shots for Reeves and Fredrick left much to be desired. The offense just didn’t create many opportunities to put either in a position to find their groove. And of the opportunities they did get, they missed or didn’t launch shots at all — a big gripe for John Calipari after the game.

The shooters have to shoot when their opportunities come, but it wouldn’t hurt to create more for them, especially with the offense sputtering the way it did tonight. And while we’re talking about it, where did Reeves go to close out the game? 12 first-half minutes, then just ten over the course of the second half and both overtime periods. Three total in overtime.

When Kentucky needed a creator on offense in crunch time, the career 20 PPG scorer was on the bench.

“Hindsight, maybe I should have kept Antonio in the game and let him go get baskets for you,” Calipari said after the loss. “Which he can do.”

Oscar Tshiebwe establishes dominance in debut

Tom Izzo called Kentucky’s star in the post a “monster” after his team’s win, praising Tshiebwe for his ability to dominate the game the way he did, especially coming back from injury. And he wasn’t wrong.

The reigning National Player of the Year picked up his 17th consecutive double-double in a Kentucky uniform, finishing with an absurd 22 points (9-17 FG, 4-4 FT), 18 rebounds, four blocks and two assists in 34 minutes. His value was made especially clear when he fouled out in the first overtime, with all hell breaking loose following his departure, specifically in the final period.

Looking at him, you’d have no idea he just missed a complete month after undergoing knee surgery in October. Everything we came to love about Tshiebwe in his first season in Lexington, he put it on display once again in his senior debut. He made some poor decisions, finishing with five turnovers and fouling out while also launching that deep two at the end of regulation rather than running down the clock and finding a better shot to potentially seal the win.

It’s impossible, though, to pin the loss on the big guy down low. Without his efforts in the scoring and rebounding columns, Kentucky likely gets run off the floor.

Cason Wallace ties program’s all-time steal record

Could freshman guard Cason Wallace make a run for SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors in year one? He certainly looked the part on the big stage, tying Kentucky’s all-time steals record with eight in a single game to go with 14 points (5-10 FG, 2-5 3PT, 2-4 FT), five rebounds, five assists and one block in a team-high 44 minutes.

Wallace joins John Wall and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the only players in the John Calipari era to put up 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals in a single game.

Again, not a perfect performance, turning the ball over three times and missing some crucial free throws late, but truly a standout defensive effort that showed just how much of a game-changing talent he can be on that end of the floor.

Sahvir Wheeler has his ups and downs

The counting stats were great for Kentucky’s lead guard, finishing with 16 points, eight assists, two steals and a block in 40 minutes off the bench. Wheeler set the tone early with some impressive scores off the dribble, finishing with touch around the rim. He also got some big 3-pointers to fall in crucial moments.

Late in the game, though, shot selection issues and turnovers re-emerged, along with a brutal miss on an uncontested layup. His pace and tempo put Kentucky in a winning position early, but the mistakes helped contribute to the loss.

At his best, Wheeler is truly an elite playmaker — arguably the best in college basketball. The errors, though, seem to shine through late more often than not, simply brutal timing.

Minutes still up for grab in the frontcourt

Outside of Tshiebwe’s star effort down low, Kentucky’s entire frontcourt struggled and more questions presented themselves than answers.

For starters, Jacob Toppin’s struggles continued, with foul trouble not helping his push for a breakthrough. His inefficient shooting continued and he struggled defensively, with uncharacteristic mistakes limiting his play. Daimion Collins couldn’t get going in his season debut, while neither Lance Ware nor Ugonna Onyenso had their aha moments on the big stage — the latter played just one minute. Chris Livingston couldn’t emerge as a standout forward in need of minutes in this setting, either.

Where does Kentucky go from here? Honestly, I’m not sure. Wheeler and Wallace will be fine in the backcourt and you’ve got to think Reeves and Fredrick will get back to their scoring ways sooner rather than later. And obviously Tshiebwe is who he is, no problems there.

Beyond that group, though, it’s a wait-and-see game in the frontcourt.