KSR's top takeaways from Kentucky's revenge win vs. LSU

Make that two straight comeback wins for Kentucky, as the shorthanded Wildcats took down the LSU Tigers by a final score of 71-66. It was a victory that pushed UK’s record to 23-5 on the year and 12-3 in conference play, with the Wildcats sitting just off the SEC lead at No. 2.

How did the victory come together? And what does it mean for Kentucky as it looks ahead to their matchup at Arkansas on Saturday?

Welcome to the show, Bryce Hopkins

Bryce Hopkins entered the day scoring just eight total points since the start of January. He hasn’t had a multi-basket game since Kentucky’s win over North Carolina back on December 18. His career-high was seven points, hitting that mark twice against Ohio and North Florida in November.

And then tonight happened.

After recording zero points in three first-half minutes, Hopkins exploded for a career-high 13 points after the break, shooting 5-6 from the field and 3-4 from the line. His brightest stretch came between the 17:16 and 13:48 marks — three minutes and 28 seconds in total — where he finished two and-ones, knocked down two mid-range jumpers and knocked down three free throws. He added a late follow-up lay-in to give him a baker’s dozen to go with four rebounds in 16 total minutes.

It was the combination of size and skill coaches raved about all offseason finally put on display on the big stage. It was a stretch that gave Kentucky its first lead of the night, one that remained the rest of the way.

“I think we’re gonna need Bryce on our NCAA Tournament run,” John Calipari said Wednesday night. “I’ve said it to you guys from day one. … The team was so happy for him, and so was I.”

Do you think Jacob Toppin is happy for his teammate Bryce Hopkins? pic.twitter.com/uhFntG0Pxg

— Big Blue Drew (@BigBlueDrew33) February 24, 2022

Another shorthanded comeback win

Down its two primary ball-handlers in Sahvir Wheeler and TyTy Washington vs. Alabama, Kentucky clawed back down 13 points to pull off the 90-81 comeback victory. It was a game where the Wildcats had to play all five starters practically the entire game, with the unit combining for 84 of the team’s total points.

With Wheeler and Washington both out again vs. LSU, Kentucky found itself in a similar situation, falling down by as many as 11 points in the first half. With their backs against the wall once again, the Wildcats managed to put together yet another comeback effort, retaking the lead in the second half and extending it to as many as 15 points with 3:17 to go.

It wasn’t the prettiest finish, though, with the Tigers fighting back to cut the deficit to just four points with 34 seconds to go, capitalizing on UK’s inability to break the press by forcing four turnovers in the last 1:36. Rather than letting go of the rope, the Wildcats converted on three late free throws down the stretch to hold off LSU’s own comeback effort, finishing off the five-point win.

Take away the final two minutes, and it was about as strong of a second-half performance you could ask for, especially given the circumstances. Kentucky put up 71 points on the No. 3 defense in college basketball without its starting point guard and shooting guard. That’s a hell of a win.

Oscar Tshiebwe now top-five in single-season rebounds

Finishing with 16 rebounds in the win, Oscar Tshiebwe has now totaled 427 boards on the year, pushing him past Anthony Davis (415) and Julius Randle (417) to move to No. 5 on the all-time single-season list. He now sits behind only Bill Spivey (No. 1, 567), Cliff Hagan (No. 2, 528), Bob Burrow (No. 3, 459) and Frank Ramsey (No. 4, 434) in the record books.

Averaging 15.3 rebounds per game, Tshiebwe is on pace to reach No. 3 to close out the regular season, with No. 1 on the table with a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

And that’s not even considering his scoring, with Tshiebwe adding 17 points on 5-7 shooting to go with 7-11 from the line. He also added three blocks in 38 minutes, his seventh game with at least three swats.

The 6-foot-9 center has solidified himself as the runaway favorite for National Player of the Year in recent weeks, and once again, he did nothing to hurt his chances to win the prestigious honor in Kentucky’s win. Simply put, Tshiebwe is a generational talent who seems to break records every time he steps on the floor.

Kellan Grady and Davion Mintz combine for 26 while splitting point guard duties

It’s not easy filling in for an elite playmaker like Wheeler and a standout three-level scorer like Washington. For a second straight game, though, Kellan Grady and Davion Mintz have thrived in their place, this time combining for 26 points in the win.

Ball-handling was a bit sloppier than what we saw vs. Alabama — to be expected against a top-three defense in LSU — with the guard duo combining for five turnovers while dishing out just three assists. It should also be noted that Grady played all 40 minutes while Mintz racked up 38 just one game after the duo played 39 minutes each against the Crimson Tide. Mistakes were to be expected.

When the team needed tough buckets or clutch free throws, though, Grady and Mintz willed the Wildcats through the finish line. They were clearly uncomfortable at times, but more than held their own in a situation many would crumble under the pressure. And in doing so, it allowed both Wheeler and Washington to inch closer toward full strength with yet another win added to the team’s total. It was a true win-win scenario for the Wildcats.

A successful night initiating contact

In a night where you’re down two starters, it doesn’t hurt to get some opportunities for free points at the line. When they got them, the Wildcats converted, knocking down 23 of 32 free throws (71.9%), a night-and-day difference from their 10-20 (50%) effort in Baton Rouge

There was a clear point of emphasis in initiating contact and playing a physical brand of basketball, with that effort being reflected in the box score in the form of 25 personal fouls called on LSU compared to just 14 for Kentucky. Just 18 free throw attempts for the Tigers on the night, a 14-shot difference.

It also helped that three LSU players fouled out, including two key frontcourt pieces in Efton Reid and Tari Eason. As the Tiger big men struggled to stay on the floor, Tshiebwe was able to eat in the paint.

Another Quad 1 victory

With postseason play right around the corner, team resumes are at the top of the priority list for the selection committee looking to build the NCAA Tournament bracket. And with Kentucky adding yet another Quad 1 victory — now seven total on the year — it’s clear the Wildcats have one of the most impressive in all of college basketball.

And it can improve even further with two Quad 1 opportunities in the team’s final three games of the regular season.

Kentucky entered the final six games of its regular-season slate with five Quad 1 opportunities, falling at Tennessee before rattling off back-to-back wins vs. Alabama and LSU. The team’s upcoming trips to Arkansas and Florida are also considered Quad 1 matchups, with UK’s home battle vs. Ole Miss being the lone exception (Quad 3).

As things stand today, the Wildcats are 7-5 in Quad 1 games, 4-0 in Quad 2, 4-0 in Quad 3 and 8-0 in Quad 4. Zero bad losses on the resume, but a combined 11 quality wins between the first two quads. It’s a total body of work that has pushed Kentucky up to No. 2 in the BPI rankings, No. 3 in the NET and No. 3 in KenPom’s latest update. Take care of business in the final three games of the regular season and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament is well within reach.