Mark Byington raves about Kentucky's execution and efficiency in rematch win

Vanderbilt comfortably made Kentucky uncomfortable in the first-round matchup in Nashville back on January 25, forcing 17 turnovers while assisting on 21 of 29 made baskets compared to 11 of 26 for the Wildcats. It’s not that they shot poorly, necessarily, hitting on 48.1 percent of their shots overall and 39.1 percent from three — exceeding the Commodores on both (43.9 percent, 36.4 percent) — but their possessions were taken away with 12 additional shot attempts for the home team coming as a result of wreaking havoc on the other end.

This time around, Kentucky still turned the ball over 13 times while Vanderbilt again launched 12 more shot attempts. The difference? The Wildcats shot a blistering 58 percent from the field, 40.7 percent from three and 100 percent at the line compared to 40/20/55 splits for the Commodores. With 34 scores on 64 possessions, Mark Pope’s group put up 1.281 points per possession compared to 28 scores on 64 possessions for Mark Byington’s squad, just a .953.

UK was a well-oiled machine in the rematch, a buzzsaw VU had no answers for.

“I thought Kentucky was at a high level today,” Byington said following the 82-61 loss. “Their efficiency on offense, their execution, their shot-making — everything. From 12 for 12 free throws in the first half, to just finishing threes, and in the second half, their big guys became a problem. The first half was a multitude of things, but in the second half [Andrew] Carr got them going and the big fella [Amari] Williams got them going. They compromised our defense.”

It was a performance he could do nothing but give credit where credit is due: Kentucky was well-coached with an excellent game plan, one that was well-executed by the Wildcats. Losing five of the last six, the Commodores are simply struggling with what the blue and white managed to do well inside Rupp Arena on Wednesday.

“We tried to stop them in the post and gave up more threes. I thought Pope put them in a great spot to be successful, and those guys executed,” Byington continued. “We are just having trouble getting breaks sometimes in the second half right now. It feels like one thing goes against you, another thing goes against you, and we are having trouble getting it, so we have got to turn our luck around.

“I thought Kentucky was great tonight. And I thought first half, we played at a high level, and we didn’t maintain it in the second half.”

The Wildcats set the tone right out of the gates with a made 3-pointer from Koby Brea, matching his game total from the first matchup in the first 14 seconds. For a team capable of catching fire at any given moment — and a player capable of catching fire, especially — it was the last thing Byington wanted to see immediately following the opening tip.

Then after trading haymakers in the first half, the Commodores stopped landing punches as the Wildcats hit all of theirs. That’s how you end up with a 21-point blowout at the final horn.

“The thing about coming into this game is you’re paranoid about three pointers. We made some scouting report errors in the first half,” Byington said. “You make a scouting report error, and they’re going to make you pay. Like the first possession of the game, [Koby] Brea makes a three and we gave him space. It’s like right then and there I think they had 15 points quickly.

“Being good and picking on our mistakes — I think one thing that was impressive about them tonight — they passed the ball really well. And I know they have done that other times in the season, but everybody from their guards to the bench passed the ball well. When teams pass the ball well, the ball is found in the open guy and they find the open guy on this team — sometimes it’s a three-pointer and those hurt.”

Vanderbilt hurt 11 times with six different guys making the ‘Dores pay.