Ugonna Onyenso: If it weren't for Justin Edwards, Kentucky loses to Tennessee

Justin Edwards‘ improved play over the last month-plus has helped change the perception of this Kentucky men’s basketball team. The Wildcats were always considered a dangerous squad, but the emergence of a five-star freshman has lifted Kentucky’s ceiling even higher.

We’ve mentioned Edwards’ sudden shift in production many times before, but let’s quickly refresh our memories one more time. Below are his first 20 games at Kentucky compared to his most recent 10.

• First 20 games: 7.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.8 SPG, 22 MPG | 44.2 FG%, 28.6 3PT%, 70.8 FT%
• Last 10 games: 11.6 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.1 APG, 1.3 SPG, 22 MPG | 61.5 FG%, 55.2 3PT%, 83.3 FT%

Not only has his scoring gone up in the same amount of minutes played, but his shooting splits have skyrocketed. Edwards is playing with more confidence and energy on both sides of the floor than he was at any point early in the season. During Kentucky’s most recent outing against Tennessee, he was especially impressive — 16 points and six rebounds on 6-10 shooting (4-7 from deep) in a career-high 37 minutes.

Kentucky won that game 85-81 down in Knoxville. According to Edwards’ teammate, sophomore Ugonna Onyenso, that result likely looks different if not for Edwards’ stellar play. He’s eager to see what Edwards brings to the table in the coming weeks.

“Justin, I’m really happy for him,” Onyenso told reporters on Wednesday. “I also think that this (SEC) tournament is also gonna be a great platform for him to show more. Just things he can do. Him being more confident this past month has really helped us, especially against Tennessee. I don’t think we would have won that game if it wasn’t for him, to be honest. I’m really happy for him and we need him in this tournament.”

Granted, Kentucky also likely loses that game if Antonio Reeves and Reed Sheppard don’t drop 27 points each or if Rob Dillingham doesn’t chip in 11 points of his own, but Edwards was critical. He led the team in plus/minus at +13. His trio of three-pointers in roughly two minutes late in the first half were massive for the ‘Cats going into the intermission. He fought for rebounds and battled Tennessee’s physicality.

We’re now to the point where Edwards is just simply an efficient scorer, one who can explode in short bursts and change the outcome of a game, and a reliable defender, neither of which was the case for most of the season. Add him into the mix of Reeves, Sheppard, Dillingham, and DJ Wagner, and there are almost too many options for an opposing defense to slow them all down.

“That’s also another person teams got to worry about that’s capable of going off for 30 (points),” Sophomore Adou Thiero said of Edwards. “It’s self-explanatory right there, got a lot of weapons and teams gotta be careful who they pick to guard because you’re not gonna be able to guard everybody.”

The timing of Edwards’ breakthrough couldn’t have come at a better time, either. He continues to play his best basketball right as Kentucky enters the postseason. In order to win three games in three days during the SEC Tournament later this week, everyone is going to have to step up in some form or fashion — not just Edwards.

“I think that’s gonna really help us,” Onyenso said about Edwards’ breakout going into the postseason. “I’m not gonna say it’s surprising, but we’re happy that we’re breaking through at this time of year. We’re happy that this is the time of year we’re really breaking through. We need everybody on the team, Jordan (Burks), even Joey (Hart). We need everybody on the team. And I’m happy that we have a full roster to go with and everybody is really breaking through at this time of year.”

Kentucky, which has won seven of its last eight outings, will look to keep the team-wide momentum going in a couple of days. The Wildcats will take on the winner of Ole Miss-Texas A&M during their SEC Tournament opener on Friday night in Nashville.

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