Cats overcome "rough ball" Gamecocks

By: LARRY VAUGHT


Kentucky managed just six field goals in the second half of Saturday’s win at South Carolina, but freshman point guard Tyler Ulis had a simple explanation for what happened.

“They were playing rough ball, you know fouling a lot, so we were just trying to get into the offense. It was kinda hard to get into a flow with all the fouls called, but I feel like we executed well,” said Ulis. “We just were at the (foul) line more than we usually are.”

Kentucky shot 27 free throws and went 11-for-12 at the line in the second half.

The Wildcats went to a smaller, three-guard lineup in the second half to offset South Carolina’s style.

“With the smaller lineup, I feel like we had to go to it because they were playing us rough and they were picking us up full court, so we needed some more ballhandlers out there,” Booker said.

South Carolina coach Frank Martin insisted the Gamecocks were not more physical against Kentucky. Instead, they just got back to the style that enable them to beat Iowa State, a top 10 team, earlier this season.

“That’s who we are. That is every team I have coached since 1985 has been,” Martin said. “We didn’t play physical today because it was Kentucky. We have to play physical because that is our personality. We hadn’t played that way for two weeks. We did today.”

Calipari said his players should not have been surprised by what they faced.

“We knew the game would be physical and it was and a couple guys struggled in that and it’s a great lesson,” Calipari said. “You gotta play people before they catch it. You gotta play before you catch the ball. You have to stay down. Either you meet them or they meet you.

“For these young kids, it’s a great lesson. Vandy game was different (on Tuesday). Vandy game was all discipline to the end of the shot clock. This was more of an ‘OK, they’re going to play physical and they’re going to rebound.’”