The streak for perfection continues

By: LARRY VAUGHT



The streak for perfection continues.

Georgia had every chance to beat visiting Kentucky Tuesday night but couldn’t. The Bulldogs had a six-point lead with less than six minutes to play before UK’s defense took over and the No. 1 Wildcats pulled out a 72-64 win to go to 30-0.

The Wildcats had a 14-0 run on the road to get to 30-0 with just one regular-season game remaining when they host Florida Saturday.

“Not to take anything away from Georgia, but it was not necessarily our night,” said sophomore point guard Andrew Harrison on the UK Radio Network postgame show. “We broke down defensively, didn’t talk and that’s on me.”

That attitude, though, is why this Kentucky team is so special. It’s resilient, tough-minded and unselfish.

Team leader Willie Cauley-Stein had a rare off night and was outplayed most of the game by Georgia’s inside players. He was only 2-for-7 from the field and had four points and four rebounds in 24 minutes and often was beat on defense, something that rarely has happened this season.

Freshman Trey Lyles had been sensational the last two games but after getting the his team’s first basket, he didn’t score again. Devin Booker was 2-for-9 from the field and Tyler Ulis 0-for-4.

Georgia also won the rebounding 41-38 and shot 47.3 percent from the field compared to 39.7 percent for UK. And the Georgia crowd was more than ready for a court-storming win.

Yet despite all those numbers, Kentucky won thanks to a career-best 19 points from Karl-Anthony Towns, clutch play by guards Andrew and Aaron Harrison, and only making three turnovers in a key Southeastern Conference road game.

This Kentucky team just answers the bell. Doesn’t matter if they play well or poorly, they find ways to win,” ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said during the game.

After the game, Kentucky coach John Calipari called Georgia a “terrific basketball team” that could be similar to teams UK will face in NCAA Tournament play.

“We didn’t play bad. They (Georgia) fought,” Calipari said.

Calipari said the game that featured 18 lead changes and 10 ties was just another learning lesson for his team.

“We are using whatever happens. We are learning from everything,” he said.
Bilas thinks those across the country should learn to appreciate the beauty of what UK has done by being ranked No. 1 from preseason to now and always finding a way to win.

“Georgia did so many good things to give itself a chance to win, but Kentucky kept plugging,” Bilas said. “People that don’t like Kentucky, fine. But what do you want in a college team? The sacrifice, share the ball and play their tails off on defense. Say you do not like the one-and-done, but they had six guys come back (from last year) and two (Cauley-Stein and Alex Poythress) came back twice. There is a lot to admire about this Kentucky team.

“When Kentucky needs to get it done, they get it done. I can’t remember an unbeatable team in college basketball. You may be able to find a number of teams in the last 30 years as good (as Kentucky), but every time they have been challenged, they have found a way to win. Kentucky answers the bell.”