Davion Mintz led UK with 17 points and eight rebounds against North Carolina. (CBS Sports Classic Photo)
Questions at point guard continue for Kentucky and there seems to be no real answer. Or course, there are a lot more questions about this underachieving Kentucky team that is now 1-5 after Saturday’s 75-63 loss to North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic in Cleveland.
“This was disappointing. The last 10 minutes were really disappointing to me,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said and a sentiment Kentucky fans certainly share after UK suffered its second loss of at least 12 points in the season’s first six games since the 1988-89 season.
Kentucky is just not a very good offensive team. The Cats had 19 points in the game’s first seven minutes and then made shots were few and far between. The Wildcats were 7-for-21 from the field in the second half and went over nine minutes without a field goal.
Kentucky coach John Calipari turned to freshman Terrence Clarke to run the point. It didn’t work and that was well before Clarke tweaked his ankle. He missed eight of 11 shots, scored six points, grabbed three rebounds, made three turnovers and did not have an assist before fouling out. He also appeared to walk off the court and away from the team bench before the game ended but Calipari downplayed it as anything more than he had just fouled out.
But Clarke was not the only issue.
— Center Olivier Sarr did not take a shot. ZERO. How can that be? No matter how bad the point guard play might be, throw him the ball or run a play for him. Or he could grab an offensive rebound. Instead, he had more fouls — five — than rebounds — four — in 18 minutes. That’s unacceptable.
— Brandon Boston had 15 points but he missed nine of 14 shots, including all three 3-pointers where he continues to shoot and must wonder why he stays open from that range. He did have seven rebounds, two assists and one block but he also had two of UK’s 16 turnovers.
— Isaiah Jackson, like Sarr, continues to get in foul trouble way too easily no matter how the game is being called. He played just 15 minutes after getting two fouls in the first two minutes and another one in the first minute of the second half. He had three points, five rebounds and one block but spent most of the game on the bench before fouling out like Sarr, Clarke and reserve Lance Ware also did.
“I know they are better than this,” Calipari said after pointing out the poor shooting and turnovers — consistent problems this season. “Is it just trying to make tough plays? We play a half and I think okay it will be fine. A lot of breakdowns again. They go on a six- or eight-point run and it was us (not making plays).”
Calipari said his guards “rebounded the crap out of the ball” but they had to with the bigs in foul trouble and/or on the bench.
The coach talked about immaturity “creeping in” and it was clear that reserve Cam’Ron Fletcher was not happy at the end of the game.
“Again you have to accept your position on this team. Cam was mad he was not playing more,” Calipari said.
Fletcher played three minutes but Calipari correctly noted Ware “played out of his mind” with four points, seven rebounds and two steals in his 21 minutes.
“Cam came in and apologized. Four minutes to go and you have a chance to win and you cop an attitude,” Calipari said to show the team’s immaturity.
The Cats now have a week off to prepare for rival Louisville on Dec. 26 but based on this five-game skid, it will take a lot more than one week to fix all that ails Kentucky.
“Every game is going to be a learning experience,” Calipari said. “We are going to fight. I am not giving up on this crew. I have been hard on them trying to drag them, trying to get them to think differently and create different habits. It’s hard for us as a staff, hard for players. I want them to feel success.”
