Dontaie Allen not only had UK fans smiling with his 23-point performance but also had his UK teammates happy. (SEC Photo)
Apparently Kentucky basketball fans do know a little bit about the game. For weeks UK fans have been clamoring for Dontaie Allen, a former Kentucky Mr. Basketball from Pendleton County, to get his chance to play. In UK’s first seven games, he played 20 total minutes and made two shots.
Five-star teammates not only struggled to make shots, but Kentucky went 1-6 in those games. Why not give Allen a chance considering UK could not make 3-point shots? That was the thinking of UK fans — and they were right.
After having coach John Calipari promise that Allen would “get his chance to shine” Saturday night at Mississippi State, did he ever shine and lead UK to a desperately needed 78-73 double overtime win over the Bulldogs.
Allen was SENSATIONAL.
He was 8-for-14 overall from the field and 7-for-11 from 3-point range to score 23 points. He hit big shot after big shot. He also managed to pull off five rebounds, block a shot and make only one turnover in 32 minutes.
Nothing about the game or pregame expectations for him bothered Allen.
“I would be lying if I didn’t say I had a moment where I was in my head a little bit but I come back to my work. I put the work in, so what do I have to fear or be scared of,” Allen said.
What to fear? Only not getting his chance to play but he won’t have to worry bout that again — or he better not or the Basketball Bennies in Kentucky will really go nuts.
Teammate Olivier Sarr said he was not surprised by what Allen did.
“Every day at practice we know he is a sharp shooter,” Sarr, who had 14 points and 12 rebounds, said. “He is a pure shooter and can do that. We always want him to shoot when he is open.”
Calipari got ejected midway of the second half and had to watch the game on his phone. But he saw Allen was on fire and knew fans across the state were going to be thrilled.
“Well, when you do that, you kind of prove your point and that is what you are supposed to do,” Calipari said about Allen proving fans right that he should be playing more. “I am so happy for him. I said to the staff before the game I hope he goes big. We need to win. He changed us because he spread the court.”
Calipari said he was on Allen the first half because he passed up four shots the coach wanted him to take. He didn’t pass up shots the second half when he scored 20 points and made it look as easy as he did when he played for Pendleton County.
Calipari gave a “shout out” to Transylvania coach Brian Lane for scrimmaging the Cats last week. Allen went 6-for-10 in that scrimmage — Sarr said he was “on fire” — and the coach felt that put him a “great frame of mind” for this game. Calipari said he texted Lane immediately after UK’s win to thank him.
