(H-L photo/David Perry)
Some notes and observations from Kentucky’s 87-63 win over visiting Portland tonight at Rupp:
- The biggest thing that sticks out from the stat sheet is that Kentucky committed just four turnovers. The UK sports information department is going back through its record books and unofficially thinks that is the fewest by the Cats since 1992-93 in the NCAA tournament against Utah.
Marquis Teague had eight assists with no turnovers in 34 minutes. Teague didn’t shoot the ball particularly well, missing eight of 12 shots, but he ran an excellent floor game. He also had four steals. Over his last two games, the freshman has 13 assists and two turnovers.
- Anthony Davis had a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, but afterward Calipari was not happy with his free throw shooting. The freshman was just three of eight from the foul line. He has had three bad free throw shooting games this year. He made just two of six against Kansas and one of four against Penn State before tonight’s showing. Calipari said he can’t post Davis up if the Chicago native isn’t making free throws.
- The Kentucky coach also was less than thrilled with his team’s three-point defense. Portland made 11 of 23 from behind the arc for 47.8 percent. That’s the best an opponent has hit threes against UK since Rick Stansbury’s Mississippi State team made 12 of 22 against the Cats last year in Rupp. Interestingly enough, Radford made just two of 25 from behind the line against UK on Wednesday, also on Rupp. Portland’s Nemanja Mitrovic hit six of 12 threes for the Pilots and finished the night with a game-high 20 points.
- Darius Miller scored 19 points off the bench. So why is Miller is still coming off the bench? Calipari said Michael Kidd-Gilchrist came to him and said that he would gladly give up his starting spot for the senior. Afterward, MKG said that he thought Miller deserved it, and he wants to do what’s best for the team. Gilchrist was no slouch tonight, mind you, scoring 11 points and grabbing seven rebounds.
- Big week this week. St. John’s, talented but very young, comes to Rupp Arena on Thursday night. That’s part of the SEC/Big East Challenge. Then less than 48 hours, the No. 1 ranked team in the nation invades the friendly confines. That would be North Carolina. And it promises to be epic.
- Matt Roark was the Y. Aintoine Walker was scheduled to be the Y, but was bumped by Roark’s heoric performance today.
