LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — There aren’t many opportunities remaining on the University of Kentucky's basketball schedule to deliver sizzle to the NCAA Tournament selection committee.
Saturday’s game at Arkansas was one of those games that Kentucky needed to polish its resume.
The Wildcats delivered, pinning Arkansas with its first home loss this season, 73-66. The way Kentucky did it gave the Southeastern Conference and college basketball something to talk about because, in the end, they did it without John Calipari.
Four Kentucky players scored in double figures, led by Nick Richards, who had 17 points, nine rebounds and a pair of blocks.
Three days after Kentucky blew a 14-point second half lead and lost at South Carolina, the Wildcats gave up an 11-point lead in the second half in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
But, instead of going away like they did against the Gamecocks, the Wildcats imposed their will on the Razorbacks.
They also thrived with associate head coach Kenny Payne, not Calipari, directing things for the final 8:19.
The game was tied at 44 with 8:19 remaining. That was when the officials — Anthony Jordan, Patrick Evans and Brian Shay — gave Calipari not one, but two technical fouls after Calipari complained about a questionable foul E.J. Montgomery earned for setting an illegal screen.
Video of Cal getting tossed. pic.twitter.com/NbAS09YLsi
— Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) January 18, 2020
That whistle appeared to trigger Calipari’s building ire about several Arkansas flops that were not whistled during the first half. It’s likely that Calipari was also irritated that the Wildcats were whistled for seven fouls in the first five minutes of the second half, quickly putting Arkansas in the bonus and putting Ashton Hagans on the bench with four fouls.
Calipari raced beyond the coaches’ box to midcourt to launch his verbal protest, which prompted his first technical. None of his assistants rushed to drag Calipari back to the bench. He continued to complain and disagree — and earned his second technical and ejection.
“I think it happened so fast we couldn’t really react to it,” assistant coach Kenny Payne said when asked about getting between Calipari and the officials. “Unfortunate for me especially, sitting there having to coach the game in the end in a critical point in the game where it’s turning in their favor. But these kids are resilient.”
Arkansas’ Mason Jones made three of four foul shots, pushing Arkansas to its first lead of the second half, 47-44. The teams traded baskets.
The trading quickly stopped. Kentucky scored the next 15 points. The Wildcats forced the Razorbacks to miss nine of 10 shots and scramble for nearly five minutes without a point.
Kentucky survived a choppy final minute to improve to 13-4 overall and 4-1 in the SEC. Arkansas is a prolific three-point shooting team. The Razorbacks missed 14 of 16 shots from distance in the second half.
“It’s an execution game (at that point),” Payne said. “The last thing they’re expecting us to do is rebound and push the ball up the court. Well, that’s what we did. By doing that, we got a couple layups, we got a wide-open 3 and it opened the game up for us and gave us a cushion.”
The first half was nearly everything Calipari wanted from his team. The Wildcats pushed to a 9-point lead and took the energetic Bud Walton Arena crowd out of the game.
Yes, the Razorbacks hurt Kentucky with six shots from distance but the Wildcats only allowed Arkansas eight attempts.
Kentucky got nearly every rebound the Wildcats wanted to grab, out-rebounding the home team, 27-10. The Razorbacks had one offensive rebound in the first half. Kentucky had nine.
Freshman Johnny Juzang continued his improved play, scoring 5 points as Calipari trusted him with 10 first-half minutes.
Arkansas helped the Kentucky cause by missing 5 of 8 free throws, including the front end of a one-and-one twice. No wonder the Wildcats led for the final 13:24 and sent the Razorbacks to the locker room training at home for the first time this season.
Five Top 25 teams — Butler, West Virginia, Colorado, Ohio State and Auburn — lost Saturday before the Kentucky game was final. The Wildcats did not join that list.
After three consecutive road games, the Wildcats return to Rupp Arena to play Georgia and coach Tom Crean on Tuesday night. The Wildcats beat the Bulldogs by 9 on Jan. 7 in in Athens, Georgia.
The Associated Press contributed quotes to this story. Copyright 2020 WDRB Media. All rights reserved.
