JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WDRB) — If you were making a list of the most fearsome defensive players on this University of Kentucky basketball team, where would you rank Tyler Herro?
Page Two?
In the footnotes, behind Ashton Hagans, PJ Washington and Reid Travis?
Nobody has ever called Tyler Herro the Josh Allen of this Kentucky basketball team.
Saturday, as Kentucky defeated Wofford College, 62-56, everything changed.
Saturday, Fletcher Magee, a guy who made 140 three-point shots this season for Wofford, made none in 12 attempts against Kentucky.
Credit Herro. He asked to guard Magee — and then guarded him better than he has ever been defended.
“That’s just Tyler,” Hagans said. “He’s confident in his game.”
Magee made nearly 42 percent of his three-point shots this season. If he made his average against the Wildcats, Wofford advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.
Actually if he made 25 percent, Wofford beats Kentucky. If Magee made two, it’s overtime.
Magee made none for only the third time since his freshman season.
The 0-for-12 from a guy who made 7 of 12 against Seton Hall two days ago translated into a six-point victory by Kentucky at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.
It put the Wildcats in the semifinals of the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Tournament, assuring coach John Calipari’s team of a game against either Houston or Ohio State in Kansas City on Friday.
“They played good defense,” Magee said. “They did a good job of topping me and stuff … I’ve got to own up to it. I’ve got to swallow it.”
Credit Herro. Make a note that Jemarl Baker also took several turns. Hagans found himself in front of Magee on a few possessions, too.
But this was primarily a job done exceptionally well by Herro, the freshman guard who leads the Wildcats in three-point field goals. He went to John Calipari on Friday with a request.
Herro wanted the first crack to defend Magee, the guy who has made more three-point shots than anybody who has played Division I basketball.
“I said, ‘I got him,’ “ Herro said. “(Calipari) said, ‘Yeah, you got him.’ “
Herro got him. For two hours Herro stayed so tight to Magee that he could tell you if Magee brushed with Colgate, Crest or Sensodyne. If you stand as close to somebody in the coffee shop line as Herro stayed to Magee, you’ll get arrested — or punched.
“I just feel like he can make any shot on the court so you can’t leave him at all,” Herro said. “You’ve got to stay connected to him and not allow him to get anything off.”
It was only a few weeks ago in Knoxville when Calipari was seen howling at Herro. That was the day Tennessee guard Jordan Bone buried the Wildcats by taking five shots from distance and making all five. Herro got burned for a few of them.
Nobody was calling Tyler Herro a defensive stopper that day. I can’t find much evidence of anybody calling Herro Mr. Defense all season.
Herro is the designated shooter. Flawless at the free throw line. Takes more than 40 percent of his field-goal attempts from deep and converts better than 37 percent of them.
Quick. Can jump. Tough. Smooth footwork moving side to side.
Herro has all the qualities needed to be a good defender. Calipari and his staff simply had to convince him that was part of the job description at Kentucky.
“Maybe there were questions about his defense,” Reid Travis said. “He’s had a long year to get ready for that. Give him a lot of credit. He’s taken that personally and watched a lot of film to improve that part of his game.”
Magee missed his first jumper three minutes into the game. That’s how long Magee needed to shake free of Herro for his first three. Two minutes later, he missed a two-point attempt.
Then Magee went more than eight minutes without a field goal attempt. Missed three. Missed three. Missed three.
Herro and Magee went back and forth with their games — and a personal commentary.
“I can’t repeat what was said,” Herro said, with a smile.
Finally with 19 seconds remaining in the half, Magee rattled in a two-point attempt.
Surely the shots would start falling in the second half. They always do. Magee made four shots from distance against Mississippi State and five against Oklahoma. Magee made five or more threes in 18 games this season.
“I just didn’t leave him at all,” Herro said. “I think I left him once, maybe twice. I just tried to stay connected to him at all times and not allow him to see a clear, open look.”
Nothing changed.
In the second half, Magee’s first two shots were twos. He needed more than four minutes to create enough space to attempt a three. Miss.
Miss. Miss. Miss. Miss. Miss. Miss. Miss.
The final three misfires came in the final 3 1/2 minutes when Wofford was desperate for points. If Magee made one, the momentum was likely to shift to Wofford, which had 3,000 fans as well as the love of fans from Louisiana State and Maryland. It never did. He finished with the most harmless eight points he scored all season. Magee never got to the foul line.
“I just didn’t shoot it well,” Magee said. “Some of them felt good and were short. Some of them felt good and were long. Some of them were just off. It’s just what happens.”
Raise your hand if you thought Tyler Herro would be the star of the game on a day when he made 2 of 11 shots and scored 9 points, five under his average — because he made Fletcher Magee disappear.
“No, I definitely would not have thought that,” Herro said.
Tyler Herro can think it now. Everybody else does.
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