LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Who are these guys, and where did they come from? The University of Kentucky basketball team has established a reputation for not being a team that would beat you from three-point range this season.
The Wildcats appeared well on their way to such a display Tuesday night at LSU, leading 29-28 after shooting a seasonally appropriate 31.6% from the field, including 2-10 from 3-point range.
But after halftime, they were a different team. The Wildcats shot 74% in the second half and made their first seven 3-point tries and 7-8 in the half to put away LSU, 79-76, and take control of the Southeastern Conference regular-season title chase.
Kentucky’s fifth straight win came with starting point guard on the bench for the closing minutes, having been knocked out of the game with a thigh bruise suffered in a collision. And his absence could’ve proved costly. The Wildcats led by 15 points with 4:26 to play but struggled against LSU pressure late and left the door open. A 13-4 run by the Tigers pulled them back within five, but they couldn’t get it to a one possession game until the closing second.
After his team’s first-half shooting performance, Kentucky coach John Calipari told ESPN’s Marty Smith, “The crazy thing about this game is the whole point is to put the ball in that basket up there. And when you miss every shot and you’re up one, I’m whistling and skipping going in at halftime.”
He certainly must have been whistling and skipping afterward, provided Hagans is able to get back in a timely manner and big man Nick Richards shows no ill effects from rolling his ankle after landing on the ball following a fast-break dunk. Richards finished out the game.
Kentucky got 21 points from Immanuel Quickley and 14 from Tyrese Maxey. Richards added 13 points, and Hagans and Sestina had 11 each. Sestina made his first three-pointers in three games, going 3-3 beyond the arc in the second half.
The closing minutes notwithstanding, this game had all the hallmarks of a Kentucky team ready to take another step. The Wildcats ran crisp offense in the second half — albeit against an LSU defense that no one would describe as stout — and used a series of stops and good outside shooting to create more separation than LSU could overcome.
Of Kentucky’s 29 field goals, 13 were layups or dunks, and nine were 3-pointers.
LSU, which was led in scoring by Skylar Mays with 17 points, lost for the fourth time in five games.
Kentucky returns to action in Rupp Arena on Saturday night against Florida at 6 p.m.
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