Off night from outside doesn't slow No. 8 Kentucky's roll in 87-68 win over WKU

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — What happens when No. 8-ranked Kentucky isn’t making threes? When it might have a wary glance cast toward a well-known holiday and maybe a day off or two? When it is playing an in-state opponent that is a 20-plus point underdog in Rupp Arena.

Well, the Wildcats took care of business without creating any cause of heartburn for the home-town fans. The game was a bit closer than expected, perhaps, but not too close for comfort for the crowd of 20,049. And Kentucky reacted to a well-conceived and well-executed game plan with a few adjustments of its own to beat WKU 87-68.

The win boosts Kentucky to 6-0 on the season. Against a smaller, quicker opponent that was nonetheless more physical than any opponent yet to visit Rupp Arena this season, Kentucky went to Andrew Carr at the center spot with a smaller lineup, and he showed his ability with his back to the basket to finish with 18 points and 10 rebounds – his first double-double in a Kentucky uniform since transferring from Wake Forest.

Otega Oweh was effective driving into the lane, finishing with 18 points, though it took him 14 shots to get those.

WKU bothered Kentucky with its smaller lineup, and by denying the ball to Wildcats point guard Lamont Butler.

Kentucky made just 8 of 28 three-pointers, well below their season average of 12.6. But the Wildcats held a WKU team that makes 10 threes per game to just 4 of 26 from beyond the arc. Kentucky also dominated the smaller Hilltoppers on the board, 54-41.

Don McHenry, who was leading WKU in scoring at 17.2 points per game coming in, managed just 3-for-16 shooting against Kentucky and went just 1-for-7 from three-point range. WKU got 18 points from Julius Thedford and 16 from Babacar Faye.

“It’s great that we were able to come away feeling super-frustrated from the game and not feel like we could get into our rhythm – and credit Western Kentcky for that – but we were still able to come away with a 20-point win,” Carr said on the UK Network’s postgame interview.

Kentucky will get a bit of time off the next two days, but will continue to practice with a home matchup against Georgia State on Friday.