Kentucky Basketball was back in action Friday night, taking on winless Northern Arizona inside Rupp Arena. The Wildcats were looking to bounce back from their 20-point loss to Kansas on Tuesday night, and they managed to escape with a dramatic 78-77 victory thanks to a game-winning three-pointer from Alex Wilkins.
It was far from a convincing performance for Kentucky, which once again struggled to find consistency on both ends of the floor. Malachi Moreno and Milan Momcilovic looked to bounce back
after struggling against the Jayhawks, with Moreno finishing with 14 points on 6 of 8 shooting, along with 6 assists and 6 rebounds. Meanwhile, Momcilovic recorded 14 points on 5 of 11 shooting and added 2 assists.
However, it was Wilkins who ultimately saved the Wildcats from what could have been one of the most embarrassing losses of the season. With Kentucky needing a late basket, Wilkins stepped up and knocked down the game-winning three-pointer to give the Wildcats a much-needed victory. Wilkins finished with 14 points on 6/10 shooting from the field, and 2/4 from the 3-point line.
Despite the thrilling finish, it was another game in which an opponent with a significant talent disadvantage managed to keep things close throughout. Northern Arizona even cut Kentucky’s lead to one point, prompting some fans inside Rupp Arena to boo the Wildcats’ effort.
Kentucky once again got off to a slow start and was outrebounded by Northern Arizona in the first half. The Wildcats struggled to create separation, and it took a clutch shot from Wilkins to prevent an upset.
With that in mind, let’s get into the biggest takeaways from Kentucky’s performance.
1. Kentucky Has to Play All 40 Minutes
Through the first few games of the season, Kentucky has struggled to put together a consistent 40-minute performance. The Wildcats have either started slowly or gotten off to a strong start before losing momentum.
Kentucky was able to blow out Manhattan, but James Madison and now Northern Arizona have managed to keep things close and nearly pull off an upset. The Wildcats also started well against Kansas, jumping out to a 10-5 lead before foul trouble among the big men shifted the momentum in the Jayhawks’ favor. Kansas never looked back.
Against Northern Arizona, Kentucky did not record its first field goal until the 17:46 mark of the first half and even trailed 7-2. Although the Wildcats appeared to find their rhythm as the first half progressed, they couldn’t carry that momentum into the second half.
Northern Arizona continued to fight and put Kentucky in a position where the Wildcats needed a late-game hero to escape with the victory.
The Wildcats have to find a way to put together a complete performance. Playing well in stretches isn’t going to be enough, especially as the competition gets tougher. Kentucky needs to establish its identity, maintain its intensity, and execute on both ends of the floor for all 40 minutes.
Wilkins’ game-winner provided a thrilling ending, but Kentucky cannot continue relying on last-second heroics to get past opponents it is expected to beat.
2. Kentucky Has to Work on Rebounding
Kentucky had a significant height advantage against Northern Arizona but struggled to turn that advantage into production on the glass.
The Lumberjacks outrebounded the Wildcats, 32 to 30. Even more concerning, Kentucky didn’t record its first offensive rebound until nearly halfway through the second half.
That simply cannot happen, especially for a team with two 7-foot players in the starting lineup in Ousmane N’Diaye and Malachi Moreno.
Kentucky has plenty of size and length throughout its roster, including Braydon Hawthorne, Franck Kepnang, Justin McBride, and others. The Wildcats have to use those physical advantages to their benefit.
Rebounding is about more than just height. It requires positioning, physicality, effort, and a willingness to fight for every possession. Kentucky has to do a better job of securing defensive rebounds while creating additional opportunities on the offensive glass.
If the Wildcats want to compete against some of the better teams in college basketball, they cannot afford to be outrebounded by an opponent they should have a clear advantage over.
3. Defense Needs a Reality Check
Kentucky’s defensive struggles continued against Northern Arizona, as the Wildcats allowed the Lumberjacks to make 13 three-pointers while shooting 50% from beyond the arc.
That was one of the biggest reasons Northern Arizona was able to stay within striking distance and nearly pull off the upset.
Kentucky has to do a better job of defending the three-point line and communicating when switching defensive assignments. The Wildcats also allowed Northern Arizona to find open looks inside the paint, creating problems at multiple levels of the defense.
One area that continues to stand out is Kentucky’s struggles defending the pick-and-roll. The Wildcats have looked confused at times when trying to defend those actions, allowing opposing offenses to find openings and create scoring opportunities.
For a third consecutive season under Mark Pope, Kentucky’s defense has looked unimpressive early in the year. There is still time for the Wildcats to improve, but the issues need to be addressed sooner rather than later.
Kentucky cannot continue allowing opponents to find open shots and dictate the pace of the game. The Wildcats have to become more disciplined defensively, communicate better, and show greater consistency if they want to reach their potential this season.
Final Thoughts
Kentucky managed to escape Friday night with a victory, but it certainly wasn’t the type of performance Big Blue Nation was hoping to see after the loss to Kansas.
Alex Wilkins delivered when it mattered most, knocking down a game-winning three-pointer to give the Wildcats a dramatic victory over Northern Arizona. It was a clutch moment that saved Kentucky from a potentially devastating loss inside Rupp Arena.
However, there is still plenty for Mark Pope and his team to address.
Kentucky has another opportunity to improve Monday against Grambling State before traveling to face Indiana next Friday. The Wildcats need to use that matchup to work through their issues, improve their chemistry, and show more consistency on both ends of the floor.
A win is a win, and Wilkins deserves plenty of credit for delivering in the biggest moment of the night, but Kentucky has to understand that this type of performance won’t be enough against some of the better teams in college basketball.
The Wildcats got the victory, but there is still a lot of work to be done.
Now, let’s discuss what just happened.
