Highlights, MVP, and Twitter reactions to Kentucky Wildcats’ special win over Rick Pitino and St. John’s

SB Nation

That was pretty darn awesome. Kentucky Basketball turned up the intensity in the second half on both ends of the floor and completely flipped the momentum of the game against Rick Pitino and the St. John’s

Red Storm, winning by a final score of 78-66.

Led by Otega Oweh, Jaland Lowe, and Jayden Quaintance— who was making his season debut— the Wildcats turned a seven-point deficit into a 12-point win against St. John’s Saturday in Atlanta. From 32-25 trailing at halftime to 78-66 and winning their third straight game, it was truly a tale of two halves.

This was the Wildcats at full strength. Everybody healthy. What do you think, Big Blue Nation? The Wildcats, today, looked like a team that can play with the best in college basketball.

MVPs: Jayden Quaintance and Jaland Lowe

How can we not include JQ? You saw his impact today. Ten points, eight rebounds (five of them offensive), and two blocks. This is what Big Blue Nation was sold on for a long time.

Quaintance more than lived up to the hype and already looks like a massive boost to the frontcourt. Could this be the missing piece that helps Kentucky become a team truly capable of reaching the Final Four? It certainly appeared that way today.

Of course, a MASSIVE shoutout goes to Jaland Lowe. You really have to admire his toughness, as he clearly has the heart of a Wildcat.

Lowe left the game just seven seconds after entering early in the first half. He appeared to say to a trainer while going to the locker room, “It came out,” referring to his shoulder that he has injured multiple times this season.

Then, with 17:07 to play in the game, Lowe reentered the game. That is toughness, something Big Blue Nation rallies behind.

Lowe clearly had an impact on Kentucky’s offense in the second half when he returned. The stats speak for themselves, but the synergy and cohesion the Wildcats played with offensively were night and day from the first half.

For the game, Lowe finished with 13 points, three assists, three rebounds, and a game-high +/- of 20.