As the clock counted down to zero on Friday, Kentucky basketball was credited with an 89-80 win over James Madison, but it was close to going the other way. The Wildcats needed a big second half to pull away, and take the victory in game two of their season.
Kentucky got out to a 16-8 lead early on, and looked like they would cruise, but then James Madison started hitting three-pointers, and shot their way back into it. Slow defensive rotations gave the Dukes open looks, and the score was tied at halftime.
Things improved in the second half. The Cats began to make three-pointers of their own at an accelerated rate, and the defense started to close out on shooters. Turnovers also favored Kentucky in the final 20 minutes as well, and they pulled
away, despite the tremendous effort from James Madison.
It was a hard-fought victory for Kentucky, and certainly gave coach Mark Pope some things to work on. However, there was plenty of good as well. Here's a look at whose stock is up after the win, and whose is down.
Stock up: Alex Wilkins
Wilkins committed two fouls in the first few minutes of the game, then sat the rest of the first half. In the second half, though, he made up for it. He hit multiple clutch shots, made all of his free throws, and plays with energy and confidence. He ended with 16 points, which tied for the team lead.
Stock down: Milan Momcilovic
James Madison did a good job of not letting Momcilovic beat them, and didn't give him a single open look. The result was just 7 points, and 1-of-8 three-point shooting. It was a tough game, but he'll look to bounce back against Kansas.
Stock up: Braydon Hawthorne
The more Hawthorne plays, the more confident he looks, and it translates to the floor. On Friday, he did a little of everything once again. He had 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, and a thunderous dunk late in the game.
Stock down: Perimeter defense
James Madison stayed in the game with three-point shooting. They made 15 of them, and many of them were wide open as a result of good ball movement, and late rotations by Kentucky defenders. It's something other teams will try to take advantage of this season if it keeps being an issue.
Stock up: Mason Williams
Williams wasn't a top 100 recruit, but he's playing like a top 20 player so far. With Wilkins in foul trouble early, Williams played extended minutes, and handled the ball well. He also made some timely shots in the second half, and ended the game with 12 points and 5 asssists, which led the team.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Stock up, stock down from Kentucky's win over James Madison
