LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky’s 89-57 victory over UNC Asheville on Friday night reflected the bipolar utterances of Coach John Calipari this pre-season.
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky’s 89-57 victory over UNC Asheville on Friday night reflected the bipolar utterances of Coach John Calipari this pre-season.
At Big Blue Madness, he spoke of UK basketball as “borderless” and the be all/end all of the sport. “We don’t just play college basketball,” he memorably said. “We are college basketball.”
Three weeks later, or the day before the star-studded Cats opened the season against UNC Asheville, Calipari fretted how it was “no fair” that Kentucky would have to play a big green meanie like Michigan State next Tuesday.
The opener made Calipari sound correct on both counts.
Kentucky overpowered UNC Asheville, especially in the second half. The Cats dominated the boards 48-31 and the paint scoring 50-32.
“Lots of big, long athletes,” said UNC Asheville’s Nick McDevitt, who was making his debut as a college head coach. “They are a load to handle. They’re going to have a nice year.”
After noting that national champions often have three first-round picks, McDevitt said of the Cats, “They have more than three.”
Julius Randle and Alex Poythress led UK with double-doubles: 23 points and 15 rebounds for Randle, 10 points and 13 rebounds for Poythress.
Prodding Randle like he did Terrence Jones and DeMarcus Cousins in yesteryear, Calipari said, “I got on Julius. He had 15 (rebounds). He could have had 21 or 22. Why not open up with a 20-20?”
Randle impressed McDevitt. “Rarely do you see a guy that size with that skill level and athleticism,” the UNC Asheville coach said.
Poythress looked re-born. The sometimes desultory player of a year ago was animated and purposeful.
“I thought he was terrific,” said Calipari, who was stingy with praise of Poythress last season. “… The biggest number was the zero he had for turnovers (in 21 minutes).”
Wiggins impresses
in Jayhawk debut
LAWRENCE, Kan. —Andrew Wiggins got the ball on the wing, made a nifty spin move and then let go with a soft floater from about 10 feet that swished through the net in Allen Fieldhouse.
His career wasn’t even a minute old and Wiggins was already leaving his mark on Kansas.
While he disappeared at times, the highly touted freshman dazzled at others, finishing with 16 points in leading the fifth-ranked Jayhawks to an 80-63 victory over Louisiana-Monroe on Friday night.
“He did some good things,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “I think he can be more aggressive, but I think all the guys can be more aggressive.”
Aggressive may not have been such a good thing on this night, though. New rules designed to clamp down on hand-checking resulted in 58 fouls and a slew of free throws.
It also resulted in a herky-jerky affair for both sides.
“I’m telling them not to freak out. That’s what I’m telling them,” Warhawks coach Keith Richard said. “The players have to adjust and not lose their minds. It’s not going away, and so it’s difficult. It sure is. And there were some bad calls tonight, pitiful, but both ways.”
Andrew White III and Perry Ellis finished 12 points each for the youthful Jayhawks, who won’t have a whole lot of time for all their freshmen to work out the kinks. Kansas, which is replacing all five starters from last season, plays No. 4 Duke on Tuesday night in Chicago.
MICHIGAN STate wins big over McNEESE STate
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Gary Harris scored 15 of his 20 points in the first half and finished with a career-high 10 rebounds for the Spartans, whose next game is against No. 1 Kentucky.
Michigan State scored 10 straight points after trailing 13-12 early in the game and opened the second half with an 11-0 run to take a 63-25 lead.
Ledrick Eackles and Jamaya Burr led the Cowboys (0-1) with 11 points each.
Duke rolls past davidson
DURHAM, N.C. ‑ Jabari Parker scored 22 points in his debut for Duke.
Mississippi State transfer Rodney Hood added 22 points in his first game with the Blue Devils.
The Atlantic Coast Conference favorites shot 70.4 percent — just the sixth time in school history that Duke was better than 70 percent for a game.
They effectively ended this one after a first half in which they shot 71 percent, held the Wildcats to one offensive rebound and scored 59 points — more than they had in any half in 2012-13.
By wire sources