Two of the best offenses in the country met at Rupp Arena Tuesday night.
Only one lived up to the billing.
Updated:
“Credit to Kentucky, they were explosive,” head coach Jim Larrañaga said. “Their size, athletic ability, shooting ability…they shot 42 percent from three and 59 percent overall, and we just couldn’t guard them…We played totally out of character on offense, and that impacted our defense.”
No. 12 Kentucky (6-1) steamrolled No. 8 Miami (5-1), 95-73, in a matchup of two teams that entered Tuesday averaging better than 89 points per game. Kentucky's offense was dynamic and aggressive, with many scorers getting buckets in the paint and from beyond the 3-point line.
Fourth-year junior forward Norchad Omier poured in a team-leading 20 points for his third 20-plus point outing of the season. Junior guard Wooga Poplar joined Omier in double-figures with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Poplar has now scored in double-figures in six straight games to start the season.
Meanwhile, Kentucky's defense shut down options for a Miami team that entered Tuesday as the nation's best from 3-point distance (45.8%). There were no easy looks for the Hurricanes in Lexington. It was a dominant effort against a top-10 team, the kind that announces Final Four intentions.
Kentucky cruised with an eight-man rotation featuring heavy minutes from five freshmen. Five players scored in double figures in a balanced effort that saw the Wildcats shoot 59.7% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point distance. A young team that looked strong in a five-point loss to then No. 1 Kansas on Nov. 15 is playing at another level four games later.
Sophomore guard Christian Watson scored a new career high with 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting. Poplar got a hot start, opening the game 4-for-4 from the field. However, Kentucky quickly found its rhythm and embarked on a 17-3 run to lead, 21-11, at the 11:39 mark of the first half.
Freshman Kyshawn George put some life back into the Miami offense with the Hurricanes’ first 3-pointer, which sparked the visitors' 18-2 run. Omier capped the run with a dunk to put Miami ahead, 29-23, with just under eight minutes to play in the frame. The teams traded baskets as the first half waned, but Kentucky scored the final eight points to lead by five, 42-37, heading into the locker room.
The Wildcats kept their foot on the gas, opening the second half with a 12-2 run to make the advantage 51-39 in favor of Kentucky. The Wildcats continued to pull away from the Hurricanes, ultimately outscoring Miami 53-36 in the second half to close out the victory.
Justin Edwards, a projected lottery pick and the prize of No. 1 ranked recruiting class, played his best game as a Wildcat while shooting 5 of 7 from the field in an 11-point, three-rebound effort. Senior Antonio Reeves anchored the starting lineup with 18 points and five rebounds as the veteran presence on the floor.
But freshman Reed Sheppard shone brightest in a breakout game on a national stage. The sharpshooter scored 21 points off the bench while shooting 8 of 13 from the field and 5 of 9 from 3-point distance. He added five rebounds, four assists and one steal.
The Wildcats as a team assisted on a whopping 26 of their 37 made field goals in the kind of effort usually seen from veteran-laden teams this time of year, not a group of primarily freshmen learning to play together.
On Saturday, Miami returns to Coral Gables, Fla., to open Atlantic Coast Conference action against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Tipoff inside the Watsco Center is set for noon, and the game will air on The CW.
Courtesy of Yahoo Sports and Miami Athletics
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