With Kentucky Basketball best player on the bench to start the game and Marist shooting lights-out for most of the first half, the second-ranked University of Kentucky men’s basketball team had a bit of a soft opening Friday night.
The Wildcats trailed after 6½ minutes and led by just four points late in the first half before thoroughly dominating the final 20 minutes to beat the Red Foxes 108-58 in both teams’ first game.
That improved coach John Calipari’s record at Rupp Arena to 34-0, breaking the record for consecutive victories in the building.
Jones gave the Wildcats a lift late in the first half with a three-pointer and violent, two-hand dunk after an offensive rebound on consecutive plays to give UK some cushion at the break. He finished with eight points but grabbed nine rebounds and blocked a shot in 25 minutes.
After Marist hit 50 percent of its first-half shots — including four of its first five three-point attempts — the Red Foxes shot just 17.1 percent in the final 20 minutes, in part because of Kentucky’s 13 blocked shots.
Davis led the Cats with 23 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks and three assists. Teague had 16 points, four assists and three turnovers. Lamb and the Wildcats’ fourth freshman, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, had 15 points apiece.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Kentucky Basketball
11/11/2011
News Staff
