The second and final exhibition game of Kentucky’s preseason wasn’t going quite like the first. The Wildcats started a tad slow in their opener against Kentucky Wesleyan last week, but they turned on the gas quick and ultimately won by a whopping 71 points. On Tuesday night in Rupp Arena, the Cats defeated Minnesota State Mankato — the reigning NCAA Division II national champions — .
But the way they got there was a little different. At the under-8 timeout of the first half — 6:23 left until halftime — UK led just 22-20. The Cats, who were so careful with the ball against Wesleyan, had matched their turnover total from that game (five) within the first seven and a half minutes of this one.
Kentucky, which made 21 of 42 3-pointers last week, started just 2-for-13 from beyond the arc against Minnesota State. Rupp Arena was getting restless. The ship was righted rather quickly.
The Cats didn’t stop shooting 3s — and coach Mark Pope made it clear afterward that they never will — they simply settled down and fell back on the principles they’ve been practicing all summer and fall. “I wasn’t really thrilled with us in the first half from the 3-point line,” Pope said. “You know, it happens all the time.
It happens to every team I’ve ever coached. You go bang 21 and then you think it’s like, ‘Everything in the supermarket is free. Just grab it.
Throw it in the bag, right?’ We did a much better job as the game went on about earning shots for each oth.
