Kentucky’s Nick Richards battles for a rebound against Texas A&M last week. The Wildcats will face a physical South Carolina team Tuesday night in Columbia, South Carolina. (UK Athletics Photo)
By Keith Taylor
Kentucky Today
Kentucky has found a way to win close games on the road and hopes the trend continues at South Carolina Tuesday night.
“We’re trying to be a great road team – a team that can go on the road and fight and gets a win,” Kentucky associate head coach Kenny Payne said. “That starts with guys like Wenyen (Gabriel) … that kind of fight. That kind of determination to fight for a rebound. That kind of determination to block a shot at a pivotal time in the game. Take a charge. Dive on the loose ball. When you’re playing road games, every little situation on the court, every possession matters.”
Gabriel has been a spark off the bench for the Wildcats, especially in the Southeastern Conference. Gabriel has provided crucial minutes, especially during the past two games with Kentucky (14-3, 4-1) down to seven scholarship plays.
“(It’s just been about) just going in there knowing that all you have to do is fight, let the game come to you, everything else comes to you,” Gabriel said Monday. “I just go out there, play my heart out. It’s been working out for me today and I think I got the formula back.”
Along with Gabriel, freshman guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s recent emergence has given Kentucky a spark. Gilgeous-Alexander, who is averaging 14.3 points, 4.8 assists, and 4.8 assists during the past six games, was named SEC Newcomer of the Week Monday.
“The kid has been unbelievable,” Payne said. “He’s been great. He’s been our best player by far. He’s putting unbelievable pressure on the defense. He’s living in the lanes, he’s making free throws, he’s defending, he’s filling up the stat sheet. Can’t argue with that.”
Since dropping a 76-65 loss at No. 21 Tennessee on Jan. 6, the Wildcats (14-3, 4-1) have won two straight and climbed to No. 18 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 poll.
South Carolina (11-6, 2-3) ended a three-game road losing streak with a 64-57 win at South Carolina last weekend and appear to be on the mend despite losing three of their first five conference games. The Gamecocks, a national semifinalist last season, have struggled on the road, but are 6-1 at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia.
“They’re really physical,” Payne said. “They’re going to try to rough us up. They’re going to try to make it hard for guys like Kevin Knox because Kevin has shown a tendency to shy away from contact. Well, every day in practice that’s why we’ve got Jarred Vanderbilt guarding Kevin Knox. Jarred, as much as you can, push him. Bump him. Be as physical as you can with him because when he gets that. And the greatest thing for Kevin Knox is the way he finished that game against Vandy, that’s the way he should start every game. That’s the way he should play every minute he’s on the floor and then we’ll see how good he is.”
Gabriel agreed.
“I remember they definitely swarmed the paint when we were playing them,” he said. “You drive to the paint and there’s a lot of help defenders running in. I feel like we’re going to have to exploit that and use that to our advantage. They’re definitely physical. They try to bulldoze you and different things like that, being aggressive on defense. But this team, that’s what you need in the SEC play anyway, that type of competition. We’re going to have to feed off of that this game. I think that competitors, you respond to that type of environment.”
Payne added in order for the Wildcats to defeat the Gamecocks for the 10th time in the past 11 games, they must match South Carolina’s physicality, especially in the post.
“Who’s hitting who first? Are they hitting you? Are they attacking you? Are they pushing you under the basket? Well, if that’s happening then they’re going to get offensive rebounds,” Payne said. “Second thing is defensively, they’re going to try to take you out of the offense. They’re going to try to rough you up off screens. They’re going to try to get up inside of you when you’re handling the ball. They’re going to deny passes.
“They’re going to play physical. You have to meet every pass. You have to step over the defender. You have to come to the pass. Catch it, be strong with the ball and make good decisions. They’re going to collapse on drives and we better be ready to find their players on the perimeter and make them pass it.”
Happy at Kentucky
Payne a former player at the University of Louisville, has been rumored as a possible replacement for Rick Pitino at Louisville. Payne, a member of the school’s national championship team in 1986, said his goal is to become a head coach, but added he “not in a rush” and is “not taking a bad job.”
“You won’t believe this. The players – our players – didn’t even know that I went to Louisville, and when they did find out, they thought I was a football player. But seriously – you know,” he said. “Louisville changed my life. As a young kid coming from Mississippi, to be able to be on a national championship team and learn basketball from a Hall-of-Fame coach (Denny Crum), I have a love for Louisville. But, I have an obligation and love for the University of Kentucky and the guys sitting in this locker room. It’s unfair for Coach Padgett, who’s doing an unbelievable job at that university in a tough situation, really tough. There are veteran coaches who can’t do what he’s doing right now.”
Gametracker: Kentucky at South Carolina, Tuesday, 9 p.m. TV/Radio: ESPN, 98.1 FM, WBUL, Lexington.
Keith Taylor is sports editor for Kentucky Today. Reach him at keith.taylor@kentuckytoday.com or twitter @keithtaylor21.
