Men’s Basketball
The Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team will take on UCLA on Saturday, April 14, in Madison Square Garden as part of the CBS Sports Classic. The game will be televised nationally on CBS. After defeating Yale last week, the Wildcats will look to win their seventh straight game, which would tie the program’s record set in the 1990s.
Kentucky had to battle to keep the game close despite an eight-point lead, but the Wildcats could not overcome a late surge from UCLA. The Bruins could secure a 15-9 advantage with about 14 minutes to play, and they held the game to just two points after that point.
UCLA’s victory came from a win over No. 20 Maryland. With the score tied at 53-53, the Bruins scored eight points in the game’s final four minutes to pull away. Jaquez Jr., who logged a 19-point, 12-rebound double-double, led the way with his performance. Shaver Wheeler was also instrumental in UCLA’s comeback, as he finished with a team-high 15 points. Impact Wheeler has accumulated 9.5 points and 2.6 rebounds in 11.5 minutes this season but did not play in the win over Tennessee.
While the Wildcats have won 11 of their last 14 meetings with the Bruins, they are still looking for a conference win at Rupp Arena. They haven’t won in the SEC since 2007. Their most recent success was against Notre Dame, the first time the Wildcats have won at the SEC.
Kentucky has only won against another opponent that scored more than 70 points. This is a trend that is causing many people to raise eyebrows. Although the Wildcats have won seven games this season, they have yet to break through and significantly impact the tournament.
If Kentucky is going to be successful this year, it will have to be on the defensive end. Kentucky has only allowed one opponent to score more than 70 points this season, against North Carolina. As a result, the Wildcats are averaging 83.3 points per game. However, their defense has been excellent this season, holding opponents to 22.9% of their total rebounding.
Fortunately, the Wildcats have enough talent to hold their opponents to only a few points on the offensive side of the ball. This includes a defense that has only allowed one opponent to shoot more than 32.8 percent from the field. Other teams have shot over 40 percent from the field.
The Wildcats have a lot of players who can shoot well, but they’re not shooting as well as they have been under coach John Calipari. Nevertheless, they have a few players who can score, including Jared Harper and Oscar Tshiebwe. But it’s not going to be easy for Kentucky to get to the NCAA Tournament.
If the Wildcats hope to win their seventh consecutive game, they must keep the pressure on UCLA. The Bruins have won four of the last five games against the Wildcats.
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