The Kentucky Wildcats took on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, the best non-conference opponent they have seen all year. The Hilltoppers had a clear plan to disrupt the Kentucky offense, be aggressive, and outhustle the Wildcats. They were very disruptive and frustrating, and it was hard to watch for Big Blue Nation, who has seen the Wildcats cruise to easy victories in every game outside of the game against Duke.
Amari Williams doesn’t need to return to this game at all
— michael hodge (@mikehodge14) November 27, 2024
There was some panic coming from Kentucky fans about how things were going, even fans calling for the benching of Amari Williams. This is understandable in some regards because Williams was having a rough first half; he ended the game with six turnovers, and most of those came in the first half. I also get why there was some panic about him and the team’s performance. Kentucky fans are used to a coaching style where adjustments aren’t made, and stars can drive the ship into reefs while ignoring the lighthouse. This is not Mark Pope and he will find ways to make adjustments.
*12… point remains
— Wildcat Blue Nation (@WildcatBlueNatn) November 27, 2024
As frustrating as the game was for Kentucky fans, there are three important things that should be noted and why it’ll be important to watch how these are adjusted going forward.
1. Western Kentucky strategy
Hats off to the Hilltoppers. They clearly had a disruptive strategy that caused a frustrating rhythm, missed shots, and rushed decisions. They were super aggressive, and it wasn’t sustainable long-term for them as they had so many fouls. They played tight on the ball and did not mind creating contact on both ends of the floor. Kentucky hasn’t seen this from a team yet, and it will need to be adjusted to going forward if other teams employ it.
2. Shots weren’t falling
Some nights are cold, and that’s just what happens in basketball. Kentucky will have nights where the shots don’t seem to be falling. This was one of those nights. Part of the credit goes to the Western Kentucky strateg,y but truly, some of it was just a cold shooting night.
3. The game was never out of Kentucky’s hands
They went into half-time with a 12-point lead and won the game by 19. It never got away from the Wildcats. They led since the opening few minutes and never looked back. What made the game disappointing for many Kentucky fans is that they know the team is capable of much more. This was a good learning game for the Wildcats…