Kentucky vs Howard | 2022.11.7 | NCAAB Game

boy [Music] [Applause] next year [Applause] from Dallas Texas [Applause] [Music] [Applause] all right so there's John Calipari and Jimmy the expectations are always through the roof here in Kentucky but you consider the last couple of years first round exit in the NCAA tournament they missed it the year before John Calipari wants to get this program back to where everyone thinks they belong that's at least a final four if not a national title well his players have talked about chasing nine and that's the ninth national championship for Kentucky that they would like to hang in Rupp Arena his challenge tonight Tom is again they're they're under under man with only eight scholarship players anytime you walk into the Craft Center and there's one basket per player that's not a good sign and that's where they were yesterday and today he challenged his team to fight rebound defend and run if you can dominate those four things tonight it sets up a lot of good things for Kentucky this guy can flat out coach he's done a terrific job taking over a program that was always in the bottom 340 or 350th in the country they believe in who they are they have a toughness about them they have a link to hold up in this game they're very well prepared and very confident for the opening tip played a Duke part of a couple of national championships for Mike shazewski played for Hall of Famer Morgan Wooten and Samantha and leads the Howard team that has never beaten a top 25 opponent Owen 32 all-time against the top 25. here's a look at the production loss from last season and that is without Oscar schibwe who's not available tonight Jimmy I don't think we'll see him against Duquesne Friday and the hope is that he can get back in time for the Champions but even then he'll likely be limited yeah it's an interesting development right now for Kentucky without injury to Oscar I know you want him full speed with a big games matter with the biggest game for Kentucky right now the schedule is this one right here for the next two hours challenge is real for Howard they are 0-8 on time against top 10 teams that have lost by an average of 49 points have gone against Hall of Famers Jay Wright Tom Izzo Huggy from Roy and Dean Smith the first time has lost by 40. Lance Ware with the rebound he'll have an opportunity tonight so will Cason Wallace The Freshman who will run the point without wheeler here heavy minutes out of Kentucky starting five tonight with only three scholarship guys on the bench it's his birthday today turning 19. he said this would be his best birthday present first college home game and it comes in front of a great crowd here at Rupp Arena shot clock getting late Challenge three and a foul and Jacob top and will go to the free-throw line and Kentucky looked a little bogged down they looked pretty good in their last exhibition against Kentucky State they put 111 on the board the only time you're allowed to curse as a head coach is when your guy fouled a jump shooter I'm not big into cursing I'm not promoting it but that is the one time in life I think it's okay because the first 29 and a half seconds was locked down it was Jordan wood the Junior from San Antonio got charged with the foul and we'll talk a little bit more about him on the offensive end topping a 75 free throw shooter last year come what I saw in Howard's first possession heavy heavy ball pressure and they are forcing the ball to stay on the side not easy to reverse the ball tonight if you're Kentucky expect John Calipari after he saw that first possession to get the ball in the middle part of the floor and attack the middle third I know you said this 14 minutes ago when we first came on the air but this is a Howard team that expects to win they do they've got transfers they got an edge about him old wins in college basketball especially early Jordan wood gives it up and then where was on the Baseline new chance for Howard who should we watch when Howard has the basketball well the point guard Hawkins sets it all up but Jordan wood who missed the first point of three right here 24 in dark blue NBA Scouts have gone through that Howard practice facility over the last month with their eyes on 24 in blue he had 18 points in their exhibition game he hit five of ten from three they were three heavy and that's a big block by where he rejects Steve settle preseason all-conference to the meact [Applause] three or two good looks by Howard in their first two or three possessions with a clean three ball [Music] let's try to dump it down taken away by the Bison Steve settled 6-10 Junior preseason second team on me act last year All Conference made 28 starts good ball movement veteran from the corner Jelani Williams and it'll stay this way Chris Livingston with the foul well there's that middle third attack I thought Cal would quickly go to and he did it's just a misread by Cason Wallace that pass has to be up top for the law play this is a Howard team that got punished on the boards last year but they've gone out and gotten size and Dixon's one of them as a grant transfer out the ivy league and Dixon makes it a three-point play he has an amazing story he's from Hulk and Kansas outside of Wichita Planet Cornell you don't get extra years in the Ivy and Howard being a prestigious academic institution itself has found that to be a great spot to get some of these transfers another late possession Wallace now the ball gets the rim though with Wallace up top Kentucky showing really good patience to not settle for tough shot throwing in the shot clock with all that ball pressure that Howard's throwing on Howard just one for five from the floor so far they're coming off of an exhibition game where 70 percent of their attempts came from three and a takeaway by Jacob top and he was wide open here's CJ Frederick in transition back to topping down the lane and he'll go to the free-throw line Tom Jacob top and has the ability to go from a role player last year at six points a game so in all SEC if not a first round pick he has really grown in the mid-range game the mid-range jump shot is there there's a billion out of shots that you can attack the rim with violence a big part of this Kentucky offense I think this year left that free throw short he went through the NBA pre-draft process in the spring worked out for a few teams and talked to them about that experience he said what I really learned and of course you know his brother plays in the NBA he's I learned that you're not always going to have a great day the pros work through those bad days and put the work in each and every day pockets for three and Howard just one for six to start this game tap into the Baseline his mid-range jumpers vastly improved he's put in the work in the gym that one's Off the Mark here's wood wide open and he has missed a couple now three wide open looks for wood Wallace with a move that Kentucky Run game clicking Earl Jason Wallace gets lost defensively though in defensive transition the stakes Kentucky can't afford to make tonight giving up easy ones Hawkins knocks down the three interesting matchup with Wallace versus Hawkins at the point [Music] 17-footer off the back rim Kentucky keeps the ball in the middle third but they're settling that time Wallace did for a tough 16 footer early in the clock there's wood again and he is struggling about 20 000 in here tonight that's something that this Howard team has not seen here's CJ Frederick his first regular season action for Kentucky he's off the mark this one is tight early Jason Wallace gonna have a lot on him tonight as a true how do you describe him and he's back as the national player of the year last time we had it in college basketball was Tyler Hansbrough for North Carolina who did not repeat as National player of the year when he came back but North Carolina did win the national championship that year yeah the team got better yeah when Hansbrough came back Howard has ran good offense Tom they just have not been able to knock down that three ball other than Hawkins foreign [Applause] Lonnie Williams is a transfer from Penn one of those Ivy transfers Howard has a lot of Link not a lot of strength around the rib they're going to have to hang in this game on the boards and not get pumped by Kentucky because it's it could easily happen with the size that Kentucky puts on that floor we've got on yenso checks in for the cats he was the late add to this recruiting class he has a shot blocking machine [Applause] yeah should just be a senior in high school 33 in white but we'll get major minutes and here's Antonio Reeves Reeves is going to play a key role for Kentucky this year he can really score the ball out of Illinois State took about 16 shots a game last year so he's a heavy volume kid offensively foreign I just really like that off the bat by Kentucky recognizing Howard wants to pin you on the side and your best plan of attack is right down the middle third of the floor Hawkins off the screen gets into the paint that's dangerous and yenso sends it back [Applause] terrific timing by onion so to be the second guy off the floor right [Applause] and then a foul on the other side so no oscar shibway but Logan some early run and having an opportunity well defensively is where he can impact the game as a kid that should be a senior in high school he's 6-11 he asked great questions in practice he's quick off of his feet his timing is exceptional for a kid that is really still new to the game he joined this Kentucky team after they got back from their International Court out of the Bahamas [Applause] another one going against Howard and this is on Elijah Hawkins their point guard interesting talk with Kenny Blakely about Hawkins and the copies made to Bobby Hurley and he said yeah that that's right because we want him and we need him to play Reckless you don't often hear a coach say that about a point guard no you don't but you got to know your personnel and know how kids wired and Hawkins has a gambling game on both ends of the floor he has to gamble smart tonight in Rupp Arena to keep his team in this thing his Reeves off the screen the push shot from the Baseline really well done on the pull-up because Howard is so good at running to the ball when you try to punch the paint Kentucky on top of it early with a pull-up jump shots was second in the Missouri Valley and scoring last year one of the top scorers in college basketball about 20 a game and where's the offense come from Howard other than Hawkins right now Steve saddle has not been able to get his hand on the ball on the offensive end another block by any Enzo 6-11 225 two blocks early Reeves and settle with the board see the value of Jelani Williams 6-5 201 handling the ball up the floor [Applause] jump shot is short onions who got a piece of that one too he's got three blocks and a piece of one in two minutes that's that aggressiveness and athleticism that topping can throw at you it's Unique a guy six nine just went and snatched it with two if he tries to get it with one it's probably deflected off yeah 44 inch vertical is pretty unique huh [Applause] Williams drew the foul from Frederick and got it to roll home and Jelani Williams will go to the free-throw line yeah Jacob cop and just surges to the rim and flies above everybody that's a strong strong Rebound with two hands that Cal demands every day in practice and that's why you do it there's traffic involved in the play and no stopping topping on that one let me tell you the story about Jelani Williams if you don't know he played for Steve Donahue at Penn he lost three years to torn ACLs first occurred his senior year of high school he finally played for Penn last year it had been 1789 days between games Donahue was interviewed he said you know I kind of part of me hoped at one point he would just come in the office and say coach I gave it my best I think it's time for me to use my education to move on but he battled and he battled and if there's anybody to root for a college hoops this year it's just catgilani Williams yeah he goes out of the game right now number five in blues who you've been talking about but a terrific story of perseverance betting on yourself and he's the leader of this Howard team unquestionable DC product at a Sidwell Friends topping out to Adu Tierra good all thing and that's happened for three and cats struggling from Deep oh for four struggling to get the ball reversed against that side pressure of Howard's defense whose ball case of Wallace forces to steal three on two for Kentucky here's the arrow that cut under the rim and got the benefit of a whistle on shy Odom Howard can't turn this thing over Tom they're going to stay in it that's third or fourth turnover Cason with a quick strong hands defensively on ball triggers that turnover a chance to watch Kenny blakeney's team for a couple hours in their practice last night at their best what do they look like a team that could win the b-hack and be in the NCAA tournament they're picked third right now behind uh Norfolk stake I think is a team that's gone back to back ncaa's out of That League that Norfolk State North Carolina Central Howard ranked one two and three they're aggressive middle no defense can cause you problems and they want to play fast they actually practice with a 14-second shot clock every day they want to bring the gas all gas no brakes mentality Guerra one or two from the line Joe Bryant Norfolk State reigning Player of the Year in that conference is back eight out of the ten All Conference players in the meac return this year hey welcome back college basketball Honda great we got opening night right now Jimmy now you have to remember you you can pass this ball but you can't run with it are you clear on this where are the goal posts good driving kick cannot finish it off with a made jump shot so far they are over seven from Deep they are just three for 18 from the floor here's Reeves he can stroke it and he's off the mark first night jitters Howard cannot get out in front of Kentucky's defense Kentucky running really hard Tom both ways are [Applause] offensive indeed and the fouls piling up for this Howard team that is 16 foul between his career playing for Bob Huggins at West Virginia and John Calipari here at Kentucky presented him with the point ball before the game along with the Naismith trophy hard screen from Livingston in the backcourt Reeves left open how do you leave that guy Antonio Reeves Cashes in Reeves and CJ Frederick in transition Tom you have to pick those guys up a step and a half or two steps higher than normal now the green light and a beautiful stroke Thomas Weaver running the point now for Howard Hughes banged up last year concussion plus a foot injury they certainly have enough ball handlers they can put in there here's Reese Brown UNLV transfer gives it up and a corner jumper goes they make the toughest one they've taken because that was a guarded three and Howard now four out of 18 from the floor to start this game Michelle Odom who made the bucket he now has as many points as personal fouls in his first half CJ Frederick out with injury all the last year I said if there's a silver lining it was a chance to learn John Calipari in the program and he took a shot on that drive Reese brown with a foul Antonio Reeves in transition that's just too clean of a look yeah and there was a miscommunication a guy fell down the backcourt but someone's got to step up and there's shyodum from the corner shyodem from Howard Tom you mentioned him he was on target to be a player like at a Kentucky or a duke or a North Carolina his sophomore year in high school had two major knee surgeries it kind of fell off the recruiting rankings but they think Howard does that they got a real steal in this kid if he comes back to what he was at sophomore year in high school he was on everybody's national radar about three years ago it was only a couple of years ago that Kenny Blakeney made history when they signed five-star maker maker who was first five-star to sign with an HBCU he only ended up playing five games for Howard due to the covet season CJ Frederick knocks down the first this stroke is Flawless he was a clinic with me Seth Greenberg and I were here for their pro day and he did a demo with me on the floor just talking about shooting the basketball he threw up shooting a sock as a sock drawer he and Grady dick the pressure from Kansas as good as Shooters as we have in college ball right now to start the season what'd you learn from CJ that day the importance of shooting fundamentally sound even when you're three or four years old and he grew up like I said shooting a sock into a sock drawer and has developed it from there but he under if great Shooters can teach shootings that's what CJ can do okay moms listen to that because if you get your kids to pick up your laundry at the early age they're making a game of it Kobe Dixon with the bucket he's got five Howard hanging in down six they'll stay with Kentucky 9 38 to play and the cats shooting only 46 percent here early on [Music] Kentucky only two fouls that's a big emphasis for Cal coming in this game with a lack of depth can they defend without fouling so far so good for the home team what was John calipari's biggest concern coming into tonight how hard we're going to have to fight yeah I'll tell you that's automatic it is automatic he can shoot it off the bounds he can sidestep he can make violent cuts off of down screens and get his feet Underneath Him as good as Shooters we have in the college game settle has it stripped on his way in 47 shooter CJ Frederick CJ Frederick is big on making sure his hips are squared up to the rim on the release a lot of guys talk about their feet their shoulders he's big on his hips which lines up his entire body tore his hamstring off the bone in the layup line against Duke in the opener last year didn't tell anybody stayed in his warm-ups wood is really struggling shooting great article by Kyle Tucker of the athletic over this past summer talking about everything CJ has been through and what he could mean to this team here he is again and he finds Reeves toppen gets up and draws a foul we're talking with John Calipari today about the opportunity to have two Shooters on the floor more often than not CJ Frederick and Antonio Reeves why does that make sense for Kentucky well think about if Oscar schibe is on the floor what are you gonna do because now the floor is really spaced and Oscar shibwe you know you can't guard him one on one man-to-man around the rim and Kentucky lacked the shooting last year to keep the traffic off of sheep weight he still is a national player of the year so you have a shooter on both sides of the floor to balance that thing out that big cat right there can have another monster season for Kentucky when he gets healthy at 30 and 16 in his pick in the last game against St Peters topping knocks him down as a Kentucky team that made six threes a game last year really with only one threat from behind the oh that changes can Howard hang in the game when the jump shots aren't falling foreign [Applause] guy that got in traffic kept his composure and found Dixon in front of the room falling off on that one here's settled and he'll get a trip of the free-throw line I like the aggressive drive that will by settle not settling for something up top look at Hawking he said listen if your kid is going to play college basketball the guy he's playing for is basically a surrogate father and you've got to believe in him as a man as much as you do a basketball coach I thought that was pretty enlightening I think his kids do and Kenny was so proud of Howard University last night visiting with him talking about they are the number one HBCU academic College in the country they're in the top 10 nationally overall so much to offer a great line of [Applause] on the modder for folks to say that was my home as well I'm taking the mission impossible you're right Luther stickelright when he the agent Luther's tickles it's impossible do you have that that gum that you've pulled over and turned into a bomb I didn't blow up the fish tank tonight Reeves with the dish here's Lance Ware Frederick found it and he draws another foul on Jordan Hood that's the second you mentioned this about Howard early on Kenny Blakely not happy with that call Jordan wood is a guy that they need to be in the game he hasn't shot the ball well now he's committed a couple of fouls well he's over five for the three-point line and he has struggled Jordan wood with his confidence the first two years like a 24 in balloon interesting Tom he ran a marathon this summer Jordan wood did Kenny Blakeney challenged him to do something hard something that makes you gonna understand that I can do better than what I'm doing kind of like Mission Impossible yeah very much so as he checks out the ball game right now but he told me as most marathoners do that mile of 20-21 was the toughest part of the Run but he said man my confidence in who I am as an athlete that I can handle hard things adversity I think he set for a really good year he's just missed wide open shot so far tonight he's a major player for Howard this year in that Mia Frederick next down the free throw he's got six here's Hawkins kicks it to Jelani Williams and Howard just one for 10 from Deep when Hawkins is putting the ball right on target for the shooters okay so Wallace has had a pretty good game tonight he has he hasn't turned the ball over he's had some beer ball pressure to deal with by Hawkins long two rebound Livingston and a freshman puts it right back up and in another big boy rebound this time out of Livingston again winning rebounds and traffic are only gotten with two hands Livingston did it well [Applause] high off the window that's no good good job by Kentucky to try to low welcome those handoff plays offensively by Howard so there's man fell down topping for three got it three Kentucky on a roll now he has worked hours and hours to become a reliable three-point shooter nine can always get good vision of the rim and a little bit of a spurt right now by Kentucky [Applause] home he could probably be the governor someday that's how popular he is but Kentucky completely changes Tom when he's on the floor on both ends another Howard turnover that's the fifth of the game for bison [Music] Kentucky out that timeout keeping the ball in the middle third the first part of that possession calipari's middle ball screen action this year my severe Wheeler's back on the floor Antonio Reeves can handle it CJ Frederick can actually play out of a ball screen some they get shibway on a rim on a rim roll or Jacob topping on a pop hard to cover hoppin gets it into where they have block from behind by settled where contested that one Livingston gets on the floor he got smashed by Dixon loose ball pinballs off of where cats have it here's toppen and now Frederick midrange he had a sequence for Kentucky sometimes your team deserves for the ball to go in and that time it was Kentucky flying on the floor to keep the possession alive and keep the ball alive and a tremendous shot fake sell by CJ Frederick thank you Howard only 25 shooting here tonight left short CJ Frederick with Fender there he really takes great pride for a shooter and what he does on the defensive end he's a low mistake on both ends of the floor tight kid Tom we mentioned that Cal pulled his guys this morning the number one thing in this ball game is to fight or what does that look like on film watch this series right here fight get on the floor bam don't be afraid of contact keep scrambling to come up with stay alive kick it ahead come up with it that's fighting on film and Cal will take that play tomorrow and show his guys this is what we have to be every single night and again sometimes the ball deserves to go in by the effort Well Done by Kentucky Cats currently on an eight-nothing run over the last three minutes [Music] all right Howard last year 16-13 their first winning season in two decades helped by a February in which they went eight and one see if wood can get going oh man I know that one rejected but fix it inside Kobe Dixon's leading the way for Howard with nine Nixon's a below the rim post player good job by ayin so in that drop coverage to force a tough two early top and back rims in if Hawkins could make something happen nice look unfortunately on the end zones waiting it's not going to work I mean Howard's going to keep testing 33 in white and they're going to keep failing the test Reeves Corner three that's what you give up that shot block is just like a turnover and it ignites that Kentucky Run game that is so good early we'll run into those deep corners [Applause] and a Howard turnover I was like the onions will have four blocks in this game and it just ignites that Kentucky and that guy is a warrior and every since the word and I mean his spirit his belief and the special thing just still in front of his life and Patrick it is so good man it's so good to see you back to hear your voice and to call your friend they did mention cats could shoot the ball a little bit better neither team scorching the Nets here early on here's Reeves got him you say cut with violence yeah and I say Calipari again coming out of the timeout let's keep the ball in the middle third of the floor and attack downhill and this time it's not a lob play out of the dunker spot it's a hard Cut From The Far corner and the timing of the cut is tremendous because Tom if you go too early on that corner you find yourself under the rim around the backside beautiful timing by Antonio Reed couldn't finish the three-point play and Hawkins has the rebound and it is danger zone right now for Howard with 3 20 to go in this first half Hawkins left it short [Applause] not making Kentucky work on the defensive end [Music] loose ball collected by Howard giving right back for the steal settle and they're going to count it by the Anson's got three blocks tonight can't pick up his fourth and settle will go to the line for a three-point opportunity Howard trying to hang in this game with her own hot hands defensively around the ball coming up with some turnovers and trying to score in transitions subtle Wade a buck 45 as a freshman that's right when he came to Howard and he's not a whole lot more than that right now maybe 180 but he was a five nine point guard as a freshman at the Matthew Catholic has a ton of potential a lot of length but contact plays still bother two in blue picked up the nickname silky smooth sometimes silk runs from your wardrobe what are you talking about [Applause] three-point play and a full court man for Howard another look for a trap at mid-court Reeves as they break it too strong and Kentucky basketball if Howard going to press Kentucky Kentucky has to think we're going to score 100 on it uh-huh if they're going to extend their defense like that and let Kentucky get going downhill in the transition Run game loose you're Kentucky you attack attack and attack someone and that's a mindset as much as absolutely [Music] so strong man he's strong as a basketball point guard for a true freshman not a jet but his strength makes him a half step faster Donald's All-America five-star recruit Kingston Wallace on his birthday and a bucket inside Colby Dixon's got 11. Reeves three ball well they can stretch you can't they you got CJ Frederick on the right side Antonio Reeves running the left side and they stretch you out in a really good find in early transition by the cats settle early foreign [Applause] Frederick foul on the three-point shot that's his second on Reese Brown you look at the SEC this year Moore top uh five-star recruits than any other conference in the country and Kentucky's got a couple of them Chris Livingston has number 12th ranking in the ESPN's top 100 two-time Gatorade player of the year two different states and then is uh classmate Cason Wallace Kentucky brings in two top 100 guys Duke brought in five Arkansas the SEC signed five as well Kentucky has gone to the transfer portal some and if you're just now joined as a shortened bench tonight no Oscars no Damian Collins eight scholarship guys have worked with and those eight have done really well the first 18 minutes of this ball game yeah what's really interesting is what will be the strength of Kentucky's team from a big picture standpoint is going to be the experience but yet tonight you pointed this out at practice what do we got who is in a Kentucky Uniform and actually on the floor last year who's available tonight popping yes hopping Lance Ware got a few minutes here and there CJ Frederick was redshirted for all new faces on the floor interrupt tonight they have really defended their tails off Kentucky has for the most part Hawkins didn't let it fly and that's a dynamic play that he offers it's Boomer bust with him yeah if you're small and he is five nine you have to be able to shoot it from distance if you can't and the floor just shrinks on you Danny Blakely called him Reckless and dynamic what a combo near steal for Howard on the end show off the window a reckless pass by Frederick who gets away with it because of the soft hands and the ability of onionso to keep that ball alive [Music] oh good challenge by onyenzo again the recovery length and speed of on yamsu is special and he gets down the floor and we'll cover the line for a chance at three I don't want to say Uganda on yenso was an afterthought because that's not fair but when you have a guy like Oscar shibwe already inside they didn't think they'd be leaning on a gun onion so early we'll leave a special effort he blocks the shot on one end which ignites the Run game and he's right there to finish up the Miss on the other end he's got tremendously soft hands he's a sponge in practice he asks great questions and he's going against the national Player of the Year from a year ago every day he's only going to get better and better and better as the year goes on 11 rebounds and four blocks against Kentucky state and their final exhibition game [Applause] Hawkins keeps it shot clock under 10. that was crazy that was a Nash dribble that resulted in a wreck here's the Arrow power gets a block out of it the arrow got shoved and we'll go into the line Reckless supplies on the other end Kentucky about to hang a half of a hundred on Howard in his opening 20 minutes Kentucky has again Tommy defended without fouling Howard not in a one-on-one in the one and one consecutively five personal fouls and Kentucky's only turned it over five times those are winning numbers that was a third on Odom Fierro makes it Go and South Carolina starts its quest for the program's third National Championship coming up next Gamecocks returned four stars including a lab Boston National Player of the Year Darius Jackson back for her fifth season and Don Staley thinks this team has the potential to be better than last year yeah Leah Boston is the best player in the women's game on both ends of the floor team at the buzzer short s wow a dominating first half for Kentucky even though they go up to a really cold start from Gore with three threes Wallace for his sister a couple of turnovers once again severe wheeler not available tonight he's out with a knee injury didn't see him anticipate much at shoot around today they would certainly love to have him back two-time SEC assist leaders and now Howard goes Zone to start the second half he's trying to change the game up is coach Blakely foreign happy with that shot from topping here's Jelani Williams wow happy with that either take a timeout he's taking the timeout I don't blame him you need to give up a two-line layup layup to start the second half and take a bad shot against the Zone lots to talk about in this first team to do it this year when they're healthy gonna be a loaded top half of the SEC at least the top four teams Texas A M just outside that top four already a lot of people like their chances this year and what Buzz Williams got coming back I think on opening night I haven't checked the Tennessee score but I got I think they're the best team right now Kentucky Arkansas Alabama Auburn a m you know probably seven or eight teams on the SEC will work their way into that NCAA tournament volunteers good Tennessee Tech coached by one of the unforgettables yeah Sakai Ziegler back for the volunteers that's a really talented backcourt Livingston no hesitation by Livingston really good flash of the logo got his shoulder squared his hip flare Let it Fly [Music] [Applause] muscled in by Kobe Dixon the Cornell transfer and just a good enough of a shot take by Dixon to free up that Lane Drive and power through the contact could have been a foul on wear as well 26 starts for Cornell last year's second in the Ivy and blocked shots that's a big spread out Zone it looks like it goes man-to-man on an elbow touch [Applause] shocked like it's six here's Lance the foul another unsettle is second what a hard drive though by Livingston now that corner and an equally hard purposeful cut by Lance Ware off the bounce hard drive get lower than the defender yeah before contact comes it doesn't knock you off balance and wear it with really good hands off of a hard cut here's where had a good spring went on a tour of Brazil over the summer and went for 30 points a game eight boards and New Jersey native came back from that trip talking about how that built his confidence on the offensive end what I love about Lance where he knowing that he's going to be behind a national Player of the Year again this season didn't run didn't run from hard didn't transfer didn't look for another option has stuck right in here and tried to make himself a viable piece of this Kentucky team most guys run from hard these days not Lance Ware I take an Uber when I see hard coming you too that's right three blocks let me fire up the app quick entry for Kentucky after the ball went out of bounds here's Frederick so good you press Kentucky you're asking for it and that time again CJ really sells that shot fake which you have to respect jumper off Frederick with the board here's Cason Wallace now right back to him and CJ with the left he is so much more than just a spectacular jump shooter low turnover kid at Iowa doesn't make mistakes defensively can put the ball on the floor took a shot just above the eye on that pass where finds it see if CJ could knock down a shot with one eye Tom CJ Frederick got to the free-throw line six or seven times in the first half because he's much more than just a jump shoot the jump shooter is beautiful it's automatic is as good as we have in the college game but he's good in transition he's good with either hand around the rim tremendous Lockdown Defender in terms of an off-ball guy in position he's the real deal and he's a really nice guy too so quickly we're leaving the Craft Center today after practice I was trying to follow you out of the parking lot and I got turned around and almost ran into CJ and I windowed down I apologize I said sorry it's my first time here I don't know where I'm going I was trying to be funny I've been there a few times and he said oh well can I help you where are you trying to get to him when you're that good you can be nice I think he senses the opportunity in front of him after a Lost season last year there's topping I mean sometimes I get lost I need somebody standing on the on the corner with a big Arrow wiggle wiggle whoosh tell me where I need to go I've seen you before knocked Away by topping good alertness by topping to whip that lead hand around and whip his eyes around and find that pass was going to be a layup if not the defense by where shot clock under nine well Kentucky just smothering defensively the ball wow where turns him over while the shares it here's Livingston freshman a freshman and now Livingston hustles back to get out wood Frederick forces the seal [Applause] rebounded by Jordan wood and a Kentucky foul turned into a pinball game there for a second Tom Howard now shooting 29th shot blocks Kentucky Tom they've only averaged well they've averaged less than six shot blocks per game over the last four or five seasons that number's got to get back up to average in seven or eight that's the way you become a lead defensive Jordan wood continues to struggle now oh for eight but as much as it is bad pass wow almost made it a good one holy smokes that pass was headed to Hazard and somehow he found it really good effort though by where just to rim run and be there with a chance to finish it off on the shot blocks is it not based first on Personnel Oscar is not a big shot no he's not player he's a rebound vacuum but he's not one that's going to challenge a lot you've got topping who can do it and Collins when he's on the floor now what you found obviously in on yenso 20 he's challenges guards to be shot blockers as well so you can make a great observation it is tied to your personnel but you still have to maximize the Personnel that you've had and emphasize it and I think they've kind of gotten away from it over the last four or five years but he has really charged his guys with nothing easy around the rim this year free throw see a lot of that this year there's not a better shooter in all of college basketball than CJ Frederick there's just not now the members may play out and say well how about him how about him that's fine you take them I'm taking Frederick Frederick is playing in big games making the big 10 with Iowa wood Off the Mark again wood is arguably Howard most talented guy and when your best guy has struggled you're gonna get you're gonna get blown out in Rupp Arena and wood can't get anything to drop right now the Dirty Work of Jacob top and we've seen him get traffic rebounds the next growth step for Jacob Poppin is becoming a more physical ball player not only physical with the drives but physical on the boards and he has been that tonight so far Casey Wallace trying to clean his uh plead his case he missed some foul is only the second foul right on casein yeah look Casey Wallace is on Pace for the most assists by Kentucky freshman in a debut game diera Fox had a dozen against Stephen F Austin in November of 16. Wallace is already tied for fourth off time The Great Kyle Macy and severe had 10 a piece in their debut Jamal Murray had eight and Wallace has eight that is a pretty good company right there Tom he has talking about 22 in white kind of a do whatever it takes style about him I mean he's a really good jump shooter he's a power driver he can keep the ball moving as a passer he's strong he's tough he has a tremendous voice and and really good through contact for a first-year college player voice like a singer he should be doing political Jingles or voices you know like a charge guy dude yeah this is my team I'm only 18 years old kind of voice 19 today before the game was what's up a big gift you've ever gotten and he was at a loss for words he said I I think probably tonight would be it make your major college debut erupt Arena on your birthday that doesn't get much better than that right he did say he loves a good party and I said well you got eighteen thousand twenty thousand at your birthday party on Yin so it's too good to not give an effort on a shot block I mean he got his feet locked on the floor that time and never even challenged Dixon [Applause] instead just jumps up and knocks one down from 15. [Applause] in case it might be cramping just a little bit it was slow on the defensive end there let all the one minute in the first half if Oscar's Big O is on Yin so little low he needs seven feet tall how can he be little though well you could be the big you get a big O and a big U yeah alphabet soup inside good discipline by him to leave the ball alone on the rim by onionso I mean his upside is it is about as high as you can ask for for a kid it's still he should still be a senior in high school reclassified for sure's class what an opportunity huh [Music] right around that's the first bucket for Bryce Harris Wallace Hopkins sends it to the cheerleaders and it would stay with Kentucky [Applause] his best cheerleaders 24 national championships in that program chase at number 25 this winter can't go under ball has found the rebound I am impressed and a little surprised the confidence which oniento is playing on the offensive end tonight yeah he's taking guarded shots now but he's he's such an active kid that plays low and he's mobile and flexible with his hips all the things that NBA Scouts look for from someone his size and that young I believe okay so Wallace is putting the work in tonight it's his third personal foul um you look at Cason Wallace run that point right now and I think he's going to get heavy minutes in that point guard spot all year long for Kentucky Antonio Reeves at the other shooting guard at CJ Frederick man you got three dudes you're trying to check they can put a lot of stress on any defense there's a light bench for the cats tonight [Music] you've got 20 points and probably 15 16 rebounds set over there and Oscar Hebrew Kentucky still has 65 points with 12 45 to go [Applause] Reeves here's CJ Frederick you're surprised when it doesn't go in right one of those releases got it Antonio Reeves what a combo he'll make with Frederick at 16 for the transfer from Illinois State who played his high school ball Simeon Academy and well Cal's gone there for a good guard or two in the past highlighted by Derrick Rose who he had in Memphis for being the first pick of the draft time in order to be a good shooting team you have to be a good fast pass team okay and Kentucky has really passed the ball with speed on targeting this game to their jump shooter beware he's Above the Rim and it's a 30-point Kentucky lead ER topping is injured hobbling down the floor first career double double for topping and Lance we're getting in on the fun yeah the link of Kentucky is first out of the game for now and you would assume there's no need for him to return especially the way the entry bug has bit Kentucky and the Missouri Western exhibition game couple of games ago that's when severe wheeler hurt his knee and Jimmy I did not see severe take part much and shoot around today no he didn't like he was going through at 50 or 60 percent meanwhile here's a look at what occurred what's happened topping with a double double points and 10 rebounds he steps right there on someone's foot looks like rolls that ankle but his knee gets hammered as well right there here's a Duke the arrow his dad played for Cal at Memphis and Piero knocks the first one down Cal has been so dynamic as a recruiter thierro is only the third three-star guy that Cal's ever recruited to Kentucky think about that like great coaches and you see this a lot on the football side the three-star coming in five star leaving absolutely Fiero is not going to remain a three-star if the rankings continue yeah I love this kid talking about three in white he's got a motor he's tough he's long defensively he fights he's confident what he can do guarding the ball right now he's so Jimmy let's look forward Kentucky's got decane coming in here Friday night and then Champions classic in Michigan State it's hard for me to see as an outsider Kentucky being a full strength you know wave that one off with a foul Oscar has not been very active to this point and they obviously need him to be a different player right and they need severe wheeler now perhaps wheeler could be motivated to get back on the floor with such a big handling game coming up against Michigan State it could be and he could be motivated by how well case and Wallace has played Antonio Reeves as well yeah those are big monster games coming up and then a big question mark next to toppin's name after tonight obviously cattle update to the game here's Livingston and where with a push-up Tom Cal told his guys today that I want to take 25 threes in this game and they're tracking that number and this is the type of the game and to try to figure out how many threes should we be taking are we uh 25 to 33-point attempt team or are we a you know 12-15 and Cal's head both here and he's won both but this is a really good shooting team but I think he's going to give more freedom too than maybe some of his past teams 18 of their 48 attempts have come from behind the arc so far tonight yeah Oscar erases a lot of mistakes honey Kentucky has been Relentless with their defensive effort they have not been perfect they've had some breakdowns and allowed a couple of slips and all those that come out sometimes with their hips opened up for drivers but their Relentless effort has really jumped out to me [Music] Hawkins draws a whistle good news for Kentucky topping High stepping himself back to the scores table to check in oh that's great news Chris Livingston commits his third personal foul Tommy look at some of the great shooters that come through Kentucky over the years CJ Frederick's going to be mentioned in that group as well think about drawing land 47 for his career here Travis Ford from way back shot 44 for his career over a three-year period Evan Booker Jamal Murray CJ Frederick will be right there with any of those guys for this season's over I firmly believe him oh top and back Frederick would have been the leading returning three-point shooter in the game last year but didn't get on the floor because of torn hamstring the layup line in the garden against Duke before the game have you ever heard of that no I I've never eaten that was really uncommon Wallace as he's strong again he's a good athlete but his strength really makes him special contact does not knock him off his path that's unusual for a freshman guard and yet so caught up to him the reach got the block and then giving right back and Howard will have a give me on this end that that recovery speed plus link that onion so throws at you can be hard to handle in this league he can fix a lot of problems defensively as a freshman it's interesting in the first half you're talking about the national play of the year coming back and how North Carolina won the National Championship but they got their National Player of the Year back even though he didn't win it again incumbent upon the rest of the players around you to improve a star player can only do so much and I think Kentucky could be tracking that same path that North Carolina did back when Tyler Hansbrough returned as returning National player of the year the the pieces are here for Kentucky to be special this year Jimmy have you noticed every time Elijah Hawkins the ball leaves his hands he ends up on the floor he's like a human mouth we haven't had a flop call so far in this game new and finally they've listened to me over the last two years no more flop warning you flopped into the class B technical foul as well it should be the rules committee is very serious about getting the Flop out of the game okay so always with the triple thank you let's try to pump fake the shot blocker ended up missing Livingston wow with a hand partner that was Reeves with a hand in his face he's got 19 now he's 6'5 and CJ Frederick is all of 6-4 big guards that can make guarded shots a real luxury for Kentucky and John Calipari at two on the outside yelling Grady shut about 42 percent from three last year knocked down 88 of them I tell you Kentucky was favored by 26. I heard that [Music] you're gonna start eating hot dogs out of trash cans three ball from settled I know some people as long as it's in the box and clean but trust me I'm running bad crowds Jimmy uh what is it that has surprised you about this matchup tonight well I think power just got overwhelmed by the size of the game their jump shots didn't fall early and kind of affected their shot selection that Kentucky's really darn good even without the national player of the year the guy that is a first-team all-conference point guard on the bench tonight Damien Collins he's a freak athlete the eighth at Cal has put on the floor tonight they have all defended their tails off defensively so far in this game those cows like to be concerned about this matchup yeah yes he was yes because you see the link this is a team that can end up in the NCAA tournament out of me act they've just missed shot after shot after shot Kentucky's defense and recovering to threes has been a big part of it Howard has never beaten a top 25 team Owen 32 all time BCU has only beaten a top five team once in college basketball history that was first round of the 2012 NCAA tournament Norfolk State Knocked Up number three Missouri that night we set the top of the show Coach Blakely was very confident he told United hey severe wheeler and uh he had the better team their best player still struggling Jordan wood is old for 10. stolen by top and right in front of Luke boy Thompson has been really alert as a defender in this game from a coaching standpoint let me ask you about Jordan wood for a second what can a coach help the player and what can a player learn about a night like this first time in this environment will you hope for Jordan lipstick but it's not a shot in his confidence because that's where he has really struggled the first two years in that Howard uniform and he cannot let this game knock him back for the rest of the year talking about this kid tucked away in the far Corner 24 in blue Let it Fly there we go that's good to see yeah you got to keep shooting he shakes his head but that's the only way the only answer for him going forward is to trust the work that he put in it didn't go his way tonight in Rupp Arena but he's too good of a talent to get knocked back for the next 30 games and plenty of opportunities Howard's got a Tom izzo's Club has struggled a little bit for their standard in the Big Ten I believe they're 10 and 10 in the Big Ten over the last two years right right at 500 not the typical Michigan State teams that we've seen if you got to Gonzaga not too far after that and you're gonna have to have all your horses oscar sheepway versus Drew Timmy what could be a National Player of the Year head-to-head race early will be special November 20th on the road in Spokane is the corner three from Livingston are you doing that game is going to be a monster matchup and then straight from Spokane to Atlantis there's not a direct flight by the way no but beautiful waterfalls yeah once you're there it's all worth it uh-huh I was wide open Tom Kentucky has now nine turnovers in the game but man they have really moved that ball and gotten great look after a great look after great look and how fast they pass the ball lazy passes won't end up with a good shooting team overall great shooting teams are terrific at fast passing the ball and Kentucky has been that tonight Frederick trying to fight through the screen careful are you saying that to me or to Chris Livingston to the world I got ran screwed over one night at Alabama Arkansas game headset came off I ended up on my backside sounded like a bomb went off but I've learned from that point on anything coming my direction I might run did you get the call at least did you try to charge no nothing right Tony Green working that game next Alabama game that I did they they presented me with a catcher's mask and a chest protector and shin Converse there's Wallace wow two-hand flushed with the easy Drive happy birthday Cason Wallace middle third's been good at Kentucky tonight and he's not going to mess around too much with that side defensive pressure Howard and they have punished this Howard team from the meac in the middle part of the floor absolutely punished [Music] we're popping taking that match up first off defensively he took it personal as you should Livingston hasn't sent back Talon Lewis is on the floor for Howard transfer from USC again another transfer Marcus Dockery is coming in from Maryland they're trying to get him eligible to make the trip but he could be a Difference Maker for this team in terms of offensive Firepower we've got a 90-56 game here where they've won eight national championships let's get you that balance has been special on opening night [Music] [Music] Frederick trying to have been laying and he's able to finish and get took a shot to the hip man that's a foul he got smoke at The Rim hard hit on that hip and he's battled injuries and I win last year with a hamstring right there that's that's a Defender jumping towards the shooter that doesn't get called well I'm sure CJ's is happy to be on the floor right I mean great opportunity for him I remember last year coming in for the first exhibition game he had played here in high school in the high school tournament but walking into Rupp for the first time last year he got lost and I found him in the back Concourse and I said where are you trying to get he said I got to get on the floor first be out there warming up we both came in the back way and he finally found his way to the floor shame that we didn't get to see him playing a cat's uniform last year so he's making the most of his debut oh my Hammer topper you see why he could go from a roll guy one year to a first team all-sec first round pick flirting with a lottery pick the next year he's got some special stuff with that 42 inch vertical 43-44 how high do I have to jump is really what he is he he went 44 at the at the pro day but he was working out in the NBA Combine a probably a working out for NBA teams another went 42 and a half and I said well when we missing here he said well I wasn't properly stretched I think I could get 44 though that extra half inch if you stretch very impressive opening night time for Kentucky and Howard felt really good about their game plan and the talent that they had and catching Kentucky with three guys down but not tonight big rain Sun Freedom at the free-throw line [Applause] you missed it earlier pops made the trip in from London we just finished filling filming Mission Impossible eight I think you think eight is about the right number for the mission impossible oh no that's too good you got to get to 10 or 11 right that's right I mean if you're making money here's where by the time that thing airs there will be as many Mission Impossibles as Kentucky has national titles and there will be he was also the voiceover work in Lilo and Stitch and he's got a new Garfield movie coming out too where he did the voiceover work I don't think we can afford them if he did his Arby's Voice tonight what would he have to say about Kentucky's performance they've got the meat the truck he does man they loaded up he's the voice of that Arby's right yeah yeah we've got the meats that's right Kentucky able to empty the bench now [Applause] what a job vacation wall is seven of eleven shooting eight assists just two turnovers I woke up this morning early to my phone ring and it was Cal M before I could even say hello he starts asking me how in the world can I win a game when I'm down National Player of the Year and a point guard and Damien Collins they got eight scholarship guys well he's got eight really good scholarship guys that's what he's got they they played hard they played together the things that he emphasized in The Scouting Report is the Craft Center this afternoon they brought to the floor a really good start for John Calipari and his cats [Music] Walker horn is on the floor his dad's Northern Kentucky team has a big one tonight here's Rayne there they go that deserved to go in because pops flew all the way from another country to be here that's right that's a long flight cats will be over in London for their Michigan game in December flight was worth it here's Granite Canada for three [Applause] [Applause] if you pass the ball right now you're wrong [Laughter] [Applause] trying to get a ball screen for theater to work off of foreign again if you pass it you're wrong you had a chance to snap one off did he not he sure did he'll learn he needs to talk to me about how to perform in the last 90 seconds of the game your bag that's the only time I ever got the place ment is a broadcaster no you should go interview cow you're not done working in and out and the follow tip is good what a dominating performance by Kentucky tonight they put 95 on the board cats shot 48 from three

Channel: The Draftmatic

Views: 6,953

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Id: HddW15Mnxg8

Length: 72min 40sec (4360 seconds)

Published: Mon Nov 07 2022