LEXINGTON, Ky. — Chill out. It's one game. Yes, it was a game against the Duke Blue Devils and, yes, it was a loss, a 79-71 defeat in the Champions Classic on Tuesday night in New York. But we return to this: It was one game.
Moreover, it was the first game, the first game of what promises to be a long college basketball season. It was the first game for what is another new John Calipari team, even if the difference is slightly different in itself. Many of Cal's new players are transfers, ones with previous hoops experience in the college game. Still, they were playing together for the first time in a real game against a real opponent.
The result? Duke is the better team. Right now. The Blue Devils' star freshmen were star freshmen. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Trevor Keels scored 25 points. The 6-10, 250-pound Paolo Banchero scored 22. Combined, the duo made 18 of 29 shots. Duke was just 1-of-13 from 3-point range, but 30-of-48 inside the stripe for 62.5%. More on that later.
Kentucky's best freshman was not at his best. TyTy Washington made just three of his 14 shots. He struggled. He pressed. Ah, but it was his first game of not just this season, but his college career, a game under Madison Square Garden's spotlight. Faces in the crowd: Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, Nerlens Noel, John Wall and Bruce Springsteen. Just to name a few.
Calipari assumed blame for Washington's struggles. The coach told his prize rookie guard to take more shots. Be more aggressive. "He's supposed to be the guy that can go get baskets," Cal said. "So I'll take responsibility for some of the plays that he made."
Oscar Tshiebwe was Kentucky's best player. It wasn't close. The West Virginia transfer scored 17 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. Twelve of those rebounds came on the offensive end. A ridiculous number. Tshiebwe's only problem was a noticeable lack of help. At times, he was going it alone.
Yes, starting point guard Sahvir Wheeler scored 16 points and dished 10 assists, but he committed seven turnovers. Five came in the second half. Remember, Wheeler averaged 4.4 turnovers a game last year at Georgia. Meanwhile, Keion Brooks' defensive assignment tracking Banchero apparently hurt his own offensive production. Jacob Toppin snatched six rebounds, but the Cats need more from Lance Ware, Daimion Collins and Bryce Hopkins. Kellan Grady made three 3-point shots, but gabbed just two rebounds.
Back to Duke's shooting percentage. Kentucky shot 37.7% from the floor. Duke shot 50.8. "We need to make more shots," Toppin said afterward, but the Cats also needed to limit Duke's shots.
That's an early-season worry. In UK's first exhibition game, Kentucky Wesleyan was successful around the rim. In UK's second exhibition game, Miles College hurt the Cats from the perimeter. Duke hurt the Cats with drives and muscle inside. Outside of Tshiebwe, this is not a beefy Kentucky team. At one point in the broadcast, ESPN's Jay Bilas commented on the Cats' "thin" lineup on the floor.
But to hammer home the point, this was the first game. It was also Mike Krzyzewski's final game at Madison Square Garden. In case you are the one person on Earth who hasn't heard, the 74-year-old Duke coach is on a farewell tour. He's retiring at year's end. (Cal got Coach K a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon as a parting gift.) Because he no longer has to recruit, Coach K says he has spent more time with this Duke team than any in recent memory. It showed. The Devils were locked in.
As for Kentucky, last year's 9-16 debacle still casts a shadow. "Another overhyped Calipari team" was among the Big Blue Nation reactions in the Twitterverse. Kentucky fans don't like to lose to Duke. No matter the time of year. No matter the setting. No matter the circumstances.
Circumstances matter, however. Tuesday night wasn't the end of anything, it was just the start. It was one game. The first game. There are 123 days until Selection Sunday. This Kentucky team will get better. How much better? That's why we watch.
