What can we make of Kentucky basketball's 65-60 loss at LSU on Tuesday night?
My guess: Not much.
After all, Sahvir Wheeler played not even four minutes before slamming into an LSU backcourt screen. Extremely woozy when he was finally helped up from the floor, Wheeler was taken to the locker room and did not return. That's the same Wheeler who is third in the nation in assists per game at 7.8.
"He's our engine," said UK Coach John Calipari afterward.
Then there was rebounding machine Oscar Tshiebwe, on the floor for just nine minutes in the first half. To make matters worse, TyTy Washington developed cramps down the stretch in the second half. He left the floor, returned, tried to play but was obviously still in pain before coming out.
That's your point guard, your most consistent scorer and your center who all missed large chunks of the contest. If you're Kentucky, playing the No. 21-ranked team in the nation on its home floor, you are lucky to be even in the game to the end, which the Cats were until a series of chaotic turnovers in the final moments sealed the win for Will Wade and LSU.
The fact that Kentucky made just 10 of 20 free throws didn't help, either. That's 50 percent. Not nearly good enough. And UK was but 1-of-11 from three-point range in the first half. After finally seeing some threes go through the net early in the second half, Kentucky scored two points in a stretch of nearly 11 minutes. LSU scored 20. Ultimately, that's where UK fell to 1-1 in SEC play.
"You've got to give a little credit to LSU and blame to us," said UK's Kellan Gray after the game, before adding, "We've got to learn to win in environments like that."
The Cats are 0-2 in that environment, having first lost 66-62 at Notre Dame on Dec. 11. That game was different. John Calipari's club had its full complement of players, but went 2-of-19 from three-point range. Adjustments after that loss served as a springboard to four straight victories, all by 27 points or more. In three of those four games, the Cats scored at least 90 points.
Tuesday, Kentucky scored 60. Yes, give credit to LSU. After barely playing defense the last couple of years, Wade's team has been excellent at that end of the floor on the way to 13-1. Ken Pomeroy's numbers continue to rank the Tigers No. 1 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency.
But that wasn't really Kentucky on the floor at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Not the UK we've seen of late. Losing Wheeler was huge. He's been the catalyst behind the Cats' uptempo game, a player who can penetrate and find teammates for shots. With the 5-foot-9 junior in the locker room, we saw little of that Tuesday. Washington subbed at the point for his teammate. But despite his best efforts, it wasn't the same. And then Washington left.
"We work on situations where TyTy and Sahvir aren't in the game," Jacob Toppin said afterward. "We go 5-on-5 in practice with Davion at the point. But in game is different."
Toppin was a bright spot, basically keeping the Cats in the game in the first half. He was not as effective in the second, but still finished with 14 points and eight rebounds. His play made up for an off night from Keion Brooks, who scored two points in 14 minutes.
Actually, it was pretty much an off night all around for Kentucky, now 11-3 on the season. Grady was quick to say the team shouldn't just throw the result out. There were things to learn from the experience. Calipari said he loved his team's "fight" but admitted it was tough without Wheeler.
In the big picture of the entire season, however, I say file it and move on. A 5-8 Georgia comes to Rupp Arena on Saturday. Here's hoping Wheeler will be there to face his former team. Here's hoping Washington figures out what caused his cramps and Tshiebwe can avoid first-half foul trouble.
And the guess here is that the Cats circle Feb. 23 on the calendar. That's when LSU comes to Rupp Arena.
