Uh-oh, this Kentucky basketball team has done it now.
By defeating No. 3-ranked Louisville 78-70 in overtime at Rupp Arena on Saturday, the Cats showed what they are capable of doing. Now, of course, we're going to expect that every time out. We suspect John Calipari is going to expect it, too.
What exactly did Kentucky do Saturday it had not been doing previously?
Let us count the ways:
1. Made three-point shots. As you're probably tired of reading, the Cats have struggled mightily behind the three-point line. Pre-Louisville percentage: 27.8. Saturday's percentage: 46.7 on a sparkling 7-for-15, easily UK's best long-distance dialing of the season.
2. Played great defense: The fanatical fretting over Kentucky's sputtering offense overshadowed the fact that Utah (50.0) and Ohio State (54.8) both shot better than 50% from the floor in Las Vegas, the first back-to-back opponents to do so since 2013-14. Saturday, Louisville shot a that's-more-like-it 40.3 percent, including 35.5% in the first half. Meanwhile, UK made 46.3% of its shots.
3. Took away the opposing star: Jordan Nwora had scored 20 or more points in eight of Louisville's first 12 games. The Preseason ACC Player of the Year departed Saturday having scored all of eight points and having earned a second-half benching for lack of effort. "Other guys were playing harder," Louisville Coach Chris Mack explained.
4. Hit the boards: Calipari's teams are well-known for being robust rebounders, especially on the offensive end of the floor. This year's team hasn't lived up to that reputation. UK is just 88th in offensive rebound percentage. But after losing the boards battle by eight to Ohio State the Saturday before, the Cats managed to best the Cards by one rebound. And they needed every one.
5. Played good free-throw defense: We're kidding. Sort of. While Kentucky connected on 21 of 25 free throws, Louisville was a pitiful 9-of-20 from the foul line. Mack said the Cards' inability to "ring the bell" was the difference in the game. (By the way, Kentucky is now 12th nationally in ringing the bell at 79 percent).
6. Rediscovered Maxey Magic: Freshman guard Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 27 points in his best all-around performance since scoring 26 in the season-opening win over then-No. 1-ranked Michigan State. Saturday, Maxey scored inside (5-for-9 from two-point range) and outside (4-for-5 from three-point land). He's made for the stage.
7. Saw Nick Richards stand tall. Mack described Kentucky's center as "big as hell," but too often the junior has come up small against top competition. Not so Saturday. Richards' impact was even greater than even his 13 points and 10 rebounds suggest. Special stat: Nicholas, as Maxey called him, drew 11 Louisville fouls.
8. Got smart play at the point. So far, Ashton Hagans has been UK's most consistent player. True, the sophomore can still slip into sloppiness with the ball, but Saturday he turned the ball over just twice in 43 minutes. And, oh yeah, Hagans was credited with eight assists. Last year Hagans' assist-to-turnover ratio was 1.7-to-1. This year it's 2.3-to-1.
9. Got a bench boost. Sophomore guard Immanuel Quickley was Saturday's unsung hero, scoring 18 points. His off-balance three-pointer in overtime gave UK a 65-64 lead. And Quickley was a perfect 8-of-8 from the foul line, including an important pair with 17.7 seconds left in overtime.
10. Met the moment: With a couple of pre-conference stains on the resume (Evansville, Utah), the Cats needed a marquee win before SEC play. Their intensity showed a proper realization of the stakes. This is not a Kentucky team that can just show up and win. It will take Saturday's intensity for the Cats to play at their best the rest of the way.
