LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky’s much heralded depth this season was on display Saturday night.
Playing without Sahvir Wheeler — “the guy who stirs the drink for us,” coach John Calipari said a day earlier — was no hindrance to a comfortable 92-77 victory over Georgia.
Wheeler’s backup, freshman TyTy Washington set a Rupp Arena and UK record with 17 assists. John Wall previously held those records with 16. Washington also scored 17 points.
Kentucky’s depth charge included its other drink stirrer.
Oscar Tshiebwe, who earlier this season set a Rupp Arena record with 28 rebounds, found a new way to make his mark. He scored a career-high 29 points. He also grabbed 17 rebounds to post his 11th double-double, one short of the lead in Division I.
Kentucky improved its records to 12-3 overall and 2-1 in the Southeastern Conference.
Georgia, which fell to 5-10, seemed a less imposing opponent to test UK’s adaptability. A media poll, plus preseason magazines like Athlon, Lindy’s and Blue Ribbon all picked the Bulldogs to finish last in the Southeastern Conference.
Adding to the expectation of victory with or without Wheeler was Kentucky being ranked first among league schools in scoring (82.2 points) while Georgia was last in points allowed (73.1 per game).
Kentucky led 40-37 at the end of a competitive first half that saw 10 lead changes and neither team leading by more than six points.
Washington had six assists, which left him three short of his season high.
By halftime Tshiebwe had already clinched his double-double. He had 12 points and 10 rebounds in the opening half. The lead among Division I players is 12 (Fardaws Aimaq of Utah Valley).
Georgia was playing its first away game since Nov. 23. The Bulldogs had played their last eight games at home. Georgia had been winless in its three away games, losing at Cincinnati, at Virginia and at Northwestern by an average margin of 10.3 points.
“I think we’re ready for the challenge,” guard Aaron Cook said before the game. “Like I said, this team has the right mindset going forward. I think the story is going to change eventually, but right now, all we’re worried about is playing Kentucky and the mindset going into it is stay together even when things aren’t going right. So, that’s all we can ask for and keep playing hard like we did tonight, and things are going to start falling our way.”
Cook led the way by scoring Georgia’s first seven points. That put Kentucky behind 7-2. His first miss appeared to be a heat-check 3-pointer. For whatever reason, Cook’s only points in the final 16:43 were two free throws.
Kentucky had to endure Grady’s cold shooting early. He had made 24 of 43 3-point shots in the last five games. That moved him into 10th place among Division I shooters from 3-point range.
But Grady made only one of five shots to start the game.
Kentucky took its halftime lead thanks to two baskets inside the final 50 seconds: a jumper from the foul line by Tshiebwe and an elbow jumper by Keion Brooks.
UK made eight of its first nine shots of the second half to twice assume its largest lead to that point: 57-45 with 15:27 left and then 60-48 at the 14:13 mark.
When Georgia got within 60-52, Calipari signaled for a timeout with 13:18 left.
The possibility of a Georgia comeback faded when Davion Mintz hit a floater and then Tshiebwe rose for an offensive rebound on Mintz’s miss from three-point range and dunked before gravity brought him back to the floor. The crowd roared its approval.
Kentucky’s pull away continued as the second half evolved.
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