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The Kentucky Wildcats outshone the Morehead State Eagles in the season opener Wednesday, winning 81-45. The Cats dominated the game from point to final buzzer, looking very impressive on spurts.
There were contributions from multiple players, with seven players scoring seven or more points. There were 10 players in Kentucky’s first rotation on Wednesday, and after seeing how they played together, it would be difficult to pick the seven or eight players that Coach Cal will settle on down the home stretch.
Given that Morehead State is not a Power 5 program, Kentucky has started the season looking better than any Wildcats team we’ve seen in a while. While some things were impressive as expected, there were also some nice surprises. Here are a few things you need to know about Kentucky’s Day 1 win.
Depth
Even when the game was still in question in the first half, John Calipari still played 10 players. Davion Mintz did a great job as a backup point guard and shot really well. Lance Ware, Jacob Toppin and Dontaie Allen came in and did some good things. It was great to see Allen back on the pitch for the first time in almost two years. And Cam’Ron Fletcher … well, more on him in a minute.
I’m pretty sure Coach Cal won’t be playing 10 (let alone 11 when Keion Brooks returns) in the evenings. I’m looking for him to settle into an eight-man rotation, as usual. But the good news is that when injured or fouled, there are more players on the bench who can come in and contribute in a major way. They’re the deepest Kentucky team since 2014-15, and perhaps the most talented, too.
Talent
I believe the only team with championship-caliber talent in Lexington since 2015 is the 2016-17 squad with De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Bam Adebayo. I believe this group will be as, if not more, talented than this group.
Kentucky receives the best rookies every season. For some, it takes time to develop or adapt to college games. Others are not the playmakers we saw in the AAU highlights. And some, to be honest, have been busts.
I’m here to tell you that Terrence Clark, BJ Boston, and Isaiah Jackson are the real deal. They are incredibly athletic, skilled and all play very hard. It is not to diminish the game of others who have stood out. Olivier Sarr had a solid second half and showed what we expect from him. Askew and Mintz both looked set to run the show. But there was a guy who jumped a lot more than he expected.
Cam’Ron Fletcher
We expected the best players to come and produce. We knew Sarr could contribute to a Power 5 level. Some of the shooters hit shots, and some of the actors played their part.
But Cam’Ron Fletcher brought in things that I didn’t expect. He hit a three-point pointer right out of the gate, scored in transition, and even landed a mid-range jump. He has bounced, distributed and fought the entire time he was in the game. Not only will he be able to contribute on the pitch, but his energy will be contagious and will keep his teammates fighting on as well.
Pray for a vaccine
I’m not saying this team is going to win a national title or even go to the Final Four. But I can promise you that this team will be more and more fun to watch as they continue to gel and play together.
We should all be hoping this season goes as planned, and an effective vaccine is the biggest key to that. If so, this Kentucky team is going to take us all for one hell of a ride.
Now let’s celebrate the # 1 win of the new season!
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