Kentucky comes out hungry against #7 Kansas, then let’s the game slip away.
Four blue blood college basketball programs hit the big stage for the State Farm Champions Classic, including Michigan State, Duke, Kansas, and Kentucky. If you missed the game, you can catch up on the Kansas vs Kentucky basketball highlights in the video below.
Kansas was led by Jalen Wilson who had 23 points on the night. Although he came out cold, he was able to get 21 of his 23 points in the second half when the Jayhawks rallied back. Wilson also added 10 rebounds on the night, as Bill Self tried a 5-guard lineup at times to offset their lack of a post presence against the length of Kentucky.
Overall, both teams struggled from the floor, UK converting on only 29% from the field. Naturally, that translated to another poor outing from behind the arch as well, with a 23% three-point percentage.
Several Wildcats got into early foul trouble, which put KU in the bonus from the stripe early in the contest. On a night with both teams struggling to find a basket, this allowed the Jayhawks to stay in the game. Kansas was 20 of 30 from the charity stripe, while Kentucky went 15 of 20. Wildcat Terrence Clarke ended up fouling out of the game, with Isaiah Jackson and transfer-star Olivier Sarr finishing with four fouls. Sarr, which was the Cats most efficient scorer, logged only 14 minutes in the second half after his foul trouble woes.
Kentucky moves to 1-2 on the young season, while Kansas advances to 2-1 thus far. Will this loss drop the #20 ranked Kentucky Wildcats out of the AP Top 25?
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