Kentucky making ‘marathon’ run in SEC race with Ole Miss up next

Kentucky finds itself within the unfamiliar place of being in fifth place within the Southeastern Convention as January ends.

However the Wildcats (14-7, 5-3 SEC) nonetheless have 10 convention video games to climb the standings, beginning with a go to to Ole Miss on Tuesday evening.

“This can be a marathon,” Kentucky coach John Calipari mentioned after a 77-68 residence loss towards No. 9 Kansas within the SEC/Massive 12 Problem on Saturday. “We have got video games and we have simply received to maintain getting higher. We aren’t the place we must be, however we’re not definitely the place we had been.”

The Wildcats have gained their final 4 convention video games, permitting fewer than 62 factors per sport.

“I feel two or three weeks in the past we had been probably not defending like we are actually,” ahead Oscar Tshiebwe mentioned. “We’re actually enjoying good. We simply have to remain locked in.”

The Wildcats made simply 2 of 13 3-pointers towards the Jayhawks. Kentucky is without doubt one of the finest offensive rebounding groups within the nation however didn’t have any offensive boards within the first half en path to trailing by seven factors at halftime, and the Wildcats completed the sport with zero second-chance factors.

Ole Miss (9-12, 1-7) is in a four-way tie for final within the convention after dropping 9 of its final 10 video games.

The Rebels performed with out main scorer Matthew Murrell (knee) and fellow guard Daeshun Ruffin (coach’s choice) and misplaced at Oklahoma State 82-60 on Saturday.

“We missed our two guards that may sort of assist management the sport,” Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis mentioned.

However the backcourt wasn’t the one downside space for the Rebels, who shot simply 36 p.c from the ground.

“We received beat across the objective and could not guard within the put up one-on-one,” Davis mentioned. “Our bigs are struggling scoring across the objective.”

Ole Miss, which by no means led within the sport, fell behind by double figures within the first half and the deficit reached 21 simply six minutes into the second half.

–Area Stage Media