Runnin’ Utes were motivated by Kentucky’s lack of respect
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Kentucky’s Ashton Hagans (0) reacts after a play during the second half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against Utah on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. AP
LAS VEGAS — Not many people expected the great Kentucky basketball team to lose to Utah Wednesday night at T-Mobile Arena.
“They weren’t really expecting anything from us. I heard them talking pregame, so that just fueled us.” — Utah forward Timmy Allen
Not the bookies, who installed the Wildcats as 11-point favorites, not Ute fans who have gotten used to losing to Kentucky regularly over the last couple of decades and certainly not the thousands of blue-and-white-clad fans who made the trek from Lexington to cheer their team on for a couple of games in Las Vegas (they play Ohio State Saturday).
Apparently the Kentucky players weren’t too worried about the Utes either.
According to Ute forward Timmy Allen, who was the best player on the floor Wednesday night with 25 points and nine rebounds, the Wildcats had little respect for the Utes.
“They weren’t really expecting anything from us,” Allen said. “I heard them talking pregame, so that just fueled us. That kind of stuff energizes us. I feel like the same thing happened against BYU.”
Utah’s Riley Battin (21) celebrates after making a 3-point shot against Kentucky during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. | John Locher, AP
When Kentucky writers pressed Allen for details, Ute coach Larry Krystkowiak quickly jumped in and said, “Oh that’s all personal — you guys don’t want to stir that up. Motivation for us in internal.”
Kentucky coach John Calipari also brushed it off when Allen’s comments were brought to his attention.
“Tell me who would have talked,” he said. “We usually don’t do it, but maybe one of them was. ... Normally it’s a guy who doesn’t play much who stirs up the other team.”
Calipari, one of college basketball’s top coaches for the past 35 years, gave Utah credit for being tougher than his team and he joked about Utah’s skinny inside players and praised them for their toughness.
“One guys weighs 250 ... no, 195. The other guy weighs 260 ... um no, 210, They weren’t beasts that way, What they did was, they physically fought, they fought for position, they fought defensively, they fought for rebounds, they fought running down the floor, they outran us. That’s what I’m trying to get my team to do.”
Krystkowiak was happy with his team’s toughness but said a big difference was the shooting of both teams. The Utes were above 60% for much of the game before finishing at 54.8%. From 3-point range, they were 53.3% on an efficient 8 of 15.
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“I thought the key to the game was making shots to be honest,” Krystkowiak said. “We made big shots and we shared the ball late in the shot clock and that took a little bit of air out of their sails. If you don’t score against Kentucky, it’s a long night.”
On the other hand, Kentucky only shot 41.3% from the field and a dismal 2-for-17 from 3-point range.
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Utah's Rylan Jones (15) drives against Kentucky's Ashton Hagans (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Utah's Both Gach (11) shoots around Kentucky's EJ Montgomery (23) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Utah's Both Gach (11) drives around Kentucky's Tyrese Maxey (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Utah's Mikael Jantunen (20) shoots next to Kentucky's Tyrese Maxey (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Utah's Rylan Jones (15) gestures after making a 3-point shot against Kentucky during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Kentucky's Nate Sestina, left, and Utah's Timmy Allen (1) compete for a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Kentucky's Tyrese Maxey, left, and Utah's Lahat Thioune vie for the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Utah's Both Gach, left, and Rylan Jones celebrate after a play against Kentucky during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Utah players celebrate after defeating Kentucky 69-66 in an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Kentucky's EJ Montgomery reacts after a play during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Utah on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Utah's Riley Battin, left, and Kentucky's EJ Montgomery scramble for the ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Utah's Both Gach, left, Kentucky's EJ Montgomery, center, and Utah's Mikael Jantunen, right, scramble for the ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Kentucky's Ashton Hagans (0) reacts after a play during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Utah on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Utah's Riley Battin (21) celebrates after making a 3-point shot against Kentucky during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Kentucky's Nick Richards (4) fouls Utah's Timmy Allen (1) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Kentucky's Ashton Hagans (0) looks for a shot as Utah's Mikael Jantunen (20) defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Utah's Rylan Jones, left, and Kentucky's Ashton Hagans scramble for the ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Kentucky's Tyrese Maxey (3) falls in front of Utah's Riley Battin (21) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Kentucky's Kahlil Whitney (2) tries to shoot between Utah's Riley Battin, left, and Mikael Jantunen during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Utah's Jaxon Brenchley (5) grabs the ball around Kentucky's EJ Montgomery (23) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
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Kentucky's Nick Richards (4) shoots over Utah's Lahat Thioune (32) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) | John Locher, AP
The Wildcats came into the game ranked 347th in the country in 3-point field goals made and 298th in percentage, which the Utes were aware of. They played zone off and one and were happy to let them shoot outside shots.
“We knew we couldn’t play ... the whole game zone,” said Krystkowiak. “But it’s a fair statement to say perimeter shooting is not one of their strengths. If you’re going to get beat, that’s the place.”
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