UK routs French pros in second Bahamas game

NASSAU, Bahamas — This was supposed to be a stiffer test. Instead, it was freshman Karl-Anthony Towns' Kentucky coming-out party, junior Alex Poythress' latest dunk fest and an 81-58 throttling by the Wildcats in their second of six exhibition games in the Bahamas.

After a 25-point thumping of the Puerto Rico National Team Reserves on Sunday, the Wildcats expected to be pushed more on Monday by Champagne Chalons-Reims Basket, a first-division French professional team featuring seven former Division I players.

"You're dictating the pace with grown men that play this game for money," said UK assistant coach Kenny Payne, who took over for Calipari on the sideline for a day. "That's a great sign."

The French team's average age was 28 and there were guys from Colorado, Gonzaga, LSU, Syracuse, West Virginia and Xavier, including one UK fans will remember in former Mountaineers star Da'Sean Butler, who helped upset the Cats in the 2010 Elite Eight. Butler was on the losing end this time — Kentucky led by as many as 29 points — and afterward could only shake his head.

"Extremely talented. Extremely big. Everybody's active," Butler said. "I heard (ESPN's Jay) Bilas had them picked to win (the NCAA title). I might have to jump on the bandwagon. They're a really good team, man."

Towns went off for 19 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Poythress followed up his big Bahamas debut with 16 points, eight rebounds, two steals and a block against the French team. Point guard Andrew Harrison had six assists and was one of eight Cats with at least five points.

As planned, John Calipari watched from the top row of bleachers at Kendal Isaacs Gym — and even briefly operated ESPN's camera — while letting Payne coach the game. Calipari's stand-in loved what he saw from the 6-foot-11 Towns, whose skill and savvy belie his size and age.

"Still, we're not satisfied because he has so much more," Payne said. "He's a very talented, very energetic player with a whole bunch of skill. He has to learn that we play this game inside-out, not outside-in. But what he brings to this team is super, because we need big, long, energetic, skilled guys that can dictate what we're trying to do."

Payne stuck with the same plan as Sunday's game, playing two separate five-man units in waves. Starters Andrew and Aaron Harrison, Devin Booker, Poythress and Dakari Johnson played 19 minutes apiece, while reserves Tyler Ulis, Dominique Hawkins, Derek Willis, Marcus Lee and Towns played 20 together.

The "backups," featuring three former McDonald's All-Americans, actually led the Cats back when they fell behind by eight early.

"You sub out five and your next five is just as strong as your first five, it's good things coming your way," Butler said. "Very good things."

Sophomore shooting guard Aaron Harrison actually sparked the comeback with a steal and emphatic slam over a defender who met him at the rim. UK's second unit took it from there and sent the tiny gym full of Cats fans into a frenzy with a 12-0 blitz.

Everyone got involved. Towns scored on an assist from Ulis, Lee crammed a Hawkins lob, Willis pump-faked and buried a 3-pointer, Hawkins canned another three and Towns drove baseline and punished the rim. That quick, Kentucky was in control for good.

The backups played an effective zone defense during the run and staked the Cats to a 28-22 lead with 4:56 to go in the first half. When the starters returned, Poythress got busy. He crashed the glass, contested shots and scored six points in three minutes.

"He came back to school to prove to the world: 'I'm one of the best forwards in the country,' " Payne said. "You see his athleticism. It is one of the most athletic forwards in the country. Now mentally he has to put together the fight, the determination to go out and prove to people how good he is. Some people still question because they see the inconsistencies.

"I think he's going to have a phenomenal year. That's why he's here. That's why he came back."

The backups opened the second half and extended a five-point lead to nine in the first four minutes. In that time, Towns scored seven points and grabbed four rebounds (three offensive). The freshman later wowed the crowd with a no-look bounce pass to Hawkins cutting along the baseline for an easy bucket.

Kentucky eventually wore down and ran away from an exhausted French team, which had four players who've spent time on NBA rosters, including two draft picks. Poythress punctuated it with a put-back dunk and sky-high slam off an Andrew Harrison lob, then a steal and two free throws to make it 73-44 with 5:52 left.

Two games, two blowouts and 10 players who look like they deserve to play. Whatever will Kentucky do when 6-10 freshman Trey Lyles and 7-foot junior Willie Cauley-Stein, a McDonald's All-American and a projected lottery pick who are sitting out while recovering from injuries, come back?

"The number of quality players we have (is) unbelievable," Payne said. "That's why you pay John Calipari a whole bunch of money. He'll figure it out."

Kyle Tucker can be reached at (502) 582-4361. Follow him on Twitter @yleTucker_CJ.