UK downs Pikeville in exhibition, 116-68
LEXINGTON, Ky. – It was hardly a fair fight, but it was an entertaining debut for John Calipari's two-platoon system Sunday night as the University of Kentucky basketball team showcased its unmatched size and depth in a 116-68 exhibition thrashing of Pikeville at Rupp Arena.
"You found out who the most talented team in the country is," Bears coach Kelly Wells said. "It wasn't us tonight, but I think you'll see we're not the only team that's going to happen to."
Calipari started twin sophomores Andrew and Aaron Harrison, junior Alex Poythress, freshman Karl-Anthony Towns and junior Willie Cauley-Stein. The second platoon consisted of freshmen Tyler Ulis, Devin Booker and Trey Lyles with sophomores Marcus Lee and Dakari Johnson.
The two waves overwhelmed the undersized Bears, an NAIA team whose starters were three 6-foot-3 players and a pair of 6-5 guys. The Wildcats' starters went 6-6, 6-6, 6-8, 6-11 and 7 feet – a collective 23-inch height advantage.
Kentucky used that to outscore Pikeville in the paint 86-22, led by Towns' 22 points on 10-of-11 shooting. He had seven dunks, a layup and swished a short hook shoot in the first half. He also finished with five rebounds and three blocked shots.
"They don't settle for anything but dunks and layups," Wells said. "We looked like middle-school kids out there at times, because they're just so big."
Eight of the Cats' top 10 players scored eight or more points and all of them scored at least five. Booker swished 6 of 9 shots for 16 points, Johnson had 13 and eight rebounds and Poythress scored a dozen. Lyles also had 11 and eight boards, while Andrew Harrison dished nine assists with no turnovers.
Just nine minutes into the game, every player on both platoons had scored and the two units at one point combined for a 21-0 run that gave UK a 56-28 lead with 3:46 left in the first half. The Cats led by as many as 30 before the break.
"It's like a boxer," Calipari said. "You've got a lefty jab and a righty coming right over the top to knock somebody out."
The first platoon played three rotations in the first half for a total of 13:16 and outscored Pikeville 41-31, paced by Towns' 18 points and Andrew Harrison's seven first-half assists. Calipari called the point guard both "ridiculous" and "outstanding."
The second platoon played two rotations for a total of 6:44 in the first half and twice ballooned the lead, outscoring the Bears 26-9. Kentucky shot a staggering 81.8 percent from the field in the first half and 65.3 percent for the game.
"That is, historically, probably the most talented team ever assembled here, and that's saying a lot," Wells said, offering just one warning: "They have to not get fat and happy."
Junior 7-footer Willie Cauley-Stein, who had 10 points, six rebounds and a blocked shot in 19 minutes, does not expect that to be a problem.
"I think we got the most humble guys on our team," he said. "We're trying to kill people this year. We're trying to put it on everybody, every time we stop on the court. Other than that, we're going to do it humble."
One nitpick: perimeter defense. Pikeville's K.K. Simmons went off for 20 first-half points and hit 4 of 5 threes. He finished with 28 points on 10-of-18 shooting, saying he came in aiming to see how he measured up against a squad of future pros.
Simmons was up to the task, but the Bears had no other counters for the Cats' "onslaught," as Towns called it.
Kentucky hit 100 points with still 8:22 to go in the game. Calipari finally got his 11th and 12th men in the game around that time, as sophomore forward Derek Willis checked in with the second platoon at the 9:04 mark and sophomore guard Dominique Hawkins subbed in with the first wave at 7:44.
The Cats finished with 29 assists, including 25 "one-mores," which is Calipari's term for a play when one guy has a decent shot but passes it up to give his teammate a better look.
"That's the only way this will work, if they really want to share for each other," he said, admitting (facetiously) to one concern. "Probably should have one more platoon. I would probably feel better with three platoons."
Kyle Tucker can be reached at (502) 582-4361. Follow him on Twitter @KyleTucker_CJ.