Cason Wallace's Efficient Shooting Night Drives No. 19 Kentucky to 88-68 Win Over Florida A&M
Nothing is coming easy for Kentucky this season, as it was unable to blow away Florida A&M, scraping past the Rattlers 88-68 in the second annual Unity Series inside Rupp Arena.
The Wildcats needed every bit of a career-high 27-point outing from freshman guard Cason Wallace to avoid a late comeback bid from one of the lowest-rated teams in all of Division I. Wallace shot 10-15 from the floor and 5-6 from 3-point range while scoring 20 points in the second half. He also added nine assists in the victory.
UK allowed the Rattlers to shoot 52 percent from the floor, leading to a season-high point total. The Cats were again abysmal from the free-throw line, making just 13 of 19 attempts.
The No. 19 Wildcats improve to 8-3 on the season with the win, though it came in unimpressive fashion.
WHAT HAPPENED
Calipari made a change to the starting five, putting freshman Chris Livingston and junior forward Lance Ware in the opening rotation in place of Antonio Reeves and Jacob Toppin.
The change equaled smooth sailing early for the Wildcats, who raced out to a 16-2 lead before the first timeout on 6-7 shooting. The Rattlers scored the first basket of the game, but would go on to turn the ball over six times in five minutes of game time, allowing UK to build a quick cushion.
FAMU — more so forward Jaylen Bates — punched back to cut the deficit to 10 with less than 10 minutes to go until halftime. The junior made his first four shots of the afternoon, scoring 10 of the Rattlers' first 15 points.
CJ Fredrick canned his first three looks from 3-point range, including a pair on back-to-back possessions to gift momentum back to the Wildcats.
The Rattlers hung around in the half thanks to mini-scoring droughts from the Cats. A three-minute stretch with no made baskets brought the game within single digits. UK finally responded with a 6-0 run, but FAMU closed the first 20 minutes making five of seven shots, keeping the Wildcat lead at just 42-32.
Kentucky connected on six of 11 3-point attempts and won the rebound battle 17-11, but the Rattlers shot 52 percent from the floor. Fredrick's nine points led the Cats at the break, while Bates' 12 lead all scorers. Kentucky guard Cason Wallace had seven points and five assists in 13 minutes.
Wallace would open the second half on a tear, making his first three looks and scoring seven consecutive points. Chris Livingston got going with five straight points of his own as the Cats made their first six attempts of the latter period. Wallace would add two more baskets to continue his tear, thrusting the UK lead close to 20 points.
Jordan Tillmon — the Rattlers' leading scorer entering Wednesday — got hot alongside Wallace, scoring 10 points in the first 10 minutes of the half, trying to keep FAMU from blowout territory.
It would pay off, as yet another scoring drought reared its head for the Cats. No points for nearly four minutes equaled an 11-0 FAMU run, cutting the deficit to 69-59 with less than eight minutes to play.
Bates made it a single-digit affair with his first 3-pointer of the night. The teams would trade baskets on the ensuing possessions, leading to a crucial 4-0 run from UK. Keeping the lead at just over 10 with just over three minutes to go.
Reeves cranked a 3-pointer home coming out of the final media timeout, putting an end to any of FAMU's comeback hopes. He and Fredrick would each bury one more trey, giving the Cats a 20-point victory, though it felt like much less.
WHAT IT MEANS
- The Wildcats finish the 2022-23 regular season a perfect 7-0 against non-Power Five opponents. UK won all seven games by double digits.
- Fredrick busted out of his shooting slump, having made just six shots in his previous six outings.
- UK put in a poor defensive performance against a team that was averaging just over 56 points-per-game.
- Kentucky's résumé remains subpar, as it still holds a 1-3 record against P5 competition.
- The Cats are now 2-0 all-time against FAMU.
- UK's home winning-streak is now 26 games.
WHAT'S NEXT
Kentucky opens SEC play on the road, taking on the Missouri Tigers in Columbia. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. EST inside Mizzou Arena on Dec. 28 and will air on the SEC Network.
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