Kentucky’s physical advantage extended beyond rebounding and defense. On some possessions, the Wildcats resorted to old-fashioned bully ball.
After Mitchell scored inside the UNC senior forward. Gerin Midway through the second half with the Wizards, the forward lowered his hand toward the floor to indicate that the Wizards were “too small.” Then, with 91 seconds left, the first-year Wildcat guard made a play. Dillingham After hitting Davis with a hard bucket, he mimicked the same move.
“They had to take some tough shots against us one-on-one.” Hubert Davis Said. “vinegarEspecially along the way they were able to do so. ”
ryan Said The Tar Heels need a collective effort to improve rebounding. Focus on it They “cannot leave everything to Armando.” Having said that, the UNC preseason The All-American center was definitely not playing his weight, as seen in the final stat line for UNC’s rebounding program leader.s: 6 boards, 9 points, 6 turnovers.
Hubert Davis: “He’s going to get a lot of attention” Said. “There is The responsibility of being one of the best players in the country, not just Armando, is that he has to adjust, tweak and pivot to continue being effective on the floor. ”
It’s unclear when these tweaks and changes in direction for Bacot will materialize.Meanwhile, RJ Davis — provided another 27 point performance — Said “We’ve got to play harder next time,” the Tar Heels said.
John calipari I explained things in a similar way.
“This was a game we had to fight,” Kentucky head coach said. Said. “If I hadn’t turned into a dog, I would have been munched.”
Considering how close the contest was, it’s safe to say that both teams brought the intensity befitting a clash of blue bloods.
But in the end, the Wildcats munched on just a little more.
@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com
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Daniel Way will serve as assistant sports editor for The Daily Tar Heel for the 2023-24 season. He previously served as a senior writer. Daniel is in his third year pursuing a double major in business administration and economics.