November 12th was our first big-time, big game, Tuesday slate of the season. Below is a recap of some of the games and their highlights.
- #9 Kentucky vs #12 Louisville
This Kentucky State rivalry matchup showed a lot of promise for both teams. The Cardinals impressed me way more in terms of shooting than any other team I have watched this season. The three-headed guard trio of Mikel Brown Jr. (Freshman, 29 Points), Ryan Conwell (Senior, Xavier Transfer, 24 points), and Isaac McKneely (Senior, Virginia transfer, 9 points) were the three that showed the most potential and promise. Isaac only had 9, but it was obvious how tight the Kentucky defense had to stick on him. If he got any look, it was going up and through the basket. The attention that the defense put on McKneely opened up 1 on 1 ISO matchups for Conwell and Brown Jr. Conwell did what he has been doing since his days at Indiana State, knocking down threes at a consistent rate and getting to the basket with ease. It was clear that Conwell had the green light as he shot ten threes and hit four of them. Lastly, on the Louisville side, Mikel Brown Jr. is clearly the best point guard in this freshman class and looks like a pro on the court. He is the best player Louisville has had since Donovan Mitchell, and I would be surprised if he isn’t the first point guard taken off the board come June for the NBA draft. Twenty-nine points in his first big college basketball game ever. In an in-state rivalry? Seriously, this kid is different.
On the other hand, although Kentucky lost, they showed real promise as well. Being down 78-58 with 12 minutes to play and cutting the lead to four before Jaland Lowe missed the front end of a 1-1 at the score, it is clear that Kentucky is a team that will show a lot of fight throughout the year. It is important to note that transfer and former five-star, Jayden Quaintance, is yet to play this season after suffering an ACL injury last season at Arizona State. For Kentucky, the two players that impressed me the most were Denzel Aberdeen (Florida transfer, 26 points) and Jaland Lowe (Pitt Transfer, 9 points and 5 assists).
- #6 Michigan and #10 Florida almost upset
It is always good to be tested early in the season in college basketball to see what you need to improve on. This is exactly what Dusty May and Todd Golden did with their teams this past Tuesday, and trust me, they were tested. Both teams were down late in the second half, but both closed out with wins. Michigan won 85-84 in overtime against a very well-coached Wake Forest team, and Florida won 78-76 against a reloaded Florida State team led by Jacksonville transfer Robert McCray V.
Other Notable Games
- #14 Illinois 81, #11 Texas Tech 77
- JT Toppin 35 points, 24 in the second half
- Andrej Stojakovic (California transfer) 23 points off the bench
- #19 Gonzaga 90, #23 Creighton 63