A win is a win.
And despite how poorly the Cats played at times on Saturday afternoon, they managed to tough it out against a scrappy Georgia team and get their SEC regular season jump started with a victory. John Wall and Patrick Patterson each had 17 points to lead Kentucky in scoring, but I felt like Eric Bledsoe and Deandre Liggins were just as crucial in grinding out the win.
Liggins was confined to the far end of the bench early in the year but the lanky sophomore point forward has seen increased minutes in recent weeks, and he's certainly made the most of his opportunities. And while a stat line of six points and three steals may not be all that earth-shattering, the fact that Liggins committed no turnovers and handled the Georgia zone as well as any of Kentucky's other guards speaks volumes about how much this young man has matured in such a short span.
And in a game in which John Wall looked distinctly out of it for large chunks of time, Eric Bledsoe also helped to pick up the slack by taking care of the ball and keeping his composure under pressure. Bledsoe scored 12 points in 37 minutes of action, while limiting himself to just two turnovers, a great number for this team's leader in that category. If Liggins and Bledsoe can keep up this kind of play as the season progresses, it certainly bodes well for the Cats. Having another reliable point guard on the bench is always a positive, especially considering this team's knack for picking up silly fouls.
The Wildcats now face a crucial test at Florida on Tuesday, a game which will undoubtedly serve as an early litmus test for Kentucky's hopes of an unbeaten SEC campaign. I would expect the Gators to play more straight up man-to-man than Georgia and Louisville, and this game will utlimately come down to tempo. Can Calipari get his Cats to run the floor like we saw earlier in the year, or will Florida be able to slow us down and level the playing field?
71 - 65, Cats.
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