IN BRIEFS: UK 105, Georgia State 76

JEFF DRUMMOND:

1. This seemed to be another game where Kentucky really struggled for long stretches and the Wildcats had 48 points at halftime and 105 points at the end of the game. They just keep coming.

2. I thought the Cats’ toughness would be challenged a bit tonight by a lively Georgia State team. It was good to see Britain reacting correctly. The hammer fell after the blatant foul and technical errors that delayed the game at the start of the second half.

3. Balance. Seven Cats scored in double figures, including 12 from Ansley Almonor, who came off the bench. Kerr Kriisa almost finished in eighth place, finishing with nine points.

JUSTIN ROWLAND:

1. 105 points? When did it happen? What strikes me about this team more than anything else is how effortlessly they seem to execute offensive basketball, even on nights when the long stretches of the “look test” reveal something. They execute tirelessly.

2. Twenty points fewer turnovers in the first half. Georgia State did a lot of good things early on, but you can’t run the ball the other way so quickly for great scoring opportunities to have a chance on the road.

3. Score – wow! If Kerr Kriisa had scored one more point, Kentucky would have had EIGHT players in double figures. You don’t see it too often, but scoring balance has become a cornerstone of this team.

DAVID SISK:

1. This is simply a difficult team to guard. Kentucky made just seven 3-point shots for 27% on the night and still scored 105 points. Georgia State had a good plan to go down the screen in drop coverage and invite the Cats to shoot open 2s in the midrange. They were more than happy. UK was 33 of 41 from 2PFG for 80%. They also had 23 fast break points. Every Georgia State possession that went wrong ended with a Kentucky layup in transition.

2. Kentucky needs to defend better as the schedule tightens. Georgia State shot 52% from three and 46% overall. The Cats don’t have to be great defensively, but they do have to play with more energy in that regard than they did tonight.

3. I’m excited to see what this team can do consistently against good teams. So far, only Duke has been included in KenPom’s top 100. Georgia State is ranked 220. I can’t wait to see what happens at Clemson and against a tough Gonzaga team.