LEXINGTON, Ky. — K.K. Simmons had a night to remember for the University of Pikeville men’s basketball team with a game-high 28 points, including six 3-pointers, but the depth and talent of Kentucky eventually took over on its way to a 116-68 win in front of 21,036 fans at Rupp Arena.
The Wildcats shot 65.3 percent from the field and outrebounded the Bears 49-25 to help pull away from a UPIKE team that had early intentions of sticking around. Simmons buried a jumper six minutes into the action to pull the Bears within four at 22-18, but UK eventually went on a 21-0 run to enter halftime up 67-40.
“Well, obviously you found out who the most talented team in the country is,” said UPIKE head coach Kelly Wells. “It wasn’t us tonight, but I think you’ll see we’re not the only team that’s going to happen to. I was proud of our guys for a long stretch in the first half. I thought we battled hard.
“We knew size was going to be an issue with our two posts still being out. Kentucky is so big and one of the problems we talked about as a group was we knew that shots were going to be hard for us to find tonight.”
Starting no player over 6-5, the Bears were shooting over 6-11 and 7-0 guys all night, leading to a 34.8 percent showing from the field. UPIKE also turned the ball over 18 times, but the Cats weren’t immune to mistakes either, giving the ball up 13 times.
But there were no answers for Kentucky’s dominant play down low as it outscored UPIKE in the paint 86-22.
“They don’t settle for anything but dunks and layups,” said Wells. “You and I make a conventional bounce pass and chest pass and every time they’re throwing lobs and we look like middle school kids out there at times because they’re just so big.”
Playing with an experimental 30-second shot clock, there were more than the average amount of possessions and the quick and athletic Wildcats took advantage, eclipsing the century mark with eight minutes to play at 101-60 on a layup by Dakari Johnson. UK’s largest lead was 49 points at 114-65.
Kenny Manigault joined Simmons in double figures with 13 points and also pulled down a team-high six rebounds along with three steals and a block. Simmons had 20 points at halftime, knocking down 4-of-5 3-point attempts.
Six players reached double figures for UK led by Karl-Anthony Towns with 22, Devin Booker with 16 and Johnson adding 12. Johnson, Marcus Lee and Trey Lyles pulled down eight boards each.
UPIKE won’t have long to rest as it takes on Tennessee at 7 p.m. ET on Monday in Knoxville.
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