The Kentucky Wildcats kicked off Feast Week with a close 96-88 overtime win over the Saint Joseph’s Hawks at Rupp Arena.
The teams went back and forth in the first half, with the Kentucky Wildcats falling behind early, forcing head coach John Calipari to send in Reid Shepherd and Rob Dillingham to spark the game. Kentucky responded with a strong offensive performance, shooting 54 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes. By halftime, they had edged out the Eagles 41-38.
The game continued to be close in the second half as the two teams traded points and field goal percentage. Kentucky’s Trey Mitchell was the hero in overtime, hitting a pair of quick three-pointers to open the scoring and hitting two key free throws in the final minutes to put the icing on the cake.
The Wildcats ultimately came out on top despite trailing Saint Joseph’s 42-37. Aaron Bradshaw and Zvonimir Ivysic are coming back, which will help address the team’s lack of rebounding against big opponents.
Most Valuable Player.
Trey Mitchell was awarded MVP for his outstanding performance, scoring 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-10 from three-point range. He also contributed 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 caps and 1 steal.
Mitchell’s versatility and ability to space the floor will become even more valuable when the 7-footer joins the starting lineup. His return to his regular position will greatly benefit the team’s overall game plan.
With Mitchell’s stellar play and the return of Bradshaw and Ivisekic, the Kentucky Wildcats are expected to perform well in the coming weeks.