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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Oscar Tshiebwe’s rebounding drew truthful overmuch attraction that his discourtesy was thing of an afterthought.
That absorption mightiness alteration aft the Kentucky guardant showed a accomplishment that was determination each along.
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Tshiebwe had a career-high 24 points with 16 rebounds, TyTy Washington scored 16 points and No. 13 Kentucky changeable good for the 2nd consecutive crippled to tally distant from Mount St. Mary’s 80-55 connected Tuesday night.
Sahvir Wheeler added 12 points and 8 assists arsenic the Wildcats (2-1) made 34 of 64 from the tract (53%) a fewer days aft hitting 57% successful a 100-60 rout of Robert Morris.
Leading 38-27 astatine halftime, Kentucky broke distant with a 23-5 tally implicit 6:40 for a 61-32 cushion that grew to 31 with 7:24 remaining.
Tshiebwe helped acceptable the code with contributions connected some ends connected the mode to his 3rd double-double to commencement the season. The West Virginia transportation — who came successful averaging 20 boards per crippled — continued his beardown rebounding and besides made abbreviated and mid-range jumpers to decorativeness 11 of 14 from the tract and apical his erstwhile champion of 21 points against Boston University connected Nov. 22, 2019.
“I told you each that helium tin sprout the ball,” Kentucky manager John Calipari said of the 6-foot-9 player. “He’s 1 of our champion 15-, 17-foot shooters. … So, we enactment successful immoderate worldly for him to sprout jumpers.”
Tshiebwe took disconnected from there, becoming the archetypal Kentucky subordinate with 3 consecutive double-doubles since PJ Washington successful aboriginal 2019. Julius Randle achieved that feat implicit his archetypal 7 games successful the 2013-14 season.
“If a large antheral is staying down determination (in the lane), I cognize I’ve got to shoot,” helium said. “Most of the bigs I’m going to play, I judge they’re not going to beryllium accelerated similar me. That is simply a ample vantage for me.”
Washington changeable 7 of 12 with a mates of 3-pointers. Keion Brooks Jr. contributed 10 points and 7 rebounds to assistance the Wildcats triumph the boards 41-27 and predominate the overgarment 46-16.
Opportunities were surely determination wrong the arc arsenic the Mountaineers constricted the Wildcats’ perimeter options. Kentucky succeeded nonetheless, hitting 4 of 7 from agelong scope with Washington and Kellan Grady (eight points) each hitting a pair.
“I conscionable consciousness similar if I person an unfastened shot, I’m going to sprout it,” Washington said. “Today, the shot was conscionable going successful for me.”
Josh Reaves and Jalen Benjamin scored 11 points each for Mount St. Mary’s (1-3), which changeable 34% and mislaid its 2nd consecutive game.
THE BIG PICTURE
Mount St. Mary’s: The Mountaineers went backmost and distant with Kentucky aboriginal connected but steadily fell disconnected the gait and were rapidly near down conscionable 7 minutes into the 2nd half. They besides struggled astatine the line, making 13 of 21. Their seat provided the lone agleam spot, outscoring Kentucky’s reserves 21-10.
“We cognize the situation that Kentucky presents, particularly with their interior for us, and they got a mates of casual layups that they weren’t getting successful the archetypal half,” manager Dan Engelstad said. “There were a mates of breakdowns defensively, but for us, we conscionable weren’t getting stops similar we were successful the archetypal half.”
Kentucky: The Wildcats followed astir the aforesaid signifier arsenic against Robert Morris, sorting things retired earlier erupting. Tshiebwe showed a batch of assurance successful his jumper and proved helium tin besides people distant from the basket.
UP NEXT
Mount St. Mary’s visits Robert Morris connected Friday night.
Kentucky hosts Ohio connected Friday night.
(© Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed.)
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