After VMI’s 19 threes, is this Cal’s worst UK team in defending perimeter?

Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari talks to the media after his team’s 92-82 win over VMI on Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018, in Rupp Arena. Calipari gave credit to VMI’s Bubba Parham, who made 10 three-pointers and scored 35 points.

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VMI’s 19 three-pointers Sunday night put an exclamation point on an item surely on Kentucky’s list of early-season concerns. With the Keydets making half their 38 three-point shots, UK’s first four opponents are shooting with 43.4 percent accuracy from beyond the arc.

“If you look historically from my time here, my guess is our three-point shooting defense is usually around 30 percent, 29, 31,” UK Coach John Calipari said after his team outlasted VMI 92-82. “Right now, we’re probably at 40 percent.”

Calipari’s first nine Kentucky teams held opponents to between 33.4- and 27.1-percent accuracy on three-pointers, the former in 2012-13 and the latter in 2014-15.

In this season’s opening game, Duke made 12 of 26 three-point shots. After Southern Illinois made five of 16, North Dakota hit seven of 19. Then VMI made more three-pointers than any UK opponent ever.

VMI’s 19-for-38 shooting puts opponents on pace — if it’s not too early for such an assessment — to break the record for accuracy against Kentucky: 38.3 percent in 1989-90.

“Cal’s telling us we’re probably the worst three-point stopping team that he’s ever had,” freshman guard Immanuel Quickley said. “ As the season goes on, we’ll just get better.”

Calipari seemed especially perplexed by the times VMI made three-pointers from a corner.

“We left a corner,” he said, “which, if you know for the 10 years I’ve been here, we don’t leave corners. This team leaves corners.”

Travis off bench

Graduate transfer Reid Travis came off the bench for the first time. Freshman EJ Montgomery, whom the coaches had said needed more playing time, started in his place.

“Who cares who starts?” Calipari said, “Unless your ego (gets involved) and it’s not about our team.”

PJ Washington did not think a non-start bothered Travis.

“I think Reid’s a team player,” he said. “He doesn’t care about that. He just cares about winning. That’s all the guys here. We’re all fans of each other.”

Eye wear

After being poked in the eye during the first half, Travis wore glasses as he played 13 minutes in the second half.

Quade Green had to wear protective glasses briefly last season.

“I was laughing at him,” Green said. “He’s got my glasses on. I’ve got to charge him 20 bucks for it.”

When asked about any adjustment necessary while wearing the glasses, Green said, “You just play your game. He subbed right in, got a score. He was fine with it.”

Sweet 18

Washington’s 18 rebounds broke his previous career high of 15, set against Kansas State in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.

“It shows motor,” Calipari said of Washington’s haul of rebounds. “So, if I’m PJ, I’m rebounding against nine players: their five and four of ours.”

Calipari teased (?) that it would be fair to ask Washington if 18 rebounds would be a plausible standard for him to seek to set.

“I guess,” Washington said. “I feel if I come with the same energy every night, I probably could do it. I’m going to try to do it.”

‘Still learning’

Ashton Hagans played 21 minutes off the bench. He contributed four assists, committed no turnovers, scored five points and made a career-high two steals.

“That’s my guy,” Green said. “That’s my little brother.”

On Friday, assistant coach Tony Barbee said Hagans was making the adjustment that freshmen typically must make.

“He’s a guy who is still learning,” Barbee said. “So he’s thinking of what’s next instead of just reacting to what’s next. We don’t want him out there thinking on defense. It’s just a natural progression of any young player.”

SEC stumble

An update on the SEC’s stumbling start includes a 1-3 record against ranked opponents. And the one victory barely qualified: Auburn beat No. 25 Washington 88-66.

The three losses came by an average of 26 points: No. 4 Duke beat Kentucky 118-84, No. 4 Gonzaga beat Texas A&M 94-71 and No. 17 Florida State beat Florida 81-60.

In addition to the 1-3 record against ranked opponents, A&M lost to UC Irvine 74-73, South Carolina lost to Stony Brook 84-83 and Alabama lost to Northeastern 68-52.

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