Four Takeaways: Michigan State Outlasts Kentucky 86-77 in Double OT

Kentucky squanders multiple leads late against a valiant Michigan State group inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse

Here are some quick takeaways from No. 4 Kentucky's double-overtime loss to the Michigan State Spartans: 

Same Ol' Oscar Tshiebwe

Oscar Tshiebwe exceeded all expectations in his season debut tonight, compiling 22 points and 18 rebounds across 34 minutes. It wasn't publicly known if he would even play against Michigan State until an hour before tip-off, but he had the look of someone who was fully healthy. 

Big Blue Nation got quite a few familiar looks as Sahvir Wheeler was able to cut to the basket and feed the big man on multiple occasions, while he also consistently won battles on the glass. Calipari said on Monday that Tshiebwe would play in three or four minute increments, but once the game got rolling, that was thrown out of the window. 

The layers that Tshiebwe brings on both sides of the basketball is beyond elite. This isn't surprising to anyone, but for the big man to make his season debut against a stout defense, in the same gym where his postseason hopes were crushed back in March, and still cruise like he didn't have a knee procedure and sit out for a month is pure dominance.  

Off-Nights for Multiple Cats

Chris Livingston played just 12 minutes, scoring just one point on 0-3 shooting. The step up in competition was clearly a bit much over the course of the game.

Fellow freshman Ugonna Onyenso saw just one minute on the floor. While Tshiebwe's playing time of course means less minutes, Onyenso didn't even get a real chance to make an impact. Lance Ware started the game for UK and played well enough in the beginning, but also didn't see the floor much in the second half.

Daimion Collins did get plenty of run in his first game of the season, but it seemed as though playing 18 minutes was a bit much for the sophomore. He was hesitant to let shots go, often finding himself on the perimeter, unable to make plays happen.

CJ Fredrick made just two jumpers the whole game, though they came at big times. His defensive presence wasn't as sharp over the course of two halves compared to the first week of the regular season. Antonio Reeves also had an off night shooting, going just 1-7, equaling five points. The Spartans shut down the perimeter well for most of the night. 

Kentucky Squanders Multiple Chances to Win 

Point blank, Kentucky had about four opportunities across the second half and the overtime periods to develop a solid-enough lead to win or make that game-sealing bucket. Instead, free throws were missed and defenses collapsed. Malik Hall somehow found himself home-free at the end of regulation and the first OT period. 

No Tshiebwe for double OT really took a toll, as Mady Sissoko found himself dominating the paint across the final five minutes. The loss isn't the end of the world for Kentucky, but it's definitely one that Calipari and Co. will look back on as disappointing in terms of the Cats' inability to close. 

Physicality Trumps All

Calipari said this on Monday about the MSU matchup: 

“The game is gonna be physical. The guys on my team that are physical will have the best opportunity. And in this kind of game, if a guy struggles physically, next game. Cause this is hand-to-hand combat, the way they play. They wedge, they tip out if you don’t grab balls with two hands you’re not getting them. One of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country, they fly up and down." 

That checks out fairly well. 

Kentucky knew that tonight was going to be a hard-nosed game, it always is when you play the Spartans. While the Wildcats got crushed on the boards —even with Tshiebwe— it still held its own when it came to playing through bumps and battling on both ends of the court. 

Fouls didn't always go UK's way. Jacob Toppin was whistled for a pair of tough personals, one that saw him eat an elbow on the chin for his troubles. He and Tshiebwe both played the final part of the second half and the first overtime with four fouls. 

The Tom Izzo brand of basketball took over down the stretch, forcing UK to play that style of game.  Had Tshiebwe not played tonight, it feels fair to say that the final score would have been much more in favor of Sparty. A game like tonight's really sharpens the iron for the rest of the season. 

Wildcats Today will have post-game coverage from Gainbridge Fieldhouse. 

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