Chris Livingston had his unofficial breakthrough moment of the season earlier in the week against Mississippi State. A few days later, he made it an official statement.
The 6-foot-6 freshman forward is playing the best basketball of his young college career as of late. It started with the Wildcats’ loss to Arkansas on Feb. 7 right as Kentucky saw Sahvir Wheeler sidelined with an ankle injury. Needing someone to step up in his absence (and soon for CJ Fredrick as well, who has now missed the last three games with a cracked rib), head coach John Calipari leaned on the brace-faced teenager who hadn’t yet found a steady role within the team.