Let’s be honest: Kentucky did not play well in the first half. Their shot selection was poor, their defense had serious lapses and their offense just couldn’t quite get shots to fall. UK’s leading scorers at the half were Keldon Johnson and Immanuel Quickley, who both had just seven points apiece.
But something changed in the second half. Sure, the outing was still far from perfect, but the Cats were able to secure some defensive shots, cut down on turnovers and improve their shooting from 41 percent to nearly 47 percent. A lot of players improved their quality of play after halftime, but two stood out above the rest: Quade Green and EJ Montgomery.