Kentucky pounced on South Carolina from tip-off to the final buzzer for a 86-52 victory at Colonial Life Arena Saturday night.
But to UK head coach John Calipari and his Cats, the game felt like it was played at Rupp Arena.
“It felt like a home game,” freshman forward Anthony Davis said, “so much blue in the crowd.”
Even before tip-off, “Go Big Blue” chants erupted throughout Colonial Life Arena and a sea of blue flowed into the vacant seats.
“I’m not used to seeing that,” sophomore forward Terrence Jones said. “That was crazy (Saturday).”
UK scored early and often throughout the half, depriving the Gamecocks of any opportunity to close the lead. The Cats led by as manyas 21 after 15 minutes of play.
“We played well at LSU, but not like this,” Calipari said. “This is the best we’ve played.”
The Cats took an early lead with two made free throws by sophomore guard Doron Lamb followed by a steal and dunk by Jones.
“They played outstanding,” USC head coach Darrin Horn said. “They looked like the No. 1 team in the country.”
Lamb tallied his first eight points in less than three minutes of play and finished the game in double figures, along with Jones, Davis and freshman forward Kyle Wiltjer, with 18 points and four rebounds.
“From Kyle (Wiltjer) to Eloy (Vargas), to the other six, every guy played pretty well,” Calipari said.
UK stripped the ball from South Carolina throughout the first half and freshman forward Anthony Davis recorded six blocks in the first 20 minutes. Davis surpassed Shaquille O’Neal to own the SEC freshmen single-season blocks record with 116 blocks.
With just under 14 minutes to play in the first half, two consecutive alley oops by Davis created momentum for the Cats as they led 21-10 with 13:41 to play.
UK continued to hammer South Carolina tossing lobs to Davis and Jones, who both scored in double figures before heading to the locker room for halftime.
“I just think everybody began the game with a lot of energy,” Jones said. “And it just carried over on offense from the defensive side.”
Davis ended the half with 18 points, six rebounds and five blocks while Jones tallied 16 points and three rebounds. Davis ended the game with 22 points, eight rebound and eight blocks. Jones finished with 16 points and six rebounds.
While the Gamecocks kept trying to put a run together to shorten the point margin, they trailed 52-25 at their home court. The Cats’ point margin was 27, making it their largest lead until the second half.
As the game resumed, UK went on a 7-0 run to increase its lead at 25-59 after nearly two minutes of play.
“They seem to have a much better understanding of what they’re trying to do and who can do what,” Horn said. “They move the basketball extremely well. Their execution is better.”
From then on the Cats took the game away, allowing USC five points in over eight minutes of second-half play. South Carolina went nearly five scoreless minutes before making a three-point basket which made the score 71-33 with 9:41 left in the game.
UK scored on nearly every offensive possession it had and limited USC’s possessions by maintaining strength on the boards from Gamecock missed shots.
UK snagged 41 rebounds to end the game, but its defense ultimately shut out the Gamecocks’ penetration.
“I don’t think they get near enough credit for the kind of defensive team that they are,” Horn said. “They’re extremely good on the basketball. They’re very big on the perimeter.”
But Calipari said any of the remaining SEC teams to play in the league (Florida, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Mississippi and Georgia) have a chance to beat the Cats as conference play comes to an end.
“All those teams can beat us,” Calipari said. “Every one of them.”