I respect those that have given out the Under in this game at Pregame.com and there is No Doubt that the game could be lower scoring if Kentucky decides not to run with UCLA. The Bruins did win 97-92 at Rupp Arena but that was early in the year. Kentucky had 12 games go over the total of 166 in their first 24 contests. In their last 12 games no game has gone higher than the 159 they combined to score with Georgia in Athens.
The reason for those games going under is the Wildcat opponents know they can't beat Kentucky at that game. Florida made Kentucky play their pace as did Tennessee.
The game after Tennessee loss, the Wildcats lost to Kansas at home in a game that only hit 152. De'Aaron Fox is a special point guard who can facilitate with the best of them. If Calipari slows him down he is not near as effective. Malik Monk needs to have space to launch his three's and that won't come from playing half court offense. In the first meeting, Kentucky got 14 more shot attempts than the Bruins ( 80-66 ), they had 9 less turnovers and 4 more steals.
They however were out shot 53% to 41% from the floor and 44% to 33% from three. When you get 14 more shot attempts and only lose by 5 and you have 9 less turnovers it equates to one thing- make 3 more shots and you win that game. Calipari recruited Fox and told him we will run and you will be my catalyst. How could he play half court offense and put the reigns on his own guys. Can you see them coming back for a reunion and saying that was a tough 65-63 loss to UCLA...we should've ran with them. If the Wildcats or Bruins are going to lose this game they want to play at a pace that is to their strength. Unless there are new, tight bull crap rims at Fed-Ex Forum like there were in Kansas City last night, I think this game hits minimum 170. UCLA can find a way to win a half court game if Calipari tries to go that way because they shoot it better from deep. No one is more savvy every season ON DEFENSE than Cincinnati and the Bruins solved that riddle in the midway stretch of the second half. The Bruins may have the better point guard with Lonzo Ball because he shoots it better than Fox who is just 24% behind the arc, another reason Coach Cal should want to run. Fox is a big time shooting liability in a half court set because he is so one dimensional. Bryce Alford didn't even shoot it well the first game and I expect him to make a bunch of triples in the open court. If Kentucky were going to slow it down in a game of this magnitude, why would they run with North Carolina out here in Vegas after losing to the Bruins. They won that game 103-100. I think this game ends up somewhere in the neighborhood of 89-86 one way or the other!