Here’s what this Kentucky basketball team can’t afford to do as it continues to evolve

The catalyst for Kentucky’s defensive effort Tuesday night was obviously the man in the middle.

Ugonna Onyenso set a Rupp Arena record for blocked shots by a UK player with 10 in the Wildcats’ much-needed 75-63 victory over Ole Miss. His historic performance also highlighted what is — and likely isn’t — possible from Onyenso on the offensive end of the court.

John Calipari acknowledged the 7-foot sophomore’s defensive contributions following Tuesday’s win, but he also voiced discontent with something that happened while the Cats had the ball.

“One of the things that’s bothering me is we’re throwing him really hard passes for him to catch,” Calipari said. “Like, Adou (Thiero) threw him a lob — just came up and threw it. Like, you can’t do that to him. When he’s doing all that he’s doing defensively, don’t do that to him. Don’t give him the ball in bad areas.”

That particular play could have gone much worse for the Wildcats.

Kentucky’s 14-point halftime lead had been cut to 47-41 over the first four minutes of the second half, Tre Mitchell had just left the game with a shoulder injury, and the Cats’ momentum was slipping away.

Thiero drove in from the wing, and — even though it appeared he had a clear opportunity to shoot a close-range floater or challenge the Rebels at the rim — he floated an alley-oop pass directly over the basket to Onyenso, who hadn’t yet left his feet. By the time Onyenso got in the air, the ball sailed over his outstretched hands into no-man’s land. Luckily for the Cats, it was Justin Edwards who came up with it, quickly hitting Rob Dillingham for an open 3-pointer to put UK up nine. The Cats kept the game in hand from there.

But if Edwards hadn’t been in the right spot at the right time, the play easily could have resulted in a turnover and two or three quick Ole Miss points at a crucial stage in the game.

Onyenso is clearly talented, and his primary talent was the one on display Tuesday night. As a shot-blocker, he has the ability to impact games in a way similar to earlier Calipari-era post defenders like Anthony Davis, Nerlens Noel and Willie Cauley-Stein. But Onyenso — while possessing plenty of offensive upside — doesn’t yet have the type of quick-twitch, fast-rising instincts those players did at the basket.

It doesn’t mean he can’t be useful on offense. Kentucky’s guards just need to know when — and, more importantly, when not — to get him involved.

“Now, rolling down the middle,” Calipari said. “Reed found him. D.J. found him. Robert found him.”

To terrific results.

On Onyenso’s first dunk — with the Cats down 15-9 early — Wagner drew the defense and found Onyenso rolling to the rim. Right after that, Onyenso set a high screen, Wagner attracted the Ole Miss defense again and hit Onyenso rolling toward the basket, where he got fouled and earned two free throws.

Later in the half, Onyenso grabbed a defensive rebound, got the ball to Dillingham, then ran the floor behind the UK guard, who hit him streaking toward the rim for two more free throws.

In the second half, Onyenso went up for another high screen, and Dillingham found him rolling to the rim for another dunk. Toward the end of the game, Dillingham started to drive, Onyenso’s man came up to help, and Dillingham hit the 7-footer with an alley-oop pass as he slipped back toward the rim.

With the electric ability of Kentucky’s guards and Onyenso’s growing instincts out of pick-and-roll situations, there should be opportunities for him to be utilized offensively while giving the Cats a much-needed defensive boost.

Another miscue Tuesday night drew the attention of ESPN analyst Jay Bilas. On that play, Dillingham fed a wide-open Onyenso in the post, but the pass was low. The UK big man still caught it, but as he turned around — the ball still down — Ole Miss guard Jaylen Murray slapped it out of his hands to start a fast break for the Rebels.

“You throw that ball a little bit higher, he can keep it high,” Bilas said. “But you bring it down to the level of Jaylen Murray, he’s going to take it away.”

That play — along with the failed alley-oop pass from Thiero — showed a young team still learning to play a different way now that Kentucky finally has all three of its 7-footers in the lineup.

Calipari’s lineup choices

The Cats started the season with Onyenso and Aaron Bradshaw sidelined due to foot injuries and Zvonimir Ivisic sitting out while waiting on NCAA clearance, minor injuries and ailments also limiting his time on the practice court.

As those players finally made their debuts, the question of what Calipari would ultimately do at the 4 and 5 spots loomed. It’s becoming clear what the UK coach thinks is best for this team, and that’s having Onyenso on the court as much as possible to give the Cats a true defensive threat at the rim.

Over Kentucky’s last six games, Onyenso has averaged 22.3 minutes, Bradshaw has averaged 13.2 minutes, and Ivisic has played 31 total minutes in four games, twice not getting onto the floor at all, including in Tuesday night’s victory.

Calipari has made it clear that Ivisic is too far behind defensively to be trusted much against quality opponents, and Bradshaw has been inconsistent in all areas in recent weeks. With Onyenso, the UK coach at least knows he has a rim-protector — he’s averaging 4.7 blocks over the past six games — as well as the most physical player of the trio.

While it’s possible that the playing time shifts again depending on specific matchups — and Calipari is never going to shut the door on a talented player’s ability to play his way into more minutes — Onyenso appears to be his guy as March nears.

A few weeks ago, the player himself wondered if that would happen.

Onyenso has acknowledged that he didn’t know how much of an opportunity he would get once he finally became healthy, after watching Bradshaw get off to a hot start and seeing what Ivisic could do in practice before he made his own debut. He said he had conversations with the team’s two upperclassmen — Mitchell and Antonio Reeves — about it.

They told him to keep doing what he was doing and he’d get his shot.

Onyenso talked throughout the summer and preseason about his growing offensive game and goal to become a more versatile scorer, hoping to show off his mid-range jump shot and do a little more away from the basket. Now, with just seven games left in the regular season, he knows that’s not what this team really needs from him down the stretch. And he seems fine with it.

“The way we help each other out is what’s keeping that chemistry together,” Onyenso said. “Everybody’s willing to (sacrifice) for one another. That’s how we are the way we are. And we’re really good offensively. So it’s not really a problem — the chemistry is there.

“The offense is going to play out on its own. Everybody’s contributing to the team. I’m happy I’m doing what I (am). I’m helping the team in my own way.”

And Calipari wants Onyenso’s teammates to make the most of his presence by not putting him in spots to fail. If he’s to stay on the court — and give this Kentucky team something no one else is seemingly capable of — his teammates have to adapt their approach.

Ole Miss coach Chris Beard also made an interesting postgame point regarding Onyenso’s presence.

“What makes it equally difficult with Kentucky is that’s what starts their offense,” he said. “To me, their best offense is their defense. … The blocked shots at the goal just kind of fuels their offense. Some teams, you can absorb that a little bit better. You can get back on defense and make a play, but it’s almost, you know, put it in the books if Kentucky blocks a shot or gets a steal — they’re just very explosive coming down the floor, with great spacing.”

Calipari surely feels the same way.

The UK coach wants to keep Onyenso on the court, but that doesn’t have to be a hindrance to Kentucky’s high-octane offense, if the Cats can put him in the right spots.

After the game, Calipari also said he wanted Onyenso to power through contact at the rim and try to get and-one dunks instead of simply drawing contact and getting two free throws out of it. A 59.4% career shooter from the line, Onyenso went 2-for-4 there Tuesday night. Calipari didn’t have a stat sheet in front of him as he spoke, wondering aloud if his starting center had managed a double-double against the Rebels.

Onyenso scored eight points, Calipari was told. The coach grinned.

“If he hit those free throws he would have had a double-double.”

Next game

No. 22 Kentucky at No. 13 Auburn

When: 6 p.m. EST Saturday

TV: ESPN

Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1

Records: Kentucky 17-7 (7-4), Auburn 19-5 (8-3)

Series: Kentucky leads 97-23

Last meeting: Kentucky won 86-54 on Feb. 25, 2023, in Lexington

Kentucky basketball’s Ugonna Onyenso spoke his Rupp Arena blocks record into existence

Kentucky basketball found a different way to win. ‘This is going to be a turning point.’

Kentucky made progress versus Ole Miss, but one win does not a breakthrough make

Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s win over the Ole Miss Rebels

How No. 22 Kentucky and No. 13 Auburn match up — with a game prediction

Even with fan frustration building, here’s why it’s too early to give up on UK basketball

College basketball coaches should get off the court and back in the box