Kentucky basketball bullied in paint as defense exposed in lopsided loss to Ohio State

Posted by author December 22, 2024 Basketball

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NEW YORK — More than half of Ohio State’s first-half points Saturday — 24 of 39, to be exact — were in the paint.

On the first possession of the second half, OSU forward Devin Royal drove to the basket and finished off the glass over a pair of Kentucky defenders.

So much for halftime adjustments.

The Wildcats’ interior defense was exposed, repeatedly, as the Buckeyes bullied Mark Pope’s club all night. It wasn’t a winning formula for No. 4 Kentucky.

It ultimately doomed UK to an 85-65 loss in a CBS Sports Classic clash at Madison Square Garden.

The Wildcats (10-2) simply never got into a rhythm defensively, failing to string together stops. The Buckeyes (8-4) finished with 36 points in the paint. And though Ohio State scored half as many points in the paint in the final 20 minutes (12) as it did in the opening 20, its efforts before intermission paid dividends after.

Having to account for being beat off the dribble with regularity, UK sagged off OSU shooters on the perimeter. The Buckeyes obliged by knocking down their open opportunities.

And when Ohio State didn’t cap a possession at the rim with a made basket?

The Buckeyes made the Wildcats pay another way: at the free-throw line.

OSU went to the charity stripe 24 times in the second half, sinking 18 of them — a conversion rate of 75%.

UK now heads into its longest stretch of the season between games. It won’t take the floor again until New Year’s Eve — 10 days after Saturday’s loss. That day, Kentucky welcomes Ivy League representative Brown to Rupp Arena.

Game time is set for 2 p.m.

It will air nationally on ESPNU.

This story will be updated.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.