J.D. Hall 
Kentucky Basketball
Kentucky took on the Colgate Raiders Wednesday night in Rupp Arena. Coming off an emotional win versus Gonzaga and before the rivalry game with Louisville Saturday, the game had the makings of a trap game. And that it was. Kentucky got off o a hot start leading 17-0 just 5 ½ minutes into the game. Colgate would respond with their own 13-2 run over the next 6 minutes to cut the lead to 5. From there it was a back and forth game with Kentucky unable to shake the Raiders and going to the locker room only leading by 2, 38-36.
Kentucky was just 4-15 from three in the first half, but all 4 came from Kobe Brea as he found his shooting stroke and led Kentucky with 12 points in the half. Colgate would go 8-19 from 3 in the first half, a big reason for how they cut into the lead. They were led in the half by Parker Jones with 9 on 3-5 shooting from 3. Two other players hit multiple 3s for Colgate in the half, Chandler Baker (2-3) and Kyle Carlesimo (2-3). If that name sounds familiar he is, in fact, PJ Carlesimo’s son.
The start of the second half would see Colgate continue to push the Wildcats and they would take the lead twice. First 41-40 on a 3 by Jalen Cox and then again 43-42 on a Brady Cummings layup, pushing it to 45-42 on a Jones jumper. Over the next 5 plus minutes, Kentucky would finally take control with a 19-4 run to lead 61-49 with just under 10 ½ minutes left. It was a run sparked by 5 consecutive made 3s by Kentucky, one each by Trent Noah, Jaxson Robinson and Brea and 2 by Otega Oweh. The run would extend to 31-10 with Kentucky taking its biggest lead at 73-55 with 3:24 to go.
The final score would end up a little closer, 78-67, because Colgate continued to play hard and never quit. They put 3 in double figures led by Jones with 17 4-7 from 3. He was joined by Cox and Cummings, both 10 points each.
All 5 starters for Kentucky would reach double figures, paced by Brea with 17 5-8 from 3. He was joined by Oweh (15 points 5 reb 4 ast), Amari Williams (15 points 8 rebounds), Andrew Carr (11 points 10 rebounds) and Robinson (11 points 4 rebounds 3 asts).
With Lamont Butler missing his second game in a row, the offense and defense looked a little bit out of sorts at times in the game. Robinson is a good back up plan to have in case of emergency, but didn’t look like the long term option at the PG position. The hope is to have Butler back for the next game, rival Louisville, who makes their way to Rupp after a 2 point win over Utep. That game tips off Saturday at 5:15pm at Rupp Arena on ESPN.
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