resilience

The Cardinals’ success in this game was largely due to their performance at the free-throw line. They made an outstanding 36 of 49 attempts, drawing 40 fouls from New Mexico State – the most in program history. Head coach Kenny Payne expressed his pride in the team’s achievement, stating, “I’m proud of how they finished at the free-throw line late in the game. I’m proud of the fact that we won the game by being aggressive around the rim.”

Despite the loss, the Cardinals have a strong track record when scoring 70 points or more. In fact, they are an impressive 86-5 in their last 91 games when surpassing this scoring threshold. Head coach Walz has instilled a winning mindset in his team, with a 315-28 record when reaching the 70-point mark.

Kentucky initially trailed Akron by one point after the smallbore discipline, with the Zipps posting a score of 2338 compared to the Wildcats’ 2337. However, Kentucky quickly turned the tide in their favor in the air rifle event, registering an impressive score of 2384, while Akron managed 2374. Kentucky’s stellar performance in air rifle not only helped them secure the victory but also earned them the fifth-best air rifle team score nationwide this season.

Calipari acknowledged that there were some breakdowns in the game, especially towards the end with missed free throws and shots, but he commended the team for their resilience. “A young team learns that,” he said. “But what I was proud of is they fought.”

The Cardinals impressed with their dominance in the paint, scoring 60 points down low, and saw five players reach double figures in scoring. Head coach Kenny Payne expressed the importance of this win, acknowledging that it was a hard-fought battle by his players. He highlighted the team’s execution and their ability to relentlessly attack the opposition while playing unselfishly.