By Ashley Scoby
Special to NKyTribune
Karl-Anthony Towns grinned as he stepped into the circle. The ball was about to be tipped between Kentucky and Auburn in the SEC tournament semifinals on Saturday, and Towns was a solid six inches taller than the Tigers’ biggest starter. Before the tip, Towns looked back at Willie Cauley-Stein, who was talking to him, and they both smiled.
While fans may never know what was said in that moment, it quickly became clear to everyone that Kentucky’s size advantage really was something from a Space Jam sequel. Auburn was already the smallest team in the league, and was down two men due to suspensions (Jordon Granger and Cinmeon Bowers).
“Winning time,” as the Wildcats call that moment when they ramp it up to another level and put games out of reach – that happened nearly as soon as Towns won that tip. Kentucky turned its size advantage and a humming offensive performance (five players in double figures) into a 91-67 win and a trip to the tournament championship game Sunday (1 p.m. ESPN).
“Anytime we can get everybody on all cylinders working, it can be a scary thing for other teams,” Towns said.
There were a few pieces of Kentucky’s game that were a little creaky at the beginning, like running that first mile of a marathon. It didn’t help that 26 fouls were called in the first half, grinding to a halt any rhythm that either team could pick up. What probably could have been a 30-point lead for Kentucky was “only” an 18-point margin at the half.
Fans at Bridgestone Arena – most of them clad in blue and white – were restless through the first 20 minutes, booing heartily and clapping sarcastically for the officials.
But Kentucky used first-half runs of 7-0, 9-0 and 8-0 to land quick punches on the out-matched Tigers. Auburn made seven field goals in the first half, and 14 of its first 29 points came from the free throw line. On the other side of the court, the Wildcats sank 57.7 percent of their shots, including 4-of-9 from three-point range.
Andrew Harrison had 12 of his 15 points in the first half, most from driving into the lane.
Auburn cut the margin to 15 a couple of times and 13 once early in the second half. But there’s only so much someone can fight against quicksand before realizing there is nothing more to be done.
With 14:45 to play, Kentucky led 57-44 after Auburn’s Antoine Mason had swished a jumper.
Four minutes and 16 seconds later, the Wildcats had doubled that margin.
Devin Booker and Aaron Harrison each made pairs of free throws. Willie Cauley-Stein smacked down KT Harrell’s shot attempt in the paint. Andrew Harrison hit a three-pointer in transition. Cauley-Stein knocked down a jumper as coolly as a shooting guard would have, then got back to being a 7-footer on Kentucky’s next trip down-court.
With the Wildcats already holding a 68-44 lead, Booker lofted a ball towards the backboard and Cauley-Stein slammed it home for the 26-point lead. He gave his signature, menacing stare-down at Auburn’s fallen defender, and the rout was on.
Cauley-Stein finished with a team-high 18 points off 7-of-9 shooting (while making 4 of his 6 free throws).
“We know Willie can do it,” said Tyler Ulis. “He’s great offensively and defensively. When he gets going like that, it’s just hard for teams to stop us.”
Cauley-Stein’s offensive development has long been an X-factor for an already stunningly talented Kentucky team. He has had several meetings with head coach John Calipari leading up to the SEC tournament about the team’s need for him to score.
After a 2-of-9 performance against Florida on Friday, Cauley-Stein was just ready for those shots to fall.
“Just the ball going in, it’s always a relief,” he said. “You’ve just got to keep on doing it until it becomes second nature. … When it finally goes in, it feels good.”
Even if Cauley-Stein had not scored a point, the Wildcats’ margin of victory would still have been in double figures. It was an overwhelming performance by one of the country’s most overwhelming teams.
With the win against Auburn, Kentucky extends its winning streak and undefeated season to 33 straight victories – now the longest streak in school and SEC history.
“They have got everything it takes,” said Auburn coach Bruce Pearl of Kentucky. “They make shots. They can do things inside and outside. They’re dominating from the foul line, both in attempts and finishing. They’re unselfish. They defend. I mean, it’s the best team I’ve ever coached against.”
Ashley Scoby is a senior journalism major at the University of Kentucky and a KyForward sports writer. She has reported on the Wildcats for wildcathoops.com, vaughtsviews.com andkysportsreport.com as well as for newspapers in Danville and Glasgow. She will begin a summer internship with Sports Illustrated magazine in New York in June.