Brandon Knight Scores 17 As Kentucky Wildcats Beat Buccaneers, 88-65

Posted by CoHoops Josh Dhani

No John Wall, no problem. The Kentucky Wildcats had nothing to worry about and they didn't even lose a single notch, beating the East Tennessee Buccaneers, 88-65, in the team's season-opener.
While Wall is dishing it out in the NBA with the Washington Wizards, Brandon Knight is the new-coming of Wall for the Wildcats. Knight is a point guard and can make great plays also. John Calipari was quoted saying that Knight is in fact a better shooter than Wall. That's good to hear.

Speaking of Knight, he had 17 points and a handful of great highlights, with a few dunks, too.

Calipari was worrying if prized center Enes Kanter will play or not. But there was no need to worry as the freshman stood up. Terrence Jones had 25 points and twelve rebounds and Doron Lamb had 20 points.

"Our freshmen played well," Calipari said. "They've got to get steadier, got to get rougher and tougher."

The Wildcats shot a solid 50-percent from the three-point line along with only just ten turnovers.

"I think we're the best team that can shoot 3s, that's what coach said, in the country," Lamb said.

Isiah Brown led the Buccaneers with 25 points, but it wasn't enough as UK had too much talent.

New news came out of Kanter, however. According to the Associated Press:

The school is appealing an NCAA ruling Thursday declaring Kanter permanently ineligible because he received more than the necessary benefits while playing for a club in Turkey two years ago. Kanter can practice with the Wildcats while the case is on appeal and watched the game from the bench in a white sweatsuit.

That's a big hole in the Kentucky's frontcourt, but I personally think they can get past it. Calipari's respects the decision but hopefully he hopes it can be overturned sometime soon.

"[Maybe] people will look at this in a common sense way and say the kid deserves better than this," Calipari said.

It was a great game by Kentucky. Last season, Kentucky could never really get those three-pointers in. Now they can. It's about time.

"Last year ... we didn't make any shots and I kept telling them 'we're good shooters, we're good shooters," Calipari said. "This team, they make shots."

The Wildcats will face the Portland Pilots next in an away game next Friday.

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