Before the Arkansas game, John Calipari said all he focused on in practice was "Refuse to Lose." Calipari said the clock may run out on you, but as long as you played like you wanted to win the entire 40 minutes, he was satisfied.
That's exactly how Kentucky played against Vanderbilt; like they did not want to lose.
Defensive Commitment
The Wildcats had some breakdowns on defense due to Vanderbilt's big man Luke Kornet being able to hit the long ball. Despite a few miscues, the Wildcats looked focused on the defensive end.
They guarded the perimeter well and forced a couple of shot clock violations early. The Vanderbilt guards looked frustrated by the intense half court defense Kentucky had going.
So frustrated, in fact, Vanderbilt's Wade Baldwin IV was called for two push-offs in the early going. It is also safe to say, he did it a few more times than it was called.
The Wildcats held the Commodores to 32 percent shooting and kept the Vanderbilt three-pointers at bay by only allowing 5-of-15 from deep.
The Commodores turned the ball over 12 times against the Kentucky pressure. A pressure that grew increasingly annoying for Vandy as the game progressed.
(S)no(w) Difference
After Lexington received two feet of snow and remained in a state of emergency, Vandy looked forward to a rather empty arena while facing the Wildcats.
To their surprise, and Calipari's, Rupp Arena filled itself as usual to watch their 'Cats play. There is not any type of storm that can keep the Big Blue Nation out of their house.
The crowd got involved too, after not seeing their Wildcats play at home since Jan. 12, they got their fix of basketball.
Kentucky's 12-2 run in the first half that resulted in a lead that would never get under seven points for the Kentucky, was sparked by Jamal Murray and the loudness of Rupp Arena on a cold January afternoon.
The Deadly Duo
Tyler Ulis and Murray are becoming the country's two most consistent players. Murray has put up nearly 20 points in every SEC game and Ulis has remained a floor general and scored 20+ points in two games in a row now.
These two have kept Arkansas and Vanderbilt from getting back into the game when Kentucky had a large lead. Their abilities to score the basketball at will compliment each other when they're on the floor together.
Ulis is still up to his usual antics, passing the ball with ease and being the best play-maker UK has. Ulis is arguably the best point guard in the country when he plays like he has.
Murray used to take questionable shots, now he makes winning plays. He only throws up a contested three when he knows he's on a roll or is in a late shot clock situation.
Player Statistics
Tyler Ulis- Ulis got into a little foul trouble early but managed to stay out of it in the second half. He racked up 21 points, five assists and three rebounds in another solid performance for Kentucky's leader.
Jamal Murray- Murray looked very poised in this game and shot the ball well. He finished with 18 points and seven boards on 7-of-13 shooting.
Alex Poythress- Poythress started the game off hot, scoring a quick eight points before getting into foul trouble. He got back into rhythm in the second half and finished with 16 points in his 100th career game at UK.
Damien Jones- Jones was defended well while trying to post up, mostly because he was unstoppable when he got the ball on the block. Jones ended with 13 points and nine boards on 5-of-7 shooting.
Upcoming Schedule
Missouri at #23 Kentucky 1/27/16
Florida at Vanderbilt 1/26/16