Kentucky tops North Carolina 103-100 as Malik Monk scores 47

If he had listened to his coach, Malik Monk would not have taken the shot. But the freshman guard was forgiven, because the shot won the game.

Monk’s go-ahead 3-pointer from the wing with 16 seconds remaining capped his 47-point outburst and lifted No. 6 Kentucky to a 103-100 victory over No. 7 North Carolina on Saturday in the CBS Sports Classic at T-Mobile Arena.

Monk pulled up and fired from long range as Wildcats coach John Calipari was shouting different instructions.

“I said, ‘Drive the ball, drive the ball,’ and he hit a 3,” Calipari said. “I said, ‘Good shot, kid.’”

Two teams expecting to go deep into the NCAA Tournament put on a show that created a March atmosphere before a crowd of 19,298. Elite athletes raced at a fast pace and traded big-time shots

“It was a packed house, and everyone was going crazy,” said Monk, who scored 27 in the first half and finished with the highest-scoring game by a Tar Heels opponent since 1970.

“If you watched that game, and if you never liked basketball, you’re going to start liking basketball,” Calipari said. “Play fast, score quickly, open the court up and let these kids do their thing.”

Monk overshadowed Justin Jackson’s 34-point performance for North Carolina (10-2). Jackson, who made four 3s, sliced down the lane for a layup and was fouled with 45 seconds to go. But he missed the free throw, leaving the Tar Heels’ lead at 100-98 and the door open for Monk’s go-ahead shot.

De’Aaron Fox, who finished with 24 points and 10 assists, hit two free throws with three seconds left. The Wildcats (10-1) held on when the Tar Heels’ Kenny Williams left a 3-point try short at the buzzer.

“These are games you live for,” Fox said. “Honestly, for me, close games are a lot more fun than blowouts. That’s why we play the game, competition like that.”

Kentucky took a 56-51 lead into halftime, and the pace barely slowed in the second half. Both coaches called plays to exploit weak individual defenders, and skilled offensive players prevailed.

“It was a heck of a college basketball game if you don’t care who won, but I do care who won,” North Carolina coach Roy Williams said.

Asked what the Tar Heels were trying to do to stop him, Monk said, “I don’t know what they tried to do. I couldn’t tell. It’s like a pickup game, that’s what it feels like to me.”

Monk, who made 8 of 12 3-pointers, said he took the winning 3 instead of driving because he was “in the flow.”

Even after Monk set a Kentucky freshman scoring record, Calipari found a flaw in his 6-foot-3-inch star’s effort.

“How many rebounds did he have?” said Calipari, who knew the answer was zero. “He’s special, but he’s got a lot to learn.”

The Las Vegas venue won over Calipari, who said, “This is an unbelievable arena. Maybe it’s another place we travel to because our fans love it.”

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. Follow on Twitter: @mattyoumans247.