Noel’s block party lifts Kentucky over Mississippi
OXFORD, Miss. - Nerlens Noel took just one shot from the field and missed six of eight free throws.
Yet there was no doubt that the big man with the big hair was the most important player on the court as Kentucky beat No. 16 Mississippi 87-74 on Tuesday night.
The 6-foot-10-inch freshman set a school record with 12 blocked shots and altered countless others, leading the Wildcats to their fifth victory in seven games.
Kentucky coach John Calipari - who is always a tough critic - said Noel played well but was still struggling with consistency. Mississippi coach Andy Kennedy was in a more complimentary mood.
"He was the difference in the game," Kennedy said. "I think we can all agree with that. An incredible defensive presence."
Kentucky (14-6, 5-2 Southeastern Conference) looked like it might run away with the win, taking a 73-56 lead with 10 minutes remaining after trailing by one point at halftime. But the Rebels roared back with 16 straight points, cutting the deficit to 73-72 with 4:22 left.
Ryan Harrow nailed a 3-pointer to stop Ole Miss' run, and Kentucky was able to hold on for the road victory. Noel was terrific in the final few minutes - flying all over the court with his distinctive flattop haircut - blocking four shots despite playing with four fouls.
While Noel was patrolling the paint on defense, Kentucky got a career-high 26 points from Kyle Wiltjer. The 6-10 sophomore hit 10 of 19 shots from the field, including 5 of 12 from 3-point range.
"I tried to be aggressive," Wiltjer said. "They were playing my shot pretty tightly, so I was able to drive a little bit and my teammates found me. We did a good job in transition. It was a great team win."
Archie Goodwin scored 24 points and Alex Poythress 15 for Kentucky.
Goodwin made 6 of 11 shots from the field and 12 of 14 from the free-throw line. He had six rebounds and four assists.
Ole Miss (17-3, 6-1) had its nine-game winning streak snapped. LaDarius White led the Rebels with 22 points, and Marshall Henderson added 21. Henderson made just 5 of 19 shots from the field, including 2 of 11 from 3-point range.
"We're getting better as a team," Calipari said. "That's a good win."
Mississippi led 38-37 at halftime despite making just 13 of 44 shots (29.5 percent) from the field. Kentucky stayed close thanks to Wiltjer's 17 first-half points.
AROUND THE NATION
• BUCKEYES BREAK AWAY - At Columbus, Ohio, Deshaun Thomas scored 25 points, 10 during a game-breaking 15-0 second-half run, to lead No. 11 Ohio State (16-4, 6-2 Big Ten) to a 58-49 victory over Wisconsin (14-7, 5-3).
• SHOCKERS STUNNED - At Wichita, Kan., Manny Arop scored 17 points, including a celebratory slam in the final minute, and Indiana State snapped Wichita State's 19-game home winning streak with a 68-55 upset. The Sycamores (14-7, 7-3 Missouri Valley) stayed in the conference race with their first victory over a ranked team in five tries this season. The Shockers (19-3, 8-2) shot 27.1 percent from the field.
• WOLFPACK FALLS - At Charlottesville, Va., Joe Harris scored 22 points, including seven during a game-ending 13-6 run, and Virginia (15-5, 5-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) claimed a 58-55 victory over No. 19 North Carolina State (16-5, 5-3).
