By Keith Taylor
ktaylor@winchestersun.com

LEXINGTON – It didn’t take Brandon Shingles long to figure out Kentucky.
“They are huge, fast and physical,” Shingles said following the Eagles’ 75-59 loss to Kentucky at Rupp Arena Friday night in the season opener for both teams. “They are a great team.”
Shingles had a hard time keeping up with Kentucky guard Eric Bledoe, who led the Wildcats with 24 points – 22 of those coming in the second half. Shingles said it was Bledsoe’s speed that presented problems for the Eagles all over the court.
“He’s extremely fast,” Shingles said of Bledsoe. “He’s like a one-man fast break all by himself. He just knows how to get in the gaps and make his teammates better, make himself better and make the team better.”
Shingles did a double-take when Bledsoe connected on an aerobic layup in the second half that brought the Rupp Arena crowd to its feet and gave the Wildcats a much-needed surge at the time. Shingles said he did everything he could to stop the shot.
“I contested, stuck my chest out, he just slipped it in there,” he said. “It was a good shot. That’s all I can say. I couldn’t get mad or discouraged and let my team see I was upset. I have to give him credit for a shot like that. That was a great shot.”
Morehead’s top player Kenneth Faried also witnessed Bledsoe’s razzle, dazzle one-handed basket and said the shot was worthy of national recognition.
“Great players make great plays,” he said. “That was an ESPN shot, right there. It was just amazing.”
Faried, one of the top players in the Ohio Valley Conference, came away impressed with Patterson, who had 14 of his 20 points in the first half. Faried said Patterson’s performance in the opening half set the stage for the Wildcats’ season-opening performance.
“He’s a big guy,” Faried said. “He really pulled it out tonight. I give props to Kentucky and their organization and (John) Calipari’s recruitment. Kentucky played really hard.”
Faried said “it wasn’t really a big deal” playing against Patterson, Daniel Orton and DeMarcus Cousins in the post. Faried said he focused on his own play as opposed to worrying about his opponents in the post.
“I just came out, played MSU basketball and tried to play my game,” he said. “I wasn’t too worried about what they tried to do.”
What Kentucky did was hold Faried to under double digits in rebounds. Faried, a consistent double-double performer, finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, with four of those coming on the defensive end.
“They kept me from getting 10 or more rebounds, which I pride myself on,” he said. “They did such a great job on that, but I still kept going and trying to get rebounds.”
How far can this Kentucky team go? Shingles offered his prediction and said he wouldn’t be surprised to see the Wildcats in the national title chase by the end of the season.
“There should be no reason why they can’t go to the Elite Eight or the Final Four,” he said.

3 Responses to “Wildcats make big impression on Morehead”