By LARRY VAUGHT

LEXINGTON — Maybe the defense improved. Maybe Rider was just tired. Maybe it was a combination of both.
But quit worrying about the defense.
Instead, enjoy what this Kentucky team can do offensively — and will continue to do.
The Wildcats again displayed a lot of offensive versatility here Saturday in a 92-63 win over Rider, the same team that won at Mississippi State last week.
“I was really fearful of this game until I saw how we defended early and then I knew we would be fine,” said Kentucky coach John Calipari.
Granted, he had reason to be fearful after Miami and Sam Houston State had combined to hit 33 3-pointers against UK in the two previous games.
But not this time. Calipari sensed at his team’s 8 a.m. walk-through that players were totally focused for the first time this season.
“He got us up early. He got us focused and learning from our mistakes,” freshman guard John Wall said.
Wall may still need to learn, but he is  S-E-N-S-A-T-I-O-N-A-L. He can do things offensively unlike any point guard UK has had. He had a double-double with 21 points and 11 assists — and could have had more assists if teammates had hit open shots.
Wall will have a triple double this year. He got close Saturday because he also had six rebounds. Plus, he had three steals and two blocked shots and only two turnovers in 35 splendid minutes.
“John is as good as I have ever seen in the open court,” Rider coach Tommy Dempsey said. “If the ball hits off the rim, they are off and put the ball in the hands of a great player.”
While Calipari continues to stress what his team is doing wrong and that the Cats are nowhere close to being a good team, Dempsey says not to be fooled.
“What’s he going to say? It is November. He doesn’t want them to think they are good now,” Dempsey said. “They are pretty good. They are still learning how to play together, but they have got to be one of the most talented teams in the country.
“It’s just a matter of playing with a sense of urgency. I think they took their foot off the gas here and there, but when they are engaged, start playing big-time programs and start locking in, they are going to have a special team. You guys are going to like what you see as the season goes forward.”
Actually, Kentucky fans should already like what they see.
Gone are the days of walk the ball down the floor, pound a few dribbles, watch the shot clock run and then scramble to get off a shot. Cal’s Cats run, and then run some more.
And they can do that because of the offensive talent this team has.
“Everybody played big today,” Wall said.
They did.
n Patrick Patterson had 19 points (8-for-13 from the field) and 18 rebounds — and teammates knew he was upset he didn’t go for his first 20-20.
“But if he plays like that, he’ll get it,” Harris said.
n Backup center Daniel Orton had 14 points, six rebounds, one assist (to Patterson) and one steal in 23 minutes. He was 5-for-7 from the field.
“I was just doing my job. DeMarcus was in foul trouble, so I tried to pick it up,” Orton said.
n Cousins had two points and one rebound in the first half when he watched all but three minutes after getting two quick fouls. He finished with 18 points (7-for-10 shooting), six rebounds and five blocked shots.
“We have big games coming up and we have to bring him along,” Calipari said.
Eric Bledsoe (11 points, five turnovers) and Darius Miller (five points, three rebounds) didn’t have huge games, but Kentucky still scored 92 points.
How many times in recent years have UK fans clamored for the Cats to play more up tempo and make the game exciting? This team does that and as it gets better defensively, it is only going to be more fun to watch.
“We have guys that can do a lot of things,” senior Ramon Harris, a starting last year who is now relegated to being a defensive specialist, said. “We can be a very versatile team that is hard to defend. It’s not like last year.”
That’s when UK had two scoring options — Jodie Meeks and Patterson. Now the Cats have six legitimate scoring threats and it will be seven when Darnell Dodson’s mysterious trip to Calipari’s doghouse ends and he can play again.
“There was a lot of teaching in this game that I liked,” Calipari said. “But we are just so far from where we need to be.”
Maybe, but the Cats are also much closer to being to a national title contender again.

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