Andrew Harrison has so-so debut for Kentucky Wildcats

Oct 29, 2013; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Andrew Harrison (right) and Kentucky Wildcats guard Aaron Harrison (left) during the practice shoot around before the Kentucky Blue-White Scrimmage at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports /

The Kentucky Wildcats are the preseason No. 1 team in nearly every major college basketball preseason poll, and freshman Andrew Harrison is the team’s starting point guard and likely a top-5 NBA Draft pick next year. In the tea’s regular season opener against UNC Asheville, Harrison scored 8 points and dished out 5 assists.

He looked ok, but he’ll have to do better going forward as a point guard for a team expected to contend for a national championship. Still, it was the freshman’s first collegiate game, and his freakish athleticism and lock-down defense to go with his scoring ability will have him among the top picks in the 2014 NBA Draft.

As a senior in high school he averaged 15.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game and came to Kentucky rated as the third-best prospect in the country by ESPNU Recruiting. Scout and Rivals both ranked him as the fifth-best overall prospect.

His next game will be Sunday vs Northern Kentucky, but the game everyone has on their calendar is Tuesday’s game vs Michigan State, where he’ll square-off against one of the tougher defensive teams in college basketball.