Kentucky, Malik Monk bury Michigan State in Champions Classic opener
By Chris Stone
Kentucky’s Malik Monk led the Wildcats past Michigan State.
Malik Monk came into Tuesday night’s Champions Classic matchup with Michigan State having made just three of his 12 three-point attempts through Kentucky’s first two games. The short-term drought seemed to verify what many analysts thought of the 6-foot-3 guard: he’s a streaky shooter who is capable of going cold for stretches. Well, there’s another side to that streak and Monk showed it to the nation in the Wildcats’ 69-48 win over the Spartans.
Head coach John Calipari felt confident about Monk’s chances to break out, “Malik Monk had one of the best shootarounds that any of my players in the past few years and I expected that he would go in and play well.”
The freshman delivered. Monk finished with 23 points and drained seven of his 12 three-point attempts. He looked especially impressive coming off of screens or hand-offs to help create space to get his jumper off.
Don’t worry — he showed he can hit them off the dribble, too, and closed everything out with a smooth catch-and-shoot three from NBA range.
Monk talked after the game of improving his shot by working with his coaches and focusing on his attention to detail, in particular getting lower to make sure he has enough lift and stepping into his shot so that he’s in rhythm.
The 18-year old’s development is critical to a Kentucky team that is lacking in outside shooters. Derek Willis is the only other player on the roster who is a credible threat to knock down threes on a consistent basis and that shooting is vitally important given the slashing ability of guards De’Aaron Fox and Isaiah Briscoe. If Monk can consistently threaten from deep, it’ll open up lanes for Fox and Briscoe to attack the basket and create efficient scoring opportunities in the paint for the Wildcats.
That should be a scary thought for the rest of the college basketball world. Kentucky already has one of the most talented young rosters in the country and their defense is further along than many would have expected for a young team still putting things together. If the Wildcats are able to merge an efficient offense with a ferocious defense, then they’ll quickly become a bonafide national title contender.