The Kentucky Wildcats are 9-1 on the season after an upsetting loss to the UCLA Bruins. The Wildcats might have bounced back and kept the winning going, but they are at risk of falling again as their top player is in a four-game slump. Kentucky hyped up freshman Skal Labissiere started strong, but has since fallen apart and now the team need him to bounce back as they head on the road to face the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday.
Kentucky needs Labissiere to bounce back. Right now the 6-foot-11 first-year player is stalling in a bad way. In the past four games he has totaled just 18 points and seven rebounds. In his last game against Arizona State, he has no points and no rebounds while getting fouled out in the first 13 minutes of play. He is shying away from physical contact and getting close to the rim. That is not how Kentucky will succeed moving forward.
"He will probably take that step back before he starts taking those steps forward, similar to Josh (Harrellson)," said head coach John Calipari, via ESPN.com. "He's going to do fine. He hasn't been in the kind of condition you need to be in to perform at a high level. It's hard."
Kentucky is preparing to face the Ohio State Buckeyes who they have not matched up against since 2011 when the Wildcats topped them in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament. Youth is the name of this game. Kentucky is running with a young squad like usual while the Buckeyes also do not have one senior on their team while starting two sophomores and a freshman.
The Buckeyes are not having the most ideal start to their season. They fell hard to Connecticut in a 20-point loss, but they bounced back against Northern Illinois. Despite the poor play of Labissiere, the Buckeyes cannot afford to overlook him and they need the players willing to take him on inside the paint. Ohio State got back into the scoring groove when Jae'Sean Tate put up 17 points and 10 rebounds while Keita Bates-Diop added 14 points and 10 rebounds as well. That will be key agains the Wildcats.