Wildcats’ struggles continue on court; Heels win

CLEVELAND — Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari is accustomed to steep learning curves for young players this time of year. Never in his 12 seasons leading the Wildcats, though, have they fallen behind like this.

North Carolina’ s Armando Bacot scored 11 of his team-high 14 points in the second half Saturday, rallying the 22nd-ranked Tar Heels from a double-digit deficit to beat Kentucky 75-63 in the CBS Sports Classic.

Kentucky (1-5) has lost five in a row for the first time since Calipari became coach in 2009 and is off to its worst start since the 1926-1927 season.

“I’m just so disappointed, especially the last 10 minutes of the game,” Calipari said. “I know they’re better than this. Is it just trying to make tough plays? I’ve got to watch this tape and figure it out.”

Kerwin Walton scored 13 points, and fellow freshman guard Caleb Love had 11 points and six assists for North Carolina (5-2), which outscored the Wildcats 33-15 to end the game.

Davion Mintz scored 17 points — he made all three of Kentucky’s 3-pointers — and grabbed eight rebounds. No Kentucky player who appeared in the game was made available to the media.

Walton made two 3-pointers and scored eight points in a 9-1 game-changing run by the Tar Heels, including the go-ahead free throw at 50-49 with 11:42 remaining. North Carolina had trailed by 11 in the first half.

“I knew my time was coming, once I adjusted to the speed of the college game,” said Walton, who had six points in the first six games. “Every shot I took felt great today.”

Walton made a pair of 3-pointers immediately after Kentucky big men Olivier Sarr and Lance Ware went to the bench with their fourth fouls. Sarr, Ware and teammates Isaiah Jackson and Terrence Clarke later fouled out.

“The first half, I was very disappointed because we didn’t play tough,” Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said. “But I’m as pleased as I could possibly be with the fight we showed when we came back out.”

Wildcats forward Brandon Boston Jr. scored 15 points , and guard Devin Askew had 12. A third freshman, forward Cam’Ron Fletcher, walked off the bench and openly complained after playing only three minutes.

Calipari said Fletcher apologized in the locker room, adding, “You’ve got to accept your position on this team.”