Kentucky’s Fox leading the late-season charge
UK preps for revenge against the Bruins
Wedged into a corner of Kentucky’s cramped locker room at FedExForum while facing wave after wave of reporters, Kentucky freshman guard De’Aaron Fox appeared at ease. He looked as if he’d been in this position before, calmly providing thorough answers regarding a deep NCAA tournament run.
Fox has shown the same level of confidence and maturity on the floor during the Wildcats’ late-season, 13-game winning streak, one that has Kentucky playing UCLA in Friday night’s NCAA South Regional semifinals.
Averaging 16.1 points and 4.6 assists, Fox, a lefthander with an uncanny ability to battle through traffic and get to the rim, has been clutch in late-game situations.
Against Mississippi State in a midJanuary game at Starkville, he scored nine straight points in the final three minutes of a hard-fought 88-81 victory.
Against Georgia in a mid-February game at Athens, Fox scored 14 of his 16 points in the final five minutes to direct an 82-77 win.
And two weeks ago, in the Southeastern Conference tournament semifinals against Alabama, he scored 12 of Kentucky’s final 17 points — including nine straight when UK led by one — to secure the Wildcats’ trip to the finals.
His development during the season’s second half has been a key to Kentucky’s success. He had 20 points and nine assists in the Wildcats' 97-92 loss at Lexington, Kentucky, in early December — and opened the season with eight straight double-figure games — but has become a reliable, late-season go-to player.
UCLA coach Steve Alford said “we thought he was awfully good when we were in Lexington in December.”
“I think he’s just continued to get better,” Alford said.
With UCLA All-American Lonzo Ball and Fox considered top five NBA picks, this will be the marquee matchup of freshman point guards in the tournament.
Ball has set the Pac-12 assists record (266) for a freshman. Fox was the SEC tournament MVP averaging 22 points in three games. His maturation as a floor leader hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“He, obviously, is like a lot of freshmen,” Alford said. “They look one way in December and by the time they get to March ... you combine their skill set with experience.”
Fox’s clutch play has been apparent in multiple categories. With five minutes or less remaining in single-digit games, he has made 27 of 34 free throws.
“He’s got experience now, he knows what (playing at this level) is about now,” Alford said. “He knows what road games are about. He knows what tournament play is about.
“He has such an elite skill set as a ball handler. And his speed and quickness to get by people, you just don’t see that very often.”
Kentucky coach John Calipari said Fox and his other freshmen starters — forward Bam Adebayo and guard Malik Monk — are “special talents, beautiful spirits and ... sharers.”
“There’s a lot of stuff these kids do together,” Calipari said. “And it’s really unique.”
Fox said he expects the game to be high-tempo, much like it was in Lexington.
"We're not going to slow the pace down," Fox said. "But if we can contain them and not let them get too many shots, limit their easy buckets, we can keep it out of the 90s."
Fox, who led the SEC in assists average, respects UCLA’s ability to limit mistakes and find the open man. In their win in December, the Bruins made 10 3-pointers and shot 53 percent.
Although UCLA committed 18 turnovers in their first game against Kentucky, the Bruins have turned the ball over only nine times in two NCAA tournament games. Alford called it "unheard of" for a team that plays as fast as UCLA.
“This is going to be a tough matchup,” Fox said. “They averaged something like 22 assists. A team that passes the ball that well is going to (commit) few turnovers. We’ll just try to get second-chance points and limit their 3s.
“I know it’s easier said than done. But if we’re able to do that, we’ll have a good chance to win.”
Reach Phil Stukenborg at phil.stukenborg@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @phil_stukenborg.