AP

Reeves, Fredrick lead No. 4 Kentucky past Duquesne 77-52

Nov 11, 2022, 4:20 AM | Updated: 7:58 pm

Kentucky head coach John Calipari reacts to a play during the second half of an NCAA college basket...

Kentucky head coach John Calipari reacts to a play during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Duquesne in Lexington, Ky., Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

(AP Photo/James Crisp)


              Kentucky head coach John Calipari reacts to a play during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Duquesne in Lexington, Ky., Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
            
              Kentucky's Jacob Toppin (0) shoots while defended by Duquesne's Austin Rotroff (34) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lexington, Ky., Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
            
              Duquesne's Austin Rotroff (34) dunks during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
            
              Coal miner Michael McGuire is introduced during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game between Kentucky and Duquesne in Lexington, Ky., Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. An image of McGuire covered in coal dust at a Kentucky scrimmage earlier this season went viral, gaining the attention of head coach John Calipari. AP Photo/James Crisp)
            
              Duquesne's Tre Williams (4) is pressured by, from left to right, Kentucky's Lance Ware, CJ Fredrick, and Jacob Toppin during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lexington, Ky., Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
            
              Duquesne head coach Keith Dambrot directs his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
            
              Kentucky's Jacob Toppin (0) shoots while defended by Duquesne's Tre Williams, right, and Quincy McGriff, second from right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lexington, Ky., Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
            
              Kentucky's Chris Livingston, top left, and Duquesne's Dae Dae Grant, bottom left, and Duquesne's Joe Reece, right, scramble for the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lexington, Ky., Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
            
              Kentucky's Cason Wallace (22) splits a pair of Duquesne defenders during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lexington, Ky., Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
            
              Kentucky's Antonio Reeves (12) shoots between Duquesne's Joe Reece, second from left, and Matus Hronsky (14) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lexington, Ky., Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
            
              Kentucky's Antonio Reeves (12) shoots near Duquesne's Tevin Brewer (0) and Jimmy "Tre" Clark III (1) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lexington, Ky., Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Antonio Reeves scored 18 points, CJ Fredrick added 14 and No. 4 Kentucky ran away from Duquesne 77-52 on Friday night.

The Wildcats (2-0) played their second consecutive game without Oscar Tshiebwe, last year’s consensus national player of the year, who’s recovering from a procedure on his right knee last month. Coach John Calipari said after the game that Tshiebwe was ahead of schedule but it wasn’t clear whether he would be available Tuesday night against Michigan State in Indianapolis.

Daimion Collins also missed his second consecutive game because of the recent death of his father in Texas. The Wildcats welcomed back point guard Sahvir Wheeler from a right leg injury, and the senior had 11 points, 11 assists and six rebounds in 27 minutes, helping Kentucky’s fast pace against the Dukes (1-1).

“Sahvir did good,” Calipari said. “He played more minutes than I wanted to play him, but I think our guards are going to play 20 to 25, 27 minutes, depending on who plays well.”

Reeves and Fredrick again set the tone with impressive perimeter shooting to follow up their debuts on Monday night against Howard, when Reeves scored 22 points and Fredrick had 20.

Reeves and Fredrick each shot 5 of 9 from the field against Duquesne. Reeves made 4 of 6 from long range while Fredrick was 4 of 7 as Kentucky finished 11 of 19 from behind the arc.

The Wildcats have made 22 of 43 3s through two games.

“We have a lot of guys making shots right now,” Jacob Toppin said.

Ugonna Onyenso added nine points, while Toppin and Cason Wallace each had eight. All eight Kentucky players scored at least four points. Onyenso had 10 rebounds as the Wildcats won on the glass 46-35.

Jimmy Clark III scored 11 points and Austin Rotroff had eight for Duquesne, which was coming off a 91-63 home win over Montana. The Dukes shot 30%, improving from a 24% first half.

After shooting 50% to lead 38-22 at halftime, Kentucky started the second half cold. Duquesne took advantage to get within 38-29 before the Wildcats mounted several small runs, including eight unanswered points over 1:20 for a 53-35 lead. They weren’t seriously threatened again.

Friday’s game opened the Tribute Classic, a round-robin tournament that includes South Carolina State and North Florida.

RECOGNITION

Michael McGuire, who got attention for attending Kentucky’s Blue-White scrimmage with his family while covered in coal dust fresh off a shift in an eastern Kentucky mine, entered the court during a second-half timeout to spell out the “Y” in Kentucky.

Calipari posted a tweet that went viral about McGuire’s presence at last month’s benefit game for victims of this summer’s floods in the region. The two met soon after with Calipari pledging to do something special, noting his grandfather was a miner.

BIG PICTURE

Duquesne: The Dukes are breaking in 10 first-year players, and the growing pains showed when it came to scoring. They twice missed eight consecutive shots and had another stretch of six misses.

“We’re just not quite ready to play at that caliber yet with all the newness that we have,” coach Keith Dambrot said. “We just haven’t been together long enough to win a game like that. You have to know when to score. You have to know when to slow it down.”

Kentucky: The backcourt continued its strong play with Wheeler complementing Reeves and Fredrick. Cason Wallace added eight points and four assists. Everybody got a chance to contribute, especially the 6-11 Onyenso, a late signee who made 4 of 7 from the field. That kind of balance should make Calipari even happier.

UP NEXT

Duquesne hosts South Carolina State on Tuesday night.

Kentucky faces Michigan State on Tuesday night at the Champions Classic in Indianapolis.

___

AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Reeves, Fredrick lead No. 4 Kentucky past Duquesne 77-52