Slow down? No problem for Kentucky on Friday. Speeding up for Saturday’s date with Alabama? That’s the next act

Entering Friday afternoon, Kentucky was 1-8 when scoring under 70 points. Georgia keyed its hopes for a second consecutive SEC Tournament upset on taking the Wildcats out of their offensive comfort zone. But two could play at that game, and while Georgia kept Kentucky out of their offensive rhythm, the Wildcats, even without freshman forward Jarred Vanderbilt, returned the same trick.

Kentucky is now 2-8 on the season when scoring under 70 points.

In many ways, Kentucky’s best work was done for them before the Wildcats hit the quarter for Friday’s quarterfinal matchup. First, No. 12 seed Georgia took down a threatening Missouri squad complete with preseason Player of the Year candidate Michael Porter Jr. on Thursday. Then, Alabama knocked top seed Auburn out of the tournament with a furious second half in Friday afternoon’s opening quarterfinal.

But Kentucky still has to win three games in three afternoons to claim the school’s 31^st SEC Tournament championship. And whoever the opponent, defense will always place any team in good position come March. Kentucky certainly heeded that fact in their quarterfinal against Georgia, holding the Bulldogs to 28 percent shooting in a 62-49 victory that was most memorable as a defensive shutdown.

If Kentucky hopes to surprise the experts and sustain a lengthy March run, the Wildcats will have to demonstrate the ability to win games in many different ways. Conventional wisdom held that Kentucky would lose focus in a slowdown matchup, and their winning percentage in low scoring slugfests appeared to support that contention.

But in flipping the script Friday afternoon, Kentucky made life miserable for the Associated Press SEC Player of the Year, Georgia’s Yante Maten.

Maten found himself outfought inside by UK’s P.J. Washington (18 points, 7 rebounds) and outhustled on the outside by Kevin Knox (15 points, 9 rebounds). The Georgia forward who led all scorers in SEC play with 19.6 points per game and who shot 47 percent was held to 9 points on 2-for-10 shooting. Only once all season had a defense held Maten to single-figure scoring. And just like that, Georgia’s upset hopes vanished, excellent Bulldog defense aside.

With Georgia out of the way, Kentucky will face a red-hot Alabama team in Saturday’s semifinals. With Collin Sexton and the Tide likely wrapping up an NCAA Tournament berth, it will be interesting to see if the same intensity surrounds their semifinal that led to a 50-point second half en route to blowing out Auburn.

Kentucky guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Quade Green will have to step up their defensive effort in the semis. Sexton had 58 points in his first two SEC Tournament games — putting him ahead of Allan Houston’s record pace of 98 points. Either Kentucky will need to knock him off that pace, or to answer with an equally potent offensive fury.

Kentucky coach John Calipari admitted after the game that Vanderbilt likely will miss Saturday’s semifinal as well. Kentucky was outrebounded 42-39 by Georgia, but survived due to smothering halfcourt defense. Saturday’s matchup looks more likely to require 75 or 80 points. If Kentucky wants to replicate previous late-season resurrections (see Final Four trips after disappointing 2011 and 2014 regular season campaigns), they’ll have to make some more shots. A mere five turnovers Friday is one step in the right direction.

But, for at least one day, things are looking bright in the Bluegrass.

Kentucky took Georgia’s best shot and deflected it back at the Bulldogs. If there’s any magic in March, it’ll consist in answering opponents’ best shots, and then answering with their ever-ready reservoir of young talent. One down, (possibly) two to go in St. Louis. Next up, the Crimson Tide.

Joe Cox

Joe Cox is a columnist for Saturday Down South. He has also written or assisted in writing five books, and his most recent, Almost Perfect (a study of baseball pitchers’ near-miss attempts at perfect games), is available on Amazon or at many local bookstores.