DAVID SISK:

1. As explosive as this Kentucky offense has been, they have played against two top major teams so far and scored 77 and 66 points. That’s 71.5 points per game. The Wildcats are incredibly talented, but it’s not their most athletic team. With just eight fast-break points, they can play half-court style against the right team.

2. There will be nights when you don’t shoot the ball well. Can they play through this? They shot 7 of 27 from 3-point range. Guards Koby Brea, Otega Oweh, Kerr Kriisa and Jaxson Robinson combined to go 4-for-18 from deep. I think Kentucky defended well on offense. Against teams like Tennessee and Auburn, they have to rely on defense on every possession. And who is the person to contact on the route if they need a bucket? Her best shot tonight was Amari Williams on the left block.

3. The lineups were confusing at times. I understand that Lamont Butler had some foul trouble, but Kerr Kriisa played two more minutes than him and his point differential was minus-21. The bench was shortened a bit in the second game, but Brandon Garrison was on the floor way too much in the first half , as Clemson dominated them inside. Everyone is still getting used to each other. There will be more tiring nights like this in Kentucky. But I like the fight of this team.

TRAVIS GRAF:

1. Clemson dictated the pace of the game from the jump and was also the aggressor in this case. Kentucky never found its rhythm on offense and there were some confusing lineups as the game progressed.

2. Kentucky looked very good and just couldn’t capitalize. The team was ice cold at all levels of the pitch, but had the shots and chances. This Clemson team is decent, but you’re not going to win many games in a 3-point heavy offense shooting like they do.

3. Lamont Butler needs to be on the floor. He is the heartbeat of the team and the offense is much better organized with him on the field. There was a big drop off in the transition from him to Kerr Kriisa.

JEFF DRUMMOND:

1. Kentucky isn’t going to beat very many top teams when the Wildcats are shooting 26% from the 3-point arc (7 of 27) and can’t find good opportunities for Koby Brea. Hailed on the ESPN broadcast as “the best shooter in college basketball,” he went 1 of 2 from beyond the arc and finished the game with just three points, often denying Clemson’s physical, overmatched defense. For this, Mark Pope & Co. have to find a counterpoint.

2. I thought the game was probably lost in the last five or six minutes of the first half when Clemson went on a 14-2 run to take control and grab a seven-point lead heading into the second half . That was just enough to keep the Cats at bay. The Tigers outscored Great Britain on the glass in the first half and held a 10-1 advantage in second-chance points. Kentucky didn’t allow any second chance points and won the second half by three points.

3. As you would expect when traveling, Kentucky didn’t have the best whistle here. A physical Clemson team looking to turn this into a grinder was allowed to play its favored bump-and-handsy game – at one point the Tigers took a 21-09 lead despite only being called on three fouls – while the Cats Dealing with fouls spelled trouble for a number of key players. Lamont Butler’s absence was a major concern. He finished his shortened 19 minutes on the floor at +17, while backup Kerr Kriisa reached -21.

JUSTIN ROWLAND:

1. Kentucky didn’t match Clemson’s physicality. It’s easy to go on the offensive when playing against teams that don’t defend like that. They didn’t respond well to that tonight, and they’ll be playing against other teams that can do just that.

2. Kerr Kriisa was really struggling. You can’t just blame anything on one person, but Kentucky was noticeably worse when he was on the field. The decline in Butler’s defense was noticeable.

3. Kentucky isn’t getting nearly enough from behind lately. They’ve never been able to become the most productive three-point shooting team in the country, but they’ve had more trouble getting there lately than I expected.