Denzel Aberdeen saved Kentucky in the second half against Tennessee, but it was Jasper Johnson who kept the Wildcats alive in the first half.
The freshman guard had his coming-out game during Saturday’s 17-point comeback win over Tennessee in Knoxville. Sure, it wasn’t as flashy as his 22-point performance against NC Central last month, but it was far more impactful and on a much larger stage. Johnson finished with 12 points — all coming in the first half — in a high-pressure situation against the Volunteers.
“I thought he was terrific,” Head coach Mark Pope said of Johnson.