Chris Livingston still learning his game after big night against Arkansas

Yes, Kentucky lost to Arkansas on Tuesday night by 15 points, but Chris Livingston was the furthest thing from the crux of the Wildcats’ compounding problems.

The 6-foot-6 freshman finished with 13 points and five rebounds on 5-10 shooting (including a pair of three-pointers) against the Razorbacks in what was arguably his best performance in a Kentucky uniform to date. It was just the third time this season he’s recorded at least double-digits in the scoring column and the first since he dropped 14 points on UCLA all the way back on Dec. 17.

Slowly but surely, the former five-star recruit is coming into his own as a college basketball player. Livingston is gradually learning more and more about who he is on the hardwood and what his team needs from him. To borrow a term used plenty of times before with young, improving hoopers: the game is beginning to slow down for the Akron, OH, native.

“I definitely feel that way,” Livingston said after the loss to Arkansas. “Just being more comfortable game by game. Understanding my role as the season progresses. Although we are really deep into the season, I’m still learning, I’m still getting more comfortable with each game we play.“

Not only is he getting more comfortable with each game, but he’s also getting more productive.

In his first 11 games as a Kentucky Wildcat, Livingston averaged 6.2 points and 2.9 rebounds on 51.1 percent shooting in 14.9 minutes per outing. Solid numbers, but nothing too special. Then he hit a rut once SEC play began despite being a full-time starter. Shooting percentages slipped and his minutes became erratic as he (and the coaching staff) searched to find a consistent role.

But over the last four games, something clicked. Livingston has averaged 7.8 points and 4.0 rebounds on 59.1 percent shooting in 25 minutes per game while playing with plenty of energy on both ends of the floor. His 33 minutes played against Arkansas set a new career-high, which surpassed his 31 minutes against Ole Miss from last week. There is clear decisiveness in his moves — drives to the rim that were once all about power are now handled with more precision.

“The kid is getting better and better and more confident,” Kentucky head coach John Calipari said after Tuesday’s loss. “He mixes it up, and that’s all I can ask. He’s not the reason this happened tonight. He was one of the bright spots.”

It’s taken some time for Livingston to find the comfort necessary for him to put it all together — not all five-stars are created equal. But now that he’s 24 games into his college career, he’s beginning to catch on and learn how to play at this level.

“It’s basketball,” Livingston said. “You always got to learn your teammates, you always got to learn yourself… I feel like those jitters and that anxiousness is out the way.”