Denzel Aberdeen Has Complete Game With 6 Assists, But Rebounding Impressed Loyola Maryland's Coach

It’s hard to pinpoint one thing that Denzel Aberdeen did better than the rest on Friday, but his impact was clearly felt. Looking at his stat line, it’s easy to say he had a complete game.

The 6-foot-5 senior guard finished with 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting, while dishing out six assists. However, for Loyola Maryland head coach Josh Loeffler, it was his eight rebounds that were felt the most.

“Aberdeen, I think, is a really good positional rebounder who then starts the break on his own, so I think their rebounding really allowed them to spread out to him,” Loeffler said postgame.

Aberdeen’s 6-to-2 assist-to-turnover ratio was among the best in the game. He also had a steal to cap off an all-around night.

Denzel Aberdeen’s Responsibilities Expand

With Jaland Lowe continuing to deal with a shoulder injury, Denzel Aberdeen’s role has been expanded for the time being.

According to EvanMiya’s breakdown, Kentucky has been at its best this season with Aberdeen on the floor. That factors in both his offensive and defensive impact, factoring in how well the team is performing with each player on the court in points per 100 possessions, adjusted for opponent strength faced on every possession.

Aberdeen showed off some point guard instincts in the first half, including four early assists. While players like Kam Williams, Collin Chandler, and Malachi Moreno might have gotten most of the buzz after the game, Aberdeen’s performance shouldn’t be overlooked.

While Aberdeen doesn’t provide the continuity year-over-year for Kentucky that some others may provide, only being a one-and-done piece, he offers something very valuable. Experience.

“They are, you know, hard-playing guys, and I think being able to have good players come back to your program is always going to be a good thing, but it also means a lot because of the things that you want to carry forward year to year,” Loeffler said. “You know, you’re trying to build year to year and build on the previous year, and it’s much easier to do that when you have that continuity and returning players.”