Malachi Moreno makes history in Kentucky's first SEC win: 'It was a special night'

With Jayden Quaintance out due to injury — he’s dealing with lingering knee swelling — Malachi Moreno was thrust back into the starting lineup with an expanded role regarding minutes and usage. It was the most put on his plate in 16 games as a freshman by far, even if he’s technically played more (31 minutes vs. No. 16 UNC), with the Kentucky offense running through him on the perimeter beyond his typical work as a post finisher. And he’d be doing it against a tough and physical Mississippi State frontcourt, one with plenty of size and length to make life difficult for the Georgetown native.

How’d he do? Not only would Moreno play well, he’d make history, finishing with 17 points on 8-10 shooting with eight rebounds, six assists and four steals in 28 minutes. He’s the first Wildcat to hit those numbers in a game since Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did it in the NCAA Tournament on March 15, 2018, according to Corey Price of UK Athletics. They join Rajon Rondo as the only three players to do it dating back to 1996-97.

Don’t like those random facts? He’s also the only 7-footer in Division I men’s basketball in over 20 years to hit those marks. That seems good, right?

Moreno was excellent on both ends of the floor, playing like an experienced veteran and pro, not a kid at the midway point of his debut season at Kentucky. In fact, Mark Pope gives him credit for stepping up when things got ugly in the first half, the Wildcats down by as many as 12 early. He settled the team down and helped lead them to a victory.

“We had some guys step up and calm us down. I thought Malachi Moreno had an unbelievable night,” Pope said following the win. “Just a really incredible night against an incredible, really physical frontline, I mean, you look at his line — six assists, one turnover, and four steals. We milked him in the post more than we ever have this season and he really responded.

“He handled the double-team. He was pretty good in one-on-one situations and he handled the short roll.  I thought he was elite.”

Moreno didn’t do anything out of his comfort zone or beyond his capabilities, but he did dominate in his role of playing winning, situational basketball.

To do that with Quaintance out and coming off back-to-back SEC losses, Kentucky desperate for a win, Moreno helped ease the nerves of Rupp Arena.

“I thought it was a special night for Malachi,” Pope continued. “This was his best performance all season by far. It was a time where we really needed him to be great and he knew the team needed him to be great.  I think he’s getting more and more comfortable. I think we put the ball in his hands deliberately more than we have.

“We will find different ways to do that also in the way we are playing. He also had more space to operate. Frankly, just with the way we played tonight, he had a little more space to operate. So all of those things work together. 

“Malachi is a leader. He was a leader at his high school on the court and off the court.  He will grow into a great leader here and he certainly was a great leader on the court tonight.”

What did Moreno prioritize going into the team’s home matchup with the Wildcats desperate to win their first SEC game? Knowing some extended looks were coming, especially once Jaland Lowe went down early with another shoulder injury, the 7-foot freshman wanted to be a distributor first before worrying about anything else.

Once he created for others, things would open up for himself. That’s exactly how it all unfolded.

“Making the plays for my teammates really got me going,” Moreno said. “To see my guys getting their buckets and getting all excited, fed me the energy to keep going.”

And to be in the same sentence as two all-time Kentucky Wildcats — especially knowing they’re UK guards, not bigs? Well, that’s pretty special.

“It makes me feel good to be in a space with those two elite guards, but I am nowhere compared for them,” he continued. “They have big-time accomplishments that I can only dream of. So it’s a really good compliment to have, and it’s another stepping stone for me.”

As fun as it was for Kentucky to watch Moreno get his game off, the feeling was not mutual for Mississippi State coach Chris Jans.

He and the Bulldogs had a tough time slowing him down, whether he was inside or outside.

“He’s a tough match because he’s so big and he’s got a great touch and gets two feet in the paint,” Jans said. “It’s tough to guard him down there. We were in and out of trying to double him or not and we didn’t.”

Certainly glad Moreno is on Kentucky’s side and opposing coaches are forced to come up with game plans to slow him down, not the other way around.