John Clay: It’s OK for Kentucky to be a boring basketball team, as long as it stacks the wins

Let’s be honest, the first half was rather, well, blah.

This was Kentucky vs. Ole Miss in Oxford late night Tuesday. College basketball. Attendance at The Pavilion was light, thanks to an impending ice storm. On-court excellence was in even shorter supply. By halftime, the visiting Wildcats and host Rebels were tied at 32. You found yourself fighting to stay awake.

Luckily, yawns subsided after the break. Antonio Reeves caught fire on the way to 27 points. Sahvir Wheeler, starting in place of the injured Cason Wallace (knee bruise), returned from a late ankle-tweak in the first half to dish assists in the second without those pesky turnovers. Jacob Toppin made an impact. Oscar Tshiebwe added another double-double to the record books. In the end, Kentucky closed out January with a business-like 75-66 win.