UK's Briscoe at his best in win over Canisius

LEXINGTON, Ky. – After driving for another basket and racing back for a block on defense, Isaiah Briscoe called out something he said the referees should have seen.

The sophomore guard, who posted a career-high 21 points in Kentucky basketball’s 93-69 win over Canisius Sunday, claimed, in an aggressive tone in the direction of an opposing player, that his legs were intentionally hit.

“If anything happens, I get blamed for it,” Briscoe said. “They never see what they’re doing on the other team.”

That chain of events was Briscoe at his best. Dribbling by his defender. Fighting through contact in physical fashion to finish at the rim. Sprinting back to stop a shot. And letting everybody know what they needed to hear.

MORE UK COVERAGE

►UK overcomes slow star to defeat Canisius
►Game Rewind | Kentucky 93, Canisius 69

“Isaiah was the man,” UK coach John Calipari said. “What he did was, he just willed us when we were dying.”

Kentucky didn’t start well against the Golden Griffins of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Canisius took a 9-2 lead, forcing Calipari to call a timeout minutes into the game.

Briscoe wasn’t having it. He did most of the talking during the break and came out of the huddle ready to erase the deficit. He drove to the bucket for a score and then hit a jumper. By halftime, Briscoe ran his tally to 17 and the Wildcats were ahead by nine points.

“That’s just instincts,” he said. “If I feel like the guy in front of me can’t stay in front of me I’m going to try to score. That’s what coach likes. He likes ballers. I was just out there playing.”

With Kentucky's next moment coming against Michigan State in Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, the importance of Briscoe's ascension to team leader is an important early development for the fourth-ranked Wildcats.

Calipari said four freshmen could start alongside Briscoe against the Spartans. He wants his team to communicate, be vocal, help each other. Only one player is satisfying that request.

Briscoe.

"He's the only one," Calipari said, noting he benched Wenyen Gabriel and Malik Monk for not speaking up on defense against Canisius.

"I told them in there, we're going to play high-level games, some of you guys, it will be a struggle for you to be on the floor unless you really start understanding how you've got to play. Communicating."

Briscoe's list of responsibilities include teaching. He spoke during timeouts. Relayed a message from Calipari to freshman forward Bam Adebayo about positioning in the paint. Explained to De'Aaron Fox and Monk how Canisius was defending dribble-drives (or how they weren't defending it). Told his teammates to yell out defensive calls as early as possible.

"I enjoy it because I’m helping others get better," Briscoe said. "Me and coach, that makes our relationship better. If I’m talking he doesn’t have to say as much. Coming from me I think they get the message better."

Calipari says Briscoe didn't act like this last season. Not with Tyler Ulis calling the shots. He's "two times the player now," Calipari said.

“He’s used to the college game and the pace," Adebayo said. "We’re getting used to it, but he’s our leader so we follow behind him.”

Briscoe has logged nearly 80 percent of UK's minutes this season, leading the team with 17 points against Stephen F. Austin and setting the personal best on 9 of 13 shooting versus Canisius. He's played and won in the Champions Classic before. Faced off against ranked opponents like No. 12 Michigan State. He's played in Madison Square Garden, near where he grew up playing. He could have turned pro after his freshman season. He didn't. He's here, doing all this.

"That was the whole point of coming back, just trying to lead these young guys, keep them on the right track and just keep them focused," he said.

At one point, after another successful drive against Canisius, Briscoe looked up to watch the replay on the video board. He noticed his teammates jumped off the bench to celebrate his bucket. The students are pulling for the teacher, too.

"That’s what it’s all about, those guys cheering me on," Briscoe said. "It feels pretty good."