Kentucky sophomore forward Wenyen Gabriel slams home two points in a 93-86 victory vs. Virginia Tech on Saturday, December 16, 2017, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky. (Photo by Chet White, UK Athletics).
Overshadowed by Kentucky’s 83-75 loss to UCLA on Saturday afternoon was a solid performance from Wenyen Gabriel. The sophomore forward played his second-highest minute total of the season (26) and scored a season-high 16 points.
Despite the loss, Gabriel was a bright spot and hopefully, it’s a positive performance that he can build on. The 16 points were only the second time he reached double figures this season after scoring 12 points in a 70-62 win vs. Troy.
The most encouraging thing about Gabriel’s performance on Saturday was how aggressive and confident he looked on the floor. Gabriel attempted 10 shots for just the second time this season but knocked down 6 of them for 75 percent, including a 3-of-4 performance from long range.
Rebounding and blocking shots have never been a problem for Gabriel. Through eleven games, the UK sophomore is averaging 6.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game.
The biggest improvement from a season ago is his stroke from outside. At 6-9, 205lbs, Gabriel doesn’t have the body to bang around inside with the big boys but his ability to stretch the floor is what Kentucky needs offensively. After Saturday’s 3-of-4 effort from three-point range, Gabriel is shooting 41.6 percent from behind the arc this season, which is much better than his 33 percent clip a year ago.
For the Wildcats to have a chance to be one of the best teams in the country come March, Gabriel has to deliver strong performances on a consistent basis. Even though Kentucky came up short and there are not many positives, Saturday’s effort from Gabriel was encouraging to see.
