Malik Monk’s brief college career is already filled with memorable moments. He hit seven threes against Michigan State in his third career game at the Champions Classic. He popped off for 20 points or more in five of his last six games. Monk saved his best for North Carolina on Saturday afternoon, and it propelled Kentucky to a 103-100 win.
Kentucky vs. North Carolina final score: 3 things we learned as Malik Monk’s 47 points carried the Wildcats to victory
Malik Monk was unbelievable against UNC. This was one of the best performances you’ll see this season.
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
Monk exploded for 47 points against the Tar Heels by making 18-of-28 shots from the field and 8-of-12 shots from three-point range. Monk was amazing from the opening minutes to the closing seconds. This late three put Kentucky ahead for good:
It’s the highest scoring performance from a college basketball player this season, and it came at the perfect time. Kentucky needed every single point from Monk to outlast a great effort from North Carolina.
Justin Jackson did all he could to keep pace with Monk. The junior wing finished with 34 points on 10-of-17 shooting, and even hit four three-pointers. Joel Berry II was also tremendous in his return from an ankle injury, finishing with 23 points and seven assists. It just wasn’t enough.
While Monk’s incredible game will draw all the headlines, his backcourt partner De’Aaron Fox also had a big game. Fox finished with 24 points and 10 assists in the win. This game was all about Monk, though:
Here’s three things we learned in this game:
1. Malik Monk is amazing when he gets hot
Monk was considered a streaky shooter as a recruit, but he’s proving he can be one one of the most electric scorers in the country when he’s on. This was Monk’s shining moment from the opening tip, when he went off for 27 points in the first half. He was just as good in the second half to finish with 47 points on the night.
Monk’s shooting touch will get most of the attention, but he also made some plays in transition:
2. De’Aaron Fox is just as brilliant as his backcourt mate
We deemed the De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk backcourt “The House of Highlights” in the preseason. They aren’t letting us down in the opening months of their freshman years:
Fox’s speed kept UNC on its heels throughout the game. His 10 assists to only two turnovers also paced the offense in the halfcourt. This was Malik Monk’s night, but he wouldn’t be the same force of nature without his backcourt partner.
3. Justin Jackson delivered a gem in a losing effort
North Carolina has been waiting for a game like this out of Justin Jackson for three years. Jackson has had a productive career since arriving at UNC, but he’s rarely looked this dominant as an all-out scorer before.
Jackson was hitting threes, making floaters and connecting on pull-ups all afternoon. It wasn’t enough to beat Kentucky, but it was still a phenomenal effort.
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