Kyle Tucker

@KyleTucker_CJ

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Tyler Ulis stuffing the stat sheet has become so commonplace over the last month, it no longer merits his selection for postgame interviews that are typically reserved for whoever starred that night for Kentucky basketball. How many times can he talk about how great he played, right?

After torching Missouri in an 88-54 beatdown Wednesday night, Ulis is averaging 19.4 points, seven assists and only two turnovers over the last nine games. He’s hit 50 percent of his shots in that stretch after making only 34 percent – and averaging 12 points and 5.3 assists – in his first 10 games.

“I just think Ulis controls the game,” Tigers coach Kim Anderson said after the Wildcats’ sophomore point guard hit 9 of 14 shots and dropped 20 points and eight assists on his team. “He just takes over the game. Not just scoring but playmaking. He’s a major weapon.”

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He is more than that to Kentucky coach John Calipari. Ulis is the glue holding together a young team that has alternately shined and struggled and now seems to be hitting its stride.

“He’s basically coaching the team,” Calipari said. “I mean, he’s making comments at halftime or telling: Where are they playing? How are they playing this? And he’ll go to tell his teammates and he’s on the board. They’re beginning to be empowered.”

Along those lines, Ulis has also done something that was a key ingredient in the 2012 national championship team’s success.

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“If you remember back when we had Michael Kidd and he did the breakfast club and he was dragging guys with him, Tyler and Isaiah (Briscoe) have started a breakfast club,” Calipari said. “They have been working out in the mornings. … You have to have guys that want to do that (on their own), because if you do it with school (as a requirement), you’re wearing them out.

“If they’re doing it themselves, they’re building their own confidence.”

At this point, Ulis’ confidence couldn’t be much higher. He’s hit 18 of 27 shots the last two games and 27 of 28 free throws the last five. He ranks second in the SEC in assists and free-throw percentage (.884), but he’s a clear No. 1 in Kentucky’s locker room.

Kyle Tucker can be reached at (502) 582-4361. Email him atktucker@courier-journal.com.