The Kentucky Wildcats were in desperate need of a win after consecutive setbacks. It wouldn’t be easy, though, as they would host the South Carolina Gamecocks at Rupp Arena.
Fortunately for them, backup freshman Trent Noah gave them a strong push off the bench. While his numbers didn’t point out, he made high-IQ plays on both ends, and he scored five consecutive points down the stretch to seal the win.
That’s why Wildcats coach Mark Pope made sure to give him his flowers. Following the game, Pope gushed about Noah’s energy and how infectious it was for the team.
Mark Pope raves about Trent Noah
“I thought Trent was really solid,” the coach said. “I thought he was really really solid. His energy never wavers, and that’s a real gift as a coach trying to piece together a game to know you know exactly what you are going to get when you put Trent on the floor. That includes some young mistakes and includes some places where he’s uncomfortable (…) But his energy is always the same. It’s always the same every day in practice. And his focus is always the same and he’s been a real gift.”
Mark Pope
Despite being on the floor for just 13 minutes on Saturday, Noah was quite a catalyst on both ends of the floor for his team, even though it didn’t necessarily reflect on the stat sheet.
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The freshman finished the game with five points, five rebounds, one assist, and one three-pointer, playing within his role and making the winning plays that often go unnoticed.
