Aaron Bradshaw demonstrates how much these cats genuinely care for one another.

The guard play of Kentucky Basketball has been largely responsible for the team’s success this season. But their big guys might be the difference between the team’s postseason success and failure.

For the first time this season, Kentucky finished the game with all four of its big men healthy thanks to Tre Mitchell’s return to the starting lineup on Saturday. One of the secrets to Kentucky’s 111-102 victory over Arkansas in their third straight game was their use of a deep rotation.

The thing that happened after the win, which demonstrates how connected this squad is to one another, was possibly the best part of Saturday.

With 12 points in just seven minutes of play in the first half, Aaron Bradshaw was unstoppable. He made all four of his shots, including a 3-pointer. He concluded through contact and had a very physical interior.

He was thought of as a special player with a lot of potential before the season started. Bradshaw would be in prime form heading into the postseason, and we witnessed glimmers of that in the first half.

Bradshaw finished with 15 points despite playing little in the second half, as John Calipari mostly used Zvonimir Ivisic in the closing minutes.

Bradshaw saw nothing wrong with that.

During postgame interviews, Bradshaw stated, “If he’s (another big man) playing better than me, I have to realize that he’s playing better.” “He is not to blame. I’m to blame. It’s self-serving for him or Ugo to perform better than me. Do you sense me? They are capable of doing so if they are motivated.

With Big Z, that was undoubtedly the case in the second half. In the game’s first twenty minutes, the Croatian big brought down six rebounds, blocked two shots, scored 10 points, and didn’t miss a single shot (3/3). He continues to show that he has some real talent and was crucial in Kentucky’s comeback in the end.

“I’m happy for my son, Ivisic. I’m proud of him as we have the same problem, just like me. Bradshaw remarked, “Watching him get that block and push the ball, man, I just love it,” adding afterwards, “We all love each other.”

The return of Mitchell, who finished 16 minutes with five missed shots and two points (from free throws), was another factor in Bradshaw’s decreased playing time. The fact that he was back on the floor was encouraging nonetheless. The Wildcats will benefit greatly from his leadership qualities and seasoned experience as the postseason draws near.

Although Ugonna Onyenso only played eight minutes and scored one point on Saturday, he deserved to start. But, Bradshaw’s first-half performance and Z’s second-half performance were more important in determining how little time he spent on the field than his early-game performance.

Moreover, Onyenso’s capacity to play solid defense and grab rebounds whencalled upon will be crucial. Above all, it’s encouraging to read that instead of pouting while on the bench, these guys are choosing to be pleased for one another.