Marquis Teague had been playing so well. Then the season officially started.

“The last game Marquis Teague started so good that our team started good,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said. “In this game, he was trying to make hero’s plays so he could get oohs and aahs from the crowd so he turned it over twice in four minutes.”

Kentucky defeated Marist 108-58 to officially open the season Friday night at Rupp Arena. In the first half, Teague had two turnovers with one assist in 13 minutes. In two previous exhibition games, Teague had four turnovers vs. 16 assists in 38 total minutes.

“That’s what happens when you revert and get away from how we’re playing,” Calipari demanded. “And I got on him a little bit. I told him, ‘Hey, I’ve coached point guards before. The ones that listen to me do fine. So just listen to what I’m saying and stop arguing with me and just do what I’m asking you to do.’”

Sophomore Doron Lamb, a backup point guard last season, has been Teague’s confidant since the freshman walked on campus this summer.

“I just tell him to listen to coach, just don’t let him get in your head,” Lamb said. “He’s telling you the right things so just listen to him and don’t get attitude.”

Teague responded with three assists and only one turnover in the second half. He added 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting and grabbed four rebounds.

“Marquis knows that coach is going to get on him,” Lamb said. “He told him he would because he’s the point guard. It’s only going to make him better.”

Teague, a five-star McDonald’s All-American, knew that before he ever set foot in Lexington. In fact, it’s exactly why he chose to play at Kentucky for Calipari.

“He coaches the best guards, maxes out their ability, and gets them ready for the next level,” Teague said. “He expects you to play at a high level. He gives you a lot of freedom and expects you to run things on the floor. He teaches you how to play the game, the right decisions to make. He expects perfection.

“It’s tough to play for Cal because the players he had before me were great players so he expects me to do the same thing,” Teague added. “But I can handle it because I know that everything he does and says is to help me, it’s only benefiting me.”