March 26, 2010

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Series Record

• Kentucky moves to 35-2 on the season while Cornell is now 29-5.
• UK is 1-1 all-time against the Big Red and 1-0 against Cornell in the NCAA Tournament.
• The Wildcats are 101-44 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. UK is 1-1 in NCAA Tournament games played in Syracuse. UK also is 31-11 in NCAA Regional Semifinal games and 32-8 while playing as a No. 1 seed.
• Kentucky is 3-0 against No. 12 seeds.
• This is the most wins for Kentucky since the 1998 team went 35-4.
• The Wildcats will be in action again on Saturday taking on West Virginia in the Regional Finals. Tipoff for the game has been set for 7 p.m. ET time. It will be Kentucky’s 31st appearance in the Regional Finals.

NCAA Tournament team notes

• Kentucky allowed its fewest points in an NCAA Tournament game since holding Miami (Ohio) to 43 points in the 1999 Regional Semifinals in St. Louis.
• UK scored its fewest points in an NCAA Tournament game since 2005, when they scored 62 points in a win against Utah.
• With their next NCAA Tournament victory, Kentucky will be tied with North Carolina with the most tournament wins all-time.

Team game notes

• The Wildcats used the starting combination of Eric Bledsoe, DeMarcus Cousins, Darius Miller, Patrick Patterson and John Wall for the 28th time this season. Kentucky is 26-2 with that starting five.
• Daniel Orton was the first sub off the bench for Kentucky. It was Orton’s team-leading 20th time as the first Wildcat off the bench.
• UK extended its streak of games with a three-pointer to 748 games, the third longest streak in the country.
• Trailing 10-2, Kentucky went a 30-6 run over the last 15:16 of the first half to carry a 32-16 lead into halftime. The Wildcats are 29-1 when leading or tied at halftime.
• The Wildcats allowed just 16 first-half point, the fewest since allowing 14 to LSU (2/6).
• UK shot 50 percent in the first half from the field and has shot 50 pct. or better from the field in the first half of all three NCAA Tournament games.

Individual game notes

#1 Darius Miller

• Made sixth straight start
• Tied a career high in steals with three. It marked the fifth time in his career that he has posted three steals.
• Has hit 11 straight free-throws.

#11 John Wall

• Finished with eight points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
• Averaging 8.6 assists in the NCAA Tournament.
• Averaging eight assists in postseason play.
• Averaging eight assists over last nine games.
• Extended his UK freshman season scoring record to 597 points.
• Extended his UK freshman season assists record to 236 assists.
• Extended his UK freshman season free throw record with 171 made.

#15 DeMarcus Cousins

• Scored Kentucky’s first six points of the game.
• Broke career high in steals with four.
• Extended his UK freshman season rebounding record to 356 boards.

#34 DeAndre Liggins

• Converted his second three-point play to give UK an 11-10 lead for good.

#54 Patrick Patterson

• Moved to within 19 points of 12th on UK’s all-time scoring list with XXX (1,556) career points.
• Has hit a three-pointer in two of three NCAA Tournament games.
• Finished with 12 rebounds, his most since grabbing 13 against Vanderbilt (2/20).
• Pulled down double-digit rebounds for the 10th time this season.