Kentucky-Arkansas Men's Basketball Postgame Notes

KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
RUPP ARENA AT CENTRAL BANK CENTER | LEXINGTON, KY
MARCH 2, 2024
ATTENDANCE: 20,322

Final Score: No. 16/15 Kentucky 111, Arkansas 102

Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky is 21-8 on the season, 11-5 in the Southeastern Conference.  This is UK’s first three-game win streak this season in conference play.
• Arkansas is now 14-15 overall, 5-11 in league action.

• Kentucky leads the series 36-14 and has won the last three against the Razorbacks.
  • UK leads 16-5 in games played in Lexington but Arkansas had won the previous two in Rupp Arena.
• Next for Kentucky: Senior Night on Wednesday as the Wildcats play host to Vanderbilt. Game time is 9 p.m. and it will be televised on SEC Network.

Team Notes

• Trailing 88-81 with 6:56 remaining, Rob Dillingham scored or assisted on 16 straight points as Kentucky outscored Arkansas 30-14 down the stretch to put away a 111-102 win.
  • Dillingham’s lob for a Justin Edwards dunk with 4:45 to play put UK ahead 93-92 and the Wildcats never trailed again.
• Kentucky scored 111 points, the Wildcats’ sixth century game of the season.
  • It is UK’s first back-to-back home games with at least 111 points since 1971.
  • Six 100-point games is the most since the 1995-96 team had nine such games.
  • UK entered the game third in the nation in scoring at 88.8 points per game.
• Kentucky won despite allowing 102 points. It is the first time since Feb. 21, 1970, that UK gave up at least 102 points and won (121-105 at LSU).
  • It is the first time in UK history that the Wildcats won an SEC home game while giving up at least 102 points.
• Seven Wildcats scored in double figures, first time since Feb. 19, 2005 in a home win over Mississippi State.
• Kentucky shot 56.7% from the field (34 of 60). UK is 14-0 this season when making at least 50% from the field.
  • UK entered the game ninth in the nation in field-goal percentage at 49.5%.
• Kentucky shot 45% from 3-point range, 9 of 20. The Wildcats entered the game leading the nation at 40.7%.
• Kentucky made 34 of 42 foul shots, season highs in both categories. The Wildcats shot 81% on free throws, the eighth straight game at least 75% at the line.
• Kentucky won the rebounding, 34-27. UK is 14-0 this season when winning or tying the board work.
• Kentucky led by as many as 11 points. UK is 347-17 (95.3%) in the John Calipari era when leading by at least 10 points at some point in the game.
• After missing the previous four games because of a shoulder injury, Tre Mitchell returned to action. This was UK’s first complete game this season with all players available.
  • Until today, eight players have missed a total of 52 games because of injury, illness or other factors. Among those who play regularly, Antonio Reeves, Reed Sheppard and Jordan Burks are the only ones who have been available every game.

Player Notes

• Antonio Reeves had 22 points, his fifth straight 20-point game and 18^th of the season.
  • Reeves is first Wildcat with five consecutive 20-point games since Jamal Murray had 12 in a row in February/March 2016.
  • He has scored in double figures in every game but one this season.
  • He also has hit at least one 3-pointer in every game but one this season.
  • He has 1,068 in his two seasons as a Wildcat – moving up to No. 53 on the all-time UK list and No. 4 among Wildcats who played only two seasons at UK.
• With a career-high four 3-pointers, D.J. Wagner had 19 points …
  • His most points since a career-high 28 vs. Marshall on Nov. 24.
  • His first back-to-back double figure games since Jan. 9/13 against Missouri and Texas A&M.
• Rob Dillingham had 15 points and tied for game honors in assists with five.
  • With UK trailing 88-81 with 6:56 to go, Dillingham scored or assisted on 16 straight points as UK regained the lead and never let it go.
  • 13 of his 15 points came in the final 6:31 of the game.
• Aaron Bradshaw had 15 points, his seventh double-figure game of the season and most since his career high of 17 vs. Pennsylvania on Dec. 9.
  • He also made 6 of 8 at the foul line, career highs in both categories.
• Reed Sheppard had 10 points and tied for game honors in assists with five.
  • It is only the third game of the season that Sheppard – the SEC leader in steals – did not have a theft.
• Justin Edwards had 10 points, scoring eight of them down the stretch – the dunk at 4:42 that put UK ahead for good (93-92), a free throw (98-92), a jump shot (104-96) and then the 3-point dagger to make it 107-98 with 1:25 to go.
  • He also had three steals in the final stretch of the game.
  • It’s his 11^th double-figure game of the season.
• Zvonimir Ivisic had 12 points, his fourth double-figure game.
  • He led all players in rebounds with nine, also a season high for him.
• After missing the previous four games, and six of the last seven because of injury, Tre Mitchell returned to action. He scored two points and had three rebounds.
• Khalif Battle of Arkansas led all scorers with 34 points, including 17 of 18 at the free throw line.
  • He broke the Rupp Arena opponent record for free throws made (old record 16 by Dan Cross of Florida, Feb. 18, 1995).
  • He tied the Rupp Arena opponent record for free throws attempted (record of 18 also held by Ronnie Williams of Florida, Jan. 17, 1983).

Coach John Calipari

• Calipari has an 853-261 (76.6%) all-time on-court record, including 408-121 (77.1%) at Kentucky.
• Calipari is 336-70 (82.8%) against unranked opponents while at Kentucky.
• Calipari is 404-131 (75.5%) in conference games during his career, including 196-65 (75.1%) in the SEC.
  • Calipari moved past C.M. Newton (Alabama, Vanderbilt) for sole possession of the fourth-most SEC regular-season wins in school history.
• Calipari is 16-9 vs. Arkansas.

In the First Half

• Kentucky started J. Wagner, Antonio Reeves, Justin Edwards, Adou Thiero and Ugonna Onyenso for the fifth straight game. UK is 4-1 with this lineup.
• Rob Dillingham, Zvonimir Ivisic, Tre Mitchell and Reed Sheppard were UK’s first substitutions with 16:09 remaining.
• Trailing 42-38, UK closed the half on a 15-6 run to take a 53-48 lead into intermission.
  • It is the sixth time this season UK has scored at least 50 in the first half.
  • Reeves led the Wildcats with 14 points and Aaron Bradshaw had 12.
• UK is 16-3 this season when leading at halftime.

In the Second Half

• Kentucky began the second half with Wagner, Reeves, Edwards, Thiero and Bradshaw.
• Kentucky increased the lead to 60-50, but Arkansas replied with a 12-1 run to retake the lead, 62-61, at the 15:24 mark.
• UK regained the lead and stretched it to six, 72-66, but Arkansas came back with an 18-3 spurt to lead 84-75 with 9:06 remaining.
• Arkansas still led by seven, 88-81, with 6:56 to go.
• From there, Rob Dillingham scored or assisted on 16 straight points as Kentucky outscored Arkansas 30-14 down the stretch to put away a 111-102 win.
  • Dillingham’s lob for a Justin Edwards dunk with 4:45 to play put UK ahead 93-92 and the Wildcats never trailed again.