Kentucky Men’s Basketball Postgame Notes
No. 23/19 Kentucky at Arkansas
Bud Walton Arena, Fayetteville, Ark.
Jan. 21, 2016
Attendance: 18,588
Final Score: Kentucky 80, Arkansas 66
Team Records and Series Notes
• Kentucky is now 14-4 on the season and 4-2 in Southeastern Conference action. Arkansas falls to 9-9 (3-3 SEC).
• Kentucky leads the all-time series 28-11.
• UK has won three in a row.
• The win was UK’s first in Fayetteville in the John Calipari era.
• Next for the Wildcats: UK welcomes Vanderbilt to Rupp Arena on Saturday at 4 p.m.
In the First Half
• Kentucky started with the lineup of Tyler Ulis, Isaiah Briscoe, Jamal Murray, Alex Poythress and Derek Willis for the first time this year. Willis made his first start since Nov. 14. It was Willis’ second start ever.
• Willis made a 3-pointer at the 15:06 mark in the first half, extending UK’s streak of 957 consecutive games making a 3-point field goal.
• Kentucky grabbed the first seven rebounds of the game.
• Fifteen of Kentucky’s first 17 points came from forwards.
• UK’s 12-point halftime lead was its biggest in SEC play since leading Ole Miss 46-22 in the opener.
In the Second Half
• Kentucky led by as much as 18, 63-45, with 9:15 to play.
• Having shot 38.9 percent in the first half, UK improved its shooting going 12 of 26 (46.2 percent) from the field after halftime.
Team Notes
• Kentucky committed a season-low six turnovers.
• Kentucky blocked a season-high nine shots.
• Kentucky extended its streak of 957 consecutive games with at least one 3-point basket.
• UK won the rebounding battle, 43-34.
• The Wildcats had a 16-12 advantage in offensive rebounds and won second-chance points 19-8.
• UK has had a player score at least 20 points in all six SEC games this season.
• Coach John Calipari has a 649-182 (.781) all-time record, including a 204-42 (.823) mark at Kentucky.
• Calipari and his unit at Kentucky are now 31-6 following a loss in bounce-back games. UK last lost consecutive games during the 2013-14 season.
Player Notes
• Sophomore Tyler Ulis scored a career-high 24 points.
• It was his sixth 20-point game of the season.
• He made a career-high 14 free throws and attempted a career-high 15.
• With five assists, he eclipsed the 100-assist mark for the year and has now dished 103 dimes this year.
• He’s the sixth fastest Wildcat to reach 100 assists in a season in UK history, having taken 17 games to reach the plateau.
• Freshman Jamal Murray had 19 points, his 16th-consecutive double-figure game.
• He has made at least one 3-point shot in every game this season, the first player in program history to make a triple in each of his first 18 collegiate games.
• He grabbed a career-high tying seven rebounds.
• Junior Derek Willis scored 12 points for the second game in a row.
• He blocked a career-high four shots.
• He made a career-high five field goals on a career-high shooting percentage .625 (5 of 8).
• He also played in a career-high 35 minutes.
• Freshman Skal Labissiere scored 11 points.
• The output was his best in a Southeastern Conference game.
• He reached double figures for the first time since he scored 10 against EKU on Dec. 9, 2015.
• He blocked three shots, the most since he swatted three against EKU.
