UK MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
KENTUCKY vs. ABILENE CHRISTIAN
NCAA TOURNAMENT, MIDWEST REGION FIRST ROUND
VYSTAR VETERANS MEMORIAL ARENA | JACKSONVILLE, FLA.
MARCH 21, 2019
ATTENDANCE: TBA
Final Score: No. 2 seed Kentucky 79, No. 15 seed Abilene Christian 44
Team Records and Series Notes
- Kentucky is 28-6 overall. Abilene Christian is 27-7.
- This was the first meeting between the teams.
- Next for Kentucky: the Wildcats take on the winner of tonight’s Wofford vs. Seton Hall game.
- UK has never played Wofford.
- Seton Hall leads the UK series 2-1, including an 84-83 overtime win on Dec. 8 in New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
In the First Half
- Kentucky started the combination of Ashton Hagans, Tyler Herro, Keldon Johnson, EJ Montgomery and Reid Travis for the first time.
- Kentucky jumped out to an 8-0 lead, and after an ACU 3-pointer, a 10-point spurt made it 18-3.
- UK closed the half on an 11-0 run and went to halftime ahead 39-13.
- It is the fewest points allowed by UK in a half in an NCAA Tournament game.
- It is the fewest points allowed by UK in a half in any game since limiting UCLA to seven points in the first half on Dec. 20, 2014.
In the Second Half
- UK had a 10-0 run, going from 56-31 to 66-31.
- UK led by as many as 36 points on two occasions, 70-34 and 79-43.
Team Notes
- Kentucky limited Abilene Christian to 44 points. UK is 74-0 under Calipari when holding the opponent to 55 points or less, including 10-0 this season.
- UK is 171-7 (.961) under Calipari when limiting the opponent to 63 points or less, including 19-0 this season.
- ACU shot 32.1 percent from the field. UK is 180-15 (.923) under Calipari when keeping the opponents to 40 percent or less, including 16-0 this season.
- UK shot 53.6 percent from the field. UK is 14-1 this season when making at least half its shots.
- Kentucky won the rebounding, 44-17. UK is 23-4 this season when outrebounding the opponent.
- The +27 rebounding margin helped UK win second-chance points 24-2.
- UK dominated points in the paint, 40-20.
In the NCAA Tournament
- Kentucky has an all-tine record of 127-51 in the NCAA Tournament, more wins than any team in NCAA Tournament history.
- UK is making its NCAA record 58th appearance in the tournament.
- UK is 23-7 as the No. 2 seed in the tournament. UK is 8-0 vs. No. 15 seeds.
- UK is 29-7 in the NCAA Tournament under Calipari.
Player Notes
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Keldon Johnson led all scorers with 25 points, trailing only his career-high 27 vs. Tennessee State.
- He made 3-of-5 on 3-pointers. UK is 6-0 when Johnson makes at least three 3-pointers.
- Reid Travis totaled 18 points and nine rebounds. It is his most points since tallying 18 vs. Kansas on Jan. 26.
- Tyler Herro notched 14 points and five rebounds.
- E.J. Montgomery had three points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
- It is his second double-figure rebounding game of the season, also 13 vs. South Carolina.
- Jemarl Baker had a career-high seven points.
- PJ Washington sat out the game with a sprained foot.
Calipari
- Calipari is now 303-70 at UK.
- Calipari has a 748-210 all-time on-court record.
- Calipari has a 54-18 record in the NCAA Tournament.
- UK is 246-40 vs. unranked competition under Calipari, and has won the last 14 in a row.
