UK MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS, KENTUCKY vs. VANDERBILT
AMALIE ARENA | TAMPA, FLA.
MARCH 11, 2022
ATTENDANCE: 17,132
Final Score: No. 5 Kentucky 77, Vanderbilt 71
Team Records, Series Notes, Etc.
- Kentucky is 26-6 overall and has won three in a row.
- Vanderbilt is 17-16 overall, ending a three-game win streak.
- UK leads the series, 154-47, and has won 13 in a row vs. the Commodores.
- The teams are tied 5-5 in games played in the SEC Tournament, although UK leads 4-2 in quarterfinals games.
- UK won both games in the regular season, 78-66 in Nashville and 77-70 in Lexington.
- Next for Kentucky: UK plays Tennessee in the Saturday’s semifinals at approximately 3:30 p.m. (25 minutes after the conclusion of the 1 p.m. game). It will be televised by ESPN.
Kentucky in the SEC Tournament
- Kentucky is now 135-27 all-time in the SEC Tournament, ending a two-game losing skid in the event. UK has never lost three SEC Tournament games in a row.
- UK is 46-11 in the quarterfinal round of the tourney and has won seven in a row in the quarters.
- Looking ahead to Saturday, Kentucky is 42-3 in semifinal games.
- UK is 12-5 in the SEC Tournament vs. Tennessee, including 5-2 in semifinal tilts.
Team Notes
- In a tightly contested game that featured four ties, 10 lead changes and neither team leading by more than nine points, Kentucky outlasted Vanderbilt, 77-71.
- Kentucky won the rebounding 37-27. The rebounding helped UK have an 11-4 edge in second-chance points and a 20-9 gap in fastbreak points.
- UK has a 23-3 record this season when leading the rebounding.
- Thanks to Davion Mintz and Jacob Toppin scoring 10 points each, UK won bench scoring 20-7.
Player Notes
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TyTy Washington Jr. poured in 25 points, including 17 in the decisive second half, and had a career-best four 3-pointers.
- It is his three points away from his career best and fifth game this season of 20 or more points.
- In UK’s 23 wins in which he has played, he has averaged 14.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists, as opposed to 6.3 points and 1.5 rebounds per game in UK’s six losses.
- Oscar Tshiebwe totaled 12 points and 14 rebounds, adding a career-high five blocked shots.
- It is his 14th-straight double-double, most for a Wildcat since at least 1967-68 (complete single-game rebounding information available since that season).
- It is his 26th double-double of the season, ranking second in the nation in that category and tying the school record of 26 by Dan Issel in 1969-70.
- He has scored double figures in 14 straight games, best at UK since Immanuel Quickley had a 20-game stretch in the 2019-20 season.
- The nation’s leading rebounder has 19 straight games with double-figure rebounds, longest streak in one season since Kevin Marfo of Quinnipiac had a 20-game stretch in 2019-20. Tshiebwe has grabbed double-figure boards in all but two games this season.
- Sahvir Wheeler had eight points, six rebounds and a game-high 11 assists.
- Leading the SEC and ranking third nationally in assists, it is his fifth double-figure assist game of the season.
- With Keion Brooks limited by foul trouble, Jacob Toppin came off the bench to play 20 minutes, scored 10 points, grabbed two rebounds and blocked three shots.
- Playing 29 minutes off the bench, Davion Mintz had 10 points and a season-high five assists and the Wildcats had a +19 margin when he was on the court.
- He has 14 double-figure scoring games this season.
Coach John Calipari
- Calipari is now 365-99 at UK.
- UK is 298-56 vs. unranked competition under Calipari.
- Calipari has an 810-239 all-time on-court record.
- Calipari is 24-5 in the SEC Tournament, tying Tubby Smith for the third-most coaching wins since the tournament was renewed in 1979.
- Calipari is 23-4 vs. Vanderbilt.
In the First Half
- The starting lineup was Sahvir Wheeler, TyTy Washington Jr., Kellan Grady, Keion Brooks Jr. and Oscar Tshiebwe for the 24th time this season. The Wildcats are 19-5 with this lineup.
- Davion Mintz was the first Kentucky substitution at the 15:47 mark, seventh time this season he has been first off the bench.
- Trailing 11-7, Kentucky’s 12-0 run gave the Wildcats a 19-11 lead.
- Vanderbilt edged back into the lead but UK scored the last five points of the half and went into the locker room ahead 37-33.
- Mintz and Washington led UK in scoring with eight points each and Tshiebwe added six points and six rebounds.
- UK is now 24-2 this season when leading at intermission.
In the Second Half
- Kentucky began the second half with the starting lineup.
- With UK ahead 39-33, Vanderbilt went on a 13-0 spurt to go ahead 46-39.
- Kentucky responded with a 16-1 run to claim a 55-47 advantage with 10:51 to go.
- After Vanderbilt pulled within one at 59-58, Wheeler hit a jumper and Washington sank a pair of corner 3-balls to give UK its largest advantage, 67-58, with 5:16 to go.
- Vanderbilt kept battling and got within 73-69 with 54 seconds left but four free throws by Washington preserved the victory.
- Washington led the Cats in the second half with 17 points.
