UK MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
KENTUCKY vs. SAINT PETER’S
NCAA TOURNAMENT, EAST REGION FIRST ROUND
GAINBRIDGE FIELDHOUSE | INDIANAPOLIS, IND.
MARCH 17, 2022
ATTENDANCE: TBA
Final Score: St. Peter’s 85, Kentucky 79 (overtime)
Team Records, Series Notes, Etc.
- Kentucky ends the season 26-8 overall. Saint Peter’s won its eighth in a row and is 20-11.
- This was the first meeting between the teams.
Team Notes
- The game featured 16 ties and 13 lead changes.
- Kentucky won the rebounding battle 36-35, leading to a 15-14 advantage in second-chance points.
- UK had a 23-5 record this season when leading the rebounding.
- Kentucky is now 3-7 in overtime games in the NCAA Tournament.
- UK is 63-50 all-time in overtime games, including 1-1 this season.
- Kentucky is now 129-53 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
- Kentucky holds NCAA records for most tournament appearances (59), most games played (182) and most victories (129).
- UK is 48-11 in its opening game in the tourney (regardless of seeding/position in the bracket).
- UK is 20-7 as a No. 2 seed in the tournament since seedings began in 1980.
- UK is 31-9 in the NCAA Tournament under Calipari. Since he took over in the 2009-10 season, going into this year’s tournament, the Wildcats lead the country in:
- NCAA Tournament wins – 31
- Final Four appearances – four
- Elite Eight appearances – seven
- Sweet 16 appearances – eight
Player Notes
-
Oscar Tshiebwe had a career-high-tying 30 points, along with 16 rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and two steals.
- He is the first player in UK history with at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game.
- It is the third time this season he scored 30 points in a game.
- It is his 16th-straight double-double, most for a Wildcat since at least 1967-68 (complete single-game rebounding information available since that season).
- It is his 28th double-double of the season, a school record for most in a season.
- He scored double figures in 16 straight games, best at UK since Immanuel Quickley had a 20-game stretch in the 2019-20 season.
- The nation’s leading rebounder has 21 straight games with double-figure rebounds, longest streak in one season since Rokas Gustys of Hofstra had a 21-game stretch in 2016. Tshiebwe has grabbed double-figure boards in all but two games this season.
- It is his seventh game this season with at least 20 points and 15 rebounds, most since Dan Issel has 10 such games in the 1969-70 season.
- Reached the 1,000-point mark in his career, has 1,023 points during his time at Kentucky and West Virginia.
- Has 515 rebounds this season, becoming the third player in school history with 500 rebounds in one season.
- Sahvir Wheeler had 11 points, a game-high six assists and four rebounds. It is his 16th double-figure scoring game of the season.
- Kellan Grady had eight points. He finished his collegiate career with 2,389 points at Kentucky and Davidson, ranking No. 111 on the all-time Division I scoring list.
- Davion Mintz had eight points. He finished his collegiate career with 1,188 points at Kentucky and Creighton.
Coach John Calipari
- Calipari is now 365-101 (78.3%) at UK.
- UK is 298-57 (83.9%) vs. unranked competition under Calipari,
- Calipari has an 810-241 (77.1%) all-time on-court record.
- Calipari is 56-20 (73.7%) in the NCAA Tournament, including 31-9 (77.5%) at Kentucky.
In the First Half
- The starting lineup was Sahvir Wheeler, TyTy Washington Jr., Kellan Grady, Keion Brooks Jr. and Oscar Tshiebwe for the 26th time this season. The Wildcats are 19-7 with this lineup.
- Jacob Toppin and Davion Mintz were the first UK substitutions at the 15:50 mark. It is the team-best 17th time this season that Toppin has been first off the bench and eighth time for Mintz.
- The teams played evenly throughout the first half, which featured eight ties and four lead changes, and was tied at 37 at intermission.
- Saint Peter’s largest lead of the half was 15-10 while Kentucky led by four on two occasions.
- Tshiebwe led Kentucky in the first half with 12 points and six rebounds.
- This was the first time this season that UK’s game was tied at halftime.
In the Second Half
- Kentucky began the second half with the starting lineup.
- Kentucky missed its first six shots of the second half.
- Trailing 40-38, Kentucky went on a 7-0 run for its largest lead of the to go ahead 45-40.
- Trailing 49-44, Saint Peter’s rallied with an 11-3 spurt to reclaim the advantage at 55-52.
- Wheeler’s basket-and-one with 6:23 to go put UK ahead 61-60, the start of a 10-2 run that gave the Wildcats their largest lead of the game at 68-62 with 4:12 to go.
- Saint Peter’s rallied with seven straight to go ahead 69-68.
- Grady made a 3-pointer with 47 seconds left, and SPU countered with a basket to tie it at 71.
- Kentucky missed a shot at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
- Tshiebwe led UK in the second half with 14 points and eight rebounds.
In Overtime
- Tshiebwe got the first two baskets of overtime to put UK ahead 75-71 but Saint Peter’s tied the game at 75.
- With 2:05 remaining, Mintz made the first of two free throws to make it 76-75.
- Saint Peter’s got the next six points to go ahead 81-76.
- Washington hit a 3-pointer with 21.6 seconds left to close to 81-79.
- St. Peter’s made four more free throws and won 85-79.
