Dec. 27, 2008

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Team Records and Series Notes

• With the win, Kentucky improves to 10-3 and with the loss, Florida Atlantic falls to 4-9.
• UK has won 10 of its last 11, with the lone loss coming against No. 21 Miami on Dec. 3.
• The meeting marked the first all-time meeting between the two schools, making the Wildcats 4-0 in 2008-09 and a 24-4 in the last six seasons against first-time opponents.
• The Wildcats own a 99-35 all-time record against teams from the Sunshine State .
• Kentucky has won 81 of its last 100 home games and owns a 422-56 all-time record in historic Rupp Arena.
• UK owns a 7-3 record against teams from the Sun Belt Conference.
• Tonight was Kentucky ‘s 2,601th all-time game. The Wildcats are the NCAA all-time win’s leader with a 1,976-624-1 record.
• The Wildcats return to action on Monday, Dec. 29, hosting Central Michigan at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be televised live on Fox Sports Net South.

First-Half Notes

• For the first time this season, Kentucky opened with the starting lineup of Michael Porter, A.J. Stewart, Ramon Harris, Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson.
  • Stewart made his first start of the season and the third of his career, while Harris notched his first starting assignment since Dec. 3 against Lamar.
• FAU won the tip, marking just the third time this season UK lost the opening tip. Patrick Patterson and UK have won 10-of-13 jump balls this season.
• With a three from Jodie Meeks to get Kentucky on the board, UK has now made a three pointer in 686 consecutive games, the third-longest streak in the nation.
• Perry Stevenson was the first Wildcat to check in off the bench for UK , subbing in for A.J. Stewart at the 17:35 mark. Stevenson did not start for the first time since March 3, 2008 against Georgia .
• With a jumper from FAU’s Paul Graham at the 15:51 mark, it marked UK ‘s first deficit since the 18:16 mark of the game against Mississippi Valley State , a 4-3 score.
  • The FAU lead ended a streak of 158 minutes and 36 seconds of game time that UK led.
• Jodie Meeks opened up with eight of UK ‘s first 10 points, as the game was tied at 10-10 at the 14:21 mark.
• Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks, fresh off combining for 65 points in each of the last two games, opened the game with all of UK ‘s first 17 points. Patterson totaled nine points while Meeks added eight.
• Freshman DeAndre Liggins’ bucket at the 10:02 mark served as the first UK points scored by anyone other than Patrick Patterson or Jodie Meeks.
• DeAndre Liggins executed a beautiful bounce pass that found Josh Harrellson streaking through the paint, evening up the game at 23-23 with 8:34 left in the first frame.
• Kentucky stretched its lead to 31-24 with a 12-2 run at the 6:06 mark.
• FAU went on a quick 8-1 run, evening up the game at 32-32 with 4:40 to play.
• At halftime, the game sat in a 32-32 tie, with UK holding a 17-12 advantage in rebounding, totaling 22 points in the paint and 10 off second-chance opportunities.
• UK posted a 8-4 assist-turnover margin, its fewest turnovers in the first half since three against Appalachian State.
• The lead changed hands 16 times in the first half, with six ties.
• FAU’s Paul Graham led all scorers in the first half with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting.
• UK was last tied at halftime against Auburn on Feb. 6, 2008, 34-34.

Second-Half Notes

• Darius Miller and DeAndre Liggins were the first Wildcats off the bench, subbing in at the 16:56 mark.
• With a ferocious block of an attempted dunk by FAU’s Chris Watson, Patterson swatted his third shot of the game.
• UK regained the lead with back-to-back Perry Stevenson dunks, forcing a FAU timeout with 13:00 left in the contest.
• A 10-0 UK run gave the Wildcats a 56-51 lead at the 10:55 media timeout and marked the 14th run of 10 or more points for UK this season.
• With 1:22 left in the game and UK nursing a 72-66 lead, UK owned 48 points in the paint.
• Kentucky totaled its largest lead of the game, a nine-point mark with 5:54 left in the game.

Team Notes

• UK made 12-of-16 free throws in the game and have now made 43 of its last 49 free throw attempts.
• UK had three players register double-figure points for the ninth time this season.
• UK made 4-of-5 clutch free-throw attempts (final three minutes of regulation or OT in a six-point game), moving its season total up to 14-for-19.
• UK shot a total of 54-percent (31-for-57) from the field, connecting on over 50-percent for the eighth time this season and the fourth time in the last five games.
• Kentucky posted a 34-25 margin on the boards, with UK now outrebounding 12-of-13 opponents this season.
• FAU shot 48-percent from the field, with the Wildcats now holding all 13 of its opponents to under 50-percent from the field.
• The Owls shot 47-percent (8-for-17) from behind the arc, with UK holding 12-of-13 opponents to under 50-percent shooting from three-point land.
• The Wildcats posted a 19-7 assist-turnover ratio, with its seven turnovers ranking as a season low, eclipsing the previous mark of 12 turnovers against Delaware State .
• UK shot 54-percent from the field, marking the eighth time the Wildcats have shot over 50-percent from the field.
• Kentucky , winners of 20 NCAA attendance titles in Rupp Arena including 12 of the last 13, had an attendance of 24,018 for Saturday’s game, the second largest Rupp Arena crowd this season.

Individual Notes

• Jodie Meeks finished with 18 points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal in 37 minutes.
  • Meeks scored double-figure points in the first half for the eighth time this season.
  • Meeks has totaled double-digit points in each game this season and for the 32nd time of his career.
  • Meeks finished with two three pointers, the seventh consecutive game with multiple three pointers.
  • Meeks has a steal in four of the last five games.
  • Meeks has connected on 14 straight free throws, dating back to his last eight free-throw attempts against Appalachian State and a 4-for-4 game last time out against TSU.
• Patrick Patterson led UK with 27 points, 14 rebounds, two assists and three blocks.
  • Patterson finished with his 14th career double-double and the eighth of the season.
  • Patterson moves into a tie with Randolph Morris for 26th-place all-time on the UK career double-double list.
  • Patterson has totaled double figures in 10 straight games and in 11-of-13 games this season. He has 34 double-figure scoring efforts in his two-year career.
  • Patterson has four 20-point scoring games this season.
  • Patterson played 40 minutes for the second game this season and the eighth time of his career.
  • Patterson led UK in rebounding for the ninth time this season, a team-high.
• Sophomore A.J. Stewart made his first start of the season and the third of his career, totaling two points and two rebounds in eight minutes.
• Ramon Harris returned to the starting lineup for the first time since starting against Lamar on Dec. 3. Harris played six minutes, grabbing one rebound and adding one assist.
• Freshman Landon Slone set career highs in minutes (25) and assists (3), adding four points.
  • Slone hit his first clutch free throw attempt of the year (final three minutes of regulation or OT in a six point game), hitting 2-of-2 attempts inside one minute.
  • Slone’s four points marked his first points since hanging a career-best eight against Mississippi Valley State .
• Michael Porter finished with a team-high five assists, two points and two rebounds in 27 minutes.
  • Porter finished with a 5:1 assist-turnover ratio. In the previous four games, Porter has a combined assist-turnover ratio of 21:5.
• Perry Stevenson finished with 10 points and six rebounds in 19 minutes, blocking two shots.
  • Stevenson recorded all of his points in the second half and notched double figures for the second straight game for the second time in his career.
  • Stevenson has blocked a shot in five consecutive games.