Feb. 5, 2013

Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery 

Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky is 16-6 overall, 7-2 in the Southeastern Conference, and has won four in a row.
• South Carolina is 12-10 overall, 2-7 in the league.
• Kentucky leads the series 47-10 and has won the last six meetings. UK leads 25-2 in games played in Lexington.
• Kentucky plays host to Auburn on Saturday at 4 p.m. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.

First-Half Facts

• Kentucky started with the lineup of Ryan Harrow, Julius Mays, Archie Goodwin, Alex Poythress and Nerlens Noel for the eighth time this season. UK is 7-1 with this lineup.
• UK scored the first seven points of the game before USC got on the board at the 17:13 mark.
• The Gamecocks battled back and took their only lead of the game, 18-17, with 10:22 on the clock.
• The Wildcats responded with a 28-6 spurt to go ahead 45-24 at intermission, UK’s largest halftime lead this season against an SEC opponent.
• UK is 15-1 this season when leading at halftime.

Second-Half Story

• South Carolina closed within 15 points on two occasions in the second half, 53-38 and 55-40.

Team Notes

• Kentucky held South Carolina to 55 points. The Cats are 30-0 under Calipari when the foe tallies 55 or fewer.
• South Carolina shot 28.8 percent from the field, the sixth-consecutive opponent UK has held under 40 percent.
• UK shot 61.4 percent from the field, the highest against an SEC foe this season. The Wildcats are 8-0 this season when making at least half their shots.
• Kentucky’s rebound margin of +17 (42-25) was the largest this season against an SEC opponent.
• UK dominated points in the paint 42-18.

Individual Notes

• Willie Cauley-Stein scored 13 points, one shy of his career high.
  • It is his fifth double-figure game of the season and first against an SEC opponent.
• Archie Goodwin tallied 13 points, five rebounds and three assists.
  • His 17th double-figure scoring game of the season.
• Ryan Harrow finished with 12 points, making all six of his field goal attempts, and had four assists.
  • Has scored in double figures in 11 of 13 games since entering the starting lineup.
  • UK is 7-0 this season when Harrow has at least four assists.
• Julius Mays bagged 15 points, notching double figures in consecutive SEC games for the first time this season.
  • Made 4 of 5 on 3-pointers and has made a three in 11-straight games.
  • Has made 19 of 32 three-pointers the last six games, 59.4 percent.
• Nerlens Noel totaled 10 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots.
  • His fourth double-double at UK.
  • First Wildcat with double-doubles in consecutive games since Anthony Davis did it against Baylor and Louisville in the NCAA Tournament.
  • Has at least six rebounds in every game this season.
  • Has blocked at least one shot in every game this season and at least two rejections in 15-straight games. He leads the nation in blocked shots.
  • Noel has 102 blocks this season, joining Anthony Davis as the only two Wildcats to reach 100 swats in a season.
  • Noel already ranks third, behind Davis and Shaquille O’Neal, for most blocks in a season by a Southeastern Conference freshman.
  • Has made 62 of 92 shots (67.4 percent) in the last 15 games.
• Alex Poythress had seven points and nine rebounds.
  • UK is 4-0 this season when he gathers at least nine rebounds.