April 6, 2014
Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Fan Gallery | Photo Gallery
Team Records, Notes
- Kentucky improves to 29-10 overall, while Wisconsin concludes the season at 30-8.
- Kentucky now leads the all-time series 4-1 and 2-0 in NCAA Tournament action.
- The Wildcats lead the nation with a 116-46 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament.
- UK is now 18-2 (.900) in NCAA Tournament games under John Calipari.
- UK has amassed 18 tournament victories under Calipari which is the most of any school since 2010. Florida, Kansas and Louisville are next with 11 each.
- Kentucky has defeated four-straight top-12 teams en route to the National title games. Three of the four teams comprised a portion of the 2013 Final Four.
- UK is the first team to appear in three of the last four Final Fours since UCLA appeared in three-consecutive from 2006-08.
- Tonight’s attendance of 79,444 broke an NCAA Tournament and Final Four record.
- Kentucky has advanced to its 13th national title contest. UK has won eight championships.
Team Facts
- Kentucky’s starting lineup consisted of five freshmen in Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison, Dakari Johnson, Julius Randle and James Young. That lineup improves to 13-4 on the season.
- Alex Poythress was the first sub off the bench for UK. It was his team-leading 23rd time being the first called upon.
- Young hit a 3-pointer as the game’s first basket at the 19:01 mark of the opening stanza to extend UK’s 3-point streak to 898 consecutive games. It is the second-longest streak in the country.
- John Calipari coached teams are now 129-38 in the months of March and April.
- Calipari is 43-13 (.768) all-time as a coach in the NCAA Tournament. His career winning-percentage is the first among active head coaches.
- Kentucky has won 11-straight NCAA Tournament games. That’s the most consecutive victories for a team in the NCAA Tournament since Florida won 12-straight en route to its national titles in 2006 and 2007.
- UK has trailed by nine or more points and come back to win in each of the last three outings. The Wildcats have scored on its last possession in four-straight contests en route to the title game.
First Half Facts
- Young started the game with a 3-pointer and UK raced out to the early advantage to begin the opening half. UK held a 9-7 advantage into the game’s first media timeout.
- Wisconsin took its first lead of the game at the 15:00 minute mark of the half at 11-9. The Badgers used a 10-0 run to take the game’s largest lead at 17-9 with just under 13 minutes remaining following a fast-break 3-pointer.
- The Badgers again an eight-point lead with 6:26 remaining before Poythress slammed down a basket to end the threat to make the score 30-24 in favor of the designated home team.
- Wisconsin captured a nine-point lead at the 4:13 mark by the score of 34-25.
- The Badgers made only one field goal over the final seven minutes of the half. Ten of its last 12 points to end the stanza came at the charity stripe.
- Kentucky trailed by four, 40-36, at the half and is 6-8 on the year when trailing at the break, but 2-0 during postseason competition.
Second Half Facts
- Wisconsin opened the half with a made 3-pointer to take a 43-36 edge.
- A 9-0 run highlighted by a Johnson traditional three-point play lifted the Wildcats to their first lead, 44-43, since a 9-7 advantage in the opening half. The run extended to 15-0 following a Poythress put-back, a dunk by Lee and two free throws by Young.
- The 15-0 run matched the longest of the season which UK had set twice earlier this year.
- Wisconsin quickly cut UK’s eight-point advantage to two at 53-51 following an 8-2 burst, and then knotted the score on a pair of free throws the following possession.
- After an Andrew Harrison drive and score, the Badgers answered with a 3-pointer to reclaim the lead at 56-55.
- UK eventually tied the score at 69 apiece on a pair of Randle free throws.
- After trading turnovers, Poythress’ feed from Andrew Harrison gave UK a 71-69 advantage with 2:11 remaining.
- A foul on a Wisconsin 3-point attempt with 15.2 seconds remaining and under one second on the shot clock enabled the Badgers to go to the line and make two free throws for a 73-71 lead.
- Mr. NCAA Clutch, Aaron Harrison, sunk his only made 3-pointer of the contest with six seconds remaining to lift UK to the 74-73 win after a last-second attempt by the Badgers rimmed out.
Individual Notes
-
Aaron Harrison finished with eight points and a pair of assists.
- Has made at least one 3-pointer in 11-straight contests.
- Today’s eight points marked the first time this postseason he did not reach double-figure scoring.
- Has hit the game-winning 3-pointer in each of UK’s last three games.
-
Andrew Harrison scored nine points and had four assists.
- Dished out four or more assists in nine of UK’s last 11 games.
-
Dominique Hawkins scored two points in 11 minutes of action.
- Scored his first career postseason points on a driving bucket late in the opening half.
- They were the first points for the freshman guard since a game on Jan. 8, vs. Mississippi State.
-
Dakari Johnson tallied 10 points and had a team-high seven rebounds.
- Reached double-figure scoring for the second time in NCAA Tournament action.
- Was the fourth double-figure scoring game of his career.
- Has led the team in rebounding three times this season.
-
Alex Poythress scored eight points on a perfect 4-of-4 attempts from the field.
- Has scored six or more points in four-straight NCAA games.
- Is 12-of-13 (.923) from the field in UK’s last four games.
- Led the team with seven rebounds, his second game this season pacing the team in hauled in boards.
-
James Young tallied a game-high 17 points and added five rebounds.
- Marked his 29th double-figure scoring effort of the season.
- Led the team in scoring nine occasions this season.