Men's Basketball

UK MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
KENTUCKY AT TENNESSEE
THOMPSON-BOLING ARENA | KNOXVILLE, TENN.
JAN. 6, 2018
ATTENDANCE: 21,678
 
Final Score: #23/22 Tennessee 76, #17/14 Kentucky 65
               
Team Records and Series Notes

  • Kentucky is 12-3 and had a three game winning streak snapped. Tennessee is 10-4. UK is 2-1 in the SEC. UT improved to 1-2 in the league.
  • Kentucky leads the series 153-70, and 54-51 in Knoxville.
    • Tennessee has won four of the last five in Knoxville and three in a row.
  • Kentucky’s returns to Rupp Arena on Tuesday vs. Texas A&M, Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

 
In the First Half

  • Kentucky’s starting lineup featured Quade Green, Hamidou Diallo, PJ Washington, Kevin Knox and Nick Richards for the 13th time this season. UK is 9-3 with this lineup.
  • Wenyen Gabriel hit a 3-pointer with 12:20 remaining, giving Kentucky 1,028 consecutive games with a 3-pointer.
  • UK’s largest lead was by nine, 24-15, at the 7:51 mark.
    • From there UT used a 12-4 run over 3:35 to close within a point at 28-27 with 3:33 to play.
      • Tennessee got no closer than within one, as Green hit a 3 and then a layup on consecutive possessions to extend UK’s lead.
      • Green catalyzed a 9-2 UK run over the last 2:55. The Wildcats held the Vols scoreless over the last 2:13.
  • This was the first game Kentucky lost this season after leading at halftime.

 
In the Second Half

  • Tennessee outscored Kentucky 13-4 over the first 2:32 of the second half to take a 42-41 lead, its first since early in the first half.
  • Tennessee went on a 10-0 run over 2:45 to take a 54-47 lead at the 11:12 mark.
    • At that point UT had outscored UK 25-10 to start the second half.
  • Tennessee led by as many as 11 at the 6:18 mark.
  • Tennessee outscored Kentucky 47-28 in the second half.

 
Team Notes

  • Tennessee made 8 of 22 3-pointers. UK had limited its last three opponents to 11 of 70 from 3-point range.
  • Kentucky grabbed a season-low 30 rebounds.
    • Kentucky entered the game with a plus-6 rebounds per game advantage on its opponents’ average (39.9-33.7). Tennessee won rebounding 37-30.
  • Kentucky committed 23 fouls tying for the most it’s been charged with in a game this season (vs. Georgia on Dec. 31, 2017).
  • Kentucky attempted a season-low 52 field goals.
    • Tennessee’s 55 field-goal-attempts tied Virginia Tech for fewest by a UK opponent this season.
  • Kentucky’s 65 points were its second fewest this season.
  • Tennessee’s 76 points were the third most UK has allowed in a game this season.
  • Tennessee went 18 of 22 from the free-throw line. Both outputs were season highs by a UK opponent.
  • Tennessee’s 23 assists were the most by a UK opponent this year.

 
Player Notes  

  • Quade Green led UK with 14 points. He added four assists while playing a career-high 33 minutes.

    • He tied his career high with three made 3s.
    • He attempted a season-high 14 field goals and seven 3-pointers.
  • PJ Washington scored 13 points in 23 minutes. He had leg cramps and did not play after the 12:33 mark of the second half.
    • He was 6 of 8 from the field.
    • He had a career-high three steals.
    • He also blocked two shots.
      • He scored a game-high 11 first-half points. It was his third game scoring 10 or more in a first half, and the second most he’s scored in a first half (he scored 16 vs. Monmouth).
  • Wenyen Gabriel was the other Wildcat to finish in double-figures scoring. He finished with 11 points, including a career-high-tying three made 3s, but he fouled out at the 11:58 mark.
    • He’s made at least one 3-pointer in seven-consecutive games, the longest such streak for any UK player this season.
  • Nick Richards scored nine points and grabbed eight rebounds.
    • It was his best output since scoring 10 against Monmouth on Dec. 9, 2017.
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander played a career- and game-high 38 minutes.
    • His six assists were a game high, and his second most in a game this year (9 vs. Monmouth).

 
Coach John Calipari

  • Calipari has a 706-196 all-time on-court record.
  • Calipari is now 261-56 at Kentucky.
  • Calipari is 14-8 vs. Tennessee in his career.

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