UK MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
KENTUCKY vs. DUKE
BANKERS LIFE FIELDHOUSE | INDIANAPOLIS
NOV. 6, 2018
ATTENDANCE: 18,907
 
Final Score: No. 4/3 Duke 118, No. 2/2 Kentucky 84
                                                         
Team Records and Series Notes

• Tuesday’s game vs. Duke marked the start of the 117th season of Kentucky men’s basketball
• Kentucky is 0-1 overall while Duke begins the year 1-0
• It marked the 22nd meeting between the two schools. Although UK dropped the decision Tuesday, the Wildcats still own the series lead 12-10
• Kentucky fell to 96-20 (no official games were played for the 1953 season, hence the discrepancy in record and total seasons played) in season openers, including its first official loss under John Calipari in a regular-season opener
  • It snapped Calipari’s 14-game winning streak in regular-season openers, which dated back to his time at Memphis
• UK had won every season opener since losing to VMI 111-103 on Nov. 14, 2008
• UK dropped to 4-4 in the State Farm Champions Classic, tied with Kansas for the second-best record among the four bluebloods. The Wildcats will play Michigan State in Madison Square Garden in New York next season.
• It’s the first time in the Calipari era UK has been below .500
• Next for Kentucky: the Wildcats will host Southern Illinois on Friday for their home regular-season opener. UK has won its last nine openers at home, all under Calipari. That game is slated for a 7 p.m. tip on the SEC Network

 
In the First Half

• Kentucky started Ashton Hagans, Tyler Herro, Keldon Johnson, PJ Washington and Reid Travis for its first official lineup of the season. It was the first career UK start for every Wildcat except Washington
• UK gave up 59 points in the first half, tied for the most points Kentucky has given up in a half under Calipari. The Wildcats surrendered 59 at Texas A&M last season in the second half on Feb. 10
  • It was the most points UK has given up in the first half under Calipari
• Duke outscored Kentucky 15-2 in transition in the first half and 30-22 in the paint
• The Blue Devils began to pull away early with a 9-0 run over 2:41 to take a 20-8 lead at the 13:22 mark
  • Stretched over 4:54, Duke went on a 21-3 run to take a 32-11 lead at the 11:09 mark
  • Johnson kept the Wildcats afloat with 14 first-half points, including six in the opening minutes
• Travis was strong late with eight points and four rebounds, and EJ Montgomery contributed six points

 
In the Second Half

• Duke outscored Kentucky 15-5 to start the second half
• Duke went on a 10-0 run over 1:52 to take a 78-47 lead
• Duke led by as much as 37, 91-54, at the 11:45 mark
• Kentucky allowed 59 points in the second half – again tied for the most UK gave up in a half during the Calipari era

 
Team Notes

• Kentucky lost by 34 points, its worst loss since losing by 41, Feb. 12, 2008, at Vanderbilt on Feb. 12, 2008
• It was UK’s largest margin of defeat in the Calipari era
  • It was just the second loss by 30 or more during Calipari’s tenure (UK lost 88-58 at Tennessee on Feb. 16, 2013)
  • It was just the fourth time in Calipari’s coaching career that one of his teams lost by 30 or more points
• It was UK’s largest margin of defeat in a regular-season opener since losing by 38 (48-10) to Cincinnati on Dec. 18, 1926
• Kentucky allowed its most points in the Calipari era
• UK allowed its most points since losing 121-110 against North Carolina on Dec. 27, 1989
• Kentucky committed 15 turnovers, leading to 27 Blue Devil points
• Duke won points in the paint 60-38
• The Blue Devils also beat Kentucky 26-12 in transition

Player Notes  

• Freshman Keldon Johnson led UK with 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting
• Reid Travis had 22 points and seven rebounds in his UK debut
• Tyler Herro littered the stat sheet, just missing a double-double. He scored 14, grabbed nine rebounds, dished five assists and blocked two shots
• Ashton Hagans dished four assists but committed three turnovers
• PJ Washington scored eight

 
Calipari

• Calipari is now 275-65 at UK
• Calipari has a 720-205 all-time on-court record
  • Tuesday’s 34-point loss was the largest margin of defeat in Calipari’s career. In his first career season as head coach at UMass, Calipari’s Minutemen lost by 33 points (88-55) at No. 14 West Virginia on Feb. 16, 1989