KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES 
KENTUCKY at TENNESSEE
THOMPSON-BOLING ARENA | KNOXVILLE, TENN.
FEB. 8, 2020 
ATTENDANCE: 21,232
 
Final Score: No. 15/16 Kentucky 77, Tennessee 64
 
Team Records and Series Notes 

• Kentucky is 18-5 overall and pulled into a tie for the Southeastern Conference lead at 8-2.
  • UK is 4-2 in true road games, 3-2 on the SEC road.
• Tennessee is 13-10 overall, 5-5 in the league.

• UK leads the series 156-73, ending a two-game winning streak by Tennessee.
  • UK leads 56-52 in Knoxville, Tennessee, ending a string of four straight losses in Thompson-Boling Arena.
  • It was the Wildcats’ first win in Thompson-Boling Arena since 2015.
• For those into good omens, Kentucky has never won a national title without winning in Knoxville in the same season.
  • In every season the Wildcats have won at Tennessee in the John Calipari era coming into this season, they’ve advanced to the Final Four.
    • UK did not play in Knoxville for the 2014 Final Four run.
• Next up: Kentucky completes its two-game Tennessee road swing Tuesday at Vanderbilt. Game time is 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT in Nashville). It will be televised on ESPN.

 
Player Notes   

• Immanuel Quickley led the Wildcats with 18 points, a bunch coming late to hold off Tennessee’s comeback attempt.

  • It is his 12th straight game in double figures. The last Wildcat to do so was PJ Washington, who had 12 straight double-figure games from Jan. 15 to Feb. 23, 2019. 
  • He’s averaging 17.8 points over the last 12 games.
  • He’s led the Wildcats in scoring six times this season.
• Nick Richards made all five field-goal attempts and 5 of 6 free throws, finishing with 15 points and seven rebounds.
  • He is averaging 17.1 points and 9.5 rebounds over the previous 12 games.
• Tyrese Maxey notched 15 points, five rebounds and four assists. UK is 7-0 this season when he has at least four assists. 
  • He recorded 11 points in the first half.
• Johnny Juzang had eight points in the first half – already a career high – and finished with a career-best 13. 
  • He made every shot he attempted, (4 of 4), including all three 3-pointers and both foul shots.  
• Ashton Hagans notched 10 points, his 16th double-figure game of the season, adding four rebounds and three assists.
• Keion Brooks Jr. grabbed a career-high nine rebounds.

Coach John Calipari 

• Calipari is now 323-76 at UK.   
• He has a 768-216 all-time on-court record. 
• UK is 261-43 against Associated Press unranked foes under Calipari.
• Kentucky is 144-40 under Calipari in SEC regular-season games.
• Calipari, who was a part of another rivalry with Tennessee when he was the head man at Memphis, improved to 17-11 all-time vs. the Volunteers.

Team Notes 

• Kentucky shot 54.3% from the field, its best mark against an SEC opponent this season.
  • The Wildcats are 7-0 this season when making at least half their shots and 17-2 when shooting a better mark than their opponent.
• UK limited Tennessee to 34.5% from the field.
  • The Wildcats 198-19 (91.2%) under Calipari when keeping the opponent at 40 percent or less, including 11-3 this season.
• Kentucky won the rebounding 33-29.
  • UK is 15-0 this season when winning the battle of the boards.
• Entering the game at 78.3% at the foul line, the Wildcats had another solid performance at 88% (22 of 25).
  • It is UK’s fifth straight game shooting 80% or better, and the Wildcats are at 85.3% during that span.
  • It was the second straight game that UK was great at the foul line late in the game.  Today, UK made 10 of 10 in the final 3:33 after making 16 of 16 in the final 2:21 on Tuesday against Mississippi State.
• Kentucky led by as many as 13 points. UK is 278-7 under Calipari when leading by at least 10 points during the game.

In the First Half 

• The starting lineup consisted of Ashton Hagans, Tyrese Maxey, Immanuel Quickley, EJ Montgomery and Nick Richards for the ninth time this season. The Wildcats are 7-2 with the lineup.

  • Nate Sestina was UK’s first substitute at the 16:55 mark.

• After Tennessee led 4-2, Kentucky went on a 7-0 run and never trailed again.
• Kentucky led by as many as 11 points at 34-23 before settling for a 37-30 tally at intermission.
  • Maxey led the way with 11 points and Johnny Juzang’s eight was already a career high for him.
  • UK is now 16-2 this season when leading at halftime.

 In the Second Half 

• Kentucky began the second half with the opening lineup.
• UK extended the lead back to 10 points on three occasions until a pair of 3-pointers by Santiago Vescovi cut the tally to 51-47 with 9:16 to play.
• An 8-2 spurt put the Wildcat lead back to 10.
• Another Vescovi three with 3:14 remaining pulled the Volunteers back within 66-61. However, both ends of a 1-and-1 by Richards and a Quickley 3-pointer gave the Wildcats a 10-point cushion that proved sufficient. 
• Kentucky made 10 of 10 at the free throw line in final 3:33 to keep the home team at bay.
• UK largest lead was at the final buzzer, 77-64.