KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
RICHMOND at KENTUCKY
RUPP ARENA AT CENTRAL BANK CENTER | LEXINGTON, KY
NOVEMBER 29, 2020
ATTENDANCE: 3,075
Final Score: Richmond 76, No. 10/9 Kentucky 64
Team Records and Series Notes
- Richmond takes the Bluegrass Showcase with a 76-64 win. Richmond is 2-0 and Kentucky is 1-1.
- This was the first meeting between the teams.
- Next: Kentucky plays Kansas in the Champions Classic on Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game will be televised on ESPN.
Bluegrass Showcase All-Tournament Team
- Nathan Cayo (Richmond), Most Valuable Player
- Grant Golden (Richmond)
- Brandon Boston Jr. (Kentucky)
- Olivier Sarr (Kentucky)
- Julius Dixon (Morehead State)
Player Notes
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Brandon Boston Jr. scored 20 points and recorded the first double-double of his career with 10 boards.
- He led the Wildcats in scoring in both games of the young season, averaging 17.5 points per game.
- He also led UK in rebounding in the opening week with 8.5 boards per game.
- Olivier Sarr had 17 points and 11 rebounds. It is his first double-double at Kentucky and 12th of his career.
- Terrence Clarke tallied 15 points, his second game in double figures, to go along with six rebounds.
- Isaiah Jackson had six points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
- Keion Brooks Jr. missed his second straight game with a left leg injury. He remains day-to-day.
Coach John Calipari
- Calipari is now 331-78 at UK.
- Calipari has a 776-218 all-time on-court record.
- UK is 268-45 vs. Associated Press unranked foes under Calipari. Richmond is receiving votes in the current polls.
- The Wildcats fell to 184-12 in Rupp Arena under Calipari.
- Looking ahead to next game, UK is 55-13 under Calipari following a loss.
Team Notes
- Kentucky had a plus-23 rebound margin, 54-31, and won second-chance points 19-10.
- It was a tough shooting day for the Wildcats, who made 36.1% from the field, were 0 for 10 from 3-point range and 60.6% at the foul line.
- It was the second time in the last 73 games that UK did not make a 3-pointer. The previous time came March 15, 2018, when the Wildcats went 0 for 6 but won an NCAA Tournament game over Davidson. Prior to that Davidson game, UK had made a 3-pointer in 1,047 straight games heading into that Davidson contest, which at the time was the longest streak in the nation.
- Kentucky managed just five assists and zero in the second half.
- The five assists are tied for the fewest of the Calipari era, tying a five-assist performance in an overtime win vs. LSU on Feb. 22, 2014.
- The Wildcats’ 12-point loss in Rupp Arena is tied for the largest defeat at home of the Calipari era.
- Kentucky’s 21 turnovers were its most since 22 mishaps in a win vs. ETSU on Nov. 17, 2017.
- UK also lost by 12 points to Texas A&M, 83-71, on Jan. 12, 2013.
- It’s only the third time in 12 seasons of the Calipari era the Wildcats failed to start 2-0.
In the First Half
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The starting lineup consisted of freshmen Devin Askew, Brandon Boston Jr., Terrence Clarke, Cam’Ron Fletcher and senior Olivier Sarr, the first start for that combination.
- Davion Mintz and Isaiah Jackson were UK’s first substitutes at the 15:41 mark.
- A closely contested first half saw Richmond’s largest lead at three points at 14-11 and UK’s largest advantage was four points on two occasions.
- Tied at 26, Sarr scored UK’s final six points as the Wildcats went to halftime ahead 32-28. Sarr paced the Cats with 14 points in the opening stanza.
In the Second Half
- Kentucky opened the second half with Askew, Boston, Clarke, Jackson and Sarr.
- Kentucky lengthened its led to six points at 34-28 and 36-30 before Richmond put together a 9-0 run to take the lead at 39-36.
- UK responded with a 5-0 run to go back ahead 41-39.
- Richmond got a basket-and-one from Nathan Cayo, putting the Spiders ahead for good at 42-41.
- The visitors steadily increased their advantage, including a 7-0 run that put them ahead 58-46.
- UK got within eight at 58-50 with six minutes to go but got no closer.
- Richmond stretched the lead to as many as 16 points at 72-56 and 74-58.
