KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES 
LSU at KENTUCKY
RUPP ARENA AT CENTRAL BANK CENTER
JAN. 23, 2021 
ATTENDANCE: 3,075
 
Final Score: Kentucky 82, RV/RV LSU 69
 
Team Records and Series Notes                                       

• Kentucky is now 5-9 overall, 4-3 in the Southeastern Conference, breaking a three-game losing streak.
• LSU is 10-4 on the season, 5-3 in league play.

• Kentucky leads the series, 91-27 and has won two in a row vs. the Tigers.
  • UK leads 45-6 in games played in Lexington.
• Next for the Wildcats: Kentucky at Alabama on Tuesday at 7 p.m. EST (6 p.m. CST in Tuscaloosa).  The game will be televised on ESPN.
  • Alabama won the first matchup earlier this month, 85-65 in Rupp Arena.

Player Notes   

• Brandon Boston Jr. has led the Wildcats with 18 points in each of the last two games.

  • It is his best two-game stretch of the season after totaling 35 in the first two games.
  • He also had six rebounds, three assists and no turnovers tonight.
  • He made multiple 3-pointers for the third time this season and the first time since Dec. 12 vs. Notre Dame.
• Keion Brooks Jr. had a season-high and career-high-tying 15 points, 13 of which sparked the Wildcats in the first half. He also had a season-best and career-high-tying nine rebounds.
  • He has scored in double figures in four of five games since missing the first nine games of the season with a left leg injury.
• Olivier Sarr notched 13 points, including 7 of 8 at the foul line, and had five rebounds in just 12 minutes of action.
• Isaiah Jackson had six points and a career-high 15 rebounds, with all of it but two rebounds coming in the second half, in just 16 minutes.
  • The 15 boards are the most by a Wildcat since Nick Richards tallied 16 vs. Arkansas on Feb. 26, 2019. 

Coach John Calipari 

• Calipari is now 335-86 at UK.
• Calipari has a 780-226 all-time on-court record. 
• UK is 272-51 under Calipari against teams unranked in the Associated Press Top 25.
• Calipari is 13-3 in his career vs. LSU.

Team Notes 

• Kentucky scored a season-high 82 points tonight.
  • Oddity: The Wildcats have not scored between 66 and 75 points in a game this season. UK is 5-0 this season when scoring at least 76 points, 0-9 when scoring 65 or less.
• LSU shot 38.5% tonight. UK is 206-22 under Calipari when holding the opposition to 40% or less from the field, including 4-3 this season.
  • The Tigers shot a season-low 17.4% on 3-point shots (4 of 23), also tying their season low for 3-pointers made.
  • UK has held four of its last five opponents to less than 40% from the floor, including three straight.
• Kentucky had nine turnovers tonight. UK is averaging 11.6 turnovers in wins this season and 16.7 miscues in losses.
• UK dominated the rebounding, 46-31, leading to a 19-14 edge in second-chance points.
• The Kentucky bench play was highly productive tonight. UK won bench points 25-11 and all four Wildcat reserves who played scored at least six points.
• The Wildcats’ 15 assists were their most since the win at Florida on Jan. 9.
• Kentucky returned to .500 at Rupp Arena this season.
• UK avoided what would have been the third losing streak of four games or more in the 12-season Calipari era.

In the First Half 

• The starting lineup consisted of Devin Askew, Davion Mintz, Brandon Boston Jr., Keion Brooks Jr. and Olivier Sarr for the second time this season. UK is 1-1 with this lineup.

  • UK has used seven different starting lineups this season, none of which has started more than three games.
  • Isaiah Jackson was the first sub of the game for UK, checking in at the 16:35 mark.
• Behind 4-2, Kentucky went on a 10-0 run to go ahead 12-4 and the Wildcats never trailed again.
• Moments later, UK increased the margin to 17-7 as the Wildcats made six of their first eight shots, including 3-of-3 on 3-pointers.
• UK pushed the lead to 26-11 after Dontaie Allen canned a pair of 3-pointers.
• Kentucky’s largest lead of the half was 16 points at 33-17 when Ware got a basket-and-one with 7:52 remaining.
• The Wildcats led 49-36 at halftime, the second-largest halftime advantage of the season (largest is 45-26 in season opener vs. Morehead).
  • It was the most points (49), most 3-pointers (six), most 3-point attempts (17) and most assists (13) of any half this season.
  • Brooks led the way with 13 points, already a season high for him.
  • UK is now 3-4 this season when leading at intermission.

 In the Second Half 

• Kentucky opened the second half with the starting lineup.
• LSU came out with a 13-5 spurt, cutting the score to 54-49 and UK called timeout at 15:45.
• Ahead 56-51, Boston scored eight straight points to give UK a 64-51 lead.
• LSU got within seven points at 70-63 but a 7-0 Wildcat burst cushioned the Cats at 77-63.