UK MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
KENTUCKY at NOTRE DAME
PURCELL PAVILION AT THE JOYCE CENTER | NOTRE DAME, IND.
DEC. 11, 2021
ATTENDANCE: 8,283

Final Score: Notre Dame 66, No. 10/12 Kentucky 62
 
Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky’s winning streak came to a half at seven games as the Wildcats fell to 7-2 on the 2021-22 season. Notre Dame got back to .500 at 4-4.

• UK fell to 43-21 all-time vs. the Fighting Irish and 6-10 in games played at Notre Dame.
  • It’s the first time either team has won two consecutive games in the series since Kentucky won 10 straight from the 1990-91 season to 2003-04.
• UK is 0-1 in true road games this season and 0-2 in games away from Rupp Arena.
• Next up: Kentucky will head to Las Vegas next week to play Ohio State next Saturday in the annual CBS Sports Classic. That game will be televised by CBS at 5:15 p.m. ET.

 
Team Notes

• The game was closely contested with seven ties, 15 lead changes and no lead larger than five points by either team.
• The Wildcats, who entered the contest No. 1 in the nation in rebounding margin, were outrebounded for the first time this season, 33-28.
• Kentucky shot 2 of 19 from 3-point range, the fewest makes of the season and lowest percentage (10.5%).
• UK had a season-low five turnovers but also a season-low nine assists.

 
Player Notes  

• Oscar Tshiebwe was dominant once again with a career-high 25 points and seven rebounds.  Both stats were game highs as well.

  • He is the first Wildcat with three straight games of 20 or more points since Immanuel Quickley strung together three consecutive games in February 2020.
  • Tshiebwe was 11 of 14 from the floor.
  • He tied his career high with three steals and also blocked two shots.
  • The nation’s leading rebounder grabbed seven boards but was held without double-digit rebounds for the first time this season, ending his season-opening streak at eight games, the best mark since Julius Randle posted a 10-game streak in February and March of 2014.
  • His double-double streak also ended at four.
• With 12 points, Keion Brooks Jr. reached double figures for the fifth time this season but the first time since the Nov. 22 game vs. Albany. He added seven boards, tying Tshiebwe for game honors.
• TyTy Washington Jr. dished out a career-best five assists, reaching that mark for the second game in a row and third time this season.
  • He had six points, seeing his seven-game double-figure streak come to an end.

 
Coach Calipari

• John Calipari is now 346-95 at UK.
• Calipari has a 791-235 all-time on-court record. 
• UK is 282-56 under Calipari in games vs. unranked Associated Press competition.
• Calipari is now 2-3 in all-time meetings vs. Notre Dame
• The Wildcats are 112-54 in road games under Calipari’s watch.

 
In the First Half

• Kentucky started Sahvir Wheeler, TyTy Washington Jr., Kellan Grady, Keion Brooks Jr. and Oscar Tshiebwe for the eighth time this season and the third game in a row. UK is now 6-2 with that starting lineup. 
• UK won the opening tip and scored on the first possession with a baseline jumper from Brooks.
• The Wildcats made eight of their first 13 shots for a 16-12 lead.
  • Included in the start was a 6-0 run to take a 12-8 advantage.
• Davion Mintz was the Wildcats’ first sub at the 13:00 mark.
• Tshiebwe scored six straight points for UK to take a 28-24 lead with 3:02 left, highlighted by a steal and dunk.
• With just six total fouls called (three on each team), there were no free throws taken by either team in the first half, a college basketball rarity.
• It was a back-and-forth half with 10 lead changes, two ties and no run by either team greater than 6-0.
• UK took a 30-28 lead into the halftime locker room. The Wildcats are 7-1 when leading at the half this season. 
• Tshiebwe was dominant in the first half with 12 points, six rebounds and three steals.
  • He made 6 of 7 from the floor.
• Brooks added six points and four rebounds.
• The Wildcats went 0 for 10 from 3-point range in the first half but made 15 of 21 2-point attempts.

 
In the Second Half

• Kentucky stuck with the same five it started the game with to begin the second half: Wheeler, Washington, Grady, Brooks and Tshiebwe.
• After missing their first 13 3-point attempts, Grady made the Wildcats’ first trey with 13:29 left in the game for a 43-39 lead.
• A Brooks free throw with 8:07 left in the game was Kentucky’s largest lead of the game at 53-48, just a five-point margin.
• Notre Dame answered that brief lead with an 11-1 run to take a 59-54 lead – the Irish’s largest advantage of the contest – with 5:23 left.
• The Wildcats went 7:56 of game time without a field goal and 3:56 without a point until Tshiebwe ended the drought with a righty hook shot with 3:27 to go. That cut the deficit to 59-56.
• Trailing 61-56 with 3:14, Kentucky rallied with six straight points. Mintz sliced to the baseline for a layup and foul for an old-fashioned 3-point play. After a Brooks steal on the ensuing defensive possession, Tshiebwe grabbed a key offensive rebound and Grady drained a long 3 from the right elbow to retake the lead, 62-61, with 1:50 left.
• Notre Dame tied it with a free throw with 1:31, then got the go-ahead jumper in the lane by Blake Wesley with 12 seconds remaining. After a UK missed shot, Dane Goodwin got a breakaway dunk at the buzzer.