UK MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS, KENTUCKY vs. TENNESSEE
AMALIE ARENA | TAMPA, FLA.
MARCH 12, 2022
ATTENDANCE: 20,670

Final Score: No. 9/11 Tennessee 69, No. 5 Kentucky 62
 
Team Records, Series Notes, Etc.

• Kentucky is 26-7 overall, ending a three-game win streak. 
• Tennessee is 25-7 overall and has won six in a row.

• UK leads the series, 158-77, including 8-5 at neutral sites.
  • UK leads 12-6 in games played in the SEC Tournament, including 5-3 in semifinal games.
  • The teams split during the regular season, UK winning 107-79 in Lexington and Tennessee 76-63 in Knoxville.
• Next for Kentucky: the Wildcats return home and await the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Sunday at 6 p.m. 

 
Kentucky in the SEC Tournament

• Kentucky is now 135-28 all-time in the SEC Tournament, including 42-4 in semifinal games.

 
Team Notes

• Kentucky won the rebounding 43-38, leading to a 10-3 advantage in second-chance points.
  • UK has a 23-4 record this season when leading the rebounding.
• Kentucky shot 34.4 percent from the field, the second-lowest percentage of the season.
• UK – which entered the game leading the SEC in 3-point percentage at 35.8% — missed its first 11 3-pointers before Keion Brooks connected with 6:53 left in the game.
  • UK finished at 10 percent from long range (2 of 20), its lowest percentage of the season.

 
Player Notes                                                                                                                                         

• Keion Brooks Jr. led the Wildcats with 19 points, most since his 20-point outing vs. Vanderbilt on Feb. 2.  It is his 17^th double-figure scoring game of the season.
• TyTy Washington Jr. had 17 points and six rebounds while also leading UK with four assists and three steals.
  • It is his 20^th double-figure scoring game of the season.
• Oscar Tshiebwe had 13 points, 11 rebounds and blocked two shots but battled foul trouble, playing only 25 minutes before fouling out with 3:37 remaining. 
  • It is his 15th-straight double-double, most for a Wildcat since at least 1967-68 (complete single-game rebounding information available since that season).
  • It is his 27^th double-double of the season, breaking the school record of 26 by Dan Issel in 1969-70.
  • He has scored double figures in 15 straight games, best at UK since Immanuel Quickley had a 20-game stretch in the 2019-20 season.
  • The nation’s leading rebounder has 20 straight games with double-figure rebounds, longest streak in one season since Kevin Marfo of Quinnipiac had a 20-game stretch in 2019-20.  Tshiebwe has grabbed double-figure boards in all but two games this season.
  • Has 993 career points, needing only seven to reach 1,000.
  • Has 499 rebounds this season, needs one to be the third player in Kentucky history to gather 500 caroms in a season.
• Sahvir Wheeler had 10 points, six rebounds and three assists.

 
Coach John Calipari

• Calipari is now 365-100 at UK.
  • UK is 67-44 vs. Associated Press ranked competition under Calipari,
  • When both teams are ranked, Calipari is 89-64 all-time, including 58-36 at UK.
  • When both teams are ranked in the top 10, he is 27-21 all-time, including 16-14 at UK.
• Calipari has an 810-240 all-time on-court record. 
• Calipari is 24-6 in the SEC Tournament.
• Calipari is 19-15 vs. Tennessee.  

 
In the First Half

• The starting lineup was Sahvir Wheeler, TyTy Washington Jr., Kellan Grady, Keion Brooks Jr. and Oscar Tshiebwe for the 25th time this season.  The Wildcats are 19-6 with this lineup.
• Jacob Toppin was the first Kentucky substitution at the 15:51 mark, team-best 16th time this season he has been first off the bench.
• Trailing 4-2, Tennessee had an 8-0 spurt for a 10-4 advantage and led the rest of the game. 
• Tennessee took a 33-22 lead into halftime, UK’s fewest points in a half this season.
• Brooks led UK in the first half with eight points. Tshiebwe played only eight minutes because of foul trouble and had three points and two rebounds in the opening stanza. 
• UK is now 2-5 this season when trailing at intermission.

 
In the Second Half

• Kentucky began the second half with the starting lineup. 
• Kentucky got within six points at 39-33 but Tennessee stretched it out to 51-37. 
• Tennessee still led 63-51 with 2:40 left before Kentucky rallied. The Wildcats cut it to 65-62 with 1:31 left but got no closer as Tennessee made free throws and hung on to win.
• Washington and Brooks led UK’s second-half scoring with 11 points each.