UK MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
KENTUCKY at FLORIDA
EXACTECH ARENA at THE STEPHEN O’CONNELL CENTER | GAINESVILLE, FLA.
MARCH 5, 2022
ATTENDANCE: 9,788
Final Score: No. 7/6 Kentucky 71, Florida 63
Team Records, Series Notes, Etc.
- Kentucky ends the regular season 25-6 overall, 14-4 in the Southeastern Conference.
- Florida is 19-12 overall, 9-9 in the SEC.
- UK leads the series, 107-41, and has won two in a row vs. the Gators.
- UK leads 39-26 in games played in Gainesville and has won the last four meetings there.
- Next for Kentucky: tying for second place in the SEC standings, the Wildcats will be the No. 3 seed in the SEC Tournament in Tampa. The Wildcats play Friday at approximately 8:30 p.m. (25 minutes after the conclusion of the 6 p.m. game) vs. the winner of Thursday’s No. 6 vs. No. 11/14 game.
Team Notes
- This is Kentucky’s 39th season with 25 or more victories, including the 11th in 13 seasons under John Calipari.
- Kentucky finished the regular season with a 7-6 record away from home, including 6-5 in true road games.
- Kentucky held Florida to 63 points. UK is 202-9 (95.7%) under Calipari when limiting the opponent to 63 or less, including 14-0 this season.
- Kentucky won the rebounding 35-33. UK is 22-3 this season when leading the rebounding.
- Kentucky shot 50.0 percent from the field (28 of 56). UK is 14-1 this season when making at least 50 percent from the field.
- Kentucky led by as many as 16 points. UK is 310-13 (96.0%) under Calipari when leading by 10 or more points during the contest.
Player Notes
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Oscar Tshiebwe totaled 27 points and 14 rebounds, adding two blocked shots and three steals.
- It is his 13th-straight double-double, most for a Wildcat since at least 1967-68 (complete single-game rebounding information available since that season).
- It is his 25th double-double of the season, ranking second in the nation in that category. He is one behind the school record of 26 by Dan Issel in 1969-70.
- He has scored double figures in 13 straight games, best at UK since Immanuel Quickley had a 20-game stretch in the 2019-20 season.
- The nation’s leading rebounder has 18 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.
- Sahvir Wheeler continued a recent stretch of solid scoring with 13 points, making 6 of 10 shots.
- Has scored double figures in three straight games, averaging 14.3 points during that span.
- Leading the SEC and ranking third nationally in assists, he had five today.
- TyTy Washington Jr. had six points, including four clutch free throws in the final minute, adding a game-high-tying five assists and four rebounds.
- In UK’s 22 wins in which he has played, he has averaged 13.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists, as opposed to 6.3 points and 1.5 rebounds per game in UK’s six losses.
- Kellan Grady was his “Steady Eddie” self today, with 11 points, two rebounds, three assists and no turnovers. It is his 17th double-figure scoring game of the season.
- Davion Mintz sparked UK with a pair of 3-pointers, helping build the lead that was never surmounted, and finished with 10 points. He has 13 double-figure scoring games this season.
Coach John Calipari
- Calipari is now 364-99 at UK.
- UK is 297-56 vs. unranked competition under Calipari.
- Calipari has an 809-239 all-time on-court record.
- Calipari has tallied a 381-120 all-time record within conference play as a head coach and owns a 173-54 record since joining the SEC.
- Calipari is 22-9 vs. Florida.
In the First Half
- The starting lineup was Sahvir Wheeler, TyTy Washington Jr., Kellan Grady, Keion Brooks Jr. and Oscar Tshiebwe for the 23rd time this season. The Wildcats are 18-5 with this lineup.
- Davion Mintz was the first Kentucky substitution at the 15:06 mark, sixth time this season he has been first off the bench.
- UK scored on its first three possessions, jumping out to a 7-0 start, and led the entire game.
- A 9-0 run expanded the lead to 25-11 and the Wildcats led by as many as 16 at 30-14 and 32-16.
- Florida replied with a 10-0 spurt to cut the gap to 32-26, but Kentucky steadied with the final six points and took a 38-26 advantage into halftime.
- Tshiebwe had 12 points and 11 rebounds, reaching his 25th double-double in the opening period.
- UK is now 23-2 this season when leading at intermission.
In the Second Half
- Kentucky began the second half with the starting lineup.
- Florida scored five quick points to make it 38-31 and UK called timeout at the 18:43 mark.
- Tshiebwe scored UK’s next 11 points to stretch the count to 49-37.
- UK stayed comfortably ahead, leading 65-55 with 3:23 left, but then the Cats went cold.
- UF got within 65-59 with 51 seconds left but missed a 3-pointer and Washington hit four straight free throws to clinch the win.
- Tshiebwe carried the Cats in the second half with 15 points.
