Kentucky-Arkansas Postgame Notes

KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
BUD WALTON ARENA | FAYETTEVILLE, ARK.
JAN. 27, 2024
ATTENDANCE: 19,200

Final Score: No. 6 Kentucky 63, Arkansas 57

Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky is 15-4 on the season, 5-2 in the Southeastern Conference.
• Arkansas is 10-10 overall, 1-6 in league play.
• UK leads the series 35-14, including 11-8 in games played in Fayetteville.
  • UK has won the last two matchups, both played in Fayetteville.
• Next for Kentucky: UK begins a two-game homestand Wednesday vs. Florida at 8 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN.

Team Notes

• Kentucky played its best defensive game of the SEC schedule tonight.
  • UK limited Arkansas to 57 points, 20 fewer than any SEC opponent this season.
  • UK held UA to 33.3% from the field, lowest of any SEC opponent this season.
  • UK held UA to 21.4% on 3-pointers, lowest of any SEC opponent this season.
• Kentucky had 13 assists and nine turnovers, an assist/turnover ratio of +1.44.
  • UK entered the game fourth in the nation with a +1.84 ratio.
  • UK entered the game 10^th in the nation in assists per game with 18.3.
• Kentucky made 9 of 20 (45%) on 3-point shots, including 7 of 11 (63.6%) in the decisive second half.
  • The Wildcats entered the game eighth in the nation in 3-point percentage at 40.0%.
• Kentucky had six blocked shots tonight. UK entered the game ninth in the nation with 5.7 blocks per game.
  • Since the North Carolina game on Dec. 16, the first game that UK had two of its seven-foot players available, the Wildcats have averaged 6.5 blocks per game.
• In keeping Arkansas to 57 points tonight, UK is 217-10 (95.6%) under Coach John Calipari when limiting the opponents to 63 or fewer points, including 3-0 this season.
• In keeping Arkansas to 33.3% shooting, UK is 237-24 (90.8%) under Calipari when limiting the opponent to 40% or less from the field.
• Kentucky’s largest lead was 10 points (63-53).  The Wildcats are 342-15 (95.8%) under Calipari when leading by 10 or more at some point during the game.
• Kentucky is now 5-3 this season away from Rupp Arena, including 3-2 on the opponent’s home court.
• Kentucky is now 4-0 this season in bounce-back games after losses.
• Adou Thiero played for the first time since Dec. 21 (missed seven games) but Rob Dillingham did not play because of illness. UK has not played a game this season with all players available.

Player Notes

• After scoring a career-high 37 points in last year’s win at Arkansas, Antonio Reeves led the Wildcats again with 24 points.
  • It is his 10^th 20-point game of the season.
  • He has landed in double figures in every game but one this season.
• Tre Mitchell tallied 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, his fourth double-double of the season.
• Reed Sheppard had 14 points, four rebounds, a game-high five assists and four steals.
  • Almost all of the damage came in the second half with 14 points, three rebounds, four assists and two steals.
  • Sheppard helped ice the game with a pair of free throws with 39 seconds left. He entered the game 11 of 12 (91.7%) in clutch free throw situations.     
• Rob Dillingham did not play because of illness, the first game he has missed this season.

Coach John Calipari

• Calipari has an 847-257 (76.7%) all-time on-court record, including 402-117 (77.5%) at Kentucky.
• Calipari is 331-67 (83.2%) at UK against unranked competition.
• Calipari is 15-9 vs. Arkansas.
• Calipari is now 398-128 (75.7%) all-time in conference games, including 190-62 (75.4%) in the SEC.

In the First Half

• Kentucky started D.J. Wagner, Antonio Reeves, Adou Thiero, Tre Mitchell and Aaron Bradshaw for the first time.
• Reed Sheppard was UK’s first substitution at the 17:16 mark.
• Kentucky missed 15 of its first 16 shots, but was behind only 14-4 with 9:32 remaining.
• The Wildcats gradually warmed to the task, pulling within one point at 21-20 and 23-22.
• Arkansas went to halftime ahead 26-24. It is the second game in a row that UK scored a season low in the first half (25 at South Carolina).
• UK is now 2-3 this season when trailing at halftime.

In the Second Half

• Kentucky began the second half with Wagner, Reeves, Thiero, Mitchell and Ugonna Onyenso.
• Kentucky tied it at 28 and 31 before Arkansas had a six-point burst for a 37-31 lead.
• Kentucky countered with a 7-0 run – capped by a driving layup and steal-and-dunk by Sheppard – for its first lead at 38-37, coaxing an Arkansas timeout at the 12:54 mark.
• Kentucky took a 42-41 lead with a Sheppard layup at the 10:21 and never trailed again.
• Ahead 53-52, an eight-point spurt gave UK a 61-52 lead with 1:27 on the clock and the Wildcats led comfortably the rest of the way.
• Reeves and Sheppard each had 14 points in the decisive second half, with Sheppard adding four assists in the second stanza.