Kentucky-Tennessee Postgame Notes

KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES

RUPP ARENA AT CENTRAL BANK CENTER | LEXINGTON, KY

FEBRUARY 11, 2025
ATTENDANCE: 20,076

FINAL SCORE: No. 15/18 Kentucky 75, No. 5/4 Tennessee 64

Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky is now 17-7 overall, 6-5 in the Southeastern Conference. Tennessee is 20-5 overall, 7-5 in the league.
• Kentucky has won the last three games vs. Tennessee and now leads the all-time series 163-78, including 95-20 in Lexington.
• Mark Pope is 204-115 as head coach, including 17-7 at Kentucky.
• Next for Kentucky: for the first time, Kentucky will play the Texas Longhorns in Austin. The game is set for Saturday at 8 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. Central in Austin).
  • UK has played Texas on two previous occasions, once in Maui and once in Lexington. UK won both of those meetings.
  • Kentucky has played in Austin, as the University of Texas was host of the Austin Regional in the 2005 NCAA Tournament. UK defeated Utah in the regional semifinals before a double-overtime loss to Michigan State in the regional final.

Team Notes

• This was Kentucky’s eighth game this season against a team ranked in The Associated Press top 15. UK is now 7-1 in those games, setting the school record for most top-15 wins in the regular season.
  • The previous record was six top-15 wins in the regular season by the 2002-03 team.
  • UK now owns five wins against AP top 10 teams this season, the most in Division I
• Kentucky limited Tennessee to 16.7 percent on 3-point shooting, making 3 of 18. UK is 11-0 this season when the opponent makes less than 25 percent.
• Kentucky had balanced scoring tonight with nine players hitting the scoring column, eight of whom scored at least five points.
  • The leading scorers, Ansley Almonor and Otega Oweh, had 13 points. The 13 points is the lowest high scorer in a game for UK this season.  The previous “low” high scorer was Andrew Carr’s 14 points in the win over Brown.
• Kentucky made 50 percent from the field, 26 of 52. The Wildcats are 11-1 this season making at least half their shots.
• Kentucky made 50 percent from long range, 12 of 24. The Wildcats are 4-0 this season when making at least half of their 3-point tries.
  • UK is 7-0 this season when making at least 12 triples.
• With Jaxson Robinson and Kerr Kriisa out tonight, UK has played only seven games this season at full strength.

Player Notes  

• Otega Oweh tied for the team lead in scoring with 13 points and led the UK rebounding with six caroms.
  • He has scored in double figures in every game this season, the only SEC player to do so and one of 12 (entering tonight) in Division I.
• Ansley Almonor had a season-best 13 points, making 4 of 5 shots.
• Koby Brea notched 11 points, including 3 of 6 on 3-pointers.
  • He has 18 games with multiple 3s this season and 39-straight contests overall with at least one made 3.
  • He also had a season-high two steals and added two assists.
• Trent Noah came off the bench to hit three 3-pointers in the first half and finished with a career-high 11 points.
• Travis Perry also came off the bench to post a career best with eight points.
• Lamont Butler had six points and played a fine floor game with four assists and three steals.
• Jaxson Robinson missed the game because of injury. It is the first game he has missed this season after 23 consecutive starts.
  • Two Wildcats have started every game this season, Oweh and Williams.

In the First Half

• Kentucky’s starters were Lamont Butler, Koby Brea, Otega Oweh, Ansley Almonorand Amari Williams, the first time this lineup has been used.
• Andrew Carr and Travis Perry were UK’s first substitutions at 16:24.
• Kentucky scored on its first three possessions, jumping out 6-0.
• Ahead 24-23, Kentucky closed the half on a 9-3 run to take a 33-26 lead into the locker room.
  • The original halftime score was 35-26, but after review, a goaltending infraction against Tennessee was overturned, moving the score to 33-26.
  • Trent Noah’s three 3-pointers led the Wildcats in scoring with nine points.
  • UK is now 14-0 this season when leading at halftime.

In the Second Half

• Kentucky began the second half with the starters.
• Both teams came out hot in the second half. Tennessee gradually narrowed the deficit, and with 12:34 on the clock, Kentucky called timeout with a 50-47 lead.
• Kentucky was still ahead 54-49 with 9:33 left when a 9-1 Tennessee run reclaimed the lead at 58-55.
  • During that run, with UK leading 54-52 with 8:39 left, Butler exited the game with an injury.
• Trailing 60-58, Kentucky went back ahead on a Brea 3-pointer at the 4:13 mark.
  • Brea’s long shot began a 12-2 run, pushing the Wildcats ahead 70-62, and coaxed a Tennessee timeout at 1:13.
• Kentucky made its last five field goal attempts while defending Tennessee to misses in their final four shots. The Cats finished the game on a 17-4 run.