Kentucky-Illinois Postgame Notes

KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
NCAA TOURNAMENT | FISERV FORUM | MILWAUKEE, WISC.
MARCH 23, 2025
ATTENDANCE: TBA

FINAL SCORE: No. 18/21 Kentucky 84, Illinois 75

Team Records and Series Notes

Kentucky is 24-11 overall and Illinois is 22-13.
Kentucky leads the series, 12-4, including 5-0 in the NCAA Tournament.
Mark Pope is 211-119 as head coach, including 24-11 at Kentucky.
Next for Kentucky: the Wildcats take on Tennessee in the Midwest Region semifinal Friday in Indianapolis. Game time and television assignment are TBA.

Kentucky and Coach Mark Pope in the NCAA Tournament

Kentucky advances to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019.
Kentucky is now 132-55 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
Kentucky holds NCAA records for most tournament appearances (62) and most games played (187). UK is second for most victories (132) and fourth in winning percentage (.706, 132-55, min. 20 tournament games).
UK is 8-4 as a No. 3 seed in the tournament since seedings began in 1980.
Coach Mark Pope is now 2-2 in the NCAA Tournament, 2-0 at Kentucky.

Team Notes

Turnovers told the tale. Illinois had 14 turnovers and Kentucky tied its season low with only five miscues. UK won points off turnovers, 26-8.
Kentucky also tied its season best for steals with 14 thefts.
With eight 3-pointers tonight, UK now has 335 triples this season, second most in school history. The 1992-93 team holds the record with 340 made 3-pointers.

Player Notes

Koby Brea tied his season high for scoring with 23 points.
- He had his 27^th game of the season with multiple 3-pointers and he has made at least one 3-pointer in every game but one this season.
- He also had six rebounds, one shy of his season high.
Otega Oweh had 15 points, his 32^nd double-figure game of the season.
- He is averaging 19.7 over the last six games.
Lamont Butler totaled 14 points, five assists and three steals. It is his first double-figure outing since the Auburn game on March 1 and only the second time since Jan. 18.
Amari Williams collected eight points, 10 rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots.
- It is his 16^th double-figure rebound game of the season.
- It is his fifth game with at least six assists.

In the First Half

Kentucky’s starters were Lamont Butler, Koby Brea, Otega Oweh, Andrew Carrand Amari Williams for the sixth time this season. UK is 5-1 with this lineup.
First substitution was Collin Chandler at 16:16.
Trailing 5-4, a 9-0 spurt gave Kentucky a 13-5 advantage and the Wildcats led the remainder of the game.
Sparked by 14 points off turnovers. Kentucky led 37-32 at halftime as Butler sparked the Wildcats with 10 points and three assists.
- UK is now 21-1 on the year when leading at the half.

In the Second Half

Kentucky began the second half with the starters.
Kentucky scored the first 10 points of the half to make it 47-32.
Kentucky built its largest lead at 55-39 and 70-54.
Illinois eventually cut the lead to 74-68 with 1:32 remaining.
Carr quelled the advance with a driving basket at 1:13 and Butler added both ends of a 1-and-1 with 1:01 to go, restoring a double-digit lead.

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