Kentucky improves to 34-2 on the season while Wake Forest is now 20-11. UK is 5-0 in the series against the Demon Deacons and 3-0 against the Deacons in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats are 100-44 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. UK is 5-2 in NCAA Tournament games played in the New Orleans metro area. UK also is 18-6 in NCAA second round games and 31-8 while playing as a No. 1 seed. Kentucky is 6-2 against No. 9 seeds. This is the most wins for Kentucky since the 1998 team went 35-4. The Wildcats will be in action again on Thursday taking on the winner of the Cornell/Wisconsin game in the Sweet 16.
NCAA Tournament team notes
UK outscored East Tennessee and Wake Forest by a combined 59 points. It is UK’s largest combined margin of victory in the first and second rounds since outscoring San Jose State (110-72) and Virginia Tech (84-60) by a total of 62 points in 1996.
Team game notes
The Wildcats used the starting combination of Eric Bledsoe, DeMarcus Cousins, Darius Miller, Patrick Patterson and John Wall for the 27 th time this season. Kentucky is 25-2 with that starting five. Daniel Orton was the first sub off the bench for Kentucky. It was Orton’s team-leading 19 th time as the first Wildcat off the bench. UK extended its streak of games with a three-pointer to 747 games, the third longest streak in the country. During a stretch in the first half, the Wildcats held Wake Forest scoreless for over five minutes from the 11:50 mark to the 6:44 mark. Leading 29-24, the Wildcats closed the first half on a 15-4 run to carry a 44-28 lead into halftime. Kentucky is 28-1 when leading or tied at the half. UK shot 66.7 pct. in the first half, the team’s highest percentage this season. UK finished at a season-high 60.3 percent from the field. It is the 18 th time this season that the Wildcats have shot at least 50 percent from the field.
Individual game notes
#1 Darius Miller
Made fifth straight start Finished with a career-high 20 points Has connected on a three-pointer in three of the last four games. Pulled down a game-high nine rebounds, most for him this season and one shy of his career high vs. Miami on Dec. 6, 2008 Scored in double-digits in the first half for the second time this season, and the first time since scoring 11-first half points against Sam Houston State (11/19/09).
#3 Darnell Dodson
— Has hit a three-pointer in seven straight games.
#11 John Wall
Finished with a game-high seven assists and averaged 9.0 assists in the first and second rounds. Extended his UK freshman season scoring record to 589 points. Extended his UK freshman season assists record to 228 assists. Extended his UK freshman season free throw record with 171 made.
#15 DeMarcus Cousins
Totaled 19 points and eight rebounds Extended his UK freshman season rebounding record to 349 boards.
#24 Eric Bledsoe
Has hit a three-pointer in four straight games and has totaled 16 during that span. Averaging 17.0 points in UK’s five postseason games.
#33 Daniel Orton
Made all three of his field-goal attempts, good for six points
#54 Patrick Patterson
Moved to within 28 points of 12 th on UK’s all-time scoring list with 1,547 career points. Posted his 13 th multi-block game of the season.
#4 Jon Hood
Contributed two points and a season-high three rebounds
#12 Mark Krebs
Bagged a three-pointer, his second of the season and fourth of his career
Next Game
Alabama vs Kentucky (On time)
