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Boxscore and Game Notes: Kentucky vs. Samford

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  • Kentucky is 5-3 on the season and Samford is 2-8.
  • Kentucky leads the series 2-0, with both games in Lexington.
    • UK is now 20-0 all-time against teams from the current alignment of the Southern Conference.
  • UK continues its five-game homestand Saturday against Portland.  The game will be at noon and will be televised on ESPN2.

 First-Half Facts

  • Kentucky started with the lineup of Archie Goodwin, Julius Mays, Alex Poythress, Kyle Wiltjer and Nerlens Noel for the seventh-consecutive game.
  • Alex Poythress opened the scoring with a 3-pointer from the right corner, the second time this season that UK got a three for the first basket.
  • Kentucky scored the game’s first seven points, keeping Samford off the board until 15:37 when Tim Williams tallied.
  • Kyle Wiltjer notched a five-point play with 5:20 remaining in the first half.  Wiltjer scored a basket and was fouled, followed by Samford coach Bennie Seltzer being assessed a technical foul.  Wiltjer made both free throws on the technical, then made the free throw on the regular foul to complete the five-point play.
  • UK had runs of 11-0 and 12-0 in the first half.
  • The Wildcats went to intermission ahead 45-14, UK’s largest halftime lead of the season.
  • UK is 5-0 this season when leading at halftime.

Second-Half Story

  • Samford scored the first nine points of the second half to make it 45-23. That was as close as the Bulldogs got as the Wildcats coasted to the victory.

 Team Notes

  • Kentucky shot 55.7 percent from the field, the fourth time the Wildcats have made at least half their shots.
  • Six Wildcats scored in double figures, first time that has happened since the 2012 NCAA Tournament vs. Indiana.
  • Kentucky used its size advantage to win points in the paint, 46-26.
  • UK turned 17 Samford turnovers into 28 points.
  • UK won bench points 21-5 and fast-break points 17-2.

Individual Notes

  • Archie Goodwin led all scorers with 18 points, adding four assists and a season-high three steals.
    • Goodwin has at least four assists in five-straight games.
  • Alex Poythress scored 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting.
    • He is now shooting 68.5 percent on the season.
  • Nerlens Noel tallied 13 points, six rebounds and five blocked shots.
    • Noel has at least six rebounds in every game this season.
  • Willie Cauley-Stein had 12 points and a career-high 12 rebounds.
    • First Kentucky player this season with a double-double
    • Also tied his season high with four blocked shots and had a season-best three steals
  • Julius Mays had 10 points, five assists and three rebounds.
    • Fourth time in the last five games he has scored in double figures
  • Kyle Wiltjer had 10 points and a season-high seven rebounds.
  • Playing in a season-high 21 minutes, Ryan Harrow had a season-high four assists.
  • Jon Hood nailed a pair of 3-point shots, the first multi-three game of his career.
  • Jarrod Polson had a career-high four assists and tied his career-best for steals with two.
Related Topics

Walter Cornett, of Glendale, Kentucky, is the owner and operator of Walter’s Wildcat World. He founded WildcatWorld.com in 1998 making it one of the oldest Kentucky basketball fan sites in operation today.

On This Day in UK Basketball History

On March 31, 1975, Coach John Wooden closed out his coaching career by leading the Bruins over Kentucky for their 10th NCAA title in 12 years.

 

On March 31, 1984, Georgetown outscores UK 23-2 at the start of the second half to defeat the Wildcats, 53-40, in the NCAA semifinal game in Seattle.

 

On March 31, 1997, despite losing its star, Derek Anderson, to a knee injury on Jan. 18, UK returns to defend its NCAA title in the National Championship game, trying to become the second team in 24 years to repeat as national champion, falling in overtime to Arizona, 84-79. Ron Mercer and Anthony Epps nailed three-pointers inside the last minute to force overtime. But with four Wildcats fouling out, Arizona outscored UK by five in the extra period in Rick Pitino's final game as coach at Kentucky.

 

On March 31, 2008, long time Kentucky basketball manager Bill Keightley passed away at the age of 81 in Cincinnati. Affectionately known as “Mr. Wildcat”, he had been associated with the Wildcats’ basketball program since 1962. Keightley, who manned the “Bill Keightley Equipment Room” in Memorial Coliseum, was as much a fixture around UK basketball as the seven national championship trophies on display in the Joe Craft Center. A crowd of over 3,000 payed their respects at a tribute to Mr. Keightley held in Rupp Arena. Former players, coaches and managers traveled from across the country to eulogize him.

 

On March 31, 2012, Kentucky finally put away pesky Louisville, who outrebounded Kentucky 40-33, 69-61, in the Final Four to advance to the national championship game.  Kentucky shot a dazzling 57 percent with Anthony Davis leading the way with 18 points and 14 rebounds.  Darius Miller added 13 points, and Doron Lamb had 10. Kidd-Gilchrist had nine, all in the second half.  Former Kentucky coach turned Louisville coach, Rick Pitino, congratulated Calipari and told him he'd be rooting for the Wildcats.

 

Wildcats Born on This Date

March 31, 1988

Deandre Liggins
34 Deandre Liggins

March 31, 2004

Brandon Garrison
10 Brandon Garrison

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