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Boxscore and Game Notes: Kentucky vs. South Carolina

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  • is 16-6 overall, 7-2 in the Southeastern Conference, and has won four in a row.
  • is 12-10 overall, 2-7 in the league.
  • Kentucky leads the series 47-10 and has won the last six meetings. leads 25-2 in games played in Lexington.
  • Kentucky plays host to Auburn on Saturday at 4 p.m. The game will be televised on the Network.

First-Half Facts

  • Kentucky started with the lineup of  and Nerlens Noelfor the eighth time this season. UK is 7-1 with this lineup.
  • UK scored the first seven points of the game before USC got on the board at the 17:13 mark.
  • The Gamecocks battled back and took their only lead of the game, 18-17, with 10:22 on the clock.
  • The Wildcats responded with a 28-6 spurt to go ahead 45-24 at intermission, UK’s largest halftime lead this season against an SEC opponent.
  • UK is 15-1 this season when leading at halftime.

Second-Half Story

  • South Carolina closed within 15 points on two occasions in the second half, 53-38 and 55-40.

Team Notes

  • Kentucky held South Carolina to 55 points. The Cats are 30-0 under Calipari when the foe tallies 55 or fewer.
  • South Carolina shot 28.8 percent from the field, the sixth-consecutive opponent UK has held under 40 percent.
  • UK shot 61.4 percent from the field, the highest against an SEC foe this season. The Wildcats are 8-0 this season when making at least half their shots.
  • Kentucky’s rebound margin of +17 (42-25) was the largest this season against an SEC opponent.
  • UK dominated points in the paint 42-18.

Individual Notes

  •  scored 13 points, one shy of his career high.
    • It is his fifth double-figure game of the season and first against an SEC opponent.
  • Archie Goodwin tallied 13 points, five rebounds and three assists.
    • His 17th double-figure scoring game of the season.
  • Ryan Harrow finished with 12 points, making all six of his field goal attempts, and had four assists.
    • Has scored in double figures in 11 of 13 games since entering the starting lineup.
    • UK is 7-0 this season when Harrow has at least four assists.
  • Julius Mays bagged 15 points, notching double figures in consecutive SEC games for the first time this season.
    • Made 4 of 5 on 3-pointers and has made a three in 11-straight games.
    • Has made 19 of 32 three-pointers the last six games, 59.4 percent.
  •  totaled 10 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots.
    • His fourth double-double at UK.
    • First Wildcat with double-doubles in consecutive games since Anthony Davis did it against Baylor and Louisville in the NCAA Tournament.
    • Has at least six rebounds in every game this season.
    • Has blocked at least one shot in every game this season and at least two rejections in 15-straight games. He leads the nation in blocked shots.
    • Noel has 102 blocks this season, joining Anthony Davis as the only two Wildcats to reach 100 swats in a season.
    • Noel already ranks third, behind Davis and Shaquille O’Neal, for most blocks in a season by a Southeastern Conference freshman.
    • Has made 62 of 92 shots (67.4 percent) in the last 15 games.
  • Alex Poythress had seven points and nine rebounds.
    • UK is 4-0 this season when he gathers at least nine rebounds.

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 May 6, 1997, Rick Pitino announces his resignation at Kentucky to take the challenge of rebuilding the NBA’s most storied franchise, the Boston Celtics.

 

Wildcats Born on This Date

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