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Derek Willis led Kentucky with 9 rebounds plus boxscore and other game notes

Derek Willis had seven points and led the Kentucky Wildcats in rebounding with nine.

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  • is now 15-4 on the season, 5-2 in Southeastern Conference action. is 11-8 overall, 3-4 in league play.
  • Kentucky leads the all-time series 141-46 and has won three in a row.
  • Next for the Wildcats: plays host to Missouri on Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST. The game will be televised on the Network.

In the First Half

  • Kentucky started with the lineup of , , , and for the second game in a row.
  • Poythress scored baskets on UK’s first two possessions and the Wildcats led the rest of the way.
  • Ulis extended Kentucky’s streak of at least 958 games with at least one 3-pointer when he connected at the 16:07 mark.
  • Ahead 17-14, UK extended its lead to 13 points (29-16) with a 12-2 run.
  • Kentucky went to halftime ahead 37-27, limiting VU to 33.3 shooting in the opening stanza while committing only two turnovers on offense.

In the Second Half

  • Vanderbilt cut the lead to seven points on two occasions early in the half but got no closer the rest of the way.
  • With VU within seven at 41-34, UK responded with a 12-2 run to give the Wildcats a 17-point lead at 53-36. UK later tacked on a 9-1 run for a 21-point edge at 67-46.
  • The Wildcats eventually led by 23 at 76-53.

Team Notes

  • Kentucky extended its home-court winning streak to 31 games.
  • Kentucky shot 55 percent from the field, its best this season against an SEC opponent. UK is 9-0 this season when shooting at least 50 percent.
  • UK had only seven turnovers today. The Wildcats have had back-to-back games with their fewest miscues of the season — six at Arkansas followed by seven today.
  • UK tied the Commodores in rebounding at 32 each. UK has a 14-1 record this season when winning or tying the rebounding but is 1-3 when losing the carom gathering.
  • UK has had a player score at least 20 points in all seven SEC games this season. The last time UK had a player score at least 20 in the first seven SEC games was 2009.
  • Kentucky extended its streak of 957 consecutive games with at least one 3-point basket.

Coach

  • Since arriving at Kentucky for the 2009-10 season, Calipari has a 100-25 record against Southeastern Conference competition, including SEC Tournaments. He did it in his first 125 games against league competition, tied for the second-fastest to 100 wins among UK coaches.
    • 119 games – Adolph Rupp
    • 125 games – John Calipari
    • 125 games – Rick Pitino
    • 126 games – Tubby Smith
    • 138 games – Joe B. Hall
  • Calipari has a 650-182 (.781) all-time record, including a 205-42 (.830) mark at Kentucky.
  • Calipari is 113-4 (.966) in Rupp Arena. Calipari has two of the longest three win streaks in Rupp Arena history – 54 by Calipari, 33 by Rick Pitino, 31 by Calipari.

 Player Notes

  • Sophomore Tyler Ulis had game highs with 21 points and five assists.
    • It is Ulis’ seventh 20-point game of the season.
    • Making his only attempt tonight, Ulis has hit 27 of 28 free throws (.964) over the last four games.
    • He is the first Wildcat with at least four assists in 12 consecutive games since Sean Woods had at least four in 13 straight games in the 1990-91 season.
  • Freshman Jamal Murray had 18 points, his 17th consecutive double-figure game, while adding a game-high three steals.
    • Murray has scored at least 12 points in 18 of his first 19 UK games. Only Cotton Nash (12+ in 35 of his first 36 games) and Bill Spivey (12+ in 24 of his first 25) have better starts.
    • He has made at least one 3-point shot in every game this season, the first player in program history to make a triple in each of his first 18 collegiate games.
  • After starting the game with two baskets, senior Alex Poythress finished with 16 points on 8 of 10 shooting. UK is 7-0 this season when he scores in double figures.
  • Junior Derek Willis had seven points and led the Wildcats in rebounding with nine.
    • Willis made both of his free throws and is now 14 of 14 at the foul line this season.
    • Willis scored 77 points in his first 40 games as a Wildcat; he has now scored 76 in his last 12 games.

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.

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