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Kentucky Basketball

Kentucky makes history plus boxscore and other game notes

Kentucky broke the NCAA Tournament record for most blocks in a game with 15. The previous record was 14, set by UK’s 1998 team, vs. UCLA in the Sweet 16.

Go here for boxscore.

  • is 27-8 and has won six in a row. ends the season 26-7.
  • Kentucky leads the all-time series 2-0.
  • This was the first time the two have met in the Tournament.

NCAA Tournament Notes

  • Kentucky is making its national-record 55th NCAA Tournament.
  • is 45-10 in tournament openers and has won 23 of its last 24 first-round tournament games.  UK owns a 121-48 record all-time in NCAA action, with its .716 winning percentage the fourth best in NCAA history.
  • This is Kentucky's fourth time as a No. 4-seed. Kentucky is 6-2 in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed.
  • The Wildcats are 2-0 in No. 4 vs. No. 13 games.
  • The Wildcats broke the NCAA Tournament record for most blocks in a game with 15. The previous record was 14, accomplished UK's national championship 1998 team, vs. UCLA in the Sweet 16.

In the First Half

  • Kentucky started with the lineup of Tyler Ulis, , , and for the ninth time this year and sixth game in a row. UK is 8-1 with this lineup.
  • Tied at 10-10 with 11:25 to play, Kentucky outscored Stony Brook 23-9 to close the half.
  • Kentucky held Stony Brook to 19 points the fewest point by a UK opponent in a half this season. The previous fewest was 20 vs. Missouri (Jan. 27).
  • Stony Brook's previous first-half low this season was 25 points (three times).
  • Labissiere blocked five shots, the most by any Wildcat in a first half this year.

 In the Second Half

  • extended UK's streak of consecutive games with a made 3-pointer to 974 with a triple at the 16:06
  • Kentucky opened the second half on a 9-4 run over the first 2:53.

Team Notes

  • Kentucky blocked a season-high 15 shots. That mark is the single-game NCAA Tournament record for all teams.
  • All five starters scored in double figures, but none scored more than 20.
    • That snapped a 24- game streak where a Wildcat has scored at least 20 points, the longest such streak since a Cat scored 20 or more in all 28 games of the 1969-70 season.
  • Coach has a 662-186 (.781) all-time record, including a 217-46 (.825) mark at Kentucky.
  • Kentucky is now 133-5 under Coach Calipari, and 17-0 this season, when holding opponents to fewer than 63 points.

Player Notes

  • Freshman Jamal Murray had 19 points, including 2 of 7 on 3-pointers, adding seven rebounds and two blocks.
    • He tied his career-high with two blocks.
    • He added to his UK freshman scoring record, now standing at 704 points.
    • It is his 33nd consecutive double-figure scoring game.
    • He has scored at least eight points in all 35 games this season, extending his school-record for most consecutive games with 8 or more points at the start of a career.
    • He has made at least one 3-point shot in every game this season, the first player in Kentucky history to make a triple in each of his first 35 collegiate games.
    • It's also a school record for most consecutive games with a 3 to begin a season, regardless of year in school.
    • He has 112 3-pointers this season, most ever by a Southeastern Conference freshman.
    • His 112 3-pointers are the second-most by a freshman in NCAA history. The national freshman record is 122 by Stephen Curry of Davidson in 2006-07.
    • He has made two or more 3-pointers in 17 straight games.
    • Overshadowed by his prolific scoring, the 6-4 Murray has become an aggressive rebounder. He had seven rebounds today and 45 rebounds over the last seven games, averaging 6.4 boards per game during that span.
    • He broke the 700-point plateau, today. The other UK players with 700-plus points in a single season: Dan Issel, Jodie Meeks, Jamal Mashburn, Kevin Grevey, Ron Mercer, Kenny Walker.
  • Freshman Skal Labissere scored 12 points, blocked a season-high-tying six shots and grabbed four rebounds.
    • His six blocks tied for the second most by a Wildcat in an NCAA Tournament game.
    • He has scored in double-figures in three of the last six games.
  • Freshman Isaiah Briscoe totaled 13 points and 11 rebounds.
    • He had his second double-double of the season, and first since his first game of the season.
    • Has scored double figures in 19 games this season.
  • Sophomore Tyler Ulis scored 10 and assisted seven.
    • He now has 243 assists this season. He broke John Wall's (2008-09) Kentucky single-season assists record with a dish to Jamal Murray in the second half.
    • He extended his school-record streak of 28 consecutive games with at least four assists.
  • Senior Alex Poythress had 12 points.
  • Junior Derek Willis totaled scored eight points and blocked two shots.
    • He was 3 of 3 from the field and 2 of 2 from 3-point range.
    • Has made 34 of 51 shots (.667) in the last five games since returning from a foot injury.

On This Day In UK Basketball History

On March 28, 1992, in what many called the “best NCAA Tournament game ever,” Kentucky takes defending NCAA champion Duke into overtime before losing 104-103 in the East Regional finals in Philadelphia. A last-second shot by Christian Laettner sends Duke to the Final Four, and breaks the hearts of Wildcat fans everywhere. It is Cawood Ledford’s last game as the “Voice of the Wildcats.”

 

On March 28, 1998, against Stanford, Kentucky rallied from a 10-point second-half deficit, then grabbed a 5-point overtime lead, before fending off the Cardinals to advance to the title game for the third straight season. Jeff Sheppard canned three long-range three-pointers - two in the final three minutes and one in overtime - en route to a career-high 27 points.

 

On March 28, 2014, unranked Kentucky beat No. 5 Louisville 74-69, in the 2014 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.  Aaron Harrison buried a three-pointer from the left corner with 39 seconds left that put UK ahead to stay before 41,072 in Lucas Oil Stadium.

 

On March 28, 2015, No. 1 Kentucky defeated No. 8 Notre Dame, 68-66, in the 2015 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.  With its 37-0 record on the line, Kentucky trailed Notre Dame 59-53 with 6:14 left. UK rallied in front of 19,464 fans in Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena and preserved its perfect season thanks to a crucial blocked shot by Willie Cauley-Stein and two game-deciding free throws from Andrew Harrison in the final seconds.

 

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