Sahvir Wheeler gets a game-high 10 assists against Tec de Monterrey plus Boxscore and Other Game Notes

 

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UK MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
KENTUCKY vs. TEC DE MONTERREY
BIG BLUE BAHAMAS | BAHA MAR

AUG. 11, 2022
ATTENDANCE: 1,200

FINAL SCORE: Kentucky 102, TEC DE MONTERREY 40

• This was Kentucky’s second exhibition game of the Big Blue Bahamas foreign exhibition tour. UK will play two additional games during the tour.
• The Wildcats return to the Baha Mar Grand Ballroom court on Saturday vs. Carleton University (Canada). That game will tip at 6 p.m. on the SEC Network.
• UK improved to 11-1 in the Bahamas foreign tours. The Wildcats went 5-1 in their first foreign tour in the Bahamas in 2014 and 4-0 in their second stint in 2018. 9-1
• Kentucky is 142-12 all-time in exhibition games and has won 21 straight. UK is 39-1 in exhibition contests under head coach John Calipari.

First-Half Facts

• Kentucky’s starting lineup featured Sahvir Wheeler, Antonio Reeves, Adou Thiero, Jacob Toppin and Oscar Tshiebwe.
• Reeves picked up where he left off from Wednesday night by draining a 3-pointer at the 18:53 off an assist from Wheeler for the game’s first points.
• Cason Wallace, CJ Fredrick, Daimion Collins and Chris Livingston were UK’s first subs at the 15:14 mark.
• Thiero got off to a fast start with a pair of driving layups, including a traditional three-point play to move the score to 14-3 early.
• Wallace found a streaking Livingston for a dunk with 11:55 to play to force Tec de Monterrey into a timeout with the Cats leading 20-8.
• Back-to-back transition finds by Wheeler to Reeves increased the edge to 24 with 6:13 to play and the Cats leading 39-15.
• Kentucky led by 32 at the break. The Cats size proved a major difference with a 30-8 advantage on the boards, forcing eight turnovers and limiting Tec de Monterrey to 27.6% shooting from the field.
• Collins scored 10 first-half points to lead UK. Reeves had nine, Wheeler scored eight and Thiero and Livingston both chipped in with seven.
• Tshiebwe led all players with seven first-half rebounds.

Second-Half Story

• Kentucky’s first five to open the second half were Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Toppin and Tshiebwe.
• A Wheeler swipe resulted in a Toppin transition dunk for a 61-28 lead with 15:27 to go.
• Thiero, Collins, Reeves and Fredrick entered at the first media timeout, leaving Tshiebwe in.
• With a 10th rebound at the 14:20, Tshiebwe recorded the first double-double of the foreign tour.
• A 12-0 UK spurt forced Tec de Monterrey into a timeout with the Cats in front 71-28 with 11:25 to go. Fredrick had five straight points in the spurt, and it was capped by a 3-pointer from Wallace. 
• A Toppin pull-up jumper stretched the run to 27-3 at the under-eight media timeout and Kentucky leading 86-31. 
• Brennan Canada made his first appearance at the 4:34.
• Wheeler found Livingston for a corner 3-pointer to register his 10th assist at the 3:43 mark and a 98-33 lead.
• Kareem Watkins, Grant Darbyshire and Walker Horn checked in with 3:22 to play.

Team Notes

• The Wildcats connected on at least 50% of its field goals for the second straight game. UK made 40-75 (53.3%).
• UK won the battle of the boards by a wide margin, 65-22.
  • UK also snared 24 offensive rebounds based on its size.
• Kentucky forced Tec de Monterrey into 16 turnovers and also had eight blocked shots and 10 steals.
• Seven Wildcats scored in double figures.
• Four Wildcats had double-doubles. Livingston, Toppin and Tshiebwe had a double-double by the points-rebound variety, while Wheeler did it with assists and points.
• UK generated 21 assists and has logged 20 or more in both contests on this trip.

Player Notes  

• Sahvir Wheeler had 14 points and a game-high 10 assists. He also posted a pair of steals.
• Chris Livingston also scored 14 points, while contributing 10 rebounds.
  • He led the Cats in rebounding in game one and has eight or more in both outings.
• The double-double machine, Oscar Tshiebwe, logged 10 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
• Adou Thiero enjoyed another terrific outing with 13 points, six rebounds and a pair of assists.
  • He scored in double figures for the first time.
• Jacob Toppin broke out for 12 points and 11 rebounds.
  • It would have marked his first career double-double had this been a regular-season game.
  • He also contributed a game-high four blocked shots.
• CJ Fredrick had seven points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals in 15 minutes of action.
• Grant Darbyshire registered a late basket and it would have been his first career points had it been a regular season contest.
• Lance Ware was held out for precautionary reasons due to a sore left shoulder.