Walter's Wildcat WorldSince 1998, honoring Kentucky basketball history, players, teams, moments, and traditions.

Onyenso tied a Rupp Arena record plus Boxscore and Other Ole Miss Game Notes

Go here for boxscore.

 

KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
RUPP ARENA AT CENTRAL BANK CENTER | LEXINGTON, KY
FEB. 13, 2024
ATTENDANCE: 20,064

Final Score: No. 22/20 Kentucky 75, RV 63

Team Records and Series Notes

  • Kentucky is 17-7 on the season, 7-4 in the Southeastern Conference.
  • Ole Miss is 18-6 overall, 5-6 in league play.
  • Kentucky leads the series, 111-14 and has won the last three.
    • leads 57-2 in games played in Lexington, including the last 14 in a row.
  • Next for Kentucky: the Wildcats embark on a two-game road swing, beginning Saturday at Auburn.  Game time is 6 p.m. Eastern (5 p.m. Central in Auburn), televised by ESPN.

Team Notes

  • Kentucky is 6-1 this season in bounce-back games after losses.
  • Kentucky limited Ole Miss to 63 points.  UK is now 218-10 (95.6%) under Coach when keeping the opponent to 63 or fewer, including 4-0 this season.
  • Kentucky held Ole Miss to 0.86 points per possession.  UK is 7-0 this season when keeping the opponent at 1.00 points per possession or less.
  • Kentucky held Ole Miss to 37.5% from the field, 24 of 64.  UK is 239-24 (90.9%) under Calipari when keeping the opponent to 40 percent or less from the field.
  • Kentucky won the rebounding, 37-34.  UK is 11-0 this season when winning the rebounding.
  • Kentucky blocked 12 shots today.  UK entered the game fourth in the nation in blocks at 6.1 per game.
  • Since the North Carolina game on Dec. 16 – the first game that UK had at least two seven-foot players available – the Wildcats have averaged 7.3 rejections per game. UK averaged 4.8 blocks per game prior to having two seven-footers available.
  • Kentucky shot 51.9% from the field, 28 of 54.  The Wildcats are 11-0 this season shooting at least 50 percent from the field.
  • Kentucky led by as many as 17 points.  UK is 344-16 (95.6%) under Coach John Calipari when leading by at least 10 points during the game.
  • This was the first game this season that Kentucky had all players available.
  • Going into tonight, eight players had missed a total of 48 games because of injury, illness or other factors.  Among regular players, Antonio Reeves, and are the only ones who have been available every game.

Player Notes 

  •  tied a Rupp Arena record by blocking 10 shots.  He shares the mark with David Robinson of Navy, who had 10 rejections on Jan. 25, 1987.
    • Onyenso also had eight points tonight, making all three of his field goal attempts.
  • For the first time this season, Antonio Reeves led the Wildcats in scoring and rebounding in the same game.
    • He led UK with 15 points and has landed in double figures in every game but one this season. He also led the team in rebounds with seven.
  • Reed Sheppard had 13 points, his 17th double-figure tally of the season, and paced the Wildcats in assists with five.
    • Sheppard, the SEC leader in steals, had a career-high-tying five steals and has had at least two thefts in 19 of 24 games.
    • It is the 13th time since 1996-97 that UK had a player with at least 13 points, five assists and five steals in the same game.
  • Justin Edwards had 12 points, his ninth double-figure effort of the season.
  •  had 10 points, his 19th double-figure game of the season. He added four rebounds and four assists.
  • After missing two games,  returned to action.  However, he departed at the 16:13 mark of the second half with an injured left shoulder and did not re-enter. He notched five points and six rebounds in his 21 minutes on the court.

Coach John Calipari

  • Calipari has an 849-260 (76.6%) all-time on-court record, including 404-120 (77.1%) at Kentucky.
  • Calipari is 333-69 (82.8%) against unranked opponents while at Kentucky.
  • Calipari is 400-130 (75.5%) in conference games during his career, including 193-64 (75.1%) in the SEC.
  • Calipari is 19-5 vs. Ole Miss.

In the First Half

  • Kentucky started , Antonio Reeves, Justin Edwards, Tre Mitchell and Ugonna Onyenso for the first time. It is the sixth time in the last seven games that UK has started a first-time lineup.
  •  and Reed Sheppard were UK’s first substitutions at the 16:53 mark.
  • Trailing 23-18, UK had a 10-0 splash for a 28-23 lead and never trailed again.
  • UK later added an 8-0 spurt to make it 38-27.
  • All totaled, after trailing 23-18, UK ended the half on 25-6 run to take a 43-29 tally into intermission.
  • UK is 15-2 this season when leading at halftime.

In the Second Half

  • Kentucky began the second half with the starting lineup.
  • Ole Miss opened with an 8-2 run, closing to 45-37 and coaxing a UK timeout at 17:27.
  • The Rebels closed within 47-41 but the Wildcats responded with a 15-4 surge for the game’s largest cushion at 62-45 with 9:38 remaining.