UK POSTGAME NOTES: Auburn Defeats Cats 66-59
Compiled by UK Athletics
KENTUCKY at AUBURN
AUBURN ARENA
JAN. 16, 2021 ATTENDANCE: 1,824
Final Score: Auburn 66, Kentucky 59
Team Records and Series Notes
· Kentucky falls to 4-8 overall, 3-2 in the Southeastern Conference.
· Auburn is now 8-6 on the season, 2-4 in league play.
· Kentucky still leads the series 95-22. UK leads 31-17 in games played in Auburn.
· The series has been very competitive of late. Auburn has won five of the last nine games.
· Next up for the Wildcats: After a few days back home for practice, Kentucky will be back on the road. UK will play at Georgia on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The game is on SEC Network.
Player Notes
· Davion Mintz led the Wildcats for a team-leading fifth time this season with 11 points.
o He knocked down a 3-pointer for the fifth straight game.
· Jacob Toppin contributed 10 points and a team-high-tying six rebounds.
o It’s the second time he’s reached double-figure scoring this season, he also had 10 at Louisville.
· Keion Brooks Jr. scored eight points and added a team-high-tying six rebounds.
· Dontaie Allen poured in eight points – all in the first half – which included a pair of 3-pointers and his first career dunk.
o He is 15 of 30 from 3-point range in league play.
Coach John Calipari
· Calipari is now 334-85 at UK.
· Calipari has a 779-225 all-time on-court record.
· UK is 271-50 under Calipari against teams unranked in the Associated Press Top 25.
· Calipari is 12-5 in his career vs. Auburn.
· Kentucky is 56-19 under Calipari in the game following a loss (does not count end-of-season losses).
Team Notes
· Kentucky lost the rebounding battle 41-38 and surrendered 16 offensive rebounds to the Tigers.
· The Wildcats committed 18 turnovers and have five such games this season with 18 or more miscues, including two straight. UK has lost four of those five games.
· UK blocked six shots and has six or more in seven outings this season.
· The Wildcats have swatted six or more in five consecutive games.
· The loss snapped a two-game winning streak away from home.
· Kentucky is shooting 48.1% from the floor and 44.4% from 3-point range in its four wins, but only 38.5% overall and 23.0% from 3-point range in its losses.
· UK’s 59 points tied a season low. The Wildcats also scored 59 in the loss at Louisville.
· The Wildcats lost despite holding Auburn to 38.3%. UK is 205-21 under Calipari when holding the opposition to 40% or less from the floor and now 3-2 on the season.
In the First Half
· The starting lineup consisted of Devin Askew, Davion Mintz, Brandon Boston Jr., Isaiah Jackson and Olivier Sarr for the third time this season. UK is now 1-2 when that lineup starts.
· Lance Ware and Dontaie Allen were the first substitutes at the 18:20 mark.
· It was a sluggish start for both teams. The Wildcats started 0 of 6 from the floor with two turnovers before making their first field goal and Auburn started 1 for 16 overall before making its second field goal nearly 10 minutes into the game.
· Allen broke the 0-for-6 Kentucky start with a thunderous one-hand slam, his first dunk of his Kentucky career.
· The two teams ended up combining to make just two of their first 23 over the first 6:58 of game time.
· Allen was the only Wildcat to score for the first 7:53 of game time until Jacob Toppin made a driving layup to put UK up 7-2.
· After starting with a 9-2 lead thanks to the stingy UK defense, Auburn answered with a 6-0 run.
· The Wildcats gave up 12 offensive rebounds but only allowed it to turn into four second-chance points.
· Kentucky held the Tigers to 24.2% shooting, a season best for a half.
· UK led 25-21 at halftime. Kentucky is now 2-4 when leading at the half.
· It was a season-low point total in a half (tied for Auburn) for both teams.
· Allen and Toppin led UK with eight points apiece.
In the Second Half
· Kentucky opened the second half with Askew, Mintz, Boston, Jackson and Sarr.
· The teams traded baskets for much of the first 10 minutes of the second half.
· UK led by as many as four at the 14:16 mark on a Brooks Jr. second-chance putback.
· Auburn utilized a 9-0 spurt to take a seven-point lead, 50-43, at the 7:37 mark.
· The lead swelled to as many as 10 with 5:36 remaining.
· UK clawed back and pulled to within two twice, the latest coming on a Toppin dunk with 58 seconds to play.
· The Tigers closed the game with a made layup and a perfect 4 of 4 from the free-throw line to keep the Wildcats from getting any closer.
