UK Postgame Notes: Turnovers Continue To Plague Cats as UK Drops 79-62

Compiled by UK Athletics

UK's Terrence Clarke hit a game-high 22 points against Georgia Tech Sunday. (SEC Photo)

HOLIDAY HOOPSGIVING KENTUCKY VS. GEORGIA TECH

STATE FARM ARENA | ATLANTA

DECEMBER 6, 2020 ATTENDANCE: 0 (No fans were permitted due to COVID-19 protocols)

Final Score: Georgia Tech 79, No. 20/9 Kentucky 62

Team Records and Series Notes

· Kentucky falls to 1-3 and Georgia Tech is 1-2. · UK is 57-16 against Georgia Tech all-time and 9-3 in neutral-site games.

· Next: Kentucky returns home to host Notre Dame on Saturday. The game will air live on CBS at Noon.

Player Notes

· Terrence Clarke led the Wildcats with a career-high 22 points.

o He also made his first 3-pointers of his career and finished with a trio.

· Brandon Boston Jr. scored 11 points and had four rebounds.

o He’s scored in double figures in all four games.

· Isaiah Jackson finished with nine points, 12 rebounds, four assists, a block and a steal.

o He had nine rebounds in the opening half.

o He’s the first UK player with double-digit rebounds in three straight games since PJ Washington from Jan. 26-Feb. 2, 2019.

Coach John Calipari

· Calipari is now 331-80 at UK.

· Calipari has a 776-220 all-time on-court record.

· UK is 268-46 all-time under Calipari against Associated Press unranked teams.

· Kentucky is 55-15 under Calipari following a loss.

· This is just the second time in his 12-year run as UK’s coach he has dropped three or more games in a row. UK lost four straight during the 2017-18 season.

· The Wildcats are 78-25 under Calipari at neutral sites.

Team Notes

· Kentucky is 1-3 for the first time since the 2000-01 season. That team went on to finish the year ranked in the top 10 of both major polls. The Wildcats also were co-champions of the Southeastern Conference and won the league tournament.

· Kentucky is 70-33 in the Atlanta metro area in program history.

· UK is 58-42 all-time against teams comprising the Atlantic Coast Conference and will play its second straight ACC opponent on Saturday.

· The Wildcats committed 21 turnovers and have 15 or more in all four games this season.

· Georgia Tech converted those turnovers into 33 points.

· UK had struggled from 3-point range in its first three games, but made a season-high 8 of 19 (.421) in today’s outing.

· The Wildcats dished out 16 assists, two off from a season high.

· Kentucky outrebounded Georgia Tech 28-23 and have outrebounded opponents in three of four games.

· Georgia Tech shot 51.7% (31 of 60) from the field. It’s the first time a UK opponent has shot higher than 50% this season.

In the First Half

· The starting lineup consisted of freshmen Devin Askew, Brandon Boston Jr., Terrence Clarke, Isaiah Jackson and senior Olivier Sarr, for the third time this season and second straight game.

· For the fourth straight game, Davion Mintz was UK’s first substitute at the 15:17 mark.

· After another slow start offensively, Clarke scored UK’s first bucket at the 17:07 mark and then assisted Boston on his first 3-pointer of the season.

· Georgia Tech, powered by a pair of traditional three-point plays, claimed a 10-5 lead with just under 14 to play.

· Jackson sparked the start of a 6-0 run for the Wildcats as they grabbed an 11-10 lead with an offensive rebound that turned into a Clarke 3-pointer and then a block on the defensive end on the next possession.

· Clarke scored 13 of UK’s first 20 points.

· The Yellow Jackets took their largest lead of the half fueled by a 13-0 spurt to push the lead to 10 at 32-22.

o An Askew 3-pointer snapped the run with 1:19 to play in the half.

· Kentucky faced a 34-27 halftime deficit, it’s first of the season.

· There were eight lead changes and two ties in the first 20 minutes.

· The Wildcats committed 12 turnovers in the first half and have committed double-digit miscues in all four games this season.

o UK knocked down four 3-pointers in the first half. UK had only made three in its last two games.

In the Second Half

· Askew, Boston, Clarke, Jackson and Sarr opened the second half as UK’s starters.

· Georgia Tech got off to a quick start and earned a 41-30 lead at 17:24.

· Kentucky rebounded with a 7-0 spurt of its own to pull to within four at 41-37.

o Georgia Tech generated a 4-0 run of its own to claim a three-possession lead.

· A Jackson floater pulled Kentucky to within three at 45-42, but the Yellow Jackets utilized a 16-4 run to earn a 17-point lead at 61-44 with 8:05 to play.