UK POSTGAME NOTES: U of L edges Wildcats 62-59
Compiled by UK Athletics KENTUCKY AT LOUISVILLE
KFC YUM! CENTER | LOUISVILLE, KY.
DECEMBER 26, 2020 ATTENDANCE: 3,281
Final Score: Louisville 62, Kentucky 59
Team Records and Series Notes
· Kentucky is now 1-6 and Louisville is 6-1.
· Kentucky leads the series 37-17, ending a three-game series win streak by the Wildcats.
o UK leads 13-10 in games played in Louisville.
· Next: UK’s home game vs. South Carolina on Dec. 29 has been postponed. The next game on the schedule is Sat. Jan. 2 at Mississippi State. Game time is 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. CT in Starkville, Mississippi) and it will be televised on the SEC Network.
Player Notes
· For the second game in a row, Davion MIntz scored a season high. After scoring 17 points vs. North Carolina, he had 19 points today.
o His scoring was sparked by four 3-pointers, most by a Wildcat this season.
o He tied for the team best with seven rebounds.
· Brandon Boston Jr. notched 11 points and has scored in double figures in all seven games this season. He also had seven rebounds, tying for the team lead today.
· Jacob Toppin had his top game as a Wildcat with 10 points and six rebounds in 24 minutes.
Coach John Calipari
· Calipari is now 331-83 at UK, including 11-3 in games against Louisville.
· Calipari has a 776-223 all-time on-court record.
· UK is 268-48 under Calipari against Associated Press unranked teams.
· Kentucky is 55-18 under Calipari following a loss. Five of those losses have come during this current losing streak.
Team Notes
· UK has lost six in a row for the first time since Feb. 5-22, 1989.
· It’s tied for the second-longest losing streak in school history. The 1923 team dropped nine in a row.
· Kentucky has started 1-6 for the first time since the 1926-27 team opened 1-8.
· This was the fourth straight game against opponents from the Atlantic Coast Conference. UK is 58-45 all-time against teams comprising the ACC.
· Kentucky lost despite limiting Louisville to 62 points. Under Calipari, UK is now 186-8 when keeping the opponent to 63 or fewer points.
· Today’s loss ended a 34-game win streak for Kentucky when the opponent scored 63 or fewer.
· Kentucky won the rebounding 40-35, the fifth time in seven games that the Wildcats have led the boardwork.
In the First Half
· The starting lineup consisted of Davion Mintz, Brandon Boston Jr., Devin Askew, Isaiah Jackson and Olivier Sarr for the first time this season.
· UK took its first lead, 5-3, at the 16:35 mark when Askew swished a 3-pointer.
· Lance Ware, Terrence Clarke and Jacob Toppin were UK’s first subs at the 14:48 mark.
· Toppin made his presence felt immediately with three rebounds and back-to-back baskets within a three-minute span, returning UK to a 13-11 lead.
· The closely contested first half ended with a Louisville basket and a 28-27 lead by the Cardinals.
o UK is 0-3 this season when trailing at intermission.
In the Second Half
· The starting lineup opened the second half.
· A blocked shot and two steals by Jackson led to three fast-break baskets and a 34-30 lead at the 17:15 mark.
· However, UK went on a drought of four minutes and 47 seconds and Louisville’s 7-0 run gave the Cardinals a 37-34 lead.
o UKs field-goal drought went eight minutes, from 17:15 to 9:15, and UofL built a 45-39 lead. Toppin broke the skid with a short jumper in the lane.
· Trailing 57-50 with 4:49 left, equaling the largest lead of the game, MIntz replied with a huge 3-pointer that kept the Wildcats in the hunt.
o Boston made both ends of a 1-and-1, then Jackson dunked in his own miss and the 6-0 spurt moved the Cats within one at 57-56.
· Making the second of two foul shots, Jackson tied it at 59 with 1:05 remaining.
· Tied at 59, Askew missed a 3-pointer with 25 seconds left and Jackson fouled out during the scramble for the rebound.
· With 18 seconds left, Louisville’s Dre Davis made the second of two foul shots to make it 60-59.
· With eight seconds left, Sarr’s jumper curled around the rim and went out.
· UofL’s Carlik Jones got the rebound with five seconds left, was fouled, and made both shots.
· Boston’s 3-pointer from the right wing missed at the buzzer.
