Some Notes From Kentucky's 74- 67 Loss To Ohio State

Kentucky Men’s Basketball Postgame Notes
No. 4/4 Kentucky vs. Ohio State (CBS Sports Classic)

Barclays Center – Brooklyn, N.Y.

Dec. 19, 2015
Attendance: 16,311

Final Score: Ohio State 74, Kentucky 67

Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky is 9-2 on the season. Ohio State is now 6-5
• Kentucky leads the all-time series 11-9
• Ohio State snapped UK’s three-game winning streak in the series 
• Kentucky is now 1-1 all-time in the CBS Sports Classic, having defeated UCLA in Chicago last season
• Kentucky will have a few days off for the holidays. The Wildcats will return to Rupp Arena on Saturday, Dec. 26, against Louisville. The game will tip at noon and be telecast on CBS

Game Facts

• Ohio State scored 37 first-half points, tying UCLA for the most points in the first 20 minutes by a UK opponent this year
• The 12-point halftime deficit UK faced was its largest since trailing at Florida, 49-28, on March 8, 2014
• Ohio State’s largest lead of the game was 16 at the 14:17 mark of the second half. The deficit was the largest UK has faced this season
• Kentucky outscored Ohio State 29-16 over the next 9:14. UK pulled within three (63-60) on an Alex Poythress 3-pointer with 4:10 to play
• Three points was as close as the Wildcats got. From the Poythress 3, Ohio State made four consecutive free throws to extend the lead to 67-60
• Ohio State’s 74 points were the second most UK has allowed this year (87 vs. UCLA)
• Ohio State made nine 3s, the most by a UK opponent this year. 
• The Buckeyes’ 50-percent 3-point field-goal percent (9 of 18) was the most by a UK opponent this year
• Ohio State grabbed 42 rebounds, the most by a UK opponent this year
• Ohio State had nine steals, the most by a UK opponent this year
• Ohio State blocked seven shots, the most by a UK opponent this year

Team Notes

• Coach John Calipari has a 644-180 (.782) all-time record, including a 199-40 (.833) mark at Kentucky.  
• Kentucky’s nine made 3s was a season high. The 47-percent output (9 of 19) was also a season high
• UK scored a season-low 67 points
                                                                     - Over -
• UK failed to score at least 72 points for the first time this season
• UK’s eight made free throws and 14 free-throw attempts were season lows

Player Notes  

• Freshman Jamal Murray notched a career-high 33 points, his ninth consecutive double-figure game
• His 33 points were the most by a UK player since Brandon Knight scored 30 vs. West Virginia on March 19, 2011
• Murray’s point-total was the second most by a UK player in the Calipari era (35 by Terrence Jones vs. Auburn on Jan. 11, 2011)
• The point total was the second most by a freshman in school history. Jones’ 35 in 2011 is the record
• Murray made a career-high seven 3-pointers. All of them came in the second half. He missed just one 3-point attempt in the second half
• 27 of his points came in the second half. He was 10 of 13 from the field in the second stanza
• He tied for the second best 3-point field goal percentage in a single game in school history (minimum of nine attempts) at 77.8 percent, and the best since Kyle Wiltjer vs. Lipscomb on 12/15/2012 (77.8 percent)
• He has made at least one 3-pointer in all 11 games this year 
• He’s the only player in school history to hit a 3-pointer in his first 11 collegiate games
• Junior Marcus Lee came off the bench to score 12 points and lead UK in rebounding for the second straight game with nine
• He had a career-high two steals 
• He tied his career high in minutes, playing 30, but fouled out with 1:03 to play
• Sophomore Tyler Ulis scored 11 points and dished out four assists
• Senior Alex Poythress scored six points and grabbed seven rebounds
• He made his first 3-pointer of the year
• Freshman Isaiah Briscoe dished a career-high-tying seven assists. He had seven assists vs. South Florida.

UK Athletics Reminds You Of TicketExchange.com

 With Kentucky’s rivalry game against Louisville approaching next weekend at Rupp Arena, followed by a full slate of conference games, UK officials caution fans to be careful when purchasing tickets through secondary markets.

Only tickets that are purchased directly from the UK Ticket Office, Rupp Arena Box Office, Ticketmaster, TicketExchange or through UK Fast Pass are guaranteed to be valid. Tickets purchased or acquired through any other sources or outlets may not be authentic, and admission could be denied upon entry.

TicketExchange is the only resale marketplace authorized by UK Athletics. By integrating with UK’s Ticketmaster software, TicketExchange uses barcode verification to ensure the authenticity of tickets and provides fans reliable access to purchase tickets for games and sections that otherwise may be sold out. No other websites can provide barcode verification when buying tickets to UK home games. 

Fans can search for tickets on TicketExchange by visiting UKathletics.com/TicketExchange. Authentic resale tickets can also be purchased directly on Ticketmaster.com using the interactive seat map.  

Fans buying tickets through TicketExchange can also be assured they are not accidentally buying student tickets, which require a valid UK student ID to gain admission into Rupp Arena. UK student and guest tickets are restricted from being sold on TicketExchange.  

Ticket holders may post and sell tickets at face value or above through TicketExchange, using various pricing options. Season ticket holders who are unable to attend all games are encouraged to sell tickets only through TicketExchange in order to maximize return on their investment while complying with all state, local and team regulations regarding the sale of tickets.   

To sell tickets, season ticket holders should log directly into their My UK Account at UKAthletics.com and use the “Manage My Tickets” module, while all other ticket holders should visit UKathletics.com/TicketExchange to post their tickets by entering barcode numbers.

For questions about TicketExchange, contact the UK Ticket Office at (800) 928-2287 or uktickets@uky.edu. Fans may also contact the TicketExchange call center at (800) 842-7112 for assistance with their TicketExchange account.

Murray Named SEC Freshman of The Week

Kentucky freshman guard Jamal Murray was named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week on Monday after averaging a team-best 16.5 points, a guard-best  5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in wins over Eastern Kentucky and Arizona State last week.

In the win over EKU, Murray posted an impressive line of 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists. He followed up that performance with a team-high 17 points, five assists and three boards in the victory over Arizona State. 

With two 3-pointers in both games this week, Murray became the first player in Kentucky history to make at least one trey in each of his first 10 collegiate games.

Murray, a native of Kitchener, Ontario, leads the 9-1 Wildcats in scoring (15.5 points per game) and 3-pointers made (20).

It’s the first weekly SEC honor of Murray’s career and the fourth such award for the Wildcats this season. Ulis previously won SEC Co-Player of the Week honors while freshman forward Skal Labissiere and freshman guard Isaiah Briscoe have both picked up SEC Freshman of the Week this season.

Kentucky is off until Saturday for finals week. UK returns to action Saturday in Brooklyn, N.Y., as a part of the CBS Sports Classic. The Wildcats will take on Ohio State at 3:30 p.m. on CBS.

Three Future Cats Name To Team USA In Nike Hoops Summit

Three University of Kentucky men’s basketball signees were selected to represent the Team USA Junior National Select Team in the 19th annual Nike Hoop Summit. Edrice “Bam” Adebayo, De’Aaron Fox and Wenyen Gabriel will suit up together to face members of the World Select Team on April 9, 2016 at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore. 

UK’s trio of signees are members of UK’s six-man 2016 signing class and will be among the 13 players on the USA squad in the annual contest featuring some of the world’s up-and-coming talent. The game is played under international rules and features the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Select Team, comprised of the top high school seniors, playing against a World Select Team, comprised of top players 19-years-old or younger from around the world.

Former Kentucky greats and No. 1 overall NBA Draft selections, Anthony Davis, Karl-Anthony Towns and John Wall are alumni of the event. Current Wildcats Isaiah Briscoe, Skal Labissiere and Jamal Murray participated in last year’s event. 

Adebayo will join Kentucky out of High Point Christian Academy in High Point, N.C. He’s ranked in the top 10 by Rivals (No. 6) and ESPN (No. 6). 247Sports (No. 14) and Scout (No. 15) tab him as a top-15 prospect in the 2016 class. He has prior USA Basketball experience and was named a MaxPreps All-American in 2013.

Fox is rated as high as No. 2 overall in the rankings by 247Sports. Scout ranks him at No. 4, Rivals has him at No. 5 and ESPN tabs him No. 7. Scout and 247Sports both rank the five-star prospect as the No. 1 point guard in the talented 2016 group. He participated in the 2015 USA Basketball Junior National Team minicamp and made the 2015-16 USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team in September.

Gabriel is ranked as high as No. 10 in the national rankings. Scout ranks Gabriel as the 10th-best player overall in the 2016 class. 247Sports and Rivals tab him at No. 17 and ESPN places him at No. 23. He is a consensus five-star recruit.

Kentucky vs. Arizona State OFFICIAL Box-Score

Some Kentucky vs. Arizona State Game Notes

Final Score: Kentucky 72, Arizona State 58

Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky is 9-1 on the season and has won two in a row. Arizona State is now 6-3.
• Kentucky leads the series 4-0. 
• After final examinations this week, Kentucky returns to action Saturday, Dec. 19, against Ohio State at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The game will be televised by CBS as part of the CBS Sports Classic with game time slated for 3:30 p.m.

In the First Half

• Kentucky started with the lineup of Tyler Ulis, Isaiah Briscoe, Jamal Murray, Alex Poythress and Skal Labissiere for the second game in a row.
• UK grabbed the lead at 7-6 and never trailed again, although ASU did tie the game later in the first half.  
• Poythress increased the lead to 10-6, bringing the fans to their feet with a dunk-and-one at the 15:02 mark.
• However, after totaling seven points and two rebounds in the first 10 minutes of the game, Poythress exited with a hyperextended knee and did not return until the beginning of the second half.
• Ulis extended the gap to 19-12 at the 9:16 when he swished a 3-pointer, extending UK’s streak of 949 consecutive games with a triple.
• The visitors kept it close the remainder of the first half and hit a 3-pointer just before the end of the period to narrow the score to 32-31 at intermission.

In the Second Half

• After a scoreless first half, Isaiah Briscoe scored nine straight UK points early in the second half, developing the lead to 44-38.
• Ahead 49-43, UK went on a 7-0 run to give the Wildcats the first double-digit lead of the game at 56-43.
• Leading 61-48, UK put the game away with a 10-0 run, giving the Cats the largest margin of the game at 71-48.

Team Notes

• With 2,187 all-time wins, Kentucky is the nation’s leader in that category. 

• Coach John Calipari has a 644-179 (.783) all-time record, including a 199-39 (.836) mark at Kentucky.  
• Calipari is 109-4 (.965) in Rupp Arena, including 61-1 (.984) against non-conference opponents.
• UK is now 123-5 (.961) under Calipari when holding the opponent to 63 or fewer points, including 7-0 this season.
• UK extended its streak of 27 straight wins in Rupp Arena.  
• UK has won 13 straight home games by at least 11 points, the longest such streak since a 27-game stretch from 1995-97.
• Arizona State shot 37.1 percent from the field. UK has held the last 52 home opponents, and the last 80 non-conference home opponents, under 50 percent from the field.
• UK has scored at least 72 points in its first 10 games of the season for the first time in 20 years, since the 1995-96 season.
• Kentucky has won its last 75 games in Rupp Arena when ranked in the top five of The Associated Press poll, dating back to the 2003-04 season.

Player Notes  

• Despite missing much of the game with an injury, senior Alex Poythress totaled 10 points and six rebounds in 19 minutes of action.
• Freshman Jamal Murray notched game-high 17 points, his eighth-consecutive double-figure game. He also added five assists.
• He became the first player in Kentucky history to hit at least one 3-pointer in each of his first 10 games as a Wildcat.  
• Twelve of his points came in the second half.
• Junior Marcus Lee came off the bench to corral 14 points and lead UK in rebounding with seven.
• After shooting 6 of 8 field goals today, Lee has made 11 of 13 (.846) shots in the last two games.
• Sophomore Tyler Ulis accumulated 12 points and a game-high six assists.  
• All six of the assists came in the second half.

Arizona State Coach and Player Post Kentucky Game Press Conference (FULL TRANSCRIPT)

Arizona State Head Coach

Arizona State Head Basketball Coach Bobby Hurley

Opening Statement  …

“I thought we did some pretty good things in the first half and then we didn’t carry that into the second half. We dug ourselves a hole. We did a fairly good job of keeping their guards out of the lane. Not a great effort for us defensively in the second half. Have to give credit to Kentucky on how hard they competed defensively and the pressure is as good as I’ve seen in the games that we have played this year. Against an elite team on the road we had to make our free-throws and convert easy opportunities - we did not do that in the second half.”

On how much the game had grit in the first half…

“We did a good job on manufacturing extra possessions on offense. We knew how hard Kentucky was going to play, particularly after last week. We knew Coach Cal was going to get after these guys on the practice floor, and they obviously received the message. They also started making shots behind the 3-point line in the second half that they were not making in the first half.”

On defensive problems in the second half …

“They started to hit a few threes, Briscoe and Murray hit some. Those shots were deflating for us.  Our lack of execution on offense, not converting some opportunities, (was) also a factor.” 

On Marcus Lee…

“He is a seasoned player who has experience. He has played in big games. Obviously he has the physical tools you look for, also he has the mobility. It is a great thing to have Marcus Lee able to come off the bench.”

On Isaiah Briscoe…

“He has played in a lot of big games in his career. He has a great knack for getting to the rim and finishing. He made bucket going to the lane in our zone, which should never happen. He is a talented guy who has a bright future.”

Arizona State Players

#44, Kodi Justice, G

On what changed from the first half to the second half …

“I think we played a really good first half. We played really hard. We were battling. We were scrapping. We were holding the lane. We were doing all of the things we were supposed to do and then we came to the second half. We weren’t executing the things we were supposed to be doing here and there. Then they went on a run and we just kind of, I don’t want to say give up, but they just came in with a punch and we weren’t swinging back.”

On defensive struggles in the second half …

“It was the little things. It was running back. It was stopping the ball in transition. We were up plus-eight on the glass in the first half and then in the second half we went down eight. We stopped doing the little things that were keeping us in the game in the first half.”

On UK’s 3- point shooting in the second half …

“I think they just started making shots. We were still just trying to pack the lane. With us not getting back in transition here and there, they were finding open shots and they were just making them.”

On what the team learned from playing in this environment …

“I think it’s going to help us in the long run. It was a tough loss for us, but we need to take the good from the bad when we’re playing in big crowds like this. Some of us have never played in games like this, so just to take away stuff like that. If we want to be an NCAA tournament team, this is the type of game we will have to win.”