Basketball ***** Postgame Notes - Arkansas 89, Kentucky 79 *****

[Jeff Drummond]

KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
RUPP ARENA AT CENTRAL BANK CENTER | LEXINGTON, KY
FEB. 1, 2025
ATTENDANCE: 21,266

Final Score: Arkansas 89, No. 12 Kentucky 79

Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky is now 15-6 overall, 4-4 in the Southeastern Conference. Arkansas is 13-8 overall, 2-6 in the league.
• Kentucky leads the series 36-15, including 16-6 in games played in Lexington.
• Mark Pope is 202-114 as head coach, including 15-6 at Kentucky.
• Next for Kentucky: the Wildcats will complete the first half of their Southeastern Conference schedule Tuesday at Ole Miss. Tipoff is 7 p.m. Eastern time (6 p.m. Central in Oxford) and it will be televised on ESPN.

Team Notes

• Kentucky had two players with at least 20 points for the second time this season, first time since the Jackson State game.
• Kentucky made 10 of 23 on 3-pointers. The Wildcats are 11-2 this season when making at least 10 long balls in a game.
• Kentucky won the rebounding 33-30. UK is 11-2 this season when winning the rebounding.
• Kentucky played without starting point guard Lamont Butler for the second consecutive game.

Player Notes

• Amari Williams assembled a season-high 22 points and 11 rebounds and three assists.
  • It is his sixth double-double of the season, second double-double in a row and fourth in the last six games.
  • In addition to a season high, the 22 points is one short of his career high.
  • It is his 12th double-figure scoring game of the season and his 10th game with rebounding double digits.
  • He is the first player this season to lead the team in scoring, rebounding and assists in the same game.
• Jaxson Robinson had 20 points, his sixth straight double-figure game, three of which have been at least 20 points.
  • He was 4 of 6 from beyond the arc and now has made at least three triples in six straight games.
  • He improved to 15.9 points per game in SEC games and is shooting 47.5 percent on 3-pointers.
• Ansley Almonor had 12 points, his fourth straight game in double figures and fifth in the last six games.
  • He made 3 of 5 on 3-pointers and his hit multiple threes in four straight games.
• Otega Oweh scored 10 points. He is the only SEC player, and one of only 17 Division I players nationally, who has scored in double figures in every game this season.
• Koby Brea continued his streak of at least one 3-pointer in every game this season and 36 straight contests overall.

In the First Half

• Kentucky’s starters were Jaxson Robinson, Koby Brea, Otega Oweh, Ansley Almonor and Amari Williams for the second game in a row.
• Brandon Garrison was the first substitution at 14:23.
• Both teams came out firing, and after a 3-pointer by Robinson moved the score to 18-12, Arkansas called timeout at 14:23.
• Trailing 30-25, Arkansas reclaimed the lead with a 9-0 run.
• The teams battled evenly the rest of the half and a 3-pointer with 29 seconds left sent Arkansas to a 46-45 lead at intermission.
  • UK is now 3-6 this season when trailing at halftime.

In the Second Half

• Kentucky began the second half with the starters.
• Arkansas started with a 9-2 run, giving the Razorbacks a 55-47 lead, and Kentucky called timeout at 16:39.
• Arkansas came out of the timeout with a 3-pointer, staking their then-largest lead at 58-47.
• Arkansas eventually stretched its lead to 12 points at 73-61 and 75-63.
• Kentucky closed within six points at 76-70 but got no closer.
• Arkansas took its largest lead of 14 points at 87-73.