Basketball ***** Postgame Notes: UK 108, Jackson State 59 *****

[Jeff Drummond]

KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
RUPP ARENA AT CENTRAL BANK CENTER | LEXINGTON, KY
NOV. 22, 2024
ATTENDANCE: 19,961

Final Score: No. 9/11 Kentucky 108, Jackson State 59

Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky is 5-0 and Jackson State is 0-6.
• This was the first meeting between the two schools in men’s basketball.
  • Kentucky now leads the series 1-0.
  • This was the first time Mark Pope has faced Jackson State as a head coach.
• Mark Pope is now 192-108 as a head coach, including a 5-0 record at Kentucky.
• The Wildcats continue their four-game homestand Tuesday against WKU. The tip time is set for 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU

Team Notes

• Kentucky has a 5-0 start for the first time since the 2016-17 team won its first seven.
• Cats are 4-0 inside Rupp Arena on the year and have scored a total of 408 points, good for an average of 102 per home contest. They have finished with at least 100 points in three of the four home games
• The 108 points for Kentucky tonight were its most in a game this season.
  • It was UK’s most points in a game since scoring 111 points vs. Arkansas last year in Rupp Arena (March 2, 2024).
• Kentucky is one of four teams nationally to make double-digit 3s in every game this season
  • St. Louis
  • Tennessee Tech
  • Sam Houston State
• Kentucky has made at least 10 3-pointers in its opening five games for the first time in program history and 10 in five consecutive games at any point in the season for the first time since Feb. 6 – Feb. 20 in 2016.

• Kentucky won bench points 52-12.
  • Through five games, UK is averaging 39.2 bench points per game and is outscoring the opponent by 22.8 bench points per game.
• UK finished with 29 assists, now averaging 21.8 helpers per game. The Cats have an assist rate of 61.6% for the season with 109 assists on 177 made FGs.
• Kentucky’s 17 3-pointers made were its most in a game this season, as were the team’s 39 attempts
• Wildcats held Jackson State to just 19% from 3-point range. On the season, UK is holding opponents to 22%.

Player Notes

• Otega Oweh scored 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 1-of-4 from 3 with three steals and two assists.
  • Oweh’s 21 points tied a season best.
• Jaxson Robinson finished with 14 points, including a season-high four made 3s.
  • Robinson has made two or more 3s in every game but one this season.
• Koby Brea had a season-high 22 points and made five 3-pointers. He has hit multiple 3s in every game this season.
  • Brea is now 20-of-27 from long range this season.
  • The 22 points tied his career high, which came last season at SMU (11/29/23).
  • His eight field-goals made was a season high and tied a new career high.
• Ansley Almonor has made at least one 3-pointer in 28-straight games.
  • He scored 10 points with three rebounds and two 3s.
• Collin Chandler contributed a season-high six points, hitting 2-of-3 3s in the game.
• Amari Williams finished with eight rebounds, he has led the team in rebounding in every game this season.
• Brandon Garrison also had eight rebounds to tie for the team lead. He scored six points with six assists, three steals and three blocks.
• Travis Perry buried his first career 3-pointer and had a career-high five points.
• Trent Noah had his first collegiate points on a 3-pointer.
• Andrew Carr had an impressive all-around stat line with six points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals.
• Lamont Butler scored 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting with four rebounds, five assists and three steals.
• Kerr Kriisa had seven assists and has led UK in assists in four games this season.

In the First Half

• Kentucky’s starters were Lamont Butler, Otega Oweh, Jaxson Robinson, Andrew Carr and Amari Williams for the fifth consecutive game.
  • First subs were Koby Brea and Brandon Garrison at 15:20
• Jaxson Robinson hit a 3-pointer from the right corner for the first points of the game
• Jackson State responded with the next five points to put Tigers ahead 5-3
• Robinson hit another 3, this time from the opposite corner, to give UK 6-5 advantage. The Cats would lead the first of the way
• Kentucky led 15-7 at the first media timeout
• Wildcats went on a 15-2 run from 17:48 to 14:55 powered by six consecutive made field goals
• Kentucky led 33-14 as Jackson State called timeout at 8:59
• The Cats led by as many as 26 points in the first 20 minutes of action
• UK took a 54-30 lead into halftime. The 24-point advantage was its largest at the half this season. The 54 points were the most in an opening half this season and the 59.5 percent from the floor was also a season best for the first stanza
• Otega Oweh led Kentucky with 13 points in the first half
• Nine different Wildcats made a field goal in the opening 20 minutes
• Kerr Kriisa had five first half assists

In the Second Half

• Kentucky began the second half with the starting lineup.
• Kentucky was 19-of-34 from the field in the second half for 55.9%.
• UK went 9-of-19 from 3 in the second half for 47.4%.
• Thirteen of Kentucky’s 29 assists came in the second half.
• The Wildcats biggest lead of the night was 51 points with :41 left.