Basketball Postgame Notes: UK vs. Texas A&M Commerce

[Jeff Drummond]

KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
RUPP ARENA AT CENTRAL BANK CENTER | LEXINGTON, KY.
NOV. 10, 2023
ATTENDANCE: 19,646

Final Score: No. 16 Kentucky 81, Texas A&M-Commerce 61

Team Records and Series Notes

• This was the first game of the Wildcat Challenge presented by Kentucky Tourism.
• Kentucky is 2-0 on the season, Texas A&M-Commerce is 0-3.
• This was the first meeting between the teams.
• The Wildcats return to action Tuesday, Nov. 14, against Kansas in the Champions Classic. The game will be played in the United Center in Chicago. Game time is 9:30 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN.

Team Notes

• Kentucky limited TAMC to 61 points.
  • UK is 216-10 (95.6%) under Calipari when the opponent scores 63 points or less.
• Kentucky had only three turnovers while forcing 14.
• All five starters scored in double figures, the second-straight game that five Wildcats landed in double digits.
• Kentucky won fast-break points, 23-1.
• Kentucky led by as many as 22 points. The Wildcats are 331-14 (95.9%) in the Calipari era when leading by as many as 10 points at any time during the contest.

Rupp Arena

• Kentucky is 649-81 (88.9%) in the 48-year history of Rupp Arena.
• Kentucky is 222-21 (91.4%) in Rupp Arena under Calipari.

Player Notes

• Antonio Reeves led the Wildcats with 21 points, including 5-of-8 on 3-pointers.
• Tre Mitchell had 18 points, a game-high eight rebounds and tied Reed Sheppard with a game-high three steals.
• Justin Edwards tallied 16 points, including 4-of-4 at the foul line, with seven rebounds.
• Rob Dillingham totaled 12 points and led the Wildcats in assists with four.
• D.J. Wagner finished with 11 points.

Coach John Calipari

• This was Calipari’s first game against Texas A&M-Commerce.
• Calipari has an 834-253 all-time on-court record and a 389-113 mark at Kentucky.
• Calipari is 319-64 (83.3%) at UK against unranked competition.

In the First Half

• Kentucky started D.J. Wagner, Rob Dillingham, Antonio Reeves, Justin Edwards and Tre Mitchell.
• Jordan Burks and Reed Sheppard were UK’s first substitutions at the 14:32 mark.
• TAMC’s Tommie Lewis scored the first eight points of the game, prompting a UK timeout at 17:48.
• On the strength of five 3-pointers, TAMC stretched the lead to 13 points, 19-6, at 13:28.
• Trailing 21-8, UK went on a 19-3 run for a 27-24 advantage.
  • UK’s first lead was 25-24 on a driving layup by Wagner at the 7:41 mark.
• On the strength of three Reeves 3-pointers, UK closed the half on a 9-2 run and took a 38-30 lead into intermission.

In the Second Half

• Kentucky began the second half with the starting lineup.
• Ahead 43-37, UK added a 9-0 run to make it 52-37.
• The margin stayed in that range until late in the game, when the Wildcats led by as many as 22 points en route to the 20-point triumph.