Basketball ***** Postgame Notes: UK vs. Texas *****

[Jeff Drummond]

KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
MOODY CENTER | AUSTIN, TX
FEBRUARY 15, 2025
ATTENDANCE: 11,060

FINAL SCORE: Texas 82, No. 15/18 Kentucky 78

Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky is now 17-8 overall, 6-6 in the Southeastern Conference. Texas is 16-10 overall, 5-8 in the league.
• Kentucky leads the series, 2-1. This was the teams’ first meeting in Austin.
• Mark Pope is 204-116 as head coach, including 17-8 at Kentucky.
• Next for Kentucky: the Wildcats play host to Vanderbilt on Wednesday. Game time is 7 p.m. and it will be televised on the SEC Network.

Team Notes

• Kentucky limited Texas to 21.7 percent on 3-point shooting, making 5 of 23. UK is 11-1 this season when the opponent makes less than 25 percent.
• Amari Williams made his first 3-pointer of the season, UK’s 12th player who has made at least one this season. That’s the most Wildcats who have made a 3-pointer since the 2008-09 team.
• With Lamont Butler, Jaxson Robinson and Kerr Kriisa out tonight, UK has played only seven games this season at full strength.

Player Notes

• Otega Oweh led the Wildcats with 20 points.
  • He has scored in double figures in every game this season, the only SEC player to do so and one of 11 (entering tonight) in Division I.
  • He has UK’s longest double-figure streak since Malik Monk did so in 30 consecutive games in 2016-17.
• Amari Williams collected 18 points, 12 rebounds and three assists.
  • It is his eight double-double of the season, his sixth in the last 10 games.
  • It is the eighth time in the last 10 seasons that a Wildcat has totaled at least 18 points, 12 rebounds and three assists in a game.
  • Williams made his first 3-pointer of the season.
• Ansley Almonor had 11 points, his 10th game of the season in double figures.
• Trent Noah had seven points and a career-high six rebounds.

Making his first collegiate start, Travis Perry had six points and a career-high three assists.

• Koby Brea had four points, but did not hit a 3-pointer, ending his streak of 39 straight games with at least one triple.
  • He tied his career high for steals with three.

In the First Half

• Kentucky’s starters were Travis Perry, Koby Brea, Otega Oweh, Ansley Almonor and Amari Williams, the first time this lineup has been used.
• Andrew Carr and Trent Noah were UK’s first substitutions at 16:33.
• Kentucky jumped out to a 9-2 lead, prompting a Texas timeout at 16:33.
• Texas rallied and took its first lead at 20-17.
• Tied at 37, UK got the last four points of the half and took a 41-37 lead into the locker room.
  • Williams led the Kentucky effort with nine points and five rebounds.
  • UK is now 14-1 this season when leading at halftime.

In the Second Half

• Kentucky began the second half with the starters.
• Ahead 48-41 after an Almonor 3-pointer at the 16:58 mark, Kentucky went cold, going more than six minutes without a basket, and Texas regained the lead.
• Trailing 60-59, a 6-0 Wildcat spurt put UK up 65-60 and Texas called timeout at 5:35.
• Kentucky led 69-64 with 3:51 left when Texas took control with a 14-1 run.