Team Records and Series Notes • Winning its eighth straight home game, Kentucky is now10-3 while Missouri is 8-5. It was the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams. • UK leads the series 13-1 and has won three in a row against the Tigers. UK is 7-0 vs. Missouri in Lexington.• Next up: Kentucky has its SEC road opener Tuesday at Georgia at 9 p.m. The game will be televised by ESPN.
Player Notes • Nick Richards had 21 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots. It his sixth double-double of the season and seventh of his career.o He had one double-double in his first 74 career games, now has six in 13 games this season.o UK is 9-0 this season when he scores in double figures and 6-0 when he gets double-digit rebounds. o He posted 17 points and eight rebounds in the opening half, his best scoring half of his career. He previously scored 15 in the second half vs. Fort Wayne during a career 25-point, 15-rebound outing vs. Fort Wayne on Nov. 22, 2017. o It’s the fourth time this season he’s blocked four or more shots. Kentucky is 4-0 in those games.o He took a career-high 13 shots, making 10 of them. o A game after drawing 11 fouls vs. Louisville, he drew seven vs. Missouri.• Immanuel Quickley scored a career-high 23 points, featuring a career-high four 3-pointers and a perfect 9 of 9 at the foul line. o Dating back to the Lamar game, he’s made 24 straight free throws, the longest streak since Tyler Herro made 38 straight from Feb. 16 to March 29 last season. o Quickley entered the game fourth in the country with a .949 free-throw percentage. The school record is 93.5% (minimum 50 attempts), set last season by Tyler Herro.o It’s the fourth time this season he’s hit multiple 3-pointers in a game.o He now leads the team with 18 3-pointers. • Ashton Hagans recorded seven points, five rebounds and a game-high seven assists.o He now has 10 straight games with at least five assists, the best run since Tyler Ulis dished out five or more in 24 straight games from Dec. 26, 2015, to March 17, 2016.o His 10-game streak with six or more assists is the best such run of the John Calipari era.o Hagans left the game at the 1:30 mark with a left ankle injury. After the game, Calipari said it was a lower left ankle sprain. His status is day-to-day. o His 7.3 assist average continues to be ahead of the school-record pace.
Coach John Calipari • Calipari is now 315-74 at UK. • He has a 760-214 all-time on-court record. • He is now 345-104 all-time in conference games, including 137-38 in the SEC.• UK is 254-42 vs. unranked competition under Calipari.
Team Notes • Kentucky is now 67-19 in Southeastern Conference openers, including 9-2 under Calipari.• The Wildcats are now just two victories shy of 1,000 all-time wins in the SEC. • UK held the visitors to 59 points. UK is 181-7 under Calipari when limiting the opponent to 63 points or less, including 8-0 this season.• UK shot 43.5% from the field and Missouri hit 36.2%,moving Kentucky to 9-0 this season when outshooting the opponent. • Kentucky improved to 194-17 in the Calipari era when holding the opponent to 40% or less.• UK was remarkable consistent at the foul line, making 90% in the first half (9 of 10), 90% in the second half (18 of 20) and 90% for the game (27 of 30).• UK entered the week ranked 10th in the nation in free throw percentage, 79.0%.• Wildcats won the rebounding 36-31 and are now 9-0 this season when leading the rebounding.• Kentucky had two 20-point scorers for the second time this season. Richards and Hagans did it earlier this season in the Utah Valley game.• Kentucky led by as many as 16 points in the second half. The Wildcats improved to 270-6 under Calipari when leading by at least 10 points at any time in the contest.
In the First Half • The starting lineup consisted of Ashton Hagans, Tyrese Maxey, Keion Brooks Jr., EJ Montgomery and Nick Richards for the second straight game. • Nate Sestina was the first sub at the 16:51 mark. • Missouri controlled the game at the outset, building a 17-9 lead.• Kentucky got on the board with a Richards dunk at the 17:20 mark. Richards scored UK’s first nine points and no other Wildcat tallied until a driving layup by Maxey with 10:05 on the clock.• Maxey’s score was followed by five more points from Richards, the start of a 12-0 run that gave UK the lead at 21-17 and the Wildcats never trailed again. • A total spurt of 22-6 gave UK its largest lead of the half, eight points, at 31-23. • UK led at halftime 31-26 behind 17 points from Richards, the highest scoring half of his career.o With the win, Kentucky is now 10-0 when leading at the break.
In the Second Half • UK began the second half with Hagans, Maxey, Immanuel Quickley, Montgomery and Richards. • Missouri opened the scoring with a 3-pointer, but then UK steadily added to its advantage, improving the lead to 13 points at 46-33 and 48-35. • Quickley started quickly in the second half, scoring 11 of UK’s first 13 points. • Missouri’s Javon Pickett was assessed a technical foul with 14:09 remaining. It was also Missouri’s seventh foul of the half, putting UK in the bonus.• UK led by as many as 16 points at 52-36 and 62-46. • Missouri got no closer than 10 down the stretch as the Wildcats brought home the victory.