< Previous18 @KentuckyMBB From Press Row Up Next: First SEC Road Test at LSU Up next for Kentucky is LSU. The Tigers enter the matchup with a 12-1 overall record and a 0-1 mark in Southeastern Conference action. LSU suffered its first setback of the sea- son in a 70-55 loss to Auburn on Wednesday in the SEC opener for both teams. The Tigers are one of the best defensive teams in the country through the early stages of the season. LSU is KenPom.com’s No. 1 rat- ed defense. The Tigers are limiting opponents to 55.3 points per game, 34.5% from the field and 26.2% from 3-point range. Auburn’s 70 points were the most the Tigers have yielded all season. LSU’s opponent field-goal percent- age is tops in the country and the Tigers also pace the nation in steals per game at 12.5. LSU is led by Tari Eason, who is logging 15.8 points per game. Darius Days is contrib- uting 14.7 points per game and a team-high 8.0 rebounds per outing. Five players have al- ready amassed at least 20 steals on the season. Kentucky leads the series 91-27 overall, including a 32-18 mark when the game is played in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The teams played just once last season, but will see each other twice in 2022. The Tigers make the re- turn trip to Lexington, Kentucky, on Feb. 23. This marks the first time the teams have played twice in the regular season since the 2015-16 season. The Wildcats have won four of the last five meetings, including two straight in Baton Rouge. Wildcats Cruise Past High Point Be- hind Grady’s Seven 3-Pointers Tubby Smith returned to Kentucky, and Kellan Grady stole the show. Grady spoiled Smith’s trip to Rupp Arena, making seven 3-pointers to lead No. 18 Ken- tucky to a 92-48 victory over High Point on Friday. Smith coached Kentucky for 10 years from 1997-2007, winning the NCAA title in 1998. The High Point alum was hired to coach the Panthers in March 2018. Kentucky raised a jersey in Rupp to honor Smith. But after the pregame ceremony, it was all Wildcats. Kentucky shot 58% from the field in the first half and led 43-25 at the break. High Point closed to 47-34 on Zach Austin’s 3-pointer with 17:14 left, but Grady responded with three more 3s during an impressive burst. ‘’(Coach John Calipari) mentioned during starting lineups he was going to run a couple sets to give me the opportunity to get a couple shots,’’ said Grady, who finished with 23 points. TyTy Washington had 15 points and nine assists for the Wildcats (11-2), and Oscar Tshiebwe finished with 15 points and eight rebounds. Austin and John-Michael Wright each had 12 points and six rebounds for High Point (6-8). Fans packed Rupp Arena early to witness the unveiling of Smith’s jersey before the game. As the former Kentucky coach made his way to the floor during warmups, the crowd applauded and chanted ‘’Tubby! Tubby!’’ ‘’You want to enjoy the moments and sa- vor these opportunities. When you do your job and do it the best of your ability, people respect that,’’ Smith said. ‘’And I think that is a testament to the values we tried to instill in our players and family.’’ Thanks to the large margin, Kentucky’s starters left the game with about 10 minutes to play. The Wildcats got valuable minutes from their reserves, including Lance Ware, who had five rebounds and two blocked shots in eight minutes of play, and Jacob Toppin, who had six points and six rebounds in nine minutes. Kentucky went 18 for 31 from 3-point range. Grady was 7 for 10, and Washington went 3 for 5. The Wildcats were very efficient on offense, shooting 59% for the game and finishing with 23 assists on 39 field goals. ‘’When we make shots like we made today we are going to beat people and there will be a big margins,’’ Calipari said. • Kentucky limited High Point to 48 points, the fewest points the Wildcats have allowed since holding Morehead State to 45 points in the 2020-21 season opener on Nov. 25, 2020 • The Wildcats were 39 of 66 from the field Friday afternoon, a season-high 59.1%. That’s their best shooting mark since making 64.2% of their attempts vs. Alabama on March 10, 2018, in the SEC Tournament • UK held High Point to 19 of 61 from the floor, 31.1%. That’s the Wildcats’ best defen- sive field-goal percentage of the season and the best since Kansas shot 29.9% on Dec. 1, 2020, in last season’s Champions Classic Offense Heating Up Kentucky has won four straight games by at least 27 points for the first time since winning by 31 or more in four straight wins from Nov. 20 through Nov. 28, 2016. That team featured the likes of future NBA Lottery selections in De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Bam Adebayo. Since a four-point loss at Notre Dame, the Wildcats have been dominating in all phases of the game but particularly on the offensive end. In those four wins, UK is averaging 92.0 points per game, shooting 53.1% from the field and 41.0% from 3-point range. The Wild- cats are draining an average of eight 3-point- ers per game, led by Kellan Grady’s 20-of-31 (64.5%) over the last four games. Kentucky is sharing the ball with an aver- age of 20.5 assists per game. Sahvir Wheeler (8.0) and TyTy Washington Jr. (5.3) are leading the way in assists per game. Five players are averaging double figures (Grady - 18.0, Wash- ington - 14.5, Oscar Tshiebwe - 14.5, Wheel- er - 11.3 and Keion Brooks Jr. - 10.3). The Wildcats are generating 16.0 sec- ond-chance points and 18.8 fast-break points per game during the stretch. Kentucky Dominates SEC Weekly Awards; Washington Wins Again TyTy Washington Jr. was named Co-South- eastern Conference Freshman of the Week on Monday. Washington has now earned the distinction a league-leading three times this season. Washington averaged 14.5 points, 5.5 as- sists and 4.0 rebounds per game in dominating wins over Missouri and High Point last week. In UK’s 11 victories, Washington is averag- ing a team-high 15.2 points per game and is shooting 53.5% from the field and 44.2% from behind the arc. Washington is the first UK player to earn SEC Freshman of the Week at least three times in a season since Tyrese Maxey in 2019-20. Maxey was recognized three times for a weekly honor before being selected to the All- SEC Freshman Team by the league’s coaches at the conclusion of the regular season. The Wildcats have now earned five honors this season and have earned at least one hon- or in three consecutive weeks. Sahvir Wheel- er won SEC Player of the Week following his 26-point effort against North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic. Oscar Tshiebwe was hon- ored a week ago following a record-breaking 28-rebound performance against Western Ken- tucky. Washington was also recognized last week and on Nov. 22.167 W Main Street, Lexington | @LockboxLex | LockboxLex.com LEXINGTONLocated at GLOW BIG BLUE Just blocks from Rupp Arena, we’re the perfect destination for your pre-game dinner or post-game drinks. Make a night of it and enjoy free valet parking with the 21c Game Day Package.20 @KentuckyMBB Florida Lexington, Ky. 4 p.m. Saturday February 12 Tennessee Knoxville, Tenn. 9 p.m. Tuesday February 15 Alabama Lexington, Ky. 1 p.m. Saturday February 19 LSU Lexington, Ky. 9 p.m. Wednesday February 23 Arkansas Fayetteville, Ark. 2 p.m. Saturday February 26 Ole Miss Lexington, Ky. 7 p.m. Tuesday March 1 Florida Gainesville, Fla. 2 p.m. Saturday March 5 SEC Tournament Tampa, Fla. TBA Wed.-Sun. March 9-13 NCAA Tournament Final Four® New Orleans | TBA March- April TBA LSU Baton Rouge, La. 7 p.m. Tuesday January 4 Vanderbilt Nashville, Tenn. 7 p.m. Tuesday January 11 Texas A&M College Station, Texas 8:30 p.m. Wednesday January 19 Auburn Auburn, Ala. 1 or 1:30 p.m. Saturday January 22 Mississippi State Lexington, Ky. 9 p.m. Tuesday January 25 Kansas Lawrence, Kan. | SEC/Big 12 Challenge | 6 p.m. Saturday January 29 Vanderbilt Lexington, Ky. 7 p.m. Wednesday February 2 Alabama Tuscaloosa, Ala. 8 p.m. Saturday February 5 South Carolina Columbia, S.C. 7 p.m. Tuesday February 8 Georgia Lexington, Ky. 6 p.m. Saturday January 8 Duke New York L, 71-79 Tuesday November 9 Robert Morris Lexington, Ky. W, 100-60 Friday November 12 Mount St. Mary's Lexington, Ky. W, 80-55 Tuesday November 16 Ohio Lexington, Ky. W, 77-59 Friday November 19 North Florida Lexington, Ky. W, 86-52 Friday November 26 Central Michigan Lexington, Ky. W, 85-57 Monday November 29 Notre Dame South Bend, Ind. L, 62-66 Saturday December 11 Southern Lexington, Ky. W, 76-64 Tuesday December 7 North Carolina Las Vegas | CBS Sports Classic | W, 98-69 Saturday December 18 Western Kentucky Lexington, Ky. W, 95-60 Wednesday December 22 Missouri Lexington, Ky. W, 83-56 Wednesday December 29 High Point Lexington, Ky. W, 92-48 Friday December 31 UAlbany Lexington, Ky. W, 86-61 Monday November 22 Home Neutral Away 2021-22 Basketball Schedule Tennessee Lexington, Ky. Noon or 1 p.m. Saturday January 15We’re your Shield. We’re your Shelter. ShelterInsurance.com • 1-800-SHELTER WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT THE KENTUCKYKENTUCKY WILDCATS!WILDCATS! KENTUCKYKENTUCKY WILDCATS!WILDCATS! ® BEAVER DAM Robbie Parham BEREA Chad Tate BENTON Michelle Clark BOWLING GREEN Nancy Hickey BUTLER Jason Laytart CAMPBELLSVILLE Joseph Hamilton CARLISLE Bill Clark CYNTHIANA David Yeiser DANVILLE Troy Wheeler ELIZABETHTOWN Jamie Martin Alice Slaubaugh EMINENCE Fred Downey EVANSVILLE, IN Rick Koberstein FAIRDALE Jamie Norsworthy FLEMINGSBURG Cole Clark FLORENCE Rocky Bryan Will Gilliland FRANKLIN Brian Knapp FRANKFORT BJ Hurst Audrey Marshall GEORGETOWN Steve Black Spencer Kilpatrick HARDINSBURG Sandra Bruington HARRODSBURG Jamie Dunn HENDERSON Lesley Liley HODGENVILLE Teddy Sandford HOPKINSVILLE Scott Leuckel LAGRANGE Paula Kaeser LANCASTER Cindy Lanham LAWRENCEBURG Ashley Bailey Larry Moore LEITCHFIELD Donna Vanmeter LEXINGTON Tony Arnold Linda Fugate Dawan Hart Willie Morrison Maddie Stiles Terry Wolfe Gene Young LIBERTY Kevin Atwood LIVERMORE Katie Gunterman LONDON Jeffery Anderson LOUISVILLE Larissa Spears MADISONVILLE Kelly Madison MAYFIELD Steve Jones MOREHEAD Caleb Staggs MOUNT STER- LING Elizabeth Shelley MURRAY Doug Henry NICHOLASVILLE Marc Miller Russ Owens OWENSBORO Karen Keller Bob Smith Nick Warren PADUCAH Toby Boone RICHMOND Ashley Kovaleski Evan Worrell SHELBYVILLE Jessica Cole SLAUGHTERS Sam Westfall SOMERSET Jason Weatherford SPRINGFIELD Sue Blair STANFORD Sean Slusher VERSAILLES Janice Frasier WINCHESTER Kay Brandenburg Olin Woolum22 @KentuckyMBB 2021-22 Kentucky Wildcats Statistics TOTAL 3-POINT F-THROW SCORING REBOUNDS No. Player GP-S Min. Avg. FG-FGA Pct 3FG-FGA Pct FT-FTA Pct Pts Avg. Off Def Total Avg. PF A TO Stl Blk. 34 Tshiebwe, Oscar 13-13 364 28.0 83-132 .629 0-0 .000 39-52 .750 205 15.8 74 124 198 15.2 32 13 23 17 20 03 Washington Jr. , TyTy 13-13 396 30.5 75-150 .500 19-46 .413 13-16 .813 182 14.0 12 42 54 4.2 20 51 21 14 3 31 Grady, Kellan 13-13 372 28.6 53-102 .520 38-76 .500 10-15 .667 154 11.8 3 24 27 2.1 5 12 5 13 1 12 Brooks Jr., Keion 12-12 282 23.5 56-113 .496 3-14 .214 20-29 .690 135 11.3 17 42 59 4.9 14 7 17 5 10 02 Wheeler, Sahvir 13-13 405 31.2 56-126 .444 4-23 .174 18-21 .857 134 10.3 11 21 32 2.5 33 101 40 20 1 10 Mintz, Davion 10-0 193 19.3 24-65 .369 10-37 .270 15-21 .714 73 7.3 10 19 29 2.9 9 13 9 5 1 00 Toppin, Jacob 9-0 141 15.7 18-35 .514 0-1 .000 11-15 .733 47 5.2 9 19 28 3.1 10 13 7 4 6 04 Collins, Daimion 13-1 147 11.3 26-40 .650 0-3 .000 7-9 .778 59 4.5 15 26 41 3.2 24 4 12 5 17 11 Allen, Dontaie 9-0 91 10.1 13-44 .295 6-32 .188 4-4 1.000 36 4.0 3 16 19 2.1 5 6 3 2 2 23 Hopkins, Bryce 13-0 118 9.1 16-38 .421 4-14 .286 3-5 .600 39 3.0 11 13 24 1.8 6 5 9 3 2 55 Ware, Lance 8-0 55 6.9 4-7 .571 0-0 .000 7-12 .583 15 1.9 4 12 16 2.0 10 1 6 0 5 14 Canada, Brennan 8-0 12 1.5 3-4 .750 0-1 .000 0-0 .000 6 0.8 1 0 1 0.1 0 1 0 0 0 20 Payne, Zan 8-0 12 1.5 2-6 .333 0-3 .000 2-2 1.000 6 0.8 0 2 2 0.3 1 0 1 1 0 25 Watkins, Kareem 8-0 12 1.5 0-1 .000 0-0 .000 0-0 .000 0 0.0 1 2 3 0.4 2 2 2 2 0 Total 13 2600 200.0 429-863 .497 84-250 .336 149-201 .741 1091 83.92 195 388 583 44.8 171 229 156 91 68 Opponents 2600 200.0 298-785 .380 72-265 .272 118-165 .715 786 60.46 109 254 363 27.9 189 126 166 82 37The UK HealthCare John Calipari Show Behind Kentucky Basketball SUBSCRIBE TO PODCASTS TODAY! SPORTS NETWORKSPORTS NETWORK Presented By2021-22 LSU Tigers Statistics TOTAL 3-POINT F-THROW SCORING REBOUNDS No. Player GP-S Min. Avg. FG-FGA Pct 3FG-FGA Pct FT-FTA Pct Pts Avg. Off Def Total Avg. PF A TO Stl Blk. 5 Mwani Wilkinson 13-13 293 22 21-44 0.477 7-15 .467 5-9 0.556 54 4.15 21 25 46 3.54 34 11 12 22 8 10 Brandon Egemo 4-0 5 1 0-1 0.000 0-1 0.000 0-2 0.000 0 0.00 0 0 0 0.00 1 0 1 1 0 2 Eric Gaines 13-1 345 26 34-97 0.351 4-31 0.129 41-50 0.820 113 8.69 7 42 49 3.77 24 48 40 24 7 24 Shareef O'Neal 0-0 0 0 0-0 0.000 0-0 0.000 0-0 0.000 0 0.00 0 0 0 0.00 0 0 0 0 0 4 Darius Days 13-13 376 28 69-161 0.429 32-88 0.364 21-28 0.750 191 14.69 20 84 104 8.00 23 10 14 19 3 3 Alex Fudge 13-0 218 16 23-50 0.460 2-10 0.200 15-24 0.625 63 4.85 25 35 60 4.62 14 7 17 20 10 11 Justice Williams 1-0 23 23 2-6 0.333 1-2 0.500 2-3 0.667 7 7.00 1 2 3 3.00 0 0 1 2 0 15 Efton Reid 13-13 285 21 56-106 0.528 3-8 0.375 5-10 0.500 120 9.23 29 46 75 5.77 42 7 18 9 15 0 Brandon Murray 12-12 344 28 40-90 0.444 13-41 0.317 12-17 0.706 105 8.75 8 24 32 2.67 15 16 11 16 2 20 Jerrell Colbert 4-0 26 6 1-4 0.250 0-1 0.000 0-0 0.000 2 0.50 2 3 5 1.25 5 2 1 2 3 21 Bradley Ezewiro 6-0 26 4 4-10 0.400 0-0 0.000 3-6 0.500 11 1.83 4 2 6 1.00 1 0 1 0 1 22 Spencer Mays 2-0 2 1 0-1 0.000 0-1 0.000 0-0 0.000 0 0.00 0 0 0 0.00 0 0 0 0 0 25 Adam Benhayoune 1-0 0 0 0-0 0.000 0-0 0.000 0-0 0.000 0 0.00 0 0 0 0.00 0 0 0 0 0 44 Adam Miller 0-0 0 0 0-0 0.000 0-0 0.000 0-0 0.000 0 0.00 0 0 0 0.00 0 0 0 0 0 13 Tari Eason 12-0 282 23 71-133 0.534 8-29 0.276 40-50 0.800 190 15.83 30 59 89 7.42 24 11 22 20 15 1 Xavier Pinson 13-13 357 27 46-111 0.414 17-53 0.321 34-39 0.872 143 11.00 7 33 40 3.08 35 58 37 27 0 30 Parker Edwards 5-0 26 5 3-11 0.273 2-7 0.286 3-3 1.000 11 2.20 0 1 1 0.20 2 1 0 0 0 Totals 13 2625 201-370 826 0.448 89-287 0.310 181-241 0.751 1010 77.69 168 375 543 41.77 220 171 183 163 64 Opponents 13 2626 202-248 718 0.345 91-347 0.262 132-205 0.644 719 55.31 129 315 444 34.15 212 142 255 86 45 Darius Days Shareef O'Neal 24 @KentuckyMBBFind your vibe at VisitLEX.com26 @KentuckyMBB 2021-22 Kentucky Wildcats No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown/High School 0 Jacob Toppin F 6-9 200 Jr. Brooklyn, N.Y. / Woodstock Academy 1 CJ Fredrick G 6-3 190 RJr. Cincinnati / Covington Catholic 2 Sahvir Wheeler G 5-9 180 Jr. Houston / Houston Christian 3 TyTy Washington Jr. G 6-3 197 Fr. Phoenix /Compass Prep 4 Daimion Collins F 6-9 202 Fr. Atlanta, Texas / Atlanta 10 Davion Mintz G 6-3 195 Gr. Charlotte, N.C. / Mecklenburg 11 Dontaie Allen G 6-6 205 RSo. Falmouth, Ky. / Pendleton County 12 Keion Brooks Jr. F 6-7 210 Jr. Fort Wayne, Ind. / La Lumiere School 14 Brennan Canada F 6-6 198 Jr. Mount Sterling, Ky. / George Rogers Clark 20 Zan Payne G/F 6-4 215 RJr. Lexington, Ky. / Lexington Catholic 23 Bryce Hopkins F 6-6 220 Fr. Oak Park, Ill. / Fenwick 25 Kareem Watkins G 5-8 170 So. Camden, N.J. / Kingsway Regional 31 Kellan Grady G 6-5 205 Gr. Boston / Northfield Mount Hermon School 34 Oscar Tshiebwe F 6-9 255 Jr. Lubumbashi, Congo / Kennedy Catholic 55 Lance Ware F 6-9 225 So. Camden, N.J. / Camden Coaching Staff Head Coach: John Calipari Associate to the Head Coach: James "Bruiser" Flint Associate Coach: Orlando Antigua Assistant Coaches: Ronald "Chin" Coleman, Jai Lucas Quick Facts Location: Lexington, Ky. Founded: 1865 Enrollment: 31,800 Conference: SECNext >