Kentucky Wildcats vs. Vanderbilt Commodores Post Game Notes and Quotes

Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky Basketball Postgame Notes
#14/16 Kentucky 71, Vanderbilt 62
Jan. 11, 2014
Memorial Gymnasium – Nashville, Tenn.

Team Records, Notes

• Kentucky      improves to 12-3, and 2-0 in Southeastern Conference action. Vanderbilt drops      to 8-6 overall and 0-2 in league play.
• With the      win, Kentucky now leads the series 139-46 including a 55-27 mark in      Nashville.
• Kentucky      will return to the hardwood Tuesday, Jan. 14, at Arkansas. Tipoff is set for      9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
• UK’s      all-time record against SEC foes stands improves to 913-256 and 64-19      under John Calipari.
• Today’s      attendance was 14,316.

First-Half Facts

• Kentucky started with the lineup of sophomore      Willie Cauley-Stein and freshmen Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison, Julius      Randle and James Young. That lineup improves to 8-3 on the year.      UK has used that starting five in each of its last eight games.
• Alex Poythress and Dakari Johnson were the      first subs off the bench marking the seventh and fifth time respectively      they have entered the game first.
• UK took its first lead of the game at the 15:33 mark      after a pair of free throws from Aaron Harrison to make the score 6-4.
• Andrew      Harrison connected on a 3-pointer at the 10:30 minute mark to push UK’s      run to 9-0 and gave Kentucky a 15-6 score advantage. Kentucky held the      lead for the remaining of the opening stanza taking a 30-22 advantage into      the break.

Second-Half Story   

• Kentucky      took a nine-point lead at 36-27 to open the second frame, but the      Commodores used a 4-0 spurt to pull to within 36-31 at the 16:11 mark      forcing UK into a timeout.
• Following      an Alex Poythress dunk at the 5:37 mark to give UK a 60-47 lead. Kentucky was      charged with a technical foul for its second delay of game for the contest.      Vanderbilt made both free throws and then hit a 3-pointer on its return      possession to pull back to within eight at 60-52.
• A      Vanderbilt 3-pointer cut UK’s lead to just seven at the 1:59 mark. James      Young grabbed an offensive rebound off a missed 1-and-1 and the possession      ended on a Cauley-Stein dunk. Kentucky held at least a seven-point      advantage the rest of the way.

Team Notes

• Kentucky      led 30-22 at halftime and is now 9-1 on the year when leading at the      break.
• UK which ranks third nationally extended its 3-point streak      to 875      consecutive games, while Vanderbilt which ranks second nationally has hit      at least one triple in 878 successive games.
• UK’s      all-time record in the month of January moves to 579-195 and 28-5 under      Calipari.
• The      Wildcats are now 16-3 all-time as the Associated Press’ No. 14 rated squad      and 3-0 under Calipari.
• The      Cats have registered 40 or more rebounds in 13 games this season including      hauling in 41 today.
• Kentucky      had seven steals in today’s contest just two shy of a season-best.

Individual Notes

• Willie      Cauley-Stein finished      with a team-high 15 points and six rebounds.
  • Has       reached double-figure scoring in each of UK’s two SEC games.
  • Had       a block and a pair of steals. Has registered at least one block in all       but one game this season.
• Aaron      Harrison poured      in 14 points and added four rebounds and a pair of assists.
  • Has       notched 13 double-figure scoring efforts on the season.
• Andrew      Harrison logged      10 points, eight rebounds and a team-high four assists.
  • Has       hit at least one 3-pointer in two-straight games.
  • The       eight boards matched a career-high, he also had eight against Robert       Morris.
  • Recorded       his eighth-career double-figure scoring game.
  • Dished       out four assists and has six career outings with four or more dimes.
• Jarrod      Polson totaled      six points to go along with a rebound and an assist in 14 minutes of      action.
  • Made       both of his 3-point attempts in the opening half pushing his start to the       season from long range to a perfect 3-for-3 before missing on his next       attempt in the second stanza.
• Julius      Randle finished      with seven points and a squad-best 11 rebounds.
  • Hauled       in all of his 11 rebounds in the opening half.
  • He’s       logged double-figure boards in 11 games this season including both       against league foes.
• Derek      Willis registered      his first career steal.
• James      Young scored      six points and dished out four assists.
  • Has  connected on at least one 3-pointer in 13 games this season including       each of the last three.
  • Has nine assists in SEC games.