Notes, Quotes, and Interviews: LSU Edition

Post-Game Notes

"Rupp Arena, Lexington, Ky., February 22, 2014 Attendance: 24,244 FINAL SCORE: Kentucky 77, LSU 76 (Overtime)  Team Records, Notes Kentucky is 21-6 overall, 11-3 in the Southeastern Conference.  LSU is 16-10 overall, 7-7 in league play. Kentucky leads the series 84-25, including 42-5 in Lexington. LSU won the earlier meeting this season, 87-82 in Baton Rouge. Kentucky completes the two-game homestand Thursday against Arkansas.  Game time is 7 p.m. and it will be televised on ESPN.  First-Half Facts Kentucky started Andrew Harrison, Aaron Harrison, James Young, Julius Randle and Dakari Johnson for the seventh-consecutive game. It’s the 11th time this season UK has opened with an all-freshman lineup and UK is 10-1 in those games. LSU’s Johnny O’Bryant scored the first six points of the game, prompting a UK timeout at the 17:37 mark. UK returned from the timeout and held LSU scoreless for the next four minutes. Meanwhile, the Wildcats scored on six straight possessions for a 13-0 run. LSU rallied to tie at 15, then UK got a 3-point shot from Young (UK’s only 3-pointer of the day) and a 3-point play from Aaron Harrison to make it 21-15. UK led by as many as eight points at 34-26 before LSU closed to within 35-32 at halftime. Second-Half Story LSU got the first eight points of the second half, capping a 14-1 run for a 40-35 lead. Kentucky responded with six straight points and the teams battled evenly after that. Anthony Hickey’s 3-pointer with 1:45 to play put LSU ahead 64-63. After an Andre Stringer foul shot with 20 seconds remaining, Aaron Harrison sent it to overtime with a pair of foul shots with 10 seconds left.  Overtime Observations LSU’s Hickey broke a 69-69 tie with a 3-pointer with 2:48 on the clock.  Hickey scored on the Tigers’ next possession to keep them ahead 74-71. UK went ahead 75-74 with two foul shots each from Julius Randle and James Young. LSU reclaimed a 76-75 advantage on a Stringer drive with 10 seconds to go. Julius Randle got a loose ball in the lane and put in the game-winner just in front of the basket with four seconds to go. LSU was unable to get off a final shot as Young came up with a steal at midcourt at the buzzer.  Team Notes Kentucky is now 1-1 in overtime games this season. Kentucky was strong around the basket today. UK won points in the paint 50-28. UK got 17 offensive rebounds, leading to a 24-9 edge in second-chance points. UK made 20 of 26 free throws, 76.9 percent. Over the last 11 games, UK has made 73.3 percent at the charity stripe. Aaron Harrison had 21 points and James Young had 20.  The last time UK had two 20-point scorers was Feb. 1 when those players scored those same amounts in the win at Missouri. Individual Notes Aaron Harrison had a game-high 21 points, his sixth 20-point game of the season. His 7-of-7 performance at the foul line featured the two tying shots with 10 seconds in regulation. Played a career-high 43 minutes.   Andrew Harrison had nine points, six rebounds and four assists while playing a career-high 39 minutes. He also had a career-high two blocked shots, including a key block of O’Bryant in the final 30 seconds of overtime that set up two foul shots by Young. Marcus Lee saw his first game action since Feb. 4 and contributed a basket in two minutes of play. Julius Randle had eight points, including the game-winner with four seconds to go.  He also muscled his way to 15 rebounds, one shy of his career high set in the season opener. James Young finished with 20 points, his seventh 20-point game of the season. He made UK’s only 3-point shot of the game and played a career-high 41 minutes."