Kentucky Wildcats Basketball: Kentucky vs. Montana State Postgame Notes

Postgame notes from Sunday night’s game between the Kentucky Wildcats and Montana State.

Montana State at Kentucky Men’s Basketball

Rupp Arena, Lexington, Ky.

Nov. 23, 2014

FINAL SCORE: Kentucky 86, Montana State 28

Kentucky is 5-0 and Montana State is 0-4.
This was the first game ever between Kentucky and Montana State.
Kentucky is 183-27 all-time when ranked No. 1 and has won 23 of the last 25 games as The Associated Press top-ranked team.
- Coach John Calipari has led three teams to a No. 1 ranking (Massachusetts, Memphis, Kentucky) and has a 67-9 record as the top-ranked coach, including 26-4 at UK.
Kentucky returns to action Tuesday at home against UT Arlington. Game time is 7 p.m. and it will be televised by the SEC Network.

First-Half Facts

Kentucky’s opening lineup featured Dominique Hawkins, Andrew Harrison, Aaron Harrison, Karl-Anthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein for the second consecutive game.
Montana State led 2-1 through the first four and one-half minutes of the game before the Wildcats reclaimed the lead for good.
Kentucky dominated the remainder of the opening period and went to intermission ahead 39-11.
UK had runs of 11-0 and 10-0 in the first half.
The 11 points scored by Montana State tied the Kentucky record for fewest points allowed in a first half since the shot clock was adopted in the 1985-86 season. UK led Campbell 45-11 at the end of the first half on Dec. 29, 2004.
This marks the fourth time in five games that UK has held an opponent to less than 20 points in a half. Only Boston has scored at least 20 in each half vs. UK this season.

Second-Half Story

Kentucky started the second half with Andrew Harrison, Devin Booker, Trey Lyles, Marcus Lee and Dakari Johnson.
UK held Montana State scoreless for the first 10 minutes and 23 seconds of the second half until the Bobcats tallied with 9:36 left on the clock. That marked a 26-0 run to open the half and a 65-11 advantage.
Kentucky went on to lead by as many 60 points before finishing with an 86-28 victory.

Team Notes

28 points is the fewest for a UK opponent since the shot clock era began in 1985-86. The previous low was 32 by Morehead State on Dec. 16, 1995, a 96-32 UK win.
The 58-point margin of victory was UK’s fifth-largest of the shot clock era.
Montana State was limited to 19.7 percent from the field, the second time this season UK has held an opponent under 20 percent.
Kentucky has held all five opponents under 40 percent shooting.
Counting both halves tonight, UK has held opponents under 20 points in five of the 10 halves played so far this season.
UK had a season-high 12 blocked shots tonight. UK has blocked at least seven shots in all five games this season, the first five-game streak since Jan. 10-22, 2013.
UK won rebounding 53-35 tonight and has outrebounded all five opponents this season.
UK won bench points 52-15 and has won bench points by at least 22 points in every game this season.
Kentucky is now 42-0 under Coach Calipari when holding the opponent to 55 or fewer points.
No Wildcat played more than 20 minutes tonight.

Player Notes

Devin Booker led the Wildcats with a season-high 18 points, including his second game in a row with at least three 3-pointers. He also had a three steals, most by a Wildcat this season.
Aaron Harrison had 14 points tonight, giving him back-to-back games in double figures.
Dakari Johnson had a season-high 13 points, his fourth double-figure game of the campaign.
Karl-Anthony Towns had eight points and a season-high 10 rebounds.
- Towns also blocked six shots, most by a Wildcat this season.
Tyler Ulis tallied eight points, making all three of his field goal attempts, including a pair of 3-pointers. He also had a game-high five assists.
Derek Willis pulled down a career-best five rebounds.
Trey Lyles contributed eight points, making all six free throws. He notched season highs with six rebounds and four assists.