Kentucky Men’s Basketball Defeats Saint Joseph’s in Overtime Thriller
In a thrilling overtime game, No. 16 Kentucky emerged victorious against Saint Joseph’s with a final score of 96-88. This win improves Kentucky’s record to 4-1 on the season, while Saint Joseph’s falls to 3-2. With this win, Kentucky now leads the series between the two teams with a 3-0 record.
Playing their final game in the Wildcat Challenge presented by Kentucky Tourism, Kentucky showcased their defensive prowess by recording 12 steals. These steals led to an 11-6 advantage in points off turnovers and a dominant 28-11 lead in fast-break points. Despite the intense overtime period, the Wildcats were able to limit their turnovers to only nine. This continues their trend of single-digit turnovers in four out of their five games this season.
Kentucky also showcased discipline on the defensive end by committing only 10 fouls throughout the game. This is a significant improvement from last season when they averaged 16 fouls per game.
Offensively, Kentucky had an exceptional performance with three players scoring at least 20 points. This is the first time since 2009 that Kentucky has had three players achieve this feat. In addition, five players scored in double figures, which has occurred three times this season.
Kentucky’s shooting was impressive, with a field goal percentage of 51.6% (33 of 64). They continued their streak of making double-figure threes, sinking 12 of 25 shots from beyond the arc. This marks the first time since February 2016 that Kentucky has made at least 10 threes in three consecutive games.
Freshman Tre Mitchell played a crucial role in the Wildcats’ victory, scoring a season-high 22 points. Mitchell’s two 3-pointers at the beginning of overtime gave Kentucky the lead they never relinquished. He also led the team in rebounds with six and blocked shots with four.
D.J. Wagner also had an outstanding performance, scoring a season-high 22 points, seven of which came in overtime. He tied for game-high honors in assists with six. Antonio Reeves contributed to the offense with 20 points, marking his third 20+ point game of the season. Rob Dillingham scored 13 points, continuing his streak of scoring in double figures in all five games this season.
Kentucky’s head coach, John Calipari, now has a record of 836-254 all-time on-court and a 391-114 mark at Kentucky. Calipari’s team has a strong record against unranked competition, boasting a 321-64 record at UK. In addition, Calipari has a 16-5 record against Saint Joseph’s and a stellar 224-21 record in Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center.
Kentucky’s next challenge will be against Marshall, as they continue their five-game homestand. The game will take place on Friday at 7 p.m. and will be televised on the SEC Network.
