Kentucky Overwhelms North Carolina Central in Tune-Up Before Indiana

Final Score: (RV) Kentucky 103, North Carolina Central 67

Team Records and Series Notes

– Kentucky is 6-4 on the season and NC Central is 3-9.
– This is the first meeting between the teams.
– UK has had two other first-time opponents this season, Nicholls and Eastern Illinois.
– Next for Kentucky: the Wildcats host border rival Indiana on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN.
– The teams have not met since Indiana defeated Kentucky, 73-67, in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
– They last met in the regular season on Dec. 10, 2012, when IU won 73-70 in Bloomington.

Team Notes

– Kentucky scored 103 points. The Wildcats are 8-0 under Coach Mark Pope, including 3-0 this season, when reaching the century mark.
– Kentucky shot 60.9 percent from the field, matching the season high set vs. Eastern Illinois, making 39 of 64.
– This is the fourth time this season (4-0) shooting at least 50 percent.
– UK shot its best two-point percentage, 77.1 percent, since making 80.5 percent, 33 of 41, vs. Georgia State on Nov. 29, 2024.
– Kentucky made 12 3-pointers. UK is 20-4 under Coach Pope, 4-1 this season, when making at least 10 long balls.
– Kentucky shot 41.4 percent on 3-pointers, 12 of 29. UK is 5-0 this season when making at least 36 percent.
– Entering the game shooting 75 percent at the foul line, Kentucky had another solid night at the charity stripe, making 13 of 14 for 92.9 percent.
– It is UK’s best game (minimum 14 attempts) since making 93.3 percent, 14 of 15, vs. Auburn on Feb. 25, 2023.
– UK won the rebounding, 36-26, and is now 6-1 when outrebounding the opponent.
– Kentucky tied its season high for assists, dishing 27 for the third game this season.
– Tonight marked the first time this season that two Wildcats scored at least 20 points.
– With Jasper Johnson leading the scoring tonight, UK has had eight different players lead the scoring in 10 games this season.

Player Notes

– Jasper Johnson led the way with a career-high 22 points, including a perfect 8 of 8 at the foul line.
He became the eighth different player who has led the team in scoring in just 10 games played so far this season.
– Otega Oweh had a season-high 21 points and has tied or broken his season high in points for four consecutive games, tallying 16, 16, 16 and 21 tonight.
He has scored in double figures in all 10 games this season.
He also claimed a season-high seven rebounds and had a season-best four steals, his fifth consecutive games with multiple thefts.
– Malachi Moreno collected 14 points, his fifth double-figure game of the season. He also tied Oweh for game rebounding honors with seven.
– Trent Noah got the scoring started with a 3-pointer and finished with 11 points, his second double-figure game of the season and third of his career.
He also had a career-best three assists and matched his career high for rebounds with six.
– Andrija Jelavic had 10 points, his second double-figure game of the season.
– Collin Chandler had a career-high eight assists, most by a Wildcat this season, and added seven points.
– Zach Tow made his first basket as a Wildcat, sinking a 3-pointer.
– Mo Dioubate (fifth game) and Jayden Quaintance (season) missed the game because of injury.

In the First Half

– Kentucky started the combination of Denzel Aberdeen, Otega Oweh, Collin Chandler, Trent Noah and Malachi Moreno for the first time.
– UK’s first substitution was Brandon Garrison at 15:16.
– Kentucky scored on the first two possessions and never trailed.
– Leading 31-23, Kentucky went on a 16-0 run that is the Wildcats’ longest of the season.
– Kentucky went to halftime ahead 52-31, the third time this season the Wildcats hit at least 50 in the opening stanza.
– All eight Wildcats who played also scored, led by Otega Oweh (12 points, six rebounds) and Trent Noah (11 points).
– UK is now 6-0 this season when leading at halftime.

In the Second Half