Calipari gets tossed, Cats survive road game against Arkansas

Kentucky+sophomore+guard+Ashton+Hagans+celebrates+a+made+basket+by+junior+forward+Nick+Richards+during+the+game+against+Missouri+on+Saturday%2C+Jan.+4%2C+2020%2C+at+Rupp+Arena+in+Lexington%2C+Kentucky.+Kentucky+won+71-59.+Photo+by+Jordan+Prather+%7C+Staff

Kentucky sophomore guard Ashton Hagans celebrates a made basket by junior forward Nick Richards during the game against Missouri on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. Kentucky won 71-59. Photo by Jordan Prather | Staff

After it dropped its first SEC game a few days ago at South Carolina, the No. 10 ranked UK men’s basketball team (13-4, 4-1 SEC) traveled to Fayetteville and added a win to its record with a dramatic 73-66 victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks (14-3, 3-2 SEC) Saturday afternoon. In case you missed it, here’s three things you need to know from the matchup:

 1. Calipari gets tossed

With the game tied at 44 with just over eight minutes to go, Kentucky sophomore EJ Montgomery was called for his fourth foul, and head coach John Calipari was not a fan. The referees ejected him, Arkansas went to the foul line and hit 3-of-4 technical free throws, and took a 47-44 lead over the Cats. One would think that might rattle a team, but Calipari’s players responded quite efficiently. After Calipari was tossed, UK went on a 17-5 run, and ended up outscoring the Razorbacks 29-19 over the final 8:18.  

 2. Kentucky outrebounds Arkansas by nearly 20

Rebounding was a major issue for the Cats in their loss a few days ago against South Carolina—the Gamecocks won the battle of the boards 43-41 and the Cats only grabbed 10 offensive rebounds. However, Kentucky outrebounded the Razorbacks 47-29 Saturday in Bud Walton Arena. Although Wildcat big man Nick Richards grabbed nine rebounds, it was the UK guards who were largely responsible for Kentucky’s play on the glass. Starting guards Ashton Hagans, Immanuel Quickley and Tyrese Maxey combined for 22 of Kentucky’s 43 rebounds, Quickley leading the team with a career-high 10. 

 3. Five Wildcats score in double figures

Kentucky’s leading scorer was Richards, who totaled 17 points on 6-of-8 field goal shooting and hit 5-of-6 shots from the free throw line for the Cats. Quickley, Hagans, Maxey and freshman Keion Brooks scored 13, 13, 11 and 10, respectively. In his first start since the Utah game on Dec. 18, sophomore Quickley went just 1-of-5 from three despite being red-hot from that range in recent games and went 3-of-14 from field. However, he hit 6-of-7 free throws to help him total is 13 points. 

The Cats are back in action on Tuesday, Jan. 21 on their home court of Rupp Arena as they take on the Georgia Bulldogs for the second time this season. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on SEC Network.