| 2009–10 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancún Challenge Champions SEC Regular Season Champions SEC Tournament Champions |
|||
| 2010 NCAA Tournament, Elite Eight L 66-73 | |||
| Conference | Southeastern Conference Eastern | ||
| Ranking | |||
| Coaches | #5 | ||
| AP | #2 | ||
| 2009–10 record | 35–3 (14–2 SEC) | ||
| Head coach | John Calipari (1st year) | ||
| Assistant coach | Orlando Antigua (1st year) | ||
| Assistant coach | John Robic (1st year) | ||
| Assistant coach | Rod Strickland (1st year) | ||
| Home arena | Rupp Arena | ||
Seasons
|
|||
| 2009–10 Southeastern Conference Men's Basketball Standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| East | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #2 Kentucky† | 14 | 2 | .875 | 35 | 3 | .921 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #21 Vanderbilt | 12 | 4 | .750 | 24 | 9 | .727 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #15 Tennessee | 11 | 5 | .688 | 28 | 9 | .757 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Florida | 9 | 7 | .563 | 21 | 13 | .618 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Carolina | 6 | 10 | .375 | 15 | 16 | .484 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia | 5 | 11 | .313 | 14 | 17 | .452 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi St. | 9 | 7 | .563 | 24 | 12 | .667 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ole Miss | 9 | 7 | .563 | 24 | 11 | .686 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arkansas | 7 | 9 | .438 | 14 | 18 | .438 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alabama | 6 | 10 | .375 | 17 | 15 | .531 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Auburn | 6 | 10 | .375 | 15 | 17 | .469 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LSU | 2 | 14 | .125 | 11 | 20 | .355 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| † SEC Tournament winner As of March 30, 2010 • Rankings from AP Poll |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 2009–10 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team represented the University of Kentucky during the college basketball season of 2009–2010. This season was the first of John Calipari's tenure as head coach; he accepted the position on March 31, 2009.
The Wildcats set several records this season. They became the first men's college basketball program to reach 2,000 wins by defeating the Drexel Dragons on December 21.[1] Coach Calipari set a record for the most consecutive wins for a first-year Kentucky basketball coach at 19-0, surpassing Adolph Rupp's previous mark of 11-0. Kentucky also extended their existing records for most wins all-time, SEC regular-season championships, SEC tournament championships, NCAA tournament berths, and NCAA tournament wins.
The team was briefly ranked #1 in both the ESPN/Coaches poll and AP poll.[2] Off the court, Coach Calipari spear-headed an effort to raise money for victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, yielding $1.5 million and a congratulatory call from President Barack Obama.[3][4]
| 2009–10 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pos. | Starting 5 | Bench 1 | Bench 2 | Bench 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | DeMarcus Cousins | Daniel Orton | Josh Harrellson | |
| PF | Patrick Patterson | Perry Stevenson | ||
| SF | Darius Miller | Darnell Dodson | Ramon Harris | |
| SG | Eric Bledsoe | DeAndre Liggins | Jon Hood | Mark Krebs |
| PG | John Wall |
The signees who formed the 2009-10 recruiting classes are considered one of the best all-time recruiting classes [5]
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Wall G |
Raleigh, North Carolina | Word of God | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | 184 lb (83 kg) | May 18, 2009 |
|
| Scout: Rivals: ESPN grade: 98 | ||||||
| DeMarcus Cousins F |
Mobile, Alabama | LeFlore | 6 ft 9 in (206 cm) | 250 lb (110 kg) | Apr 8, 2009 |
|
| Scout: Rivals: ESPN grade: 98 | ||||||
| Daniel Orton C |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Bishop McGuinness | 6 ft 10 in (208 cm) | 265 lb (120 kg) | Oct 12, 2008 |
|
| Scout: Rivals: ESPN grade: 97 | ||||||
| Eric Bledsoe G |
Birmingham, Alabama | Parker | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | 180 lb (82 kg) | May 6, 2009 |
|
| Scout: Rivals: ESPN grade: 90 | ||||||
| Jon Hood G |
Madisonville, Kentucky | Madisonville-North Hopkins | 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) | 185 lb (84 kg) | May 25, 2008 |
|
| Scout: Rivals: ESPN grade: 91 | ||||||
| Darnell Dodson G/F |
Greenbelt, Maryland | Miami-Dade CC | 6 ft 7 in (201 cm) | 215 lb (98 kg) | Apr 22, 2009 |
|
| Scout: Rivals: ESPN grade: 95 | ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 1 Rivals: 1 ESPN: 1 | ||||||
| Note: In many cases, Scout and Rivals may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, an average of the two was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources:
|
||||||
National Player of the Year[6][7]
| # | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Position | Class | Hometown | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | John Wall | 6'4" | 195 | G | Fr. | Raleigh, NC, U.S. | Foxsports.com, CBSSports.com |
| # | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Position | Class | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | John Wall | 6'4" | 195 | G | Fr. | Raleigh, NC, U.S. |
| 54 | Patrick Patterson | 6'9" | 235 | F | Jr. | Huntington, WV, U.S. |
SEC Player of the Year
| # | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Position | Class | Hometown | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | Patrick Patterson | 6'9" | 235 | F | Jr. | Huntington, WV, U.S. | SEC Media |
All-SEC
| # | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Position | Class | Hometown | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | Patrick Patterson | 6'9" | 235 | F | Jr. | Huntington, WV, U.S. | 1st Team (SEC Media) |
| 11 | John Wall | 6'4" | 195 | G | Fr. | Raleigh, NC, U.S. | 2nd Team (SEC Media) |
| Date | Time | Opponent# | Rank# | Site | TV | Result | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exhibition | |||||||||||
| November 2* | 7:00 | Campbellsville | #4 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY | Big Blue Sports Network | W 74–38 | |||||
| November 6* | 7:00 | Clarion | #4 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY | Big Blue Sports Network | W 117–52 | |||||
| Non-Conference Regular Season | |||||||||||
| November 13* | 6:30 | Morehead State | #4 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY | ESPNU | W 75–59 | 1–0 | ||||
| November 16* | 7:00 | Miami (OH) | #4 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY | Big Blue Sports Network | W 72–70 | 2–0 | ||||
| November 19* | 7:00 | Sam Houston State | #4 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY (2009 Cancún Challenge) |
Big Blue Sports Network | W 102–92 | 3–0 | ||||
| November 21* | 1:00 | Rider | #4 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY (2009 Cancún Challenge) |
Big Blue Sports Network | W 92–63 | 4–0 | ||||
| November 24* | 4:30 | vs. Cleveland State | #5 | Moon Palace Resort Convention Center • Cancún, Mexico (2009 Cancún Challenge Semifinals) |
CBS College Sports | W 73–49 | 5–0 | ||||
| November 25* | 9:30 | vs. Stanford | #5 | Moon Palace Resort Convention Center • Cancún, Mexico (2009 Cancún Challenge Championship) |
CBS College Sports | W 73–65 OT | 6–0 | ||||
| November 30* | 7:00 | UNC-Asheville | #5 | Freedom Hall • Louisville, KY | Big Blue Sports Network | W 94–57 | 7–0 | ||||
| December 5* | 12:30 | #10 North Carolina | #5 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY | CBS | W 68–66 | 8–0 | ||||
| December 9* | 9:30 | vs. #14 UConn | #4 | Madison Square Garden • New York City, NY (2009 Big East/SEC Invitational) |
ESPN | W 64–61 | 9–0 | ||||
| December 12* | 12:00 | at Indiana | #4 | Assembly Hall • Bloomington, IN | CBS | W 90–73 | 10–0 | ||||
| December 19* | 4:00 | Austin Peay | #3 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY | CSS | W 90–69 | 11–0 | ||||
| December 21* | 7:00 | Drexel | #3 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY | ESPNU | W 88–44 | 12–0 | ||||
| December 23* | 1:00 | Long Beach State | #3 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY | Big Blue Sports Network | W 86–73 | 13–0 | ||||
| December 29* | 7:00 | Hartford | #3 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY | ESPN2 | W 104–61 | 14–0 | ||||
| January 2* | 3:30 | Louisville | #3 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY (Battle for the Bluegrass) |
CBS | W 71–62 | 15–0 | ||||
| SEC Regular Season | |||||||||||
| January 9 | 4:00 | Georgia | #3 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY | SEC Network | W 76–68 | 16–0 (1–0) | ||||
| January 12 | 9:00 | at Florida | #2 | O'Connell Center • Gainesville, FL (Super Tuesday) |
ESPN | W 89–77 | 17–0 (2–0) | ||||
| January 16 | 4:00 | at Auburn | #2 | Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum • Auburn, AL | SEC Network | W 72–67 | 18–0 (3–0) | ||||
| January 23 | 4:00 | Arkansas | #2 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY | SEC Network | W 101–70 | 19–0 (4–0) | ||||
| January 26 | 9:00 | at South Carolina | #1 | Colonial Life Arena • Columbia, SC (Super Tuesday) |
ESPN | L 68–62 | 19–1 (4–1) | ||||
| January 30 | 4:00 | #21 Vanderbilt | #1 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY | ESPN | W 85–72 | 20–1 (5–1) | ||||
| February 2 | 7:00 | #25 Ole Miss | #4 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY (Super Tuesday) |
ESPN | W 85–75 | 21–1 (6–1) | ||||
| February 6 | 4:00 | at LSU | #4 | Pete Maravich Assembly Center • Baton Rouge, LA | SEC Network | W 81–55 | 22–1 (7–1) | ||||
| February 9 | 9:00 | Alabama | #3 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY | ESPNU | W 66–55 | 23–1 (8–1) | ||||
| February 13 | 9:00 | #12 Tennessee | #3 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY (ESPN College Gameday) |
ESPN | W 73–62 | 24–1 (9–1) | ||||
| February 16 | 9:00 | at Mississippi State | #2 | Humphrey Coliseum • Starkville, MS (Super Tuesday) |
ESPN | W 81–75 OT | 25–1 (10–1) | ||||
| February 20 | 6:00 | at #17 Vanderbilt | #2 | Memorial Gymnasium • Nashville, TN | ESPN | W 58–56 | 26–1 (11–1) | ||||
| February 25 | 9:00 | South Carolina | #2 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY | ESPN2 | W 82–61 | 27–1 (12–1) | ||||
| February 27 | 12:00 | at #19 Tennessee | #2 | Thompson-Boling Arena • Knoxville, TN | CBS | L 74–65 | 27–2 (12–2) | ||||
| March 3 | 8:00 | at Georgia | #3 | Stegeman Coliseum • Athens, GA | SEC Network | W 80–68 | 28–2 (13–2) | ||||
| March 7 | 12:00 | Florida | #3 | Rupp Arena • Lexington, KY (Senior Day) |
CBS | W 74–66 | 29–2 (14–2) | ||||
| 2010 SEC Tournament | |||||||||||
| March 12 | 1:00 | vs. Alabama | #2 | Bridgestone Arena • Nashville, TN (Quarterfinal) |
SEC Network | W 73–67 | 30–2 | ||||
| March 13 | 1:00 | vs. #15 Tennessee | #2 | Bridgestone Arena • Nashville, TN (Semifinal) |
ABC | W 74–45 | 31–2 | ||||
| March 14 | 1:00 | vs. Mississippi State | #2 | Bridgestone Arena • Nashville, TN (Championship Game) |
ABC | W 75–74 OT | 32–2 | ||||
| 2010 NCAA Tournament | |||||||||||
| March 18 | 7:15 | vs. #(16) East Tennessee State | #2 (1) | New Orleans Arena • New Orleans, LA (East Region First Round) |
CBS | W 100–71 | 33–2 | ||||
| March 20 | 8:15 | vs. #(9) Wake Forest | #2 (1) | New Orleans Arena • New Orleans, LA (East Region Second Round) |
CBS | W 90–60 | 34–2 | ||||
| March 25 | 9:57 | vs. #(12) Cornell | #2 (1) | Carrier Dome • Syracuse, NY (East Region Semifinal) |
CBS | W 62–45 | 35–2 | ||||
| March 27 | 7:05 | vs. #6 (2) West Virginia | #2 (1) | Carrier Dome • Syracuse,, NY (East Region Final) |
CBS | L 73–66 | 35–3 | ||||
| *Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Eastern Time (#) during NCAA Tournament is seed with Region. | |||||||||||
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| MSU | 25 | 34 | 59 |
| UK | 33 | 42 | 75 |
Kentucky freshman Eric Bledsoe scored 24 points while starting in place of John Wall, and the fourth-ranked Wildcats opened the John Calipari era with a 75-59 win over Morehead State on Friday night.
Patrick Patterson added 20 points - including his first career 3-pointer - to go with 12 rebounds, and Darnell Dodson scored 15 points as Kentucky (1-0) pulled away in the second half.
Kenneth Faried led Morehead State (0-1) with 17 points, but the defending Ohio Valley Conference champions couldn't keep up even with Wall sitting on the bench.
Not that Kentucky needed Wall in the second half, as Bledsoe dazzled a raucous Rupp Arena crowd with a series of breathtaking shots.
Still, there were plenty of difficulties for the Wildcats, who never trailed after the game's opening minutes but struggled to put away the Eagles. Calipari stressed there would be growing pains as Kentucky got used to the dribble-drive offense that he used with great success at Memphis - and he wasn't kidding.
The Wildcats turned it over 24 times, made just four of 19 3-pointers and seemed to be indecisive while trying to decide whether to take an open shot or get to the basket.
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| Miami | 39 | 31 | 70 |
| UK | 36 | 36 | 72 |
Kentucky freshman John Wall led the Wildcats (3-0) to a tough victory against the Miami (OH) Redhawks (0-2) by scoring 19 points, including the game winning field goal. This game was supposed to be a breeze for Kentucky, but almost perfect perimeter shooting from the Redhawks, and especially Nick Winbush (8-10), made this a struggle for the heavily favored Wildcats.
UK jumped out to the early 5-0 lead, but the Redhawks went on a 22-2 run, thanks to key 3 point field goals from Nick Winbush and senior guard Kenny Hayes. Miami ended the first on top by 3, with the score being 39-36 in their favor.
In the second half, inside scoring and offensive rebounding became the keys to the Wildcat offense. Even though Winbush kept hitting his three point attempts, freshman forwards Demarcus Cousins and Daniel Orton, along with junior forward Patrick Patterson, completely locked down the paint. After a fiery speech on the bench from coach John Calipari, Cousins accounted for a total of 6 offensive rebounds in the half.
The final four minutes of the game had an aurora similar to that of the 2008 National Championship between Memphis and Kansas. Wall was fouled with 19 seconds left, with the Wildcats leading 69-67. Wall swished the first free throw, but the second clanged off the glass. Hayes then sprinted up the length of the floor and fired up a rainbow three, similar to the shot of Mario Chalmers. This tied the score at 70-70. However, Wall was not to be denied. With less than a second left, Wall ended the game by sinking a jumper just outside the paint, finalizing the score at 72-70.
Other key contributors included Patterson, who ended the game with 17 points, and Cousins, who earned his first collegiate double-double, scoring 10 points and snaring 10 rebounds. Sophomore guards Darius Miller and Darnell Dodson also scored 10 points each.
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| SHSU | 42 | 50 | 92 |
| UK | 53 | 49 | 102 |
DeMarcus Cousins had 27 points and 18 rebounds to help No. 4 Kentucky outlast Sam Houston State 102-92 on Thursday night in the Cancun Challenge.
Patrick Patterson had 20 points and nine boards and John Wall added 21 points and six assists as the Wildcats (3-0) overcame a record-setting shooting performance by the Bearkats (2-1).
Sam Houston State (2-1) hung around deep into the second half behind stellar 3-point shooting, led by senior guard Corey Allmond, who poured in 37 points and made a Rupp Arena record 11 3-pointers. The Bearkats made 18 of 38 3-pointers and never let Kentucky get comfortable.
The Wildcats survived behind Cousins and Patterson, who had little trouble doing whatever they wanted against the shorter, smaller Bearkats. Kentucky outscored Sam Houston State 48-18 in the paint and held a 48-33 advantage on the boards while shooting 60 percent from the floor.
Still, it wasn't exactly the kind of crisp performance coach John Calipari was looking for after Kentucky narrowly escaped an upset bid by Miami (Ohio) on Monday.
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| RU | 26 | 35 | 63 |
| UK | 51 | 41 | 92 |
Freshman John Wall had 21 points and 11 assists as No. 4 Kentucky dominated Rider 92-63 on Saturday in the Cancun Challenge.
Patrick Patterson added 19 points and a career-high 18 rebounds for the Wildcats (4-0). The team hardly looked like the one coach John Calipari called the "worst" defensive team he's seen in 20 years after wins over Miami (Ohio) and Sam Houston State earlier in the week.
Kentucky held Rider (2-2) to 31 percent shooting, blocked 10 shots and forced the Broncs into 20 turnovers.
Ryan Thompson led Rider with 16 points, but the Broncs couldn't find the shooting stroke that helped them win at Mississippi State last week. Rider made just 4-of-17 3-pointers and was never really in it after Wall took over midway through the first half.
Yet Calipari was never worried about his team's ability to score. It was a decided lack of intensity on the other end of the floor that he said would give him nightmares.
The Wildcats allowed 33 3-pointers in narrow escapes over the RedHawks and Bearkats, wins that Calipari said showcased just how far his team has to go.
Kentucky appeared to take important strides against the Broncs, who came in knocking down 48 percent of its 3-pointers.
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| CSU | 27 | 22 | 49 |
| UK | 35 | 38 | 73 |
Kentucky freshman John Wall led the Wildcats (5-0) to victory over Cleveland State (3-2) in the semifinals of the 2009 Cancun Challenge by a score of 73-49. Wall scored 15 points total, with 11 coming in the second half. This was a dominating performance by the Wildcats, holding the Vikings to their lowest offensive output of the season.
The first half was characterized by turnovers on both sides and points in the paint. Kentucky freshman Demarcus Cousins continued his hot streak by snaring key rebounds and scoring relentlessly in the points. Cousins finished the game with 14 points. Sophomore forward Darius Miller also contributed on the boards, leading the Wildcats with a total of 8 rebounds.
However, Cleveland State only trailed by 8 at the end of the first half, thanks to key scoring from guards D′Aundray Brown and Jeremy Montgomery, who finished the game with 10 points each.
However, in the final 20 minutes Wall blew the game open by continually driving to lane. Senior forward Patrick Patterson assisted Wall in his efforts, scoring a total of 9 points. Kentucky outscored Cleveland state in the second half by a score of 38-22.
By defeating Cleveland State, the Wildcats advance to the finals of the Cancun challenge, where they will face Stanford.
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | OT | Final |
| STAN | 38 | 25 | 2 | 65 |
| UK | 32 | 31 | 10 | 73 |
Kentucky freshman John Wall scored a career-high 23 points to lead the Wildcats (6-0) to an overtime victory over Stanford (3-3) in the finals of the 2009 Cancun Challenge. This was a back and forth contest all night, but Wall kept hitting clutch shots to crush the heart of the Cardinal.
Stanford outplayed the young Wildcats in the first half thanks to key jumpers from senior guard/forward Landry Fields, who finished the game with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Sophomore guard Jeremy Green torched the Wildcats from the perimeter, going 5-8 from beyond the arc while totaling 18 points. Careless turnovers by the Wildcats left the score at 38-32 in favor of the Cardinal at halftime.
The second half provided intense intrigue and suspense for the fans of both teams. Kentucky responded to a strong Stanford first half by pounding the ball inside the paint. Senior captain Patrick Patterson kept the Wildcats in contention with 12 points and 11 rebounds, with 6 of them coming from the offensive end. Patterson was complemented by freshman forward Demarcus Cousins, who finished the contest with a hard-earned 13 points.
However, Stanford was not to be denied. Fields hit both ends of a key 1-and-1 to give Stanford a 63-61 lead with almost 28 seconds left. Cousins was then fouled but missed both freethrows, fouling Cardinal Jarrett Mann in the process. Mann missed both freethrows, and Wall had his moment to shine. The heralded freshman ran the length of the court and drained two key free throws to send the game into overtime at 63-63.
Kentucky then proceeded to dominate Stanford in the extra session by a score of 10-2. The game, and also the tournament, were all but over when freshman guard Eric Bledsoe sank a monstrous 3 pointer to ice the Cardinal, with the final score being 73-65 in favor of the champion Wildcats.
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UNC-A | 23 | 34 | 57 |
| UK | 45 | 49 | 94 |
A strong effort from freshman forward Demarcus Cousins guided the Kentucky Wildcats (7-0) to a 94-57 blowout victory over the UNC-Asheville Bulldogs (0-6) at Freedom Hall. The win helped Kentucky match its best start since the 2004 season.
Cousins led the Wildcats with a career-high 24 points and 10 rebounds. Kentucky dominated throughout the entire game, entering the second half with a 45-23 cushion. Kentucky really picked it up midway through the second half, going on a ferocious 29-6 run to shut the door on the hapless Bulldogs.
The Wildcats had a great day from the field, shooting 52 percent while outrebounding the Bulldogs 44-31 and outscoring them in the paint 50-16. Freshman phenom John Wall scored 12 points and dished out a freshman-record 14 assists in the victory.
Other key contributors for Kentucky included junior forward Patrick Patterson who totaled 17 points and 9 rebounds. UNC-Asheville was led by senior guard Sean Smith, who scored 19 points and shot 6-9 from 3 point range.
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UNC | 28 | 38 | 66 |
| UK | 43 | 25 | 68 |
Snapped 5-Game losing streak to UNC
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UK | 23 | 41 | 64 |
| UConn | 29 | 32 | 61 |
1st win ever against UCONN.
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UK | 42 | 48 | 90 |
| IU | 41 | 32 | 73 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| Peay | 35 | 34 | 69 |
| UK | 49 | 41 | 90 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| DREX | 20 | 24 | 44 |
| UK | 56 | 32 | 88 |
This win gave Kentucky 2,000 wins all-time. They were the first NCAA basketball program to do so.
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| LBSU | 37 | 36 | 73 |
| UK | 37 | 49 | 86 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| HU | 31 | 30 | 61 |
| UK | 57 | 47 | 104 |
John Wall broke UK Assist Record with 16. Travis Ford previously held the record.
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UL | 19 | 43 | 62 |
| UK | 27 | 44 | 71 |
Snapped 2-Game losing streak to Louisville.
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UGA | 35 | 33 | 68 |
| UK | 34 | 42 | 76 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UK | 38 | 51 | 89 |
| UF | 31 | 46 | 77 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UK | 39 | 33 | 54 |
| AU | 26 | 41 | 67 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| ARK | 27 | 43 | 70 |
| UK | 57 | 44 | 101 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UK | 29 | 33 | 62 |
| USC | 26 | 42 | 68 |
Kentucky lost their first game of the season to the Gamecocks, led by SEC leading scorer Devan Downey. Despite a 25+ point double-double by DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky could not hold off South Carolina, losing 68-62.
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| VU | 34 | 38 | 72 |
| UK | 49 | 36 | 85 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| MISS | 37 | 38 | 75 |
| UK | 46 | 39 | 85 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UK | 42 | 39 | 81 |
| LSU | 14 | 41 | 55 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| BAMA | 24 | 31 | 55 |
| UK | 31 | 35 | 66 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UT | 29 | 33 | 62 |
| UK | 30 | 43 | 73 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | OT | Final |
| UK | 32 | 35 | 14 | 81 |
| MSU | 29 | 38 | 5 | 75 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UK | 27 | 31 | 58 |
| VU | 25 | 31 | 56 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| USC | 26 | 35 | 61 |
| UK | 37 | 45 | 82 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UK | 29 | 36 | 65 |
| UT | 40 | 34 | 74 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UK | 40 | 40 | 80 |
| UGA | 36 | 32 | 68 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UF | 31 | 35 | 66 |
| UK | 41 | 33 | 74 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| BAMA | 35 | 32 | 67 |
| UK | 30 | 43 | 73 |
This game was Kentucky's 30th win of the season, the first time since 2003 that Kentucky reached that point. This is Kentucky's 12th 30-win season, more than any other school.[8]
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UT | 19 | 26 | 45 |
| UK | 32 | 44 | 76 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Overtime | Final |
| MSU | 35 | 29 | 10 | 74 |
| UK | 31 | 33 | 11 | 75 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| ETSU | 24 | 45 | 71 |
| UK | 54 | 46 | 100 |
This is Kentucky's 50th appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| WAKE | 28 | 32 | 60 |
| UK | 44 | 46 | 90 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| CORN | 16 | 29 | 45 |
| UK | 32 | 30 | 62 |
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| WVU | 28 | 45 | 73 |
| UK | 26 | 40 | 66 |
This marked the 4th straight Elite Eight loss for the Wildcats
National Coach of the Year
| Name | Publication |
|---|---|
| John Calipari | Commonwealth Athletic Club (Rupp Cup)[9] |
National Player of the Year
| # | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Position | Class | Hometown | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | John Wall | 6'4" | 195 | G | Fr. | Raleigh, NC, U.S. | Commonwealth Athletic Club (Adolph Rupp Trophy)[9] |
National Freshman of the Year
| # | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Position | Class | Hometown | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | John Wall | 6'4" | 195 | G | Fr. | Raleigh, NC, U.S. | United States Basketball Writers Association[9] |
SEC Coach of the Year
| Name | Publication |
|---|---|
| John Calipari | Associated Press[10] |
SEC Player of the Year
| # | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Position | Class | Hometown | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | John Wall | 6'4" | 195 | G | Fr. | Raleigh, NC, U.S. | Associated Press[10] |
SEC Newcomer of the Year
| # | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Position | Class | Hometown | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | John Wall | 6'4" | 195 | G | Fr. | Raleigh, NC, U.S. | Associated Press[10] |
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Knight G |
Fort Lauderdale, Florida | Pine Crest School | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | 195 lb (88 kg) | Apr 14, 2010 |
|
| Scout: Rivals: ESPN grade: 97 | ||||||
| Terrence Jones G/F |
Portland, Oregon | Jefferson High School | 6 ft 9 in (206 cm) | 220 lb (100 kg) | May 19, 2010 |
|
| Scout: Rivals: ESPN grade: 97 | ||||||
| Enes Kanter F/C |
Tarzana, California | Stoneridge Prep | 6 ft 11 in (211 cm) | 261 lb (118 kg) | Mar 23, 2010 |
|
| Scout: Rivals: ESPN grade: 95 | ||||||
| Doron Lamb G |
Brooklyn, New York | Oak Hill Academy | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | 190 lb (86 kg) | Apr 18, 2010 |
|
| Scout: Rivals: ESPN grade: 95 | ||||||
| Eloy Vargas F |
Hollywood, Florida | Miami Dade College | 6 ft 11 in (211 cm) | 225 lb (102 kg) | May 16, 2010 |
|
| Scout: Rivals: ESPN grade: 95 | ||||||
| Stacey Poole G |
Jacksonville, Florida | Providence School | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) | 200 lb (91 kg) | Sep 24, 2009 |
|
| Scout: Rivals: ESPN grade: 94 | ||||||
| Jarrod Polson G |
Nicholasville, Kentucky | West Jessamine High School | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | 175 lb (79 kg) | Apr 28, 2010 |
|
| Scout: Rivals: ESPN grade: 72 | ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: | ||||||
| Note: In many cases, Scout and Rivals may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, an average of the two was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources:
|
||||||
|
|||||
|
|||||||||||