Game Notes: Kentucky 95, Howard 63

Game notes from the Wildcats' big season-opening victory

Here are game notes from the No. 4 Wildcats' 95-63 win over the Howard Bison on Monday night: 

Team Records and Series Notes

 This was the first time that Kentucky and Howard have played on the hardwood and UK is now 7-0 against teams comprising the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

 The Wildcats return to action Friday, Nov. 11, at home against Duquesne. Game time is 7 p.m. and it will be televised on the SEC Network.

Season Openers

 Beginning its 121st season of men’s basketball, UK now has a 99-21 record in season lidlifters (no official games played in the 1952-53 season).

 Kentucky is 11-3 in season openers under Coach John Calipari.

 Kentucky is 14-0 in home openers with Coach Calipari.

 Kentucky scored its most points and had the largest margin of victory (32 points) in a season opener since a 108-58 win over Marist on Nov. 11, 2011. 

Team Notes

 Kentucky limited Howard to 63 points. UK is 203-9 (95.8%) under Calipari when keeping the opponent to 63 points or less.

 Howard shot 34.3% from the field. UK is 223-24 (90.3%) under Calipari when keeping the opponent to 40% or less. 

 On the offensive end, UK opened the campaign by making 54.8% from the field, including 45.8% from long range.

 Kentucky led by as many as 38 points. The Wildcats are 311-13 (96.0%) in the Calipari era when leading by as many as 10 points at any time during the contest. 

 UK had a pair of 20-point scorers, first time for that since Kellan Grady (25) and Oscar Tshiebwe (21) did so in a win vs. Alabama on Feb. 19. 

o Reeves and Fredrick are the third pair of teammates to debut with at least 20 points, joining Reid Travis and Keldon Johnson (11/6/2018) and Doron Lamb and Terrence Jones (11/12/2010) as the others to do so.

Rupp Arena

 UK extended its home win streak to 20 games, dating back to the 2020-21 season, and that is the longest current home win streak in the Southeastern Conference. 

 Kentucky is 14-0 in home openers with Coach Calipari.

 Kentucky is 634-77 (89.2%) in the 47-year history of Rupp Arena.

 Kentucky is 207-17 (92.4%) in Rupp Arena under Calipari.

 A pair of entertainment luminaries visited the arena tonight. 

o Golden Globe Award-winning actor Ving Rhames is the father of Bison player Freedom Rhames, who scored five points in four minutes of action.

o Terry Lewis, 2022 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, is the father of Talin Lewis, who logged four minutes tonight and had one rebound. 

Player Notes  

 Antonio Reeves led the scoring with 22 points, including a UK-debut record six 3-pointers. 

o Previous debut record was three 3s by Patrick Sparks, Doron Lamb, Tyrese Maxey and Kellan Grady.

o It is the 22nd 20-point game of Reeves’ career. 

 Marking his first official game in 595 days, CJ Fredrick showed no rust with 20 points, the sixth 20-point game of his career.

 Jacob Toppin notched his first career double-double with 15 points and a career-high 11 rebounds.

 Freshman Cason Wallace almost had a triple-double in his first official collegiate game, totaling 15 points, eight rebounds and a game-high nine assists.

o The nine assists were the second-most in a UK debut in program history. Only De’Aaron Fox’s 12 against Stephen F. Austin on Nov. 12, 2016 are more.

 Freshman Chris Livingston started his first official collegiate game and had nine points and four rebounds.

 Lance Ware had four points and a career-high four steals.

 Freshmen Ugonna Onyenso (six points, four rebounds, four blocked shots) and Adou Thiero (four points, five rebounds) played in their first official collegiate game. 

Coach John Calipari

 Calipari is 2-0 vs. Howard, with a win while coach at Memphis, 112-42, on Jan. 3, 2001.

 Calipari has an 811-241 all-time regular-season record and a 366-101 mark at Kentucky.

 See additional Calipari notes above under Season Openers and Rupp Arena. 

In the First Half

 Kentucky started Cason Wallace, CJ Fredrick, Chris Livingston, Jacob Toppin and Lance Ware.

 Antonio Reeves was UK’s first substitution at the 15:59 mark.

 Toppin got the first points of the season with 2 of 3 foul shots with 19:18 on the clock.

 Howard led 4-3 when a Wallace jumper put the Wildcats ahead for good.

 UK gradually pulled ahead, scoring the last five points of the half to lead 49-26 at intermission.

 49 points in the first half is the most for UK in a season opener since tallying 49 vs. Maryland on Nov. 9, 2012.

 Reeves led the first-half scoring with 13 points, Fredrick tossed in 11 and Toppin neared a double-double with nine points and eight rebounds.

In the Second Half

 Kentucky began the second half with the starting lineup.

 Kentucky had a 12-0 run, its largest spurt of the game, to make the score 63-30. 

 Kentucky extended the lead to as many as 38 points.