2009–10 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team
Encyclopedia
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. 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. 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
.
All-American
SEC Player of the Year
All-SEC
!colspan=9| Exhibition
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!colspan=9| Non-Conference Regular Season
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!colspan=9| SEC Regular Season
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!colspan=9| 2010 SEC Tournament
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!colspan=9| 2010 NCAA Tournament
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Snapped 5-Game losing streak to UNC
1st win ever against UCONN.
This win gave Kentucky 2,000 wins all-time. They were the first NCAA basketball program to do so.
John Wall broke UK Assist Record with 16. Travis Ford previously held the record.
Snapped 2-Game losing streak to Louisville.
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.
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.
This is Kentucky's 50th appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
This marked the 4th straight Elite Eight loss for the Wildcats
National Player of the Year
National Freshman of the Year
SEC Player of the Year
SEC Newcomer of the Year
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
during the college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
season of 2009–2010
2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 9, 2009, and ended with the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament's championship game on April 5, 2010 on the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The opening round occurred on Tuesday, March 16, 2010, followed by first...
. This season was the first of John Calipari
John Calipari
John Calipari is an American basketball coach. Since April 2009, he has been the men's head coach at the University of Kentucky....
's tenure as head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
; 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. Coach Calipari set a record for the most consecutive wins for a first-year Kentucky basketball coach at 19-0, surpassing Adolph Rupp
Adolph Rupp
Adolph Frederick Rupp was one of the most successful coaches in the history of American college basketball. Rupp is fourth in total victories by a men's NCAA Division I college coach, winning 876 games in 41 years of coaching...
'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. Off the court, Coach Calipari spear-headed an effort to raise money for victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
, yielding $1.5 million and a congratulatory call from President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
.
2009-10 Roster
Depth chart
Class of 2009 Signees
The signees who formed the 2009-10 recruiting classes are considered one of the best all-time recruiting classesPreseason awards
National Player of the Year| # | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Position | Class | Hometown | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | John Wall John Wall (basketball) Johnathan Hildred Wall, Jr. is an American basketball player with the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association. Wall was chosen first overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Wizards... |
6'4" | 195 | G | Fr. | Raleigh, NC Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh... , U.S. United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Foxsports.com, CBSSports.com |
All-American
| # | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Position | Class | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | John Wall John Wall (basketball) Johnathan Hildred Wall, Jr. is an American basketball player with the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association. Wall was chosen first overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Wizards... |
6'4" | 195 | G | Fr. | Raleigh, NC Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh... , U.S. United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
| 54 | Patrick Patterson Patrick Patterson (basketball) Patrick Davell Patterson is an American basketball player with the Houston Rockets. He played collegiately for the University of Kentucky. He is a 6'9", 235-pound power forward who grew up in Huntington, West Virginia... |
6'9" | 235 | F | Jr. | Huntington, WV Huntington, West Virginia Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at... , U.S. United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
SEC Player of the Year
| # | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Position | Class | Hometown | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | Patrick Patterson Patrick Patterson (basketball) Patrick Davell Patterson is an American basketball player with the Houston Rockets. He played collegiately for the University of Kentucky. He is a 6'9", 235-pound power forward who grew up in Huntington, West Virginia... |
6'9" | 235 | F | Jr. | Huntington, WV Huntington, West Virginia Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at... , U.S. United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
SEC Media |
All-SEC
| # | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Position | Class | Hometown | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | Patrick Patterson Patrick Patterson (basketball) Patrick Davell Patterson is an American basketball player with the Houston Rockets. He played collegiately for the University of Kentucky. He is a 6'9", 235-pound power forward who grew up in Huntington, West Virginia... |
6'9" | 235 | F | Jr. | Huntington, WV Huntington, West Virginia Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at... , U.S. United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
1st Team (SEC Media) |
| 11 | John Wall John Wall (basketball) Johnathan Hildred Wall, Jr. is an American basketball player with the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association. Wall was chosen first overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Wizards... |
6'4" | 195 | G | Fr. | Raleigh, NC Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh... , U.S. United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
2nd Team (SEC Media) |
2009-10 Schedule
|-!colspan=9| Exhibition
|-
!colspan=9| Non-Conference Regular Season
|-
!colspan=9| SEC Regular Season
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!colspan=9| 2010 SEC Tournament
2010 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament
-References:...
|-
!colspan=9| 2010 NCAA Tournament
2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:*March 18 / 20*March 25 / 27*March 26 / 28Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four, held on April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium, hosted by the Horizon League and Butler University, as per the NCAA's...
|-
Morehead State
| 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
Kenneth Faried
Kenneth Bernard Faried Lewis , commonly known as Kenneth Faried, is an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the NBA...
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.
Miami (Ohio)
| 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.
Sam Houston State
| 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.
Rider
| 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.
Cleveland State
| 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.
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.
UNC-Asheville
| 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.
North Carolina
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UNC | 28 | 38 | 66 |
| UK | 43 | 25 | 68 |
Snapped 5-Game losing streak to UNC
Connecticut
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UK | 23 | 41 | 64 |
| UConn | 29 | 32 | 61 |
1st win ever against UCONN.
Indiana
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UK | 42 | 48 | 90 |
| IU | 41 | 32 | 73 |
Austin Peay
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| Peay | 35 | 34 | 69 |
| UK | 49 | 41 | 90 |
Drexel
| 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.
Long Beach State
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| LBSU | 37 | 36 | 73 |
| UK | 37 | 49 | 86 |
Hartford
| 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.
Louisville
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UL | 19 | 43 | 62 |
| UK | 27 | 44 | 71 |
Snapped 2-Game losing streak to Louisville.
Georgia
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UGA | 35 | 33 | 68 |
| UK | 34 | 42 | 76 |
Florida
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UK | 38 | 51 | 89 |
| UF | 31 | 46 | 77 |
Auburn
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UK | 39 | 33 | 54 |
| AU | 26 | 41 | 67 |
Arkansas
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| ARK | 27 | 43 | 70 |
| UK | 57 | 44 | 101 |
South Carolina
| 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
Devan Downey
Devan Deangelo Downey is an American professional basketball player.-Amateur career:He was born in Chester, South Carolina where he attended Chester High School. Named S.C. Class AAA Player of the Year and Mr...
. Despite a 25+ point double-double by DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky could not hold off South Carolina, losing 68-62.
Vanderbilt
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| VU | 34 | 38 | 72 |
| UK | 49 | 36 | 85 |
Ole Miss
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| MISS | 37 | 38 | 75 |
| UK | 46 | 39 | 85 |
LSU
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UK | 42 | 39 | 81 |
| LSU | 14 | 41 | 55 |
Alabama
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| BAMA | 24 | 31 | 55 |
| UK | 31 | 35 | 66 |
Tennessee
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UT | 29 | 33 | 62 |
| UK | 30 | 43 | 73 |
Mississippi State
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | OT | Final |
| UK | 32 | 35 | 14 | 81 |
| MSU | 29 | 38 | 5 | 75 |
Vanderbilt
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UK | 27 | 31 | 58 |
| VU | 25 | 31 | 56 |
South Carolina
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| USC | 26 | 35 | 61 |
| UK | 37 | 45 | 82 |
Tennessee
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UK | 29 | 36 | 65 |
| UT | 40 | 34 | 74 |
Georgia
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UK | 40 | 40 | 80 |
| UGA | 36 | 32 | 68 |
Florida
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UF | 31 | 35 | 66 |
| UK | 41 | 33 | 74 |
Alabama
| 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.
Tennessee
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| UT | 19 | 26 | 45 |
| UK | 32 | 44 | 76 |
Mississippi State
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Overtime | Final |
| MSU | 35 | 29 | 10 | 74 |
| UK | 31 | 33 | 11 | 75 |
East Tennessee St.
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| ETSU | 24 | 45 | 71 |
| UK | 54 | 46 | 100 |
This is Kentucky's 50th appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Wake Forest
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| WAKE | 28 | 32 | 60 |
| UK | 44 | 46 | 90 |
Cornell
| Teams | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
| CORN | 16 | 29 | 45 |
| UK | 32 | 30 | 62 |
West Virginia
| 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 awards
National Coach of the Year| Name | Publication |
|---|---|
| John Calipari John Calipari John Calipari is an American basketball coach. Since April 2009, he has been the men's head coach at the University of Kentucky.... |
Commonwealth Athletic Club (Rupp Cup) |
National Player of the Year
| # | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Position | Class | Hometown | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | John Wall John Wall (basketball) Johnathan Hildred Wall, Jr. is an American basketball player with the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association. Wall was chosen first overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Wizards... |
6'4" | 195 | G | Fr. | Raleigh, NC Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh... , U.S. United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Commonwealth Athletic Club (Adolph Rupp Trophy) |
National Freshman of the Year
| # | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Position | Class | Hometown | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | John Wall John Wall (basketball) Johnathan Hildred Wall, Jr. is an American basketball player with the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association. Wall was chosen first overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Wizards... |
6'4" | 195 | G | Fr. | Raleigh, NC Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh... , U.S. United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
United States Basketball Writers Association United States Basketball Writers Association The United States Basketball Writers Association was founded in 1956 by Walter Byers and serves the interests of journalists who cover college basketball.-Scholarships:... |
Conference awards
SEC Coach of the Year| Name | Publication |
|---|---|
| John Calipari John Calipari John Calipari is an American basketball coach. Since April 2009, he has been the men's head coach at the University of Kentucky.... |
Associated Press Associated Press The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists... |
SEC Player of the Year
| # | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Position | Class | Hometown | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | John Wall John Wall (basketball) Johnathan Hildred Wall, Jr. is an American basketball player with the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association. Wall was chosen first overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Wizards... |
6'4" | 195 | G | Fr. | Raleigh, NC Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh... , U.S. United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Associated Press |
SEC Newcomer of the Year
| # | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Position | Class | Hometown | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | John Wall John Wall (basketball) Johnathan Hildred Wall, Jr. is an American basketball player with the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association. Wall was chosen first overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Wizards... |
6'4" | 195 | G | Fr. | Raleigh, NC Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh... , U.S. United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Associated Press |