Ugonna Onyenso has 10 blocks as No. 22 Kentucky beats Mississippi to end three-game home skid
Kentucky's Ugonna Onyenso (33) dunks while defended by Mississippi's Jaemyn Brakefield, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, in Lexington, Ky. Credit: AP/James Crisp
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Ugonna Onyenso tied a Rupp Arena record with 10 blocks, Antonio Reeves scored 15 points and No. 22 Kentucky beat Mississippi 75-63 on Tuesday night to end a three-game home losing streak.
Playing at full strength for the first time this season — at least temporarily — thanks to forward Tre Mitchell's return from a back injury, the Wildcats (17-7, 7-4 Southeastern Conference) shot 52% to snap their longest skid at Rupp, which opened in 1976. Kentucky's last three-game home skid came in the 1966-67 season.
Mitchell had five points and six rebounds in 21 minutes before leaving in the second half with a shoulder injury. Reed Sheppard added 13 points for the Wildcats and Justin Edwards had 12.
Kentucky's point total was 14 below its average, but coach John Calipari was happy with his team's balance. He used nine players; all of them scored and each played at least 13 minutes.
“I went to a shorter rotation, and I love how we started the game,” he said. “We were the aggressor. We had to change a little bit of what we were doing, how we were guarding people. And I keep saying we got shot blockers. Don’t give them a jumper, make them they beat you on the bounce because we got people back in there.”
Matthew Murrell and Jaemyn Brakefield each scored 16 points for the Rebels (18-6, 5-6), who shot 38% and have lost five of eight.
Onyenso established his presence with three blocks in four minutes. The 7-foot sophomore finished with the most blocks at Rupp by a Kentucky player and tied the mark set by Navy's David Robinson on Jan. 25, 1987. Three players shared the Wildcats' arena record of nine, most recently Willie Cauley-Stein against Boise State in December 2013.
Mississippi's Allen Flanigan, right, pulls down a rebound near his teammate Brandon Murray (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Kentucky Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, in Lexington, Ky. Credit: AP/James Crisp
“It’s amazing,” said Onyenso, who has blocked 48 shots in 15 games. “The part that I take blocking shots, I’m happy that I did that. Hopefully, I will break it again.”
Onyenso made three dunks and two free throws in 24 minutes. Reeves made 6 of 12 shots and had a team-high seven rebounds.
The Wildcats trailed by six points early but were thoroughly in control by halftime with a 43-29 lead. Ole Miss closed within six early in the second half before Rob Dillingham hit a 3-pointer and Onyenso added a dunk for a 52-41 lead that eventually grew to 17.
“One player had a special game, just didn’t give us enough offensive possessions and we didn’t shoot it great tonight,” Ole Miss coach Chris Beard said. “But if our turnovers are lower and we don’t get our shot blocked quite as many times, we get enough shots even on a bad shooting night. We’ll be able to hang a little more in the game.”
Kentucky's Reed Sheppard (15), Tre Mitchell (4) receive instructions from assistant coach Orlando Antigua, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, in Lexington, Ky. Credit: AP/James Crisp
BIG PICTURE
Ole Miss: The Rebels went cold after a solid start, missing nine of 10 shots before the break. They shot better early in the second half but never fully recovered.
Kentucky: The Wildcats used their ninth starting lineup this season with Mitchell back. They weren't exactly sharp, committing 15 turnovers that led to 21 points for Ole Miss, but they outrebounded the Rebels 37-34.
UP NEXT
Ole Miss hosts Missouri on Saturday night.
Kentucky visits No. 13 Auburn on Saturday night.
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