FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Technical fouls, flagrant fouls, irate coaches and frenzied fans.
Just another Kentucky-Arkansas basketball game in Bud Walton Arena.
The No. 23-ranked and short-handed Wildcats defeated the Razorbacks, 88-79, on Saturday afternoon in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Antonio Reeves was the difference-maker for Kentucky, scoring a career-high 37 points and hitting big shot after big shot throughout the game. He was 12 for 17 from the field, 11 for 11 on free throws and scored the Cats’ first 11 points of the second half. Reeves had scored 34 points in a game for Illinois State last season. His previous high at Kentucky was 27 points, scored in a win at Mississippi on Jan. 31.
Oscar Tshiebwe was involved in two altercations in the first half and spent much of the second half in foul trouble, but he managed 12 points and 13 rebounds after tallying just seven points and seven boards in UK’s 88-73 loss to Arkansas in Rupp Arena last month.
Jacob Toppin scored 21 points, added four rebounds, three assists and nailed a couple of huge 3-pointers in the second half to quiet the Bud Walton Arena crowd as the Hogs were attempting their comeback.
And the Cats, who were playing without a point guard and listed as 5.5-point underdogs before tipoff, left Fayetteville with what can only be described as an unexpected victory.
With the win, Kentucky finished the regular season with a 21-10 record and a 12-6 mark in the Southeastern Conference, good enough to clinch the 3 seed in next week’s league tournament.
That means UK will play the late game Friday night — with tipoff likely around 9:30 p.m. — to begin the team’s 2023 postseason.
UK’s regular-season finale was a frenetic affair in one of the SEC’s most intimidating arenas.
The fireworks started early, with Tshiebwe connecting with an elbow during a dust-up with Makhel Mitchell before the first TV timeout of the afternoon. Players for both teams came together on the court, and Arkansas freshman Nick Smith Jr. exited the scrum imploring the Razorbacks’ fans to get louder, which they did.
After a review at the monitor, it was announced that Tshiebwe and Arkansas freshman Anthony Black had received technical fouls, with a personal foul called on Mitchell. Those were all recorded as common personal fouls in the official stats, however.
With 1:17 left in the first half, Tshiebwe got into it with Arkansas senior Kamani Johnson — the younger brother of former UK big man Dakari Johnson — and made contact with the Razorback forward’s face, leading to a flagrant 1 on the Kentucky star.
Tshiebwe picked up his third foul with 17:08 left in the game and exited until the 13:40 mark. He picked up his fourth foul with 7:39 remaining. And he fouled out with 4:53 left in the game.
Before the first TV timeout of the second half, Arkansas guard Davonte Davis was hit with two technical fouls and ejected from the game. Those calls came a few seconds after Davis and Reeves had to be separated, though play continued following that incident. Reeves then stepped to the line and made four free throws, hitting a jumper on UK’s ensuing possession and then nailing a three-pointer a short time later to give Kentucky a 51-40 lead.
UK’s Lance Ware was also called for a technical foul early in the second half, and John Calipari was issued a sideline warning in the first half.
Kentucky was playing without starting point guard Cason Wallace, who left Wednesday night’s loss to Vanderbilt with a lower leg injury early in the second half and did not return. He was ruled out of Saturday’s game a few minutes before tipoff, and he did not participate in pregame warmups. Senior point guard Sahvir Wheeler missed his eighth consecutive game with an ankle injury.
That left UK with no point guards for the regular-season finale. Reeves and CJ Fredrick comprised the starting backcourt, and freshman wing Adou Thiero was the first Wildcat off the bench, getting some playing time at the point guard spot. Thiero had seven points and five rebounds.
