FINAL: Kentucky starts season 2-0 with 100-72 win over Bucknell

With a showdown against No. 7 Duke right around the corner, Kentucky has kicked off the Mark Pope era with a 2-0 start.

On Saturday afternoon in Rupp Arena, the No. 23 Wildcats wrapped up its final pre-Duke tune-up with a 100-72 victory over the Bucknell Bison. It was the best rebounding performance of the young season (exhibitions included) thus far as Kentucky grabbed 57 total boards, 22 coming on the offensive glass. UK shot 48 percent from the floor, 36 percent (13-36) from deep, and 11-16 from the free throw line.

Koby Brea led all scorers with 20 points on a 6-8 shooting mark from long range. He was aided by 14 points and four rebounds from Jaxson Robinson. Amari Williams (13 points, 14 rebounds), Andrew Carr (11 points), and Otega Oweh (10 points) rounded out the double-digit scoring for UK. Kerr Kriisa chipped in six points, 12 assists, and four rebounds off the bench.

Kentucky did an excellent job of containing seven-foot big man Noah Williamson. The Bucknell junior came into the season as a Preseason All-Patriot League Team member, but the Wildcats quickly forced him into foul trouble and refused to let him make an impact the rest of the way. Williamson finished with seven points on 3-12 shooting. As a team, Bucknell shot 40 percent overall with a 12-33 clip from beyond the arc.

Bucknell would jump out to an early 3-1 advantage, but that was the last time the Bison would lead all game. Thanks to a great start from Robinson, Kentucky controlled the momentum from the jump. Back-to-back triples from Brea and Kriisa made it a 13-point lead not even seven minutes into the opening half. The ‘Cats would go up by as many as 20 points before briefly hitting an offensive wall.

Kentucky would score just four points across a four-minute span late in the first half. That being said, Bucknell could never bring the deficit to under a dozen. UK would settle back in though, closing the half with a 47-31 lead. Robinson fueled the ‘Cats through 20 minutes with 11 points on 5-11 shooting.

Bucknell would get within 14 points a few minutes into the second half. Oweh appeared to take a knee to the chest which removed him from the game (he would return later in the half) and Pope was quick to make substations. That tactic worked as a three-point barrage gave Kentucky control once again. Kriisa’s energy nearly blew the roof off Rupp Arena as UK went ahead by 23.

The game was all but over from there. Following an and-one from Oweh, the Wildcats held a 27-point lead with under eight minutes to go. Trent Noah and Travis Perry would check in with roughly four minutes on the clock and Kentucky still in front by 25. The bench mob would close out the 28-point win.

Next up: Kentucky will face Duke in Atlanta, GA on Tuesday. Tipoff is set for 9:00 p.m. EST on ESPN.