Postgame notes from Kentucky's loss vs. Michigan State

Kentucky’s momentum stalled out in Indianapolis at the Champions Classic, falling in double-overtime to Michigan State by a final score of 86-77.

How did the loss come together for the Wildcats? The postgame notes and stats tell some of the story. Check those out below, courtesy of UK Athletics.

Final Score: Michigan State 86, #4/4 Kentucky 77 (2OT)

Team Records and Series Notes

Both teams are now 2-1.
Kentucky leads the all-time series, 14-12, ending a two-game UK win streak. The teams are tied 4-4 in games played at neutral sites, with tonight being the first time the teams have met in Indianapolis.
The Wildcats have a quick turnaround, playing South Carolina State on Thursday in Rupp Arena. Game time is 7 p.m. and it will be televised by the SEC Network.

The Champions Classic

UK is 5-7 in the Champions Classic, including 2-2 against Michigan State in the event.
This is the fourth time that the event has been held in Gainbridge Fieldhouse and UK is 1-3 in those games.
The matchups and game date have been set for the 2023 Classic – Nov. 14, 2023, in Chicago with UK playing Kansas and Michigan State taking on Duke.

Team Notes

The game featured 14 ties and 10 lead changes.
Kentucky is 63-52 all-time in overtime games, including 15-9 under Coach John Calipari.

Player Notes

Despite having a missed a month because of a knee injury, Oscar Tshiebwe played 34 minutes before fouling out and totaled 22 points and 18 rebounds.
- It was his 17^th consecutive double-double, including the final 16 games of last season.
- It was his eighth 20-15 game at UK, beginning with the 2021-22 season.
Freshman Cason Wallace had 14 points, five rebounds, five assists and a school-record-tying eight steals. Additional eight theft games:
- Ashton Hagans on Dec. 22, 2018 vs North Carolina.
- Rajon Rondo on Feb. 19, 2005 vs. Mississippi State.
- Wayne Turner on Nov. 24, 1997 vs. George Washington.
Jacob Toppin contributed 10 points and four rebounds.
Sahvir Wheeler scored 16 points and led the Wildcats with eight assists.

Coach John Calipari

Calipari is 3-2 vs. Michigan State, including 2-2 at Kentucky.
Calipari has an 812-242 all-time on-court record and a 367-102 mark at Kentucky.

In the First Half

Kentucky has started Cason Wallace, CJ Fredrick, Chris Livingston, Jacob Toppin and Lance Ware for all three games.
Oscar Tshiebwe, Antonio Reeves, Daimion Collins and Sahvir Wheeler were UK’s first substitutes at the 14:55 mark.
Kentucky built what proved to be its largest lead of the game, 20-13, but an eight-point run by Michigan State put the Spartans back in the lead.
The teams battled evenly the rest of the way, but MSU scored the final five points for a 36-34 halftime lead.
Tshiebwe led Kentucky with 11 points and seven rebounds.

In the Second Half

Kentucky began the second half with Wheeler, Fredrick, Wallace, Toppin and Tshiebwe.
MSU got the first three points of the second half, completing an 8-0 run for a 39-34 lead.
Trailing 42-39, Wallace scored the last four points of a 7-0 spurt with an offensive rebound and basket, followed by a steal and fastbreak layup.
Trailing 52-51, a driving Wheeler found Tshiebwe for a dunk with 6:25 to go – Kentucky never trailed again until the second overtime – and Fredrick picked a nice time for his first basket of the night, a 3-pointer from the left wing to put UK up 56-52 and coax an MSU timeout with 5:21 remaining.
Tied at 58, Toppin made the first of two free throws, with Tshiebwe grabbing the ORB and getting a layup for a 61-58 advantage.
At 61-60 with 15.4 seconds left, Wallace made the second of two free throws.
MSU tied it at 62 on a dunk with 3.7 seconds remaining.

First Overtime

Toppin opened the scoring with a pair of free throws with 4:31 remaining and a Wheeler 3-pointer a minute later opened a five-point advantage, 67-62, but MSU responded with five straight to tie it.
Wheeler made a free throw and one of his driving underhand bankers to make it 70-67.
MSU got a basket, then Tshiebwe fouled out on an illegal screen with 32 seconds left.
UK forced a miss and Wallace was fouled with 7.6 seconds left, making the second free throw for a 71-69 count.
MSU tied it on a dunk with 1.4 seconds remaining.

Second Overtime

A Wheeler 3-pointer with 4:00 remaining put UK ahead 76-73 but Michigan State finished the game on a 13-1 run.
An MSU dunk put the Spartans ahead 78-76 with 1:44 to go, their first lead since 6:25 remaining in regulation.