Kentucky has been full of century-mark milestones this year

This year’s Kentucky basketball team has kept statisticians busy. Nearly every game includes some type of milestone that begins with, “For the first time since…” It is so much so that Athletic Department stat man, Corey Price, is becoming a household name within the Commonwealth. In this weekend’s rendition of jaw-dropping numbers, let’s focus on scoring 100 points in a game, something that Kentucky has done better than any team in recent memory.

The Wildcats racked up 111 points against Arkansas, their sixth time of the season cresting the century mark. Not only is this the most times in a season the ‘Cats have broken 100 in the John Calipari era but it is also the most since 1995-96, when they achieved this feat nine times. With the win against the Razorbacks, Calipari is now 25-0 when his Kentucky team scores at least 100.

Lately, it’s not just that Kentucky is getting to 100 points, they are surpassing it in droves. The Wildcats scored 117 points against Alabama last Saturday in Rupp, so they have now scored at least 111 in consecutive home games since 1971. That streak could extend to three, as Kentucky plays Vanderbilt on Wednesday, and the last time these two squads matched up, the ‘Cats dropped a whopping 117, which isn’t even their season high. They scored 118 against Marshall.

In the ’90s, Rick Pitino’s teams reached the century mark by implementing a full-court press and getting a ton of buckets off turnovers. Back in the ’70s, even though there was no 3-point line, those teams were so much better than everyone else, Adolph Rupp and company ran their opponents off the court. For this team to score this efficiently in 2024 with no real gimmick or fundamental advantage, it is that much more impressive.

Kentucky has given up its fair share of 100-point games too

You probably had at least one pessimistic friend text you during the game to complain about the fact Kentucky is giving up way too many points, which, to them, was especially frustrating coming from a 0.500 Razorback team.

Kentucky may have dropped 111, but Arkansas put up 102 themselves. This marks only the fourth most points scored by a Kentucky opponent in Rupp Arena, and the second most this season. Tennessee posted 103 earlier in the year.

To put a positive spin on this, though, Arkansas became the first opponent to score more than 100 points in Lexington and lose the game. The last time this happened in any capacity was against LSU down in Baton Rouge back in 1970. Pistol Pete Maravich had 51 of those points for the Tigers.

The fact this team is just as prone to score 100 points as it is to give up 100 with regularity not seen in a generation makes Kentucky not only the most exciting team in the country but also one apt to give all of Big Blue Nation a heart attack during any given game.

And we’re all here for it.