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This is a good feeling, finally winning the SEC Tournament again after not doing so for the last three seasons. The Arkansas Razorbacks came out breathing fire in the second half, and hung in with the Kentucky Wildcats for quite a while. But as usual, when the 8-minute mark of the second half came up, the Wildcats closed the door and ended the Hog's hopes for good.
This was a game effort by Arkansas, but they got their wish and got another shot at Kentucky. This one didn't work out any better than the last one did. But Arkansas is getting better, they will be a handful in the NCAA Tournament. Good luck to Arkansas going forward.
Final stats
Expanded UK-only box score... pic.twitter.com/AQdOPd0TQW
— Jeff Drummond (@JDrumUK) March 15, 2015
Observations
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This may have been the very best that Kentucky has played this season. They were pretty much great at everything.
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Kentucky's guards were absolutely splendid. They have gotten better and better late in the season and this team looks NCAA Tournament-ready.
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Kentucky had 15 assists on 25 made field goals. Outstanding.
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The Wildcats did a very good job on the glass today. Arkansas is a weak rebounding team, so that's expected
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The Wildcats made 58% from three, their second straight game at 50% or better.
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The stats I had to use did not have turnovers, but I suspect Kentucky did fine in that regard, and the press was not effective for Arkansas at all.
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78% from the free throw line is fine, although Kentucky missed more than they have lately. And the Wildcats got to the line a ton.
This was a fine way to end the pre-NCAA season — undefeated, or as Mike Slive put it, "...undefeated and unbowed." I was very happy with what I saw today, and I suspect you were as well.
Postmortem to follow later, also we'll have a selection show thread as always.
Tweets
There's your 2015 SEC tournament champions, 34-0 Kentucky Wildcats. pic.twitter.com/1XV058judR
— KentuckySportsReport (@MyKSR1) March 15, 2015
Your SEC champs pic.twitter.com/pCA3w8uEt8
— Darrell Bird (@DarrellBird) March 15, 2015
"These one & dones don't care about Kentucky. As soon as they leave, they never even think about the place again." pic.twitter.com/X9UTw6VQhS
— Not Jerry Tipton (@NotJerryTipton) March 15, 2015
Your SEC Tournament champions...the undefeated Kentucky Wildcats pic.twitter.com/m4bRLXLmn0
— Anthony Wireman (@awireman) March 15, 2015
Cats did not cut down the nets here.
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_CJ) March 15, 2015
He may be a freshman, but he's like a crafty veteran when it comes to the souvenirs. pic.twitter.com/sTzcVUQOzZ
— T.J. Beisner (@Beisner_cn2) March 15, 2015
Towns wearing net, delivered managers. Why players didn't cut them? "We're just not done."
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_CJ) March 15, 2015
Tyler Ulis confirms...Arkansas players definitely talked trash in the tunnel yesterday... pic.twitter.com/z76XDOhanD
— Anthony Wireman (@awireman) March 15, 2015