Thiero scores 22 points against former team as Arkansas beats No. 12 Kentucky 89-79
AP
Feb 01, 2025
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) Adou Thiero scored 21 points against his former team in his return to Lexington and Arkansas Razorbacks beat No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats 89-79 on Saturday night.
D.J. Wagner scored 17 points and Zvonimir Ivisic added 14 points against their former team as well to lead Arkansas (13-8, 2-6 Southeastern Conference). Johnell Davis, the highly touted transfer from Florida Atlantic. added 18 points - 12 in the first half to get the Razorbacks a win in his first game back since leaving the Wildcats last season after 12 years.
Amari Williams had a season-high 22 points and 11 rebounds for Kentucky (15-6, 4-4). Jaxson Robinson also scored 20 as the Wildcats lost their second straight home game.
Arkansas: The Razorbacks found their offensive stride, hitting big shots at key times to keep the Wildcats at bay. After the Wildcats had closed to 76-70, Ivisic hit a long 3-pointer and Davis made a layup after a steal to kill the rally.
Kentucky: The Wildcats, playing without point guard Lamont Butler for the second straight game due to undisclosed injuries, struggled getting into a flow offensively much of the game. They turned the ball over 14 times leading to 12 points.
With Arkansas leading 46-45 at the half, Thiero and Wagner combined for a 12-2 run and a 58-47 lead to start the second half. Thiero opened with a dunk and ended the run with a 3.
Arkansas was shooting 32.5% on 3-pointers for the season and making 5.7 3s per game in SEC play but shot 52% and made 13 against Kentucky. The Wildcats were just 3 for 13 on 3s in the second half
Kentucky will slide after the loss to the Razorbacks despite beating Tennessee on the road earlier in the week.
Arkansas plays at Texas on Wednesday, and Kentucky visits No. 23 Mississippi on Tuesday.
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1st Half
ARK
Razorbacks
46
UK
Wildcats
45
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Zvonimir Ivišić vs. Amari Williams (Adou Thiero gains possession)
19:48
+3
Johnell Davis makes three point jump shot (D.J. Wagner assists)
3-0
19:33
Amari Williams turnover (Adou Thiero steals)
19:25
Adou Thiero turnover
19:18
+3
Jaxson Robinson makes three point jump shot (Ansley Almonor assists)
3-3
19:10
+3
Zvonimir Ivišić makes three point jump shot (D.J. Wagner assists)
6-3
18:43
Jaxson Robinson turnover (Adou Thiero steals)
18:29
Johnell Davis misses two point layup
18:27
Amari Williams defensive rebound
18:22
+2
Otega Oweh makes two point layup
6-5
18:11
D.J. Wagner turnover (lost ball)
17:59
+3
Koby Brea makes three point jump shot (Ansley Almonor assists)
6-8
17:36
+3
Adou Thiero makes three point jump shot (D.J. Wagner assists)
9-8
17:11
+2
Amari Williams makes two point layup
9-10
16:44
Zvonimir Ivišić misses three point jump shot
16:42
Ansley Almonor defensive rebound
16:34
+2
Otega Oweh makes two point layup
9-12
16:21
Johnell Davis misses three point jump shot
16:19
Amari Williams defensive rebound
16:07
+3
Ansley Almonor makes three point jump shot (Amari Williams assists)
9-15
15:46
+3
Karter Knox makes three point jump shot (Zvonimir Ivišić assists)
12-15
15:29
Otega Oweh misses two point layup
15:27
Adou Thiero defensive rebound
15:19
Johnell Davis misses three point jump shot
15:17
Adou Thiero offensive rebound
14:57
Adou Thiero misses two point layup
14:55
Koby Brea defensive rebound
14:46
Otega Oweh misses two point jump shot
14:44
Ansley Almonor offensive rebound
14:29
Koby Brea misses two point jump shot
14:27
Karter Knox defensive rebound
14:26
D.J. Wagner misses two point jump shot
14:25
Amari Williams defensive rebound
14:23
+3
Jaxson Robinson makes three point jump shot (Amari Williams assists)
12-18
14:23
Razorbacks 30 second timeout
14:23
TV timeout
14:11
Karter Knox misses two point layup
14:09
Jaxson Robinson defensive rebound
13:47
Brandon Garrison offensive foul
13:47
Brandon Garrison turnover (offensive foul)
13:35
Trevon Brazile misses three point jump shot
13:33
Karter Knox offensive rebound
13:25
Adou Thiero misses three point jump shot
13:23
Brandon Garrison defensive rebound
13:11
Otega Oweh turnover (Karter Knox steals)
13:05
+2
Trevon Brazile makes two point layup (Karter Knox assists)
14-18
12:37
Koby Brea misses three point jump shot
12:35
Karter Knox defensive rebound
12:20
+2
Johnell Davis makes two point jump shot (D.J. Wagner assists)
16-18
12:06
D.J. Wagner shooting foul (Jaxson Robinson draws the foul)
12:06
+1
Jaxson Robinson makes regular free throw 1 of 2
16-19
12:06
+1
Jaxson Robinson makes regular free throw 2 of 2
16-20
11:45
+2
Billy Richmond III makes two point jump shot (Johnell Davis assists)
18-20
11:24
Andrew Carr turnover (Billy Richmond III steals)
11:18
+2
Billy Richmond III makes two point dunk
20-20
10:52
+2
Koby Brea makes two point dunk (Brandon Garrison assists)
20-22
10:34
D.J. Wagner misses three point jump shot
10:32
Andrew Carr defensive rebound
10:25
Travis Perry misses two point layup
10:23
D.J. Wagner defensive rebound
10:14
Andrew Carr shooting foul (Johnell Davis draws the foul)
10:14
TV timeout
10:14
+1
Johnell Davis makes regular free throw 1 of 2
21-22
10:14
Johnell Davis misses regular free throw 2 of 2
10:14
Amari Williams defensive rebound
9:58
Amari Williams turnover (Trevon Brazile steals)
9:53
Johnell Davis turnover (Amari Williams steals)
9:44
+3
Travis Perry makes three point jump shot (Amari Williams assists)
21-25
9:24
Billy Richmond III misses two point jump shot
9:22
Amari Williams defensive rebound
9:02
Jonas Aidoo blocks Otega Oweh's two point layup
9:00
D.J. Wagner defensive rebound
8:53
D.J. Wagner misses three point jump shot
8:53
Wildcats defensive rebound
8:53
Trevon Brazile personal foul
8:35
Travis Perry turnover (Karter Knox steals)
8:28
Amari Williams shooting foul (Adou Thiero draws the foul)
8:28
+1
Adou Thiero makes regular free throw 1 of 2
22-25
8:28
+1
Adou Thiero makes regular free throw 2 of 2
23-25
8:05
+2
Amari Williams makes two point layup
23-27
7:46
Ansley Almonor shooting foul (Adou Thiero draws the foul)
7:46
TV timeout
7:46
+1
Adou Thiero makes regular free throw 1 of 2
24-27
7:46
+1
Adou Thiero makes regular free throw 2 of 2
25-27
7:36
+3
Jaxson Robinson makes three point jump shot
25-30
7:20
+2
Adou Thiero makes two point layup
27-30
6:55
Koby Brea misses three point jump shot
6:53
Adou Thiero defensive rebound
6:34
+2
Adou Thiero makes two point jump shot
29-30
6:19
Jaxson Robinson misses two point layup
6:17
Billy Richmond III defensive rebound
6:13
+2
Karter Knox makes two point dunk (Billy Richmond III assists)
31-30
6:11
Wildcats 30 second timeout
5:53
Andrew Carr misses two point hook shot
5:51
Johnell Davis defensive rebound
5:44
+3
Johnell Davis makes three point jump shot
34-30
5:30
+2
Otega Oweh makes two point layup
34-32
5:30
Adou Thiero shooting foul (Otega Oweh draws the foul)
5:30
Otega Oweh misses regular free throw 1 of 1
5:30
Zvonimir Ivišić defensive rebound
5:11
+3
Zvonimir Ivišić makes three point jump shot (D.J. Wagner assists)
37-32
5:00
+2
Amari Williams makes two point dunk
37-34
5:00
Karter Knox shooting foul (Amari Williams draws the foul)
5:00
+1
Amari Williams makes regular free throw 1 of 1
37-35
4:47
Andrew Carr blocks D.J. Wagner's two point layup
4:45
Andrew Carr defensive rebound
4:32
+2
Amari Williams makes two point layup
37-37
4:32
Zvonimir Ivišić shooting foul (Amari Williams draws the foul)
4:32
Amari Williams misses regular free throw 1 of 1
4:32
Johnell Davis defensive rebound
4:21
+3
Johnell Davis makes three point jump shot (D.J. Wagner assists)
40-37
3:59
+2
Amari Williams makes two point dunk
40-39
3:41
Adou Thiero misses three point jump shot
3:39
Andrew Carr defensive rebound
3:31
Travis Perry turnover
3:23
D.J. Wagner misses two point jump shot
3:21
Travis Perry defensive rebound
2:57
Koby Brea misses three point jump shot
2:55
TV timeout
2:47
Karter Knox misses three point jump shot
2:45
Andrew Carr defensive rebound
2:37
+2
Collin Chandler makes two point layup
40-41
2:24
Jonas Aidoo offensive foul
2:24
Jonas Aidoo turnover (offensive foul)
2:01
Trevon Brazile blocks Brandon Garrison's two point jump shot
1:59
Trevon Brazile defensive rebound
1:47
Karter Knox misses two point jump shot
1:45
Koby Brea defensive rebound
1:36
+3
Andrew Carr makes three point jump shot (Koby Brea assists)
40-44
1:14
+3
Trevon Brazile makes three point jump shot (Johnell Davis assists)
43-44
0:55
D.J. Wagner shooting foul (Jaxson Robinson draws the foul)
0:55
Jaxson Robinson misses regular free throw 1 of 3
0:55
Jaxson Robinson misses regular free throw 2 of 3
0:55
+1
Jaxson Robinson makes regular free throw 3 of 3
43-45
0:32
+3
Karter Knox makes three point jump shot
46-45
0:02
Andrew Carr misses two point jump shot
0:00
Adou Thiero defensive rebound
0:00
End of period
2nd Half
ARK
Razorbacks
43
UK
Wildcats
34
Time
Team
Play
Score
19:41
Otega Oweh misses three point jump shot
19:39
Adou Thiero defensive rebound
19:23
+2
Adou Thiero makes two point alley-oop dunk (D.J. Wagner assists)
