Dontaie Allen led all scorers with 23 points in UK’s victory against the Bulldogs on Saturday.
STARKVILLE – January 2, 2021 – BRADLEY CHARLES
It took longer than expected, but the Cats finally picked up their second win of the season. Kentucky’s six-game losing streak, which was tied for the second-longest such streak in school history, was snapped on Saturday with a 78-73 double overtime victory at Mississippi State. It marks the Cats’ first victory since Nov. 25, 2020.
The story of the night was 6-foot-6 freshman guard Dontaie Allen from Pendleton County, Kentucky. He scored 23 points and went 7-of-11 from 3-point range, while also tallying five rebounds. Without any doubt, the Kentucky native cemented himself as a fan favorite amongst Big Blue Nation.
As for the game itself, UK led by as many as five points in the first half, but a 19-9 Mississippi State surge led to a 35-30 lead for the Bulldogs at halftime.
With just over nine minutes remaining in the second half, Kentucky Coach John Calipari picked up two technical fouls and was ejected. Following four free-throw attempts, Mississippi State held a 55-46 lead.
The Cats responded with a 10-0 run that started and ended with a 3-pointer by Allen. UK led 56-55 with 5:08 remaining in the second half.
Kentucky had multiple chances to take a lead or win the game with little time remaining in regulation, but the game ultimately went into overtime.
With 1:08 to play in OT, Allen hit a 3-pointer to give the Cats a 68-65 lead. The Bulldogs responded with a 3-pointer of their own from 6-foot-3 sophomore guard Iverson Molinar, which eventually led to the game’s second overtime.
In double OT, Allen tallied five of UK’s 10 points and the Cats cruised to a 78-73 victory.
With the win, Kentucky has won 10 of its 12 SEC openers under Calipari and remains perfect against Mississippi State in the Calipari era.
UK’s next game is scheduled to be against Vanderbilt on Tuesday, Jan. 5 at 7:00 p.m.