Game notes from UK’s 74-45 romp of Tennessee

- UK defeated Tennessee 74-45 in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament to improve to 31-2 on the season. Tennessee falls to 25-8 on the season. UK will play in the SEC championship on Sunday against Mississippi State.

- The Cats finished the game on a 29-6 run. Tennessee made only one field goal in the final 9:27.

- The Three Amigos led the Cats to the SEC final. Each of UK’s three, star freshmen registered double figures in points.

- Forward DeMarcus Cousins led the Cats with 19 points and 15 rebounds in 26 minutes of game action. Cousins also blocked two shots, stole three balls and was 6-of-8 from the field.

- Guard John Wall scored 14 points, dished out nine assists and grabbed six rebounds.

- Guard Eric Bledsoe hit five 3-pointers, and scored 17 points.

- Bledsoe said he believed they had secured a one seed in the NCAA Tournament. Sophomore guard Darius Miller said he hoped the Cats had secured the one seed, and that he thinks they deserve it.

- No worries UK fans about Orton talking back to the coaches and leaving the bench. Patterson said players talking back happens all the time and there are no grudges on the team. Patterson said UK head coach John Calipari understands the emotions of the game.

“It happens every day,” Patterson said. “Whether you think you did the right thing or whether you didn’t. You may have one thought in your mind but Coach Cal has a different one and he’s the coach and he’s right pretty much every single time – 99 percent. Everybody gets mad, everyone gets heated on this team. Whenever something happens you may thinks you’re right, but when it comes down to it you’re most likely not.”

- Cousins joked after the game when asked how important it was to have a coach who understands players’ emotions, “We don’t get that much leeway,” said Cousins laughing. “We get a little leeway.”

- Junior forward Patrick Patterson was a perfect 2-for-2 from the floor, scoring four points and grabbing five rebounds.

- Four technical fouls and an ejection were issued in Saturday’s game. Cousins and Orton got technical fouls called against them for UK, and forward Wayne Chism and guard Melvin Goins were issued technicals for Tennessee. Goins was also ejected from the game.

- Tennessee shot 28.6 percent in the first half and 30.9 percent for the game.

- After being outrebounded by a dozen against Alabama one day prior, UK won the battle of the boards 44-29 against Tennessee.

- In UK’s loss to Tennessee on Feb. 27, the Cats were 2-for-22 from beyond the arc. On Saturday, the Cats were 8-of-22.

- The score was tied three times, but Tennessee never led.

- After going 22-of-29 from the foul stripe against Alabama, the Cats struggled against Tennessee, making just 16-of-30. Cousins went 7-of-17 on free throws, including his second airballed free throw of the season. “We all have our little bloopers in the year,” Cousins joked.