Kentucky basketball's Amari Williams joins elite club with triple-double vs Ole Miss

Kentucky basketball’s Amari Williams joins elite club with triple-double vs Ole Miss

Posted by author February 5, 2025 Basketball

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OXFORD, Miss. — With his rebound in the final second Tuesday night, Kentucky basketball center Amari Williams made history.

Williams notched only the fourth triple-double in UK’s record book, finishing with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a 98-84 loss to Ole Miss at The Pavilion.

The previous Wildcats to post triple-doubles are:

Of note: Williams is the only one member of that quartet to tally a triple-double in a loss. Which he was well aware of afterward.

“It’s a good achievement to have,” he said, “but I would trade it in for the win, for sure. That’s all I’ve got to say about it, really. Just wish we would have played better defense as a team. Individually, too.

“That’s the only thing I take away from that (accomplishment).”

Kentucky coach Mark Pope conceded that “in challenging times,” referring to Tuesday’s result, two truths are still evident: Williams played at a level few in the program’s illustrious history ever have. But neither Pope nor his players are pleased the rare feat didn’t occur within the scope of a victory.

“Amari, we’re asking him to do so much — and he’s doing it,” Pope said. “He (has) a triple-double in less than 26 minutes. That’s remarkable, especially as a player his size to do it. To be a 10-assist guy on the road in a game where we desperately need him to be a playmaker for us right now? He’s playing amazing basketball, and he’s really stretching and he’s really growing. I’m super proud of him.”

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.