Meeks scores 45 to set record at Bud Walton

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — After about seven minutes, Jodie Meeks already had 14 points, and his Kentucky teammates could breathe easy.

They weren't going to need Patrick Patterson on this day.

Meeks scored 45 points, setting a Bud Walton Arena record and leading short-handed Kentucky to an easy 79-63 win over Arkansas on Saturday. The Wildcats were without Patterson, the sophomore center who sprained an ankle earlier in the week.

It didn't matter once Meeks was done. This was his third 40-point game of the season — he scored 54 at Tennessee last month.

"I've not ever seen anything like he's done for our team this season, because we've needed it so badly," Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie said. "At the start, I think everyone was kind of standing around watching Jodie."

They saw quite a show. Meeks scored the Wildcats' first seven points, then added a 3-pointer that made it 16-10 and put him over 1,000 points for his career. Moments later, the junior made a 3-pointer while being fouled for a rare 4-point play that made the score Meeks 14, Arkansas 10. Kentucky was ahead by 10.

Later in the half, Meeks scored another unusual basket, making a layup on a breakaway despite being wrapped up by Arkansas' Marcus Britt. The basket counted, and Britt was called for an intentional foul, giving Kentucky two shots and the ball. Meeks made one of two, and Ramon Harris added a basket inside, giving the Wildcats five points on the possession and a 37-22 lead.

It was 40-29 at halftime, and Meeks had 22 points. He made a pair of 3-pointers early in the second half to give the Wildcats a 47-31 lead. Meeks reached 40 points when Arkansas' Michael Washington goaltended his shot with 3:25 left. The Razorbacks' Al Dillard set the previous arena record of 39 in 1993, the year the venue opened.

"As many great players as have been through this arena, it's an honor," Meeks said.

Meeks capped his spectacular performance with a two-handed dunk with just over a minute to play. He was already the Southeastern Conference's scoring leader before the game. Saturday's effort raised his average to 25.8 points. The Wildcats lost Patterson on Tuesday night against Florida — in a game Meeks won with a last-second 3-pointer.

"He's been doing it all season," said Arkansas coach John Pelphrey, a former Kentucky player. "We're just another defense he has left in his wake."

The rebuilding Razorbacks (13-10, 1-9 SEC) were without suspended point guard Courtney Fortson. Washington and Stefan Welsh scored 14 points each for Arkansas.

"We'll be all right," Pelphrey said. "There's going to be some great things happening here in the future. Hopefully it will be next week."

Jason Henry scored 12 points with 11 rebounds for Arkansas, which went 4-of-22 from 3-point range.

Meeks went 17-of-24 from the field and 7-of-12 from 3-point range. About the only thing Kentucky (18-7, 7-3) lacked was offensive balance. No other Wildcat scored more than eight points.

Junior Ramon Harris contributed seven points, nine rebounds and five assists for Kentucky.

"Best game he's ever played here," Gillispie said.

Meeks insisted he wasn't trying to be more aggressive offensively at the start of the game because of Patterson's absence.

"I tried to approach the game the same way," he said.

After he made five quick shots early on, it was clear this was going to be one of those days for anyone trying to defend him.

And it was clear Patterson could rest up without worrying where Kentucky's offense would come from.

"We all knew what we could do," Kentucky guard Michael Porter said. "Obviously it helps when Jodie scores 45 points."