Special thanks to Pat McKee…

(6-8-26) A review of the 2026 Indiana-Kentucky All-Star Series.

Awards on Saturday:

    >> Brooklynn Renn of Silver Creek was the girls’ game MVP.

Brooklynn Renn with Mike Broughton and Paul Swartz of Hoosier Shooting Academy

  >> Luke Ertel of Mt. Vernon (Fortville) was the boys’ game MVP. 

Luke Ertel with Mike Broughton, Paul Swartz of Hoosier Shooting Academy and Swartz’s two sons

>> Komari Booker of Pike was winner of the girls’ Wooden/MCL Citizenship Award.

Komari Booker with Mike Broughton

  >> Evan Harrell of Carmel was winner of the boys’ Wooden/MCL Citizenship Award.

Evan Harrell is with Mike Broughton and Harrell’s parents — Jonathan and Jane Harrell

 Girls series additional notes:

  1) Kentucky shot .828 on free throws over the two games (24-29). That is Kentucky’s best ever free throw accuracy and second in series history. The record is .829 by Indiana in 2008 (34-41). 

    2) Kentucky had a .875 FT% as a team on Friday (14-16). That is the best ever for a Kentucky team in the series and the fourth best overall. Indiana has the record at .909 (20-22, 1995 in Lexington) followed by .885 by Indiana in 2008 in Louisville (23-26) and .880 by Indiana in 2000 (22-25). 

    3) The teams combined for 17 3-pointers on Saturday — 8 by Indiana, 9 by Kentucky. That ties for the third most 3-pointers by both teams in a single game. The record is 19 in 1994 (Indiana 7, Kentucky 12). There also have been games with 18 in 2022 (Indiana 11, Kentucky 7) and an earlier with 17 in 2019 (Indiana 5, Kentucky 12). 

    4) Kentucky made 18 3-pointers over two game (9 on Friday, 9 again on Saturday). The 18 makes ties for fourth best in the series. The record is 23 3-pointers over two games by Kentucky in 2013 followed by 20 by Kentucky 1994 and 20 by Indiana in 2000. Indiana made 18 in 2014 and 18 again in 2015. 

    5) Ashlinn James’ 44 points over two games for Kentucky (22 on Friday, 22 again on Saturday) ties for the 16th-best two-game scoring total. The record is 62 points set in 2025 by Kentucky’s ZaKiyah Johnson. 

    6) Kentucky’s 59-57 victory on Friday tied for fifth for the fewest points by a winning team. The fewest points by a winning grl’s team was Kentucky in 1982 (44-41). Three times, the winning team had 58 points (1979 Kentucky, 1981 Kentucky and 2017 Indiana). Kentucky won the inaugural game in 1976 59-48. 

    7) The two-point final margin Friday tied for fourth closest margin. There have been three one-point games — in 1979 (Kentucky 58-57), 1989 (Kentucky 68-67) and 2022 (Indiana 67-66). This game was the fifth game decided by two points. 

Boys’ series additional notes:

    1) Luke Ertel set a two-game record with 18 assists — 10 in Lexington and 8 in Indianapolis. The previous two-game record was 17 assists, shared by Patrick Sparks of Kentucky (2001) and Mike Conley of Indiana (2006). 

    2) Ertel’s 10 assists in Lexington ties for fourth on the single-game assist list. The single-game record is 14 by Conley in 2006. Tied for second on the single-game assist list with 11 are Keith Price of Kentucky (1972 in Louisville) and Patrick Sparks of Kentucky (2001 in Owensboro). Sharing fourth spot with Ertel on the single-game list is Ronnie Daniel of Kentucky (1973 in Louisville). 

    3) Dikembe Shaw’s 1.000 3% on Friday tied a series record with at least four attempts; he was 4-of-4 from deep that night. He ties the mark set by Kojak Fuller (also 4-4) in 1993 in Indianapolis and equaled by V.J. Beachem (also 4-4) in 2013 in Louisville. 

    4) Baron Walker’s 1.000 FG% on Friday tied a series record with at least five attempts; he was 5-of-5 that night. He is the ninth player with 1.000 FG% with at least five attempts. The best mark is by Indiana’s Desmond Bane, 10-of-10 in the 2016 game at Louisville.

    5) Jake Feldhaus’ 48 points over two games for Kentucky ties for 32nd best over two games in the series. He scored 23 points Friday and 25 points on Saturday. 

    6) Feldhaus went 4-5 on 3-pointers in both games; that .800 accuracy is second in series history with at least five attempts over two games. The record is held by Indiana’s V.J. Beachem, .857 in 2013 (6 of 7).

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