No. 12 Kentucky takes down No. 8 Tennessee 78-73 in SEC showdown
βοΈ Kentucky wins SEC clash on the road
Koby Brea led Kentucky with 18 points in the win over Tennessee.
The Wildcats, without their second-leading scorer Lamont Butler, pick up a huge conference road win over No. 8 Tennessee, 78-73.
Kentucky was powered by elite three-point shooting, going 12-24 from long-range in the win. Tennessee put up an absurd 45 three-pointers in the loss, connecting on just 11. Star guards for the Vols, Chaz Lanier and Zakai Zeigler, combined for 4-21 from downtown.
Kentucky held the lead almost the entire first half, before an 11-0 run in the closing minutes of the first put Tennessee up 33-30 at the break. However, the Wildcats quickly regained the lead to open the second half, and did not surrender it the remainder of the game. In total, Kentucky led for 35:20 compared to Tennessee's 1:22 in front.
It didn't come without scares though, as Kentucky went cold down the stretch, keeping the Vols around. With 30 seconds to play, Chaz Lanier drilled a three, cutting the Wildcat's lead to just one point, 74-73. But Kentucky knocked down its free throws in crunch time, and Tennessee was unable to connect from three on its next possession.
The Wildcats were led offensively by Koby Brea, who dropped 18, including 13 in the second half. Tennessee forward Igor MiliΔiΔ paced the game in scoring, tallying 19 on 60% shooting.
Kentucky (15-5, 4-3 SEC) snaps a two-game skid in a big way, climbing back above .500 in conference play. Tennessee (17-4, 4-4 SEC) has now dropped two straight games, and they will stay in Knoxville to take on No. 5 Florida on Saturday.
Lanier cuts the lead to 1οΈβ£ | 2H β 00:28
β Offenses slow down in tight game | 2H β 1:02
π βͺοΈ Tennessee hanging around | 2H β 3:44
The Vols cut the lead to just three, trailing 71-68 with under four to play. Each team is catching fire, with Kentucky knocking down its past three shots and the Vols making five of their last six.
The Wildcats were taking care of the ball most of the second half, but two turnovers in the past two minutes have put the Vols right back in the game.
a real go getter
β Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops)
π΅βͺοΈ Kentucky keeping its lead | 2H β 7:48
. FIGHTING ON THE GLASS π€
β Kentucky Menβs Basketball (@KentuckyMBB)
πΊ - ESPN
π Wildcats are rolling | 2H β 12:00
Kentucky takes its largest lead of the night, up 55-44 almost midway through the second half. The Wildcats are 9-12 from the field in the second, including 4-5 from downtown, and they have made their last seven shots. Jaxson Robinson leads the game with 16 points.
Tennessee continues to struggle offensively, shooting 5-13 this half and just 1-6 from long range.
Deep catch and shoot π is sooooo good from .
β Kentucky Menβs Basketball (@KentuckyMBB)
πΊ - ESPN
πΌ Fast start for Kentucky | 2H β 15:34
Defense β‘οΈ offense, SLAM.
β Kentucky Menβs Basketball (@KentuckyMBB)
πΊ - ESPN
π€© Zeigler is back
β±οΈ Halftime in Knoxville, Vols lead 33-30
Tennessee took its first lead of the game with under a minute to play behind an 11-0 run. Kentucky did not score for the final 3:15 in the first half, going 0-4 from the field leading up to halftime. The Vols defense is swarming with eight forced turnovers compared to just one for their offense.
Jaxson Robinson leads the game with 11 points at the break. Tennessee sharpshooter Chaz Lanier struggled to start the game, but he drilled the go-ahead three near the end of the half. As a team, the Vols are just 5-20 from long range compared to Kentucky's 7-16 three-point mark.
Here's how the teams stack up after the first 20 minutes:
π₯ Tennessee catches fire | 1H β 00:30
STAY WITH IT.
β Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops)
πΊ ESPN
π²
π³ Zakai Zeigler to the locker room
βοΈ Offense vs. Defense | 1H β 3:22
It's a tight 28-22 Wildcat lead late in the first half. Kentucky is 7-14 from downtown, already hitting three more threes than Auburn did against Tennessee in the entire game last Saturday. But the Vols defense is making plays, forcing seven Wildcat turnovers while only coughing up the ball once on offense.
Tennessee continues to struggle from long-range, shooting just 2-15, but the Volunteers have found their way to the charity stripe for six points.
. says π€«
β Kentucky Menβs Basketball (@KentuckyMBB)
πΊ - ESPN
π Offenses settling in | 1H β 6:16
so yea Z made this
β Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops)
β Slow offensive starts | 1H β 11:18
Kentucky leads 13-9 as the Wildcats have cooled off since their hot start. Kentucky has not made a field goal in the past 4:25, and Tennessee is just 3-13 from the field at the second media timeout. The Vols defense has already forced four turnovers, but they have struggled to turn defense into offense.
go ahead stone!
β Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops)
βοΈ Kentucky raining 3s | 1H β 15:22
. β‘οΈ and we are rolling to the first media timeout.
β Kentucky Menβs Basketball (@KentuckyMBB)
πΊ - ESPN