Kentucky takes big lead, downs No. 10 Tennessee 66-54
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) Cason Wallace and Oscar Tshiebwe each scored 16 points and Kentucky rushed to a big lead and beat No. 10 Tennessee 66-54 on Saturday.
The Volunteers (20-7, 9-5 SEC) trailed by 20 points at halftime and lost in their first game since toppling No. 1 Alabama.
The Wildcats (18-9, 9-5) earned their first regular-season sweep of Tennessee since the 2011-12 season. Kentucky defeated the Volunteers 63-56 on Jan. 14 in Knoxville.
Wallace had totaled nine points in the Wildcats' previous two games.
''He was ready to play,'' Kentucky coach John Calipari said. ''He hasn't been good in afternoon games, and I reminded him (before the game), this team needs everybody.''
Chris Livingston added 12 points and completed a double-double with 10 rebounds. Jacob Toppin had 11.
Coming off their 68-59 home win over Alabama on Wednesday, the Volunteers failed to duplicate the same defensive prowess they displayed against the Crimson Tide, especially in the first half.
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes was disappointed in his team's ability to maintain the focus it had earlier in the week against Alabama, a problem that has plagued his team the entire year.
''I wish I knew about the (inconsistency issues), we'd fix it,'' he said. ''I think it goes back, and I don't understand, with as much time as we spend, older guys talking about doing your job, playing your role night in and night out, and not letting emotion get the best of us.''
Tennessee struggled during the first 20 minutes and trailed 39-19 at the break. The Volunteers shot 31% in the first half whole going 1 for 13 from 3-point range.
''What I liked was how we defended and how we rebounded,'' Calipari said. ''We outrebounded them by eight, you understand, in the country they're like the best, they're a plus eight rebounding and we ended up being plus eight in the first half.''
Santiago Vescovi led Tennessee with 17 points and Jahmai Mashack had 16.
Both teams were shorthanded. The Volunteers were minus starter Julian Phillips (hip) and senior reserve Josiah Jordan-James (ankle). Kentucky was missing senior guards Sahvir Wheeler (ankle) and C.J. Fredrick (ribs).
BIG PICTURE
Tennessee: The Volunteers were outrebounded 43-23 in their loss to the Wildcats in Knoxville and didn't fare much better in the rematch. Kentucky held a 40-32 edge on the glass. ... Tennessee never got closer than eight points during the second half.
Kentucky: The Wildcats continue to make a late push for an NCAA Tournament berth and notched their second straight Quad 1 victory and third of the year. Kentucky positioned itself for a higher seed in the SEC Tournament with two weeks remaining in the regular season. ''Talking us out of the NCAA tournament does not work,'' Calipari said. ''You either play yourself in or you play. . we've had two losses that you would like to have back. We've had other games, really the first game. But you know what? None of that matters now. Everything is just going forward.''
GLORY DAYS
The Wildcats honored its 1996-1998 teams during halftime. Kentucky won the national title in 1996, was runner-up in 1997 and captured its second title in three years in 1998. Former coach Tubby Smith, who guided the Wildcats to the national title in his first season at the helm in 1998, was in attendance as well as former coaches and players from those three teams.
UP NEXT
Tennessee: At Texas A&M on Tuesday.
Kentucky: At Florida on Wednesday.
---
AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25
Copyright 2024 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Â | Jonas Aidoo vs. Oscar Tshiebwe (Cason Wallace gains possession) | Â | |
19:43 | Â | Oscar Tshiebwe misses two point jump shot | Â | |
19:41 | Â | Jonas Aidoo defensive rebound | Â | |
19:20 | Â | Zakai Zeigler misses three point jump shot | Â | |
19:18 | Â | Olivier Nkamhoua offensive rebound | Â | |
19:14 | Â | Jump ball. Olivier Nkamhoua vs. Oscar Tshiebwe (Olivier Nkamhoua gains possession) | Â | |
19:01 | Â | Jahmai Mashack misses three point jump shot | Â | |
18:59 | Â | Antonio Reeves defensive rebound | Â | |
18:52 | Â | Cason Wallace misses three point jump shot | Â | |
18:50 | Â | Jahmai Mashack defensive rebound | Â | |
18:35 | Â | Santiago Vescovi misses three point jump shot | Â | |
18:33 | Â | Cason Wallace defensive rebound | Â | |
18:26 | +3 | Antonio Reeves makes three point jump shot (Chris Livingston assists) | 0-3 | |
18:14 | Â | Zakai Zeigler turnover (lost ball) (Antonio Reeves steals) | Â | |
17:52 | Â | Zakai Zeigler shooting foul (Jacob Toppin draws the foul) | Â | |
17:52 | Â | Jacob Toppin misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | Â | |
17:52 | +1 | Jacob Toppin makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 0-4 | |
17:40 | +2 | Olivier Nkamhoua makes two point hook shot | 2-4 | |
17:34 | Â | Cason Wallace turnover (bad pass) | Â | |
17:23 | Â | Santiago Vescovi turnover (bad pass) (Cason Wallace steals) | Â | |
17:11 | Â | Antonio Reeves misses three point jump shot | Â | |
17:09 | Â | Jahmai Mashack defensive rebound | Â | |
16:59 | Â | Olivier Nkamhoua misses three point jump shot | Â | |
16:57 | Â | Cason Wallace defensive rebound | Â | |
16:53 | Â | Jacob Toppin misses two point layup | Â | |
16:51 | Â | Oscar Tshiebwe offensive rebound | Â | |
16:47 | Â | Antonio Reeves misses three point jump shot | Â | |
16:45 | Â | Jahmai Mashack defensive rebound | Â | |
16:35 | Â | Olivier Nkamhoua misses two point jump shot | Â | |
16:33 | Â | Oscar Tshiebwe defensive rebound | Â | |
16:25 | Â | Oscar Tshiebwe misses two point hook shot | Â | |
16:23 | Â | Jonas Aidoo defensive rebound | Â | |
16:14 | Â | Olivier Nkamhoua misses two point layup | Â | |
16:12 | Â | Chris Livingston defensive rebound | Â | |
15:51 | Â | Oscar Tshiebwe turnover (lost ball) (Zakai Zeigler steals) | Â | |
15:51 | Â | TV timeout | Â | |
15:41 | Â | Cason Wallace personal foul (Zakai Zeigler draws the foul) | Â | |
15:28 | Â | Zakai Zeigler misses three point jump shot | Â | |
15:26 | Â | Antonio Reeves defensive rebound | Â | |
15:07 | +2 | Cason Wallace makes two point jump shot | 2-6 | |
14:53 | Â | Zakai Zeigler misses two point layup | Â | |
14:51 | Â | Oscar Tshiebwe defensive rebound | Â | |
14:21 | Â | Wildcats turnover (shot clock violation) | Â | |
14:10 | Â | Zakai Zeigler turnover (bad pass) (Oscar Tshiebwe steals) | Â | |
14:05 | Â | Zakai Zeigler shooting foul (Chris Livingston draws the foul) | Â | |
14:05 | +1 | Chris Livingston makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 2-7 | |
14:05 | Â | Chris Livingston misses regular free throw 2 of 2 (Volunteers lane violation) | Â | |
14:05 | +1 | Chris Livingston makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 2-8 | |
13:46 | Â | Chris Livingston blocks Jahmai Mashack's two point layup | Â | |
13:44 | Â | Chris Livingston defensive rebound | Â | |
13:37 | Â | Cason Wallace turnover (bad pass) (Jahmai Mashack steals) | Â | |
13:28 | Â | Santiago Vescovi turnover (bad pass) (Oscar Tshiebwe steals) | Â | |
13:16 | Â | Antonio Reeves misses two point layup | Â | |
13:14 | Â | Uros Plavsic defensive rebound | Â | |
12:49 | Â | Santiago Vescovi misses three point jump shot | Â | |
12:47 | Â | Chris Livingston defensive rebound | Â | |
12:18 | +2 | Cason Wallace makes two point jump shot | 2-10 | |
12:00 | +2 | Jahmai Mashack makes two point layup | 4-10 | |
11:34 | Â | Oscar Tshiebwe misses two point jump shot | Â | |
11:32 | Â | Tobe Awaka defensive rebound | Â | |
11:24 | +2 | Jahmai Mashack makes two point layup (Santiago Vescovi assists) | 6-10 | |
10:53 | Â | Jacob Toppin misses two point jump shot | Â | |
10:51 | Â | Chris Livingston offensive rebound | Â | |
10:47 | +2 | Chris Livingston makes two point layup | 6-12 | |
10:21 | Â | Tobe Awaka turnover (traveling) | Â | |
10:21 | Â | TV timeout | Â | |
10:05 | Â | Oscar Tshiebwe offensive foul (Tyreke Key draws the foul) | Â | |
10:05 | Â | Oscar Tshiebwe turnover (offensive foul) | Â | |
9:54 | Â | Antonio Reeves shooting foul (Tyreke Key draws the foul) | Â | |
9:54 | Â | Tyreke Key misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | Â | |
9:54 | +1 | Tyreke Key makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 7-12 | |
9:42 | Â | B.J. Edwards personal foul (Cason Wallace draws the foul) | Â | |
9:27 | Â | Cason Wallace misses two point jump shot | Â | |
9:25 | Â | Jahmai Mashack defensive rebound | Â | |
9:01 | Â | Antonio Reeves shooting foul (Jahmai Mashack draws the foul) | Â | |
9:01 | Â | Jahmai Mashack misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | Â | |
9:01 | +1 | Jahmai Mashack makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 8-12 | |
8:46 | Â | Cason Wallace misses two point jump shot | Â | |
8:44 | Â | Wildcats offensive rebound | Â | |
8:41 | +3 | Chris Livingston makes three point jump shot (Cason Wallace assists) | 8-15 | |
8:26 | Â | Adou Thiero personal foul (Tyreke Key draws the foul) | Â | |
8:11 | +2 | Jonas Aidoo makes two point layup (Santiago Vescovi assists) | 10-15 | |
7:55 | +2 | Oscar Tshiebwe makes two point jump shot | 10-17 | |
7:42 | Â | Jonas Aidoo misses two point dunk | Â | |
7:40 | Â | Lance Ware defensive rebound | Â | |
7:22 | +2 | Cason Wallace makes two point jump shot | 10-19 | |
6:54 | Â | TV timeout | Â | |
6:52 | Â | Santiago Vescovi misses three point jump shot | Â | |
6:50 | Â | Jahmai Mashack offensive rebound | Â | |
6:45 | Â | Jahmai Mashack misses two point layup | Â | |
6:43 | Â | Cason Wallace defensive rebound | Â | |
6:25 | Â | Oscar Tshiebwe misses two point jump shot | Â | |
6:21 | Â | Wildcats offensive rebound | Â | |
6:10 | +2 | Oscar Tshiebwe makes two point dunk (Cason Wallace assists) | 10-21 | |
6:10 | Â | Santiago Vescovi shooting foul (Oscar Tshiebwe draws the foul) | Â | |
6:10 | +1 | Oscar Tshiebwe makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 10-22 | |
5:48 | +2 | Jahmai Mashack makes two point layup | 12-22 | |
5:25 | +3 | Jacob Toppin makes three point jump shot (Cason Wallace assists) | 12-25 | |
5:12 | Â | Jonas Aidoo turnover (bad pass) | Â | |
4:58 | Â | Olivier Nkamhoua personal foul (Jacob Toppin draws the foul) | Â | |
4:45 | +2 | Cason Wallace makes two point layup (Jacob Toppin assists) | 12-27 | |
4:22 | Â | Jacob Toppin personal foul (Jonas Aidoo draws the foul) | Â | |
4:05 | Â | Tyreke Key misses three point jump shot | Â | |
4:03 | Â | Adou Thiero defensive rebound | Â | |
3:52 | Â | Cason Wallace misses two point jump shot | Â | |
3:50 | Â | Jonas Aidoo defensive rebound | Â | |
3:41 | +3 | Zakai Zeigler makes three point jump shot (Santiago Vescovi assists) | 15-27 | |
3:25 | Â | Tobe Awaka blocks Cason Wallace's two point layup | Â | |
3:23 | Â | Oscar Tshiebwe offensive rebound | Â | |
3:23 | Â | Jonas Aidoo shooting foul (Oscar Tshiebwe draws the foul) | Â | |
3:23 | Â | TV timeout | Â | |
3:23 | +1 | Oscar Tshiebwe makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 15-28 | |
3:23 | +1 | Oscar Tshiebwe makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 15-29 | |
3:14 | Â | Tyreke Key misses three point jump shot | Â | |
3:12 | Â | Cason Wallace defensive rebound | Â | |
2:52 | +2 | Cason Wallace makes two point dunk (Jacob Toppin assists) | 15-31 | |
2:30 | Â | Jonas Aidoo misses two point jump shot | Â | |
2:28 | Â | Jonas Aidoo offensive rebound | Â | |
2:24 | +2 | Jonas Aidoo makes two point layup | 17-31 | |
2:19 | Â | Jonas Aidoo blocks Oscar Tshiebwe's two point layup | Â | |
2:17 | Â | Jonas Aidoo defensive rebound | Â | |
2:04 | Â | Adou Thiero personal foul (Zakai Zeigler draws the foul) | Â | |
2:04 | +1 | Zakai Zeigler makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 18-31 | |
2:04 | +1 | Zakai Zeigler makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 19-31 | |
1:50 | +2 | Chris Livingston makes two point hook shot | 19-33 | |
1:27 | Â | Tyreke Key misses three point jump shot | Â | |
1:25 | Â | Oscar Tshiebwe defensive rebound | Â | |
1:25 | Â | Jonas Aidoo personal foul (Oscar Tshiebwe draws the foul) | Â | |
1:25 | +1 | Oscar Tshiebwe makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 19-34 | |
1:25 | +1 | Oscar Tshiebwe makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 19-35 | |
1:17 | Â | Zakai Zeigler misses three point jump shot | Â | |
1:15 | Â | Chris Livingston defensive rebound | Â | |
0:50 | Â | Cason Wallace misses three point jump shot | Â | |
0:48 | Â | Volunteers defensive rebound | Â | |
0:48 | Â | Oscar Tshiebwe personal foul (Tobe Awaka draws the foul) | Â | |
0:48 | Â | Tobe Awaka misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | Â | |
0:48 | Â | Wildcats defensive rebound | Â | |
0:29 | Â | Tobe Awaka personal foul (Cason Wallace draws the foul) | Â | |
0:29 | +1 | Cason Wallace makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 19-36 | |
0:29 | +1 | Cason Wallace makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 19-37 | |
0:09 | Â | Adou Thiero personal foul (Zakai Zeigler draws the foul) | Â | |
0:09 | Â | Zakai Zeigler misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | Â | |
0:09 | Â | Tobe Awaka offensive rebound | Â | |
0:07 | Â | Tobe Awaka misses two point layup | Â | |
0:05 | Â | Daimion Collins defensive rebound | Â | |
0:05 | Â | Tobe Awaka personal foul (Daimion Collins draws the foul) | Â | |
0:05 | +1 | Daimion Collins makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 19-38 | |
0:05 | +1 | Daimion Collins makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 19-39 | |
0:05 | Â | Volunteers 30 second timeout | Â | |
0:05 | Â | Wildcats 30 second timeout | Â | |
0:01 | Â | Jahmai Mashack misses three point jump shot | Â | |
0:00 | Â | Wildcats defensive rebound | Â | |
0:00 | Â | End of period | Â |