LEXINGTON, Ky. – #1 Tennessee visited Rupp Arena to take on #5 Kentucky. The first Top five match-up in Rupp Arena since Nolan Richardson and Arkansas came to Lexington.
P.J. Washington got it going for the Wildcats by scoring the first seven points. It started with a three pointer, then a jump hook in the lane and finally a floater to put UK up 7-4.
Then Keldon Johnson would catch fire by hitting a floater, a long two and then three, three pointers. UK would take a 23-15 lead.
The bench also contributing as Nick Richards used a spin move for a lay-in to make it 25-18. Then off a Washington blocked shot, Ashton Hagans had a clear path to a lay-up. Kentucky would build a 30-21 lead with 3:56 to go in the first half.
Tennessee would cut the lead to four at 31-27 when Washington hit a couple of hook shots in the lane. And Hagans finished off the half with a lay-up. The Wildcats would take a 37-31 lead into the break.
Washington and Johnson led the way with 13 points a piece and they combined to shoot 11-of-16 from the field.
