4 p.m. ET: No. 1 Kentucky Looks To Rebound Against No. 21 Vanderbilt

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Lexington, KY (Sports Network) - DeMarcus Cousins was dominant in the paint, recording 21 points and 10 rebounds -- eight on the offensive end -- for top-ranked Kentucky, which blasted 21st-ranked Vanderbilt, 85-72, to bounce back from its first loss of the season.

Cousins went 6-of-10 from the field and made nine free throws for the Wildcats (20-1, 5-1 SEC), who lost to South Carolina earlier in the week after winning their first 19 games of the season. Kentucky totaled 18 offensive rebounds in the game and held Vanderbilt (16-4, 5-1) to 22 rebounds overall.

Kentucky was also very proficient from beyond the arc in Saturday’s contest, draining 12-of-23 shots from three-point range. Darnell Dodson made four long distance shots en route to 16 points, while Eric Bledsoe and John Wall each had 13 points in the win.

Jermaine Beal made four three-pointers in a 19-point effort for the Commodores, who had been the lone remaining unbeaten team in SEC play. A.J. Ogilvy, who was badly outmatched by Cousins, added 12 points, while Andre Walker, Jeffery Taylor and John Jenkins each had 10 in the defeat, Vanderbilt’s first after 10 straight wins.

The game was won in the first half, when Kentucky built a substantial lead.

Vanderbilt hung around in the first few minutes and trailed by three, 14-11, after a Beal three-pointer, but the Wildcats surged ahead with a 10-0 spurt.

Wall had a bucket and a pair of assists, and Daniel Orton’s free throw with 12 minutes left put the hosts ahead by 13. Just past the midway point, Wall drilled a three for a 33-18 advantage, and the lead reached as high as 19 several times down the stretch.

Bledsoe’s free throw in the closing moments sent Kentucky to the locker room with a 49-34 halftime lead.

The Commodores looked as if they might make a run later in the second half, but the Wildcats answered to end any hopes of a comeback.

Vanderbilt’s 12-4 run sliced Kentucky’s lead to 11, 73-62, after Jenkins’ dunk with just under eight minutes to go, but Dodson quickly answered with a pair of three-pointers to boost the advantage back to 79-64.

The teams traded numerous free throws down the stretch, but the Commodores could ill-afford to trade points with the Wildcats, who coasted to their 20th win of the season.

The home team has won five straight in this series, which Kentucky leads, 132-43...These two teams face off at Vanderbilt on February 20...Wall had nine assists, and Bledsoe had seven rebounds...Kentucky is 13-0 at Rupp Arena this season...Kentucky totaled 20 second-chance points, compared to only two for the Commodores.