The Kentucky Wildcats are headed to the Elite Eight on the back of a spectacular offensive performance in the Sweet 16. The Indiana Hoosiers scored frequently enough to hang with Kentucky and surprisingly matched their pace for much of the game, but they couldn't stay with the Wildcats in the closing minutes of their 102-90 victory.
2012 NCAA Bracket, Kentucky Vs. Indiana Final Score: Wildcats Win Shootout, 102-90
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist played second fiddle to Terrence Jones in the first half, but he stole the show in the second half. In addition to his 7-15 shooting performance from the floor, he got to the free throw line frequently and was 10-10 from the charity stripe in a 24 point, 10 rebound performance.
Indiana hung with Kentucky until the 4:49 mark in the second half, when Victor Oladipo fouled out. He had been playing excellent defense all game against a Kentucky team that changes the standards for excellent defense, and with him out, the Hoosiers didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of making stops. Kentucky only led 82-77 at that point, but Oladipo's exit effectively ended the game.
Christian Watford led all scorers with 27 points while Cody Zeller scored 20. All five Indiana starters scored in double figures and the Hoosiers shot 52 percent from the floor. They simply didn't have an answer on the other end, though, as Kentucky constantly forced Indiana into fouls by getting to the basket with their athleticism. The Wildcats finished the game 35-37 from the free throw line.
For up-to-the-minute scores on all NCAA Tournament games, please check out SI.com’s complete scoreboard.
For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket, stick around SB Nation’s NCAA Tournament hub. There you’ll find a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on each game as the road to the Final Four continues.
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