John Calipari had never lost an SEC home game at Kentucky before Saturday, when an unranked Texas A&M team shocked his team behind 40 points from Elston Turner.
Tennessee vs. Kentucky final score: Wildcats bounce back
After a shocking home loss to Texas A&M on Saturday, Kentucky was able to hold off a tough-minded Tennessee team in a 75-65 victory at Rupp Arena.
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Tennessee came close a few times on Tuesday, but the Wildcats were able to hold them off and prevent a full-on panic attack in Lexington, with a 75-65 win.
Kyle Wiltjer, the only Kentucky player who returned from last season's team, had one of his best games of the year. The 6-foot-10 sophomore scored 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting while adding 5 rebounds and 2 steals.
The Wildcats also got a strong all-around game from freshman center Nerlens Noel, who had 12 points, nine rebounds, two assists, four steals and six blocks.
For the Volunteers, it was another frustrating loss, as they are now 0-3 in SEC play despite being in all three of those losses in the second half. They were kept in the game thanks to a strong effort from Jordan McRae, who poured in 23 points and was the only Tennessee player in double digits.
With the SEC having a down year, Kentucky doesn’t play another ranked team for almost a month. It’s a golden chance for them to get their season back on track, but after how tough their game against an 8-7 Tennessee team was, the Wildcats can’t afford to overlook anyone.
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