LEXINGTON, Ky. — After the best run in program history, Tennessee’s 19-game win streak came to an end Saturday in an 86-69 loss to No. 5 Kentucky in Rupp Arena.
The Wildcats (21-4, 10-2 SEC) opened the second half with a 14-0 run and never looked back, handing the Vols (23-2, 11-1 SEC) their first loss in conference play.
Jordan Bone was the leading scorer for UT, finishing with 19 points and six assists. Admiral Schofield added 17 points and six rebounds. Grant Williams was Tennessee’s other double-digit scorer with 16 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Kentucky was on fire in the first 3:24 of the second half, building a 20-point lead. Tennessee used a 13-0 run to cut the deficit to 11 points, but the swing in momentum was too much for UT to overcome.
Kentucky sophomore P.J. Washington led all scorers with 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting, while freshman Keldon Johnson chipped in 19 points for the Wildcats.
Tennessee struggled out of the gate, shooting 3-of-10 from the floor compared to Kentucky’s 7-of-12. Overall for the period, the Wildcats outshot the Vols 59 percent to 47 percent. Despite the slow start, UT was able to keep the game within striking distance with several timely shots.
Kentucky found plenty of success on the glass in the opening half, out-rebounding the Big Orange, 17-11. Washington was a force in the paint for UK, posting 13 points of 6-of-7 shooting to go along with three boards and two blocks. Johnson also had 13 points in the half behind a trio of 3-pointers.
Williams hit a pair of clutch threes earlier in the half to counter the Wildcats’ momentum. He, along with Bone and Schofield, led the Vols in scoring with eight points each, as Kentucky hit seven of its final eight shots to take a 37-31 lead into halftime.
Tennessee is back in Thompson-Boling Arena Tuesday night, as the Vols host Vanderbilt at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Tickets can be purchased via AllVols.com.
BOX SCORE | HIGHLIGHTS | PHOTOS | BARNES POSTGAME
-UT Athletics
