If No. 5 Kentucky wants to claim the Southeastern Conference crown, it will have to — for now at least — keep pace with the No. 1 team in the land.
After moving up seven spots in Monday’s latest Associated Press Top 25, the Wildcats (17-4, 6-2 SEC) will try to maintain their second-place conference status when they host Vanderbilt (11-9, 3-5) Wednesday in Lexington, Ky.
Coach John Calipari’s team has been on an outstanding run since a 92-77 pounding of Georgia on Jan. 8, four days after LSU dealt the Wildcats their first SEC defeat.
Since the loss in Baton Rouge, Kentucky has reeled off six wins in seven outings.
The lone setback was to current No. 1 Auburn, which handed Kentucky its second SEC setback on Jan. 22 in an 80-71 outcome.
But the Wildcats’ play has been sparkling lately in that stretch.
In their best showing thus far, they routed No. 22 Tennessee 107-79 on Jan. 15 in a blistering 67.9 percent shooting spree — nailing 38 of 56 attempts and 11 of 18 (61.1 percent) from long range.
They could not match that outpouring Saturday against then-No. 5 Kansas in the Big 12/SEC Challenge in Lawrence, Kan., but they did not need to.
Kentucky dominated early and led 51-31 at the half, then cruised to an overwhelming 80-62 road victory — just its second win in the past six tries against the Big 12 powerhouse.
In a career-best day, Keion Brooks Jr. pumped in 27 points. His previous high was 23 against Tennessee last Feb. 6.
Calipari was not surprised by the 6-foot-7 Brooks, who is averaging 11.1 points per game and 4.6 rebounds. The Fort Wayne, Ind., native is shooting 49.2 percent from the field.
“It’s how he’s been playing in his last couple of games and in practice,” Calipari said. “It wasn’t just making baskets. He rebounded. He defended. He came from the weak side and tipped the ball.
“He made great plays. He did all the other things, and then he made shots.”
This is the second matchup between the programs after the Commodores fell 78-66 to the Wildcats Jan. 11 at home in Nashville, Tenn.
In that one, Kentucky raced out to a 13-point advantage, never trailed and got 30 points and 13 rebounds from big man Oscar Tshiebwe.
As he has done for almost the whole season, Vanderbilt’s Scotty Pippen Jr. (18.6 points per game) topped his club with 32 points — hitting 6 of 11 treys — and four assists.
But only one other Commodore — Trey Thomas — scored in double figures (14 points), a problem for coach Jerry Stackhouse’s team this season.
However, as a nine-point favorite Saturday, the group snapped a three-game losing skid by beating visiting Georgia 85-77.
Pippen posted 23 points and a season-high nine assists, while Jordan Wright (15), Rodney Chatman (12) and Myles Stute (11) scored in double figures.
Stackhouse said he was impressed with Pippen’s decision-making.
“Guys got to make shots for you to get assists, and I thought they stepped up and made those shots,” Stackhouse said. “But I do think it was some of his reads as well. I think he just took the right play.”
–Field Level Media
