Oscar Tshiebwe scored 17 points and grabbed 16 rebounds as No. 6 Kentucky, despite playing short-handed, came from behind in the second half to defeat visiting LSU 71-66 on Wednesday night in Lexington, Ky.
Tshiebwe had his 10th straight double-double and 22nd of the season. Kellan Grady, Davion Mintz and Bryce Hopkins — the last of whom entered the game averaging two points per game — added 13 points each.
The Wildcats (23-5, 12-3 SEC) won their second straight game while playing without injured starting guards Sahvir Wheeler and TyTy Washington Jr. They outscored LSU 48-35 in the second half.
Xavier Pinson scored a season-high 26 points, Eric Gaines added 11 and Darius Days had 10 to lead the Tigers (19-9, 7-8).
Kentucky had its lowest-scoring first half of the season (23 points), but scored 16 points during the first 4:25 of the second half. Hopkins scored nine points during that run, which turned an eight-point deficit into a three-point lead.
Pinson made two free throws, but leading scorer Tari Eason committed two fouls in 14 seconds and went to the bench with four with 14:28 remaining. Eason finished with five points, 12 below his average.
The Wildcats scored the next four points and Keion Brooks Jr.’s jumper gave them a 47-40 lead.
Gaines scored four points as the Tigers got within four. Kentucky built its lead to eight before Gaines made a 3-pointer to make it 53-48 with 6:48 to play.
Grady scored five straight points to help the Wildcats take a 60-48 lead with five minutes remaining. LSU got within four twice with less than a minute remaining but couldn’t get any closer.
Pinson scored five points and assisted on Eason’s 3-pointer during an 8-0 run that gave LSU an 11-6 lead.
Kentucky got within two points twice, but Pinson scored seven points and assisted on Days’ 3-pointer during a 10-2 run that gave the Tigers a 25-15 lead.
The Tigers didn’t make a field goal during the final five minutes of the half, but Kentucky couldn’t take full advantage though Tshiebwe made two free throws to trim the lead to 31-23 at halftime.
–Field Level Media
