Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Kentucky routs Western Kentucky

• Betting line via Wynn Las Vegas: Kentucky -27, does not cover.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A telling moment in Kentucky's 81-66 victory over Western Kentucky on Thursday night came early in the second half. Kentucky Coach John Calipari instructed Anthony Davis on dunking etiquette after the freshman received a technical foul for hanging onto the rim a tad too long.

With dunks accounting for six of its first 12 second-half baskets, Kentucky got plenty of practice in perfecting basketball's ultimate take-that.

A thumping of Western in the NCAA Tournament second round served multiple purposes. It improved UK's record to 33-2, erased the memory of Sunday's loss to Vanderbilt in the Southeastern Conference Tournament finals and propelled the Cats to a game Saturday against the winner of Thursday's late-night Connecticut-Iowa State game.

Terrence Jones continued his sudden transformation to the star of Kentucky's 2011-12 season. He scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to account for his third double-double in the last five games.

Fellow sophomore Doron Lamb and Davis added 16 points each. Marquis Teague chipped in 12.

Western, which came into the game with a Ratings Percentage Index of No. 189, finished the season 16-19. The Hilltoppers were the 21st team to play in the NCAA Tournament despite a losing regular-season record.

Guard T.J. Price led Western with 21 points.

Before a Western shot hit the rim, Kentucky led 6-0.

Although the Hilltoppers competed, Kentucky cruised to a 45-26 halftime lead. That marked UK's largest halftime lead since a 27-point bulge at South Carolina on Feb. 4.

Jones and Lamb led the offense. Jones scored 15 first-half points, which represented more than he'd had in 19 previous games this season.

Lamb added 14 (or more than he'd had in 18 previous games).

Each player made six of eight shots to lead Kentucky's blistering 61.5-percent shooting half.

Despite that accuracy and UK's halftime lead, Western could say it competed. The Hilltoppers boxed out diligently, a reason they held their own on the boards (UK had a 19-17 rebounding edge).

Jones and Lamb accounted for nine of UK's first 10 points. The Cats led 10-0 less than three minutes into the game.

While UK went to Jones in the post on its first possession, Western tried to answer with George Fant. But Fant hit only the backboard on his shot.

With Price hitting a pair of three-pointers, Western took a 12-10 lead.

But the Hilltoppers' only lead of the game vanished within 28 seconds. Jones put UK ahead for good at 14-12 on a layup with 13:58 left. The shot gave Jones 1,001 points in his two-season UK career.

Kentucky's lead reached double digits on Lamb's fast-break layup with 7:42 left. It reached its zenith when Lamb set the halftime score with his patented three-pointer from the left corner. The shot came with 37 seconds left in the half.

As the second half began, Kentucky quickly dashed any Western hopes of mounting one of its signature comebacks. The Hilltoppers rallied from 16 down in the final five minutes in their First Four victory Tuesday over Mississippi Valley State.

On WKU's first possession of the second half, guard Jamal Crook threw a low-post feed too far in front of Fant. The ball went out of bounds and WKU Coach Ray Harper sat back in his seat and threw out his hands to gesture frustration.

Jones put an exclamation on a big night for himself and Kentucky by taking a fast-break pass from Teague and soaring to a one-handed dunk over 6-foot-11 Teeng Akol.

Western didn't score until almost three minutes into the second half.

By then, Kentucky led 50-26 and bore no resemblance to Mississippi Valley State.

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy