The Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team suffered a 73-80 loss at the hands of the Vanderbilt Commodores in the SEC Tournament on Friday night, March 10th. The Wildcats were unable to close the gap in the second half after a close first half, falling in the so-called “Kentucky Invitational”. It was the second time in a row the Commodores have beaten the Wildcats this season. Both times shocking.
Despite strong performances from Jacob Toppin who had 21 points and 11 rebounds while Oscar Tshiebwe had 19 points and 15 rebounds, , the Wildcats were unable to keep up with the Commodores. Antonio Reeves also had a strong game for Kentucky, scoring 22 points, going 3-of-9 from beyond the arc.
Kentucky struggled with their shooting throughout the game, shooting just 42.4% from the field and 24.0% from three-point range. They also struggled at the free-throw line, shooting just 55.0% for the game.
The game had a total of three lead changes and two ties, with both teams fighting hard for the win. Vanderbilt had their biggest lead of the game at 12 points, which occurred early in the second half, while Kentucky’s biggest lead was 10 points, which occurred in the first half. The scoring run was also close, with Vanderbilt’s best scoring run at 14 points, and Kentucky’s best scoring run at 12 points.
Vanderbilt was able to capitalize on turnovers, scoring 16 points off of Kentucky’s 21 turnovers. Kentucky was able to dominate in the paint, scoring 34 points compared to Vanderbilt’s 26 points. Kentucky was also able to generate more second-chance points, scoring 20 points compared to Vanderbilt’s four points. However, Vanderbilt was able to take advantage of fast breaks, scoring 14 points compared to Kentucky’s four points. Additionally, Vanderbilt’s bench was able to contribute 11 points, while Kentucky’s bench was held scoreless.
In terms of the period-by-period scoring, Vanderbilt outscored Kentucky in both the first and second half, with a score of 39-34 in the first half and 41-39 in the second half, for a final score of 80-73 in favor of the Commodores.
Vanderbilt’s top performer was Ezra Manjon, who scored 25 points on 8-11 shooting from the field, including 2-2 from 3-point range and 7-8 from the free-throw line. He also added one rebound and three assists in 29 minutes of play.
Jordan Wright and Tyrin Lawrence were also key contributors for the Commodores, each scoring 18 points. Wright shot 6-13 from the field, including 3-7 from beyond the arc, and added six rebounds and one steal. Lawrence shot 7-12 from the field, including 2-5 from 3-point range, and added four rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
In addition, Vanderbilt received contributions from several other players, including Paul Lewis who scored eight points on 3-5 shooting from the field, including 2-4 from 3-point range.
Overall, Vanderbilt shot 49.1% from the field, 40.0% from beyond the arc, and 90.0% from the free-throw line. Kentucky’s 26-43 dominance on the glass kept them in the game.
With an overall record of 21-11 the Wildcats are more than likely still in the NCAA tournament but will need to find some answers to the foes that have plagued the squad all season, especially with Selection Sunday right around the corner.
