ROCKY TOPPED! Kentucky wins at Tennessee, 78-73

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — This year's battle across the border was truly a fight until the end, as Kentucky and Tennessee traded blows for the full 40 minutes in Knoxville. Ultimately, No. 12 Kentucky prevailed over the No. 8 Vols, 78-73.

The Cats led for more than 35 minutes.

With the win, Kentucky moves to 15-5 overall, 4-3 in SEC play. It's UK's second SEC road win this season and Mark Pope's first in Thompson-Boling Arena.

Due to injury, Lamont Butler did not play and Andrew Carr played just two minutes.

In Butler's absence and Carr's limited action off the bench, Kentucky debuted a new starting lineup: Jaxson Robinson, Otega Oweh, Koby Brea, Ansley Almonor and Amari Williams. 40 minutes later, all five had reached double-figure scoring in the winning effort.

Brea hit the game's first shot on his way to a team-high 18 points, the most he's scored since his 23-point outing against Florida to open league play. Robinson had 17, while Oweh added 14 (including four clutch free throws in the game's final minute), Almonor had 12 (4-7 from deep) and Williams had 10 points, 15 rebounds and a team-high four assists.

Kentucky kept the lead Brea's first shot built for the majority of the first half, shooting a blistering 44 percent from deep (7-16) as a team while holding Tennessee to 25 percent from beyond-the-arc.

Chaz Lanier's first three points of the game could not have come at a better time for the Vols. His deep ball from the top of the key swished, capping an 11-0 run for Tennessee to give the Vols their first lead of the night, 33-30 with 30.4 seconds to play before the break.

Queue, Rocky Top.

With the Cats back on offense, Mark Pope called a timeout to settle his team and draw up a play. With time ticking, Oweh missed a mid-range shot, but Garrison scooped up the rebound. A Brea turnover gave the ball back to the Vols with six seconds remaining in the half. Tennessee was able to get off two quick shot attempts, but neither fell for the home team.

Kentucky hit the locker room trailing by three points following a 3:15 scoring drought.

Brea and Oweh got the second-half scoring started for the Wildcats, scoring four quick points in the half's opening minute. The Cats kept cooking from there, at one point connecting on seven consecutive field goals.

Trent Noah's high-arcing triple from the top of the key capped off the run, giving UK the 55-44 lead.

The battle continued.

With a minute left in the game, Robinson went 1-2 at the line to give the Cats a four-point cushion as time dwindled. The Vols missed their first, second and third shot attempt on the resulting offensive possession, but Tennessee kept coming up with the offensive board to give the home team another chance. Finally, on their fourth attempt, Lanier found the bottom of the basket for a three, cutting Kentucky's lead to one.

Tennessee quickly fouled the Cats on the next possession, sending Oweh to the line. Under pressure, the junior sank them both to extend Kentucky's lead back to three, 76-73.

BBN Tonight

He made the next two, too. Final score; 78-73.

As a team, Kentucky finished the night shooting 50 percent from the field, 50 percent from deep (12-24) and 67 percent from the free throw line (16-24).

Tennessee big man Igor Milicic Jr. led all scorers with 19, while the back-court duo of Lanier and Zakai Zeigler finished with 15 and 13 points, respectively. The Vols finished 11-45 from deep.

The Wildcats will return to Rupp Arena this Saturday, February 1st for a 9 p.m. tipoff against John Calipari and the Arkansas Razorbacks.

BBN Tonight

For more on the Kentucky basketball team and all of the Wildcats, watch BBN Tonight weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on the official station for UK Athletics, LEX 18.