Knox’s late scoring spurt boosts Wildcats
Vandy’s ace at foul line goes 0 for 3 in final minute.
NASHVILLE, TENN. — Kevin Knox scored five straight points to put No. 21 Kentucky ahead to stay in a 74-67 victory over Vanderbilt on Saturday, the Wildcats’ second straight.
With the score tied at 59, Knox hit a jumper and free throw with 3:48 left. He added a layup on the next possession for the Wildcats (14-3, 4-1 Southeastern Conference). Wenyon Gabriel added a tip-in, and Hamadou Diallo knocked down a 3-pointer for a 10-2 run that clinched the victory.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Kentucky with 22 points. Knox finished with 17, and Diallo and P.J. Washington each had 10.
Gilgeous-Alexander and backcourt mate Diallo each played 39 minutes.
Jeff Roberson led Vanderbilt (6-11, 1-4) with 20 points, and Saben Lee added 12.
Vanderbilt played most of the second half without senior guard Matthew Fisher-Davis because of an injured right shoulder.
But the Commodores pulled within 70-66 on a layup by Riley LaChance with 34.7 seconds left, and they forced Washington into a turnover.
LaChance was fouled on a 3-point attempt, then the senior missed all three free throws despite being an 88.9 percent shooter at the line.
Kentucky never led by more than nine. The Commodores fought back and took their first lead since the opening minutes at 56-55 on a layup by Peyton Willis with 7:58 left.
Joe Toye’s three-point play with 5:01 to go tied it for the third time at 59.
Vanderbilt, which thrives on shooting the 3, hit 6 of 25 against Kentucky. The Commodores were only 1 of 11 in the first half, but stayed close by hitting nearly every free throw (12 of 13) until going cold late in the half. Kentucky led 36-27 thanks to a 9-2 spurt.
Big picture
Kentucky: With Quade Green (strained back) out, Gilgeous-Alexander showed why coach John Calipari has such a hard decision about whom to start at point guard.
Vanderbilt: The Commodores have lost seven games this season by single digits, and three of their four SEC losses all have been by single digits . ... Needing some size in the paint against Kentucky, coach Bryce Drew used 6-foot-10, 234-pound freshman Ejike Obinna for the first time in SEC play. He played only three minutes, all in the first half, and got one rebound and one point.
Up next
Kentucky visits South Carolina on Tuesday night.