NO. 10 KENTUCKY 76, SOUTHERN 64

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Oscar Tshiebwe scored 18 of his 23 points after halftime despite being in foul trouble, TyTy Washington Jr. added 14 points and both Wildcats keyed small runs to help No. 10 Kentucky top Southern for its seventh consecutive victory.

Jayden Saddler had 18 points, Brion Whitley added 14 points and Tyrone Lyons 12 for Southern, which dropped its second consecutive game.

Playing for the first time in eight days, the Wildcats (7-1) went back and forth with the Jaguars (3-6) for much of the first half before taking the lead for good at 29-26 on Kellan Grady’s three-pointer. It sparked an 8-0 run to put Kentucky up 38-34 at the break.

Tshiebwe sat for the final nine minutes of the first half with two fouls, but came back on the floor in the second half to lend 6 points and 4 rebounds to Kentucky’s 13-5 run for a 51-39 cushion.

The Wildcats needed it, as Southern closed to 57-51 before Tshiebwe and Washington combined for nine points to make it 66-53. Kentucky stayed ahead just enough the rest of the way to close out the team’s closest victory this season after a run of blowouts.

Tshiebwe made his final seven shots to finish 9 of 11 from the field and grabbed 11 rebounds for his nation-leading seventh double-double. Grady and Davion Mintz each added nine points as the Wildcats shot 49% and won the contest on the boards 41-25.