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The Kentucky Wildcats were back in Rupp Arena on Saturday looking to get a win over the Auburn Tigers and inch closer to locking up a double-bye for the SEC Tournament.
Kentucky found their three-point shooting in the first half as Cason Wallace drilled his first attempt after missing his previous 16 giving the Cats a 10-9 lead early. Kentucky would go on to shoot 5/6 in the half.
Going along with the outside shooting was the dominating presence of Oscar Tshiebwe who recorded a first-half double-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and a block.
At the under-8 media timeout, the Cats were holding onto a 24-18 lead after a Jacob Toppin jumper.
Kentucky then closed out the half in dominating fashion as they used stout defense and three-point shooting to take a 40-29 lead into the break.
The Cats picked up right where they left off at the start of the second half as their lead grew to 16.
At the under-12 media timeout, the Cats held a 53-37 lead. Immediately out of the timeout, Antonio Reeves drilled back-to-back threes to make this a 59-37 ballgame.
Kentucky never took their foot off the gas from that moment forward as the lead was 67-42 at the under-8 timeout.
By the under-4 timeout, the Cats were just putting on a show as their lead hit 36 leading it 82-46.
Down the stretch, the Cats closed out a fun afternoon in Rupp Arena as they get the 86-54 win.
Here is how Twitter reacted to the game.
Let's keep it rolling pic.twitter.com/suNw7ua0sW
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) February 25, 2023
CJ Fredrick is playing
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) February 25, 2023
The Auburn player who just hit that three to start the game is 6/22 from the three-point line for the entire season. Here we go with this again.
— Tres Terrell (@TerrellTres) February 25, 2023
Cason Wallace had missed his last 16 three-point attempts prior to that make. Good sign for Kentucky.
— TheCatsPause247 (@TheCatsPause247) February 25, 2023
Kevin Harlan’s voice is that of angels when it comes to the game of basketball
— BEEZY (@Burke_Franklin_) February 25, 2023
Big cheer for CJ Fredrick as he returns after a four-game absence with a rib injury.
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) February 25, 2023
Adou Thiero’s legacy through his freshman year in my mind will be one thing: Making the most of every opportunity presented to him.
— Tres Terrell (@TerrellTres) February 25, 2023
We are very close to breaking the all-time College Basketball record for a team having two guys going up for a Rebound and knocking it out of each other’s hands
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) February 25, 2023
Auburn putting ball pressure on Wallace is what is leading to shot clock issues. Going to have to attack that a bit more aggressively.
— Big Blue Express (@bigbluexpress) February 25, 2023
CASON WALLACE
— CatsCoverage.com (@Cats_Coverage) February 25, 2023
pic.twitter.com/n0OtxlIlUX
Bruce Pearl is the best coach I've ever seen among those who routinely let his players go very long stretches of time taking bad shots.
— Justin Rowland (@RowlandRIVALS) February 25, 2023
First half double double #Machine pic.twitter.com/I9il4XYJtm
— Cody Couch (@Couch_29) February 25, 2023
Totally fine with crushing Bruce Pearl today. Let’s keep it rolling.
— Ethan DeWitt (@EthanDeWitt1) February 25, 2023
83% from 3 will get it done.
— The Kentucky Logo (@TheKentuckyLogo) February 25, 2023
Reeves floater is becoming just as dangerous as Immanuel Quickley’s
— Ian Teasley (@ianteasley) February 25, 2023
Lynn Bowden L’s down on the Jumbotron #BBN pic.twitter.com/UCbDOSsjq3
— Maggie Davis (@MaggieDavisTV) February 25, 2023
REEEVVEEESSSSSS
— Lori Mills (@lori_mills) February 25, 2023
Kentucky got Auburn to just quit at halftime, this is wild.
— Sean Vinsel (@HoopsInsight) February 25, 2023
GO BIG BLUE ️ ️ ️ pic.twitter.com/z2pZlz5srL
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) February 25, 2023
.@KentuckyMBB is hitting on all cylinders pic.twitter.com/HA1DTJ7Hal
— CBS Sports College Basketball (@CBSSportsCBB) February 25, 2023
This Kentucky team has turned the corner. Big time.
— Shawn Smith (@gbbcountry) February 25, 2023
Reeves currently: pic.twitter.com/QGpzPQ9b1V
— KY Clips (@KY__Clips) February 25, 2023
There are very few players who have ever played here whose open three looks more pure than Antonio Reeves
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) February 25, 2023
It's tough to see a blue blood basketball program like Auburn lose 20 straight road games to a conference opponent. Maybe one day Auburn fans under 35 will know what it's like to win a game in Rupp Arena.
— Derek Terry (@DerekSTerry) February 25, 2023
Easily Kentucky's most complete game of the season. Just demolishing Auburn.
— Chris Fisher (@ChrisFisher247) February 25, 2023
Auburn fans are seeing a real blue blood.
— Nick McCardell (@UKhoops1_BBN) February 25, 2023
— KY Clips (@KY__Clips) February 25, 2023
Auburn is a top 15 defense hahahahahaha
— Round Daddy (@JStreble82) February 25, 2023
The rough patches throughout the season is making this so much more fun
— Big Blue Nation (@BigB1ue9ation) February 25, 2023
Best game of the season and we seem to be peaking at the right time…
Kentucky has 20+ wins in 13 of John Calipari’s 14 seasons at the helm.
— Tres Terrell (@TerrellTres) February 25, 2023
There's the Kentucky we've been waiting for. Leading Auburn by 34 with 4 minutes to go. Best performance of the season by far, and at just the right time.
— Tyler Thompson (@MrsTylerKSR) February 25, 2023
Man, feels good.
Antonio Reeves has 21 points on 13 shots, now 4 of 7 from 3 today.
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) February 25, 2023
Reeves is averaging 14.6 points and shooting 37 of 85 (43.5%) from 3 in SEC games. That'll do.
Kentucky leads Auburn by ... 36 with 3:12 to go.
Oscar and Chris Livingston get a large applause as they exit the game!
— Dylan Ballard (@DylanBallard_UK) February 25, 2023
Easy to overlook with the offensive onslaught but Kentucky has really been flying around defensively today.
— Chris Fisher (@ChrisFisher247) February 25, 2023
Finally, a game where I’m not stressed the entire 40 minutes
— Tori Alascio (@torialascio) February 25, 2023
Tough to see… pic.twitter.com/qrdSTwlmze
— Dylan Ballard (@DylanBallard_UK) February 25, 2023
.@KentuckyMBB improves to 51-2 all-time (.962) against Auburn in Lexington
— Corey Price (@coreyp08) February 25, 2023
After starting 1-3 in the SEC, the Wildcats have now won 10 of its last 12 league games.
— TheCatsPause247 (@TheCatsPause247) February 25, 2023
Congrats to coach Cal and BBN on the great win vs Auburn. Great performance!!!
— Rich Brooks (@UKcoachbrooks) February 25, 2023
Stop me if you've heard this before:
— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) February 25, 2023
A John Calipari-coached team is playing its best basketball going into March
Selection Sunday is two weeks from tomorrow. #BBN
— Tres Terrell (@TerrellTres) February 25, 2023
Next. pic.twitter.com/Hb0ky5zRmy
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) February 25, 2023
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