Kentucky Falls Just Short in Thriller Against Vanderbilt, 84-83
In the first of two regular-season matchups between SEC rivals, Kentucky and Vanderbilt delivered a game that lived up to the billing - high energy, high scoring, and decided by the slimmest of margins. In the end, it was Vanderbilt who walked out of Memorial Coliseum with the 84-83 win, handing Kentucky a tough loss in what could’ve been their third AP Top 10 victory of the year.
Now sitting at 18-6 overall and 5-5 in conference play, Kentucky showed flashes of brilliance but couldn’t quite close the deal against a Vanderbilt squad led by one of the most electric scorers in the college game, Mikayla Blakes.
Fast Start, Fastbreak Trouble
Both teams came out firing, trading buckets early in a first quarter that ended with Vanderbilt up 19-16. The difference?
Extra possessions. Kentucky’s early turnovers gave Vanderbilt too many chances to run - and they made them count, turning giveaways into 11 fastbreak points.
Meanwhile, Kentucky couldn’t generate anything off turnovers in the first half. That zero in the points-off-turnovers column loomed large as the game wore on.
Boone’s Buzzer-Beater Sparks a Surge
Despite the early miscues, Kentucky found its rhythm late in the second quarter. A 10-0 run flipped the momentum, forcing Vanderbilt to burn a timeout. Then, just before the half, Asia Boone drilled a three at the buzzer, sending the home crowd into a frenzy and giving the Wildcats a 38-34 lead heading into the break.
That first half was defined by Kentucky’s sharp perimeter shooting - they went 6-for-9 from beyond the arc. The question heading into the second half was simple: could they keep that hot hand going?
Trading Blows in a Back-and-Forth Battle
The third quarter didn’t provide much separation. Both teams put up 20 points, and Kentucky held onto a narrow 58-54 lead heading into the final frame.
But Vanderbilt wasn’t going away. Their press started to tighten, forcing Kentucky to work harder to get into their sets.
The pace picked up, and the game turned into a slugfest - haymakers traded possession after possession.
It had the feel of a game that would come down to a single possession. And that’s exactly what happened.
A Missed Opportunity, A Quick Turnaround
Despite their efforts and stretches of strong play, Kentucky couldn’t close it out. Vanderbilt made just enough plays down the stretch to escape with the one-point win, leaving Kentucky to regroup after a game that could’ve gone either way.
Now, the Wildcats shift their focus to a massive road test against No. 4 Texas on Monday.
The Longhorns are 21-2 and sitting near the top of the SEC standings, with their only losses coming against South Carolina and LSU - two of the nation’s elite. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.
ET on SEC Network.
It’s a tough turnaround, but Kentucky’s shown they can hang with the best. The challenge now is turning those close calls into statement wins.