Kentucky advances in SEC tournament
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – The Kentucky Wildcats advanced to the second round of the SEC Tournament with an 87–82 win over LSU on Wednesday.
The last time these two teams met on the hardwood, Kentucky fell behind by as many as 18 points before battling back to win on a last-second 18-foot shot by Malachi Moreno in Baton Rouge.
The Wildcats were bolstered by the return of Kam Williams, who broke his foot in Kentucky’s win over Texas on Jan. 21. Williams played 17 minutes and scored three points, shooting 1-for-3 from beyond the arc. While his scoring was limited, his return provided head coach Mark Pope with another option in the rotation.
Pope went nine players deep in the game, and all nine contributed points. Kentucky’s bench added 29 points, led by an impressive performance from forward Brandon Garrison. The junior knocked down back-to-back three-pointers in the second half that appeared to take some momentum away from the Tigers. Garrison finished with 17 points and five rebounds.
Otega Oweh once again led the Wildcats with 23 points, marking his 31st game in double figures this season. Denzel Aberdeen added 16 points.
With the win, Kentucky advances to the second round of the SEC Tournament and will face Missouri. The eighth-seeded Tigers received a first-round bye. The matchup will be the first game played Thursday, tipping off at 12:30 p.m. EST.
