LEXINGTON, Ky. - A flurry of first-half three-pointers helped Belmont build an early lead over No. 19 Kentucky, but the Bruins’ bid to upset a second powerhouse program ran out of steam.
The Wildcats (9-3) fought back in the second half to beat Belmont 93-80 and hand the Bruins (8-5) their third consecutive loss after an 8-2 start.
The Bruins won at No. 12 North Carolina last month by hitting 15 of 37 from threepoint range, and they tried to replicate that formula before 24,224 at Rupp Arena. Belmont made 7 of 18 from long range in the first half but went cold in the second,missing six of their first seven attempts from beyond the three-point line as the Wildcats took the momentum.
Kentucky took its first lead of the game with 16:21 remaining and didn’t let up.
The Wildcats made 26 of 36 free throws while Belmont had just 13 attempts, making nine. They outscored the Bruins 52-34 in the paint.
Julius Randle scored a career-high 29 points, Aaron Harrison added 23 and Willie Cauley-Stein had 16 for Kentucky.
GEORGIA 65, WESTERN CAROLINA 63
ATHENS, Ga. - Told to miss a free throw, Georgia guard Charles Mann accidentally made it with 2.5 seconds left, but Western Carolina (6-8) missed a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer as Georgia held on for a come-frombehind victory.
The score was tied at 63 when Mannwent to the line with 2.5 seconds left. Mann, who was just 3 for 9 when he went to the line, made the first shot, which prompted Georgia Coach Mark Fox to call a timeout and set a strategy for Mann to miss on purpose.
Western Carolina’s Tom Tankelewicz managed a long three-point attempt at the buzzer, but the desperation heave was never even close.
Kenny Gaines led Georgia with 17 points. Mann added 13.
VANDERBILT 76, GEORGIA TECH 63
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Rod Odom scored 18 points - including four three-pointers - and Vanderbilt (7-3) rallied from 14 points down in the first half to end Georgia Tech’s three-game winning streak.
NO. 16 FLORIDA 66, FRESNO ST. 49
SUNRISE, Fla. - Will Yeguete led a strong rebounding effort by the 16thranked Gators (9-2), who pulled away in the second half to beat Fresno State in the Orange Bowl Classic.
Yeguete had five offensive reboundsand a season-high 10 total for the Gators, who had a 47-24 advantage on the boards, by far their largest this season. Florida won easily despite shooting only 42 percent.
Casey Prather scored 16 points for the Gators (9-2), who won away from Gainesville for the third time this season.
LSU 86, ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM 63
BATON ROUGE - Johnny O’Bryant scored 17 points to propel LSU (8-2) to victory against Alabama-Birmingham. ILLINOIS 65, NO. 23 MISSOURI 64
ST. LOUIS - Tracy Abrams scored a season-best 22 points and made two free throws with 4.6 seconds to lift Illinois over No. 23 Missouri (10-1).
In other SEC games on Saturday night, Jordan Woodard had 20 points as Oklahoma won its seventh consecutive with a 64-52 victory over Texas A&M in College Station, Texas. ... Isaiah Philmore had 17 points to lead Xavier to a 77-74 victory over Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Sports, Pages 26 on 12/22/2013