Game recap: Foul trouble and bad defense doom Kentucky basketball vs Vols

The No. 17 Kentucky basketball team lost on the road against the No. 23 Tennessee Volunteers. The Cats came up short, 76-65, against the Vols.

The Kentucky basketball team led by 8 at the half, but foul trouble, an injury to PJ Washington and poor defense in the second half doomed the Wildcats. Kentucky lost to Tennessee 76-65. Quade Green led the Cats in scoring with 14 points. The Cats fall to 12-3 on the season.

First Half

The Kentucky basketball team got off to a 1-for-5 start from the field, before PJ Washington knocked down a turnaround hook shot. He was fouled on the shot and converted the free throw to tie the game 5-5. Hamidou Diallo picked up two fouls within the first two minutes of the game, but did return before halftime.

Kentucky went on a 7-0 run midway through the first half. Washington was dominant during that stretch and Nick Richards converted a turnaround shot for his second basket of the game. Kyle Alexander converted a layup plus drew a foul on Kevin Knox. The Kentucky basketball team then went on 8-0 run that included 2 three-pointers from Wenyen Gabriel.

Richards showed up to play in the first half. Late in the half, Richards blocked a shot, put back a Washington miss and grabbed two consecutive defensive rebounds. The Cats shot 55.6% in the first half while holding the Vols to 33.3%. Kentucky led Tennessee 37-29 at the half.

Second Half

Two quick buckets by the Vols to start the second half caused Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari to burn a timeout early. Diallo picked up an offensive foul early in the half and quickly went to the bench.

In a strange turn of events, both Calipari and Tennessee coach Rick Barnes were called for technical fouls after a controversial foul on Tennessee’s Grant Williams. The game got a bit chippy by the first TV timeout of the second half, Kentucky had 5 turnovers and the Cats led the Vols by 1.

Gabriel picked up his fourth foul early in the half and sat down with 14:26 left in the game. Washington hobbled off the court, directly to the locker room with cramps and did not return. Washington finished with 13 points. After Washington’s exit, Gabriel was reinserted and quickly picked up his fifth foul. Gabriel fouled out with 11:59 left. He scored 11 points.

A transition three-pointer by Quade Green cut Tennessee’s lead to 4. Tennessee came right back in increased their lead to 10 after a three-point jumper by Admiral Schofield and a layup by Williams. Green took the fight back to the Vols with back-to-back drives to the basket.

The Volunteers would not relinquish the lead, as Williams took the game over. Williams finished with 18. Schofield led the Vols with 20.