Unlike the snow storm outside Rupp Arena Saturday afternoon, the No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats were red hot, defeating LSU 89-58.
Forward Kelenna Azubuike paced UK (14-2, 5-0 Southeastern Conference) with 16 points as the Wildcats shot 54.2 percent from the floor, including 11-of-20 from 3-point range.
The Wildcats also extended their winning streak against SEC Western Division opponents to 19 with the win.
LSU (9-6, 2-2) made only 33.3 percent of its shots in the game and shot a dismal 5-of-22 beyond the arc.
Sophomore forward Brandon Bass led the Tigers with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Guards Antonio Hudson and Darrel Mitchell followed with 11 and 10 points.
LSU assistant coach Butch Pierre said during a post-game radio interview that the Tigers may have suffered from the jitters a bit in the historic Rupp Arena.
“It’s the No. 8 team in America and we had a couple of guys that it was their first time in this atmosphere,” Pierre said. “We really didn’t shoot the ball that good from the perimeter tonight, and it showed up.”
The Tigers opened up a 5-0 lead in the first minute of the game with an Antonio Hudson layup off the opening tip, and guard Tack Minor hit a quick 3-pointer on LSU’s next possession.
The Wildcats answered with a 23-3 run and led by 15 with 12:06 left in the first half.
LSU got the lead back under single digits with Hudson completing a 3-point play, drawing a foul on a made shot and making the free throw. Kentucky led 28-20 at the 9:03 mark in the first half.
UK went on a 19-7 run capped with an old-fashioned 3-point play by Shagari Alleyne and led 47-27 with 2:33 remaining in the first half.
But the Tigers went on a 9-2 run to close the half and the Wildcats led 49-36 when the teams went to the locker room.
The Tigers chipped into the lead again in the second half and trailed 57-49 after guard Darrel Mitchell scored off a steal.
Nicholas Sparks, who scored 15 points and hit 5-of-7 3-pointers, capped a 15-2 run with a 3-pointer to give the Wildcats a 72-51 with 6:33 remaining.
LSU never got the lead under 20 again as UK went on a 15-4 run to close the game.
Pierre said the Tigers played played poorly on both sides of the ball with 18 turnovers in the game and not enough stops on defense.
“We had an opportunity in the second half when we [got the lead] down to eight and went a stretch where we couldn’t score,” Pierre said. “When you go on the road, you’ve got to get some stops, particularly at certain points in the game.”