BOISE, Idaho _ Kentucky advanced to the Sweet 16 here, but the path was not sugary from start to finish.
UK defeated Buffalo, 95-75, on Saturday in the NCAA Tournament's second round. The teams slugged it out, which UK coach John Calipari predicted the day before.
"They remind me of my UMass teams: hard-nosed, tough, swagger, chip on their shoulder," Calipari said. "... They're not afraid to mix it up and be physical."
Kentucky had to answer in kind, he said.
"If they come after us, and we back up, they win the game," Calipari said. "It's just how it is."
Buffalo, a self-described blue-collar team built on grit, vowed to direct their ball-pressure at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. This turned out to be a case of poking a stick at a Wildcat.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 points to lead UK (26-10) into the South Region semifinals next Thursday in Atlanta. His scoring continued a trend for the freshman, who had 29 against Davidson in Thursday's first round.
With leading scorer Kevin Knox struggling, Hamidou Diallo rose to the occasion and became Robin to Gilgeous-Alexander's Batman. He scored 22 points, one shy of a season high and most he'd scored since getting 23 against Monmouth on Dec. 9.
Buffalo (27-9) was led by Wes Clark, the former Missouri player who got a measure of the redemption he sought by scoring 26 points.
Kentucky broke the game open midway through the second half. With Gilgeous-Alexander and Diallo leading the way, a five-point lead became a 15-point bulge in less than five minutes.
Gilgeous-Alexander led Kentucky to a 51-42 lead at halftime. He scored 17 points in the first half, which was only two fewer than he had against Davidson on Thursday and more than he'd had in all but eight previous games this season.
UK needed the player called the "core" and "engine" of the team. Knox picked up three fouls in the whistle-filled opening 20 minutes. His second came with 7:42 left. He went to the bench, but when Buffalo rallied, Knox returned at the 4:33 mark. Fifty-six seconds later, Knox picked up his third foul when he tried to free himself on a drive by hooking a defender.
Perhaps Gilgeous-Alexander's biggest basket came with 6:50 left in the half.
Buffalo had missed its first seven 3-point shots, one reason Kentucky took several 11-point leads inside the first 12 minutes.
But the Bulls found the range, making five of their final 10 attempts to stay within striking distance. A 3-pointer by CJ Massinburg with 8:08 left reduced Kentucky's lead to 32-27. A roar filled the air, proving conclusively that Taco Bell Arena was no Rupp Arena West.
Gilgeous-Alexander had the perfect response. He hit a 3-pointer from near the top of the key, then put a finger to his lips as if to schuss the crowd.
UK, which led the 17:53 of the half, expanded the margin to as much as 51-38 with 1:42 left.
Buffalo had a chance to reduce the nine-point halftime margin. But UK switched to a zone for the first time on the final possession. Buffalo hesitated, then missed two improbable shots.
The start to the second half made the end of the first irrelevant. After UK restored a 13-point lead, Buffalo charged. Clark's pull-up jumper reduced the lead to 56-50 and prompted a Kentucky timeout with 16:47 left.
Three-pointers from Wenyen Gabriel (right corner) and Diallo (left corner) gave UK breathing room. But Buffalo was not going away.
With Massinburg containing Gilgeous-Alexander, the Bulls got within 65-59.
Then Gilgeous-Alexander re-emerged. More than once.
His driving layup and then a 3-point set shot eased the situation.
After Buffalo closed within 72-67, Gilegous-Alexander drove to a three-point play.
