OXFORD, Miss. _ Coming off a demoralizing 19-point loss at Tennessee on Saturday, Kentucky looked like its old self in defeating Mississippi, 80-76 on Tuesday.
The Cats re-established the foundation of defense.
Individually, roommates Keldon Johnson and Tyler Herro had a rebirth. At Tennessee, the two combined to make only 4 of 20 shots (1 of 10 from 3-point range). Here they combined to make 17 of 30 shots (3 of 6 from 3) and score 42 points.
Johnson also contributed on the defensive end. He led the way in containing Ole Miss guard Terence Davis, who scored 20 points inside the first 23 minutes, but only five thereafter.
Herro joined Immanuel Quickley in making two clutch free throws inside the final 20 seconds.
PJ Washington represented yet another revival within Kentucky's revival. UK's leading scorer did not have a point until he posted up for a score with 15:14 left.
That started a span in which he scored 13 of UK's next 22 points. That put Kentucky in position to win. Washington finished with 13 points.
Kentucky improved to 25-5 overall and 14-3 in the Southeastern Conference. The latter kept UK a game behind first-place Tennessee, which routed Mississippi State on Tuesday night. LSU can re-join Tennessee in first place by winning at Florida on Wednesday night.
Ole Miss, which lost a third straight, fell to 19-11 overall and 9-8 in the SEC. The Rebels failed in a quest to beat a team ranked as high as No. 6 Kentucky for the first time since the 2001-02 season (an 84-56 victory over No. 6 Alabama.)
Davis led Ole Miss with 25 points. Backcourt mate Breein Tyree added 21.
For a third straight game, Kentucky trailed at halftime. But instead of the double-digit deficits that had to be overcome against Arkansas (39-28) and Tennessee (37-24), the Cats only trailed Ole Miss 39-38.
That seemed like something of a triumph given Washington's first half. Two quick fouls limited UK's leading scorer and rebounder to seven minutes. He did not score or grab a rebound in that time.
Johnson and Herro filled the void as they combined for 27 points.
And Calipari thought they should have had more. When Johnson missed a shot in the lane with seconds left and no foul was called, the UK coach lingered on the court apparently appealing for what he saw as justice.
Referee Doug Shows ended the appeal by pointing to the tunnel leading to Kentucky's locker room.
As at Tennessee on Saturday, foul trouble limited more than one of UK's "bigs" in this time of Reid Travis sidelined with an injury. Nick Richards also had two fouls, which curtailed a productive half highlighted by a one-handed put-back dunk.
As expected, Ole Miss's backcourt led the way for the Rebels. Davis (15), Tyree (eight) and Devontae Shuler (eight) combined for 31 points in the first half.
Kentucky's situation grew cloudier early in the second half when Ashton Hagans picked up his third foul with 16:11 left.
On the plus side, Washington finally scored 57 seconds later when he made a leaner in the lane.
That started a concentrated period of scoring. Washington had 10 of UK's 19 points.
But Ole Miss would not go away. A 3-pointer by Tyree with the shot clock down to a few seconds reduced UK's lead to 67-65 going into the final seven-plus minutes.
