FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. _ The strides Kentucky insisted had been made during the recent losing streak became obvious Tuesday night.
UK's 87-72 victory over Arkansas looked like giant steps of progress.
With a pep band addicted to the William Tell Overture and a sellout crowd urging the home team on, Kentucky had plenty to overcome.
The situation got direr when Arkansas scored the game's first 11 points. But delirium turned to somber resignation as Kentucky showed it could win a grinding possession-by-possession game.
Kentucky, which handed Arkansas its second defeat in 16 home games, used its size and defense to weather the early storm.
For a second straight game, UK smothered an opponent on the boards. UK enjoyed a 46-29 rebounding advantage. That included 18 offensive rebounds, two shy of the total the Cats had against Alabama on Saturday.
After making eight 3-pointers in the first half, Arkansas made only one in the second.
Kevin Knox led Kentucky's offense. He scored 23 points (his seventh game with 20 or more points).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 18 points, PJ Washington 13, Quade Green 12 and Jarred Vanderbilt 11. Vanderbilt equaled the career-high total he had against Alabama on Saturday.
Kentucky improved to 19-9 overall and 8-7 in the Southeastern Conference.
Arkansas' records slipped to the same 19-9 and 8-7. Daryl Macon led the Hogs with 26 points. Anton Beard and Jaylen Barford added 13 and 12.
A 43-43 tie at halftime marked an achievement for Kentucky.
By scoring the game's first 11 points, Arkansas threatened to blitz UK. John Calipari called time 70 seconds into the game. By then, Arkansas had made the first two of its eight 3-point baskets in the first half.
Vanderbilt helped steady Kentucky.
With fouls called on its first two attempts at offensive rebounding, it seemed clear that UK wanted to use its superior size.
But early on, it was Arkansas that had the rebounding advantage.
"We've got to be able to rebound with them," Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said on Monday. "That was a key in the A&M game. We did a good job ... of neutralizing them on the glass, actually beat them on the glass. And with this team here, it's the same mindset. They shoot it and go get it."
Vanderbilt helped put that mindset into gear. By the end of the first half, UK enjoyed a 23-17 rebounding advantage.
Kentucky also kept Arkansas' transition game in check. The Hogs had only two fast-break points in the first half.
But the 3-pointers kept Kentucky in catch-up mode.
Kentucky took its first lead when Knox made two free throws with 4:36 left. The margin reached its first-half zenith when PJ Washington stole a pass and raced to a layup while being fouled. The three-point play gave UK a 43-40 lead with 18.2 seconds left.
Daryl Macon thrilled the crowd by first faking Sacha Killeya-Jones off his feet, then by tying the score with a 3-pointer from the top of the key in the final seconds.
Neither team took control in the early minutes of the second half. Third fouls on Nick Richards and Washington before the first television timeout dulled UK's start.
Knox got hot and Kentucky rode him. He scored nine of UK's first 20 points of the second half. His feathery jumper from the baseline and fast-break banker put the Cats ahead 63-61 and prompted an Arkansas timeout with 11:39 to go.
Gilgeous-Alexander helped give UK a 72-65 lead entering the final nine minutes. Though 0-for-5 from 3-point range in the previous five games, he hit a 3 from the corner, then somehow got a floater to drop seconds before the shot clock expired.
Two free throws by Vanderbilt, which capped a tap-tap-tap multi-chance opportunity possession, put the Cats ahead 72-65.
