LEXINGTON, Ky. _ The highly-anticipated Kansas-Kentucky game, hyped by ESPN all week during broadcasts of its many other college basketball contests, lived up to its billing Saturday in Rupp Arena.
The SEC/Big 12 Challenge battle between No. 2 KU and No. 4 UK, which happen to be the two winningest programs in NCAA hoops history, was claimed by Kansas, a 79-73 victor before a full house in Kentucky's tradition-rich building, which seats 23,000 fans.
It marked the Jayhawks' second straight victory over UK after KU won last year in overtime in Allen Fieldhouse. KU improved to 19-2 overall this season, while Kentucky fell to 17-4.
This one was decided by an 11-0 KU run in the second half that turned a 59-58 KU deficit into a 69-59 lead at 4:41.
KU was led by guards Frank Mason and Josh Jackson, who had 21 and 20 points respectively. Jackson had 10 rebounds and Mason four assists. Landen Lucas had 13 points (on 6-of-6 shooting) and five rebounds while Devonte Graham had 12 points.
Kentucky was led by Malik Monk and Derek Willis, who had 18 apiece. Isaiah Briscoe had 12 and De'Aaron Fox and Bam Adebayo 10 for the Wildcats.
Jackson, who had 10 points, four rebounds and two steals the first half as KU trailed by five points (32-27) at the break, scored the first six points of the second half, giving KU a 33-32 lead at 18:59.
The Jayhawks led by as many as five, 54-49 (at 11:31), following a bucket by Mason and 3-pointer by Graham.
However, Kentucky, which trailed 58-54, at 9:28, did immediately regain a 59-58 lead at 8:11 following a 5-0 run.
KU went on an 11-0 run immediately after UK grabbed that one-point advantage and the Jayhawks led, 69-59.
Mason had eight points the first half. Kentucky, which was led by Monk's 12 points before halftime, had led by as many as 12 points (23-11, 25-13, 29-17) in the initial half before KU rallied, thanks in part to a 2-3 zone defense.
KU used a 7-0 run to cut a 31-20 deficit to just four points with 41.9 second remaining.
Graham had two points, Jackson two, Lagerald Vick two on an alley-oop slam dunk off a pass from Graham and Dwight Coleby one point.
Kentucky used a 13-2 run to turn an 8-7 deficit into a 20-10 lead at 10:36. Monk had eight points, Derek Willis three and Bam Adebayo two in the run. KU had hit just 5 of 17 shots at that point in falling behind 10.
KU hit 40 percent of its shots the first half, failing to hit a 3 in eight tries. Kentucky hit 42.9 percent of its shots, going 3 of 8 from 3.
KU will next meet Baylor on Wednesday at Allen Fieldhouse.
