Kentucky to Play Vanderbilt in SEC Quarterfinal Rubber Match

The Commodores led for nearly all 40 minutes in their second-round win over LSU, setting up a third game against Kentucky for a chance to move into the SEC Tournament semifinals.

NASHVILLE — For the second season in a row, Kentucky basketball will square off against the Vanderbilt Commodores in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament. 

Late Thursday night in Bridgestone Arena, head coach Jerry Stackhouse's team avenged its loss to LSU, defeating the Tigers 77-68 in a one-sided second-round contest. 

Vandy, the No. 6 seed in the tourney, never trailed, as three guards — Tyrin Lawrence, Jordan Wright and Ezra Manjon — totaled 54 points, keeping its NCAA Tournament dreams alive. Wright added a season-high 15 rebounds in the drubbing. 

LSU, which defeated Ole Miss in the first round on Wednesday night, never let the lead grow above 14, and even trimmed it under 10 with less than three minutes to play in the second half, but 33.3-percent shooting from the floor killed any hopes of a third game in the Music City for coach Matt McMahon's Tigers.

Now, the Dores will have a chance to defeat UK for the second time in nine days. They stunned the Wildcats 68-66 inside Rupp Arena on Senior Night, thanks to a Wright off-balance jumper with 2.6 seconds left in the game. Wright and Lawrence combined for 44 points in the victory.

No. 3-seeded Kentucky does own a win over Vanderbilt in Nashville this season, however, as five Cats reached double-figures in a 69-53 win inside Memorial Gymnasium on Jan. 24. That win featured a full-strength lineup for UK, something it possibly won't have in the rubber match. 

Less than two minutes into the second half of the second game in Lexington, starting point guard Cason Wallace hit the floor with a lower-leg injury, forcing him to leave the game. He then missed the regular-season finale against Arkansas last Saturday in Fayetteville. His status remains up in the air entering postseason play. 

Kentucky has been without point guard Sahvir Wheeler for the last eight games due to an ankle injury and an unrelated "minor procedure," while shooting guard CJ Fredrick has been playing through a bothersome cracked rib. 

Wheeler is not expected to return, but Fredrick is expected to play despite missing practice earlier in the week. 

In last season's SEC Tourney matchup, Wright nearly led Vandy to an upset of the Wildcats, scoring 27 points, though a late spurt from forward Jacob Toppin and former guard TyTy Washington Jr. propelled UK to a gritty 77-71 win. 

Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt will be the fourth and final quarterfinal game on Friday night and is expected to tipoff around 9 p.m. EST. It will be televised on the SEC Network.

More on the win over Arkansas HERE.

Everything John Calipari said after the win HERE.

SEC awards for four Wildcats. More HERE.

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