HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

No. 16 Kentucky 84, Mississippi 70: Julius Randle led all players with 25 points and 13 rebounds as the visiting Wildcats survived a late rally by the host Rebels in SEC play.

Aaron Harrison added 17 points and James Young notched 16 to go with a game-high five assists for Kentucky (20-6, 10-3 SEC), which rebounded from an emotional home loss to then-No. 4 Florida on Saturday. Andrew Harrison contributed 10 points and four assists for the Wildcats, who converted 27-of-30 free throws – including 13-of-14 from Randle – which played a key factor in the waning minutes.

Jarvis Summers totaled 22 points and four assists to lead the offense for Mississippi (16-10, 7-6), which lost its third straight game and fell to 1-4 in its last five. Anthony Perez finished with 21 points off the bench and Marshall Henderson added 18 for the Rebels, who shot 38.7 percent.

Kentucky pushed its lead past 20 points early in the second half before a 3-pointer from Henderson got the Rebels back to within 52-34 just over six minutes in. The Wildcats went nearly eight minutes without a field goal down the stretch as Mississippi clawed within 76-70 on a 3-pointer from Perez with just under two minutes remaining but Kentucky sealed the win from the foul line, draining its final 19 attempts to ward off the Rebels' rally.

After Mississippi took an 11-10 lead early in the first half, the Wildcats began to impose their will down low, using five dunks as part of a 17-2 run to take control of the game. By halftime, led by 10 points and 10 rebounds from Randle, Kentucky had put together a 42-25 advantage.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Kentucky's 12 first-half assists matched or topped its total in 19 of its first 25 games. ... Henderson finished 5-of-14 from behind the arc after entering Tuesday averaging an SEC-best 4.4 3-pointers. ... The Wildcats blocked four shots, led by three from F Willie Cauley-Stein, whose season total of 79 trails only LSU F Jordan Mickey (84) among SEC players.