Tennessee Volunteers vs Kentucky Wildcats Match Player Stats On Feb 06, 2021

Freshmen Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer posted career highs to rally No. 11 Tennessee to an 82-71 victory over struggling Kentucky in Southeastern Conference play Saturday night in Lexington, Ky.

Johnson scored 17 of his 27 points in the second half and Springer 14 of his 23 as the Volunteers (13-4, 6-4 SEC) overcame a double-digit second-half deficit by outscoring the Wildcats 48-29 in the second half and 18-7 over the last 6 1/2 minutes.

Josiah-Jordan James also had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds for Tennessee.

The loss was the sixth in the last seven games for the Wildcats (5-12, 4-6).

Sophomore Keion Brooks Jr. posted his first career double-double with career highs in points (23) and rebounds (11) for the Wildcats. Olivier Sarr and Devin Askew added 14 points for the Wildcats.

The Wildcats assumed a double-digit lead at 44-34 to start the second half and were still ahead by 10 at 58-48 at the 12-minute mark before the Vols went on a 12-0 run to go up 60-58 at 8:37, their first lead since 32-30 in the first half.

The game was tied four times after that before the Vols went on a 10-run for a 74-64 cushion with under four minutes left.

Tennessee got into early foul trouble with three players, including starters John Fulkerson and Santiago Vescovi, who picked up two personals in the first four minutes. Three other starters -- Yves Pons, Springer and Johnson -- also picked up their second personals late in the first half.

Fulkerson was scoreless in 10 minutes and picked up his fourth personal with 13:33 left in the game.

Kentucky led 42-34 at the break after shooting just 35.1 percent from the field, but the Wildcats were 13-of-15 from the free throw line. The Vols got to the line only three times in the first half, making two. They also had seven turnovers to just two for the Wildcats, who finished the period on a 7-0 run.

Kentucky's 42 points were the most the Vols have given up in the first half all season.

--Field Level Media