LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Olivier Sarr scored 24 points, Davion Mintz made the game-winning 3-pointer with 47 seconds left and Kentucky beat Vanderbilt 77-74 on Tuesday night for its ninth-straight win against the Commodores.
Kentucky’s Jacob Toppin blocked Scotty Pippen Jr.’s shot with 41 seconds to play. Pippen grabbed the rebound after Mintz missed a jumper on the ensuing possession, but Trey Thomas and Maxwell Evans each missed potential game-tying 3s. Evans’ shot hit the front of the rim at the buzzer.
Kentucky (3-6, 2-0 Southeastern Conference), which had lost six straight before beating Mississippi State 79-73 in double-overtime on Saturday, avoided the first three-game losing streak in the 45-year history of Rupp Arena.
Sarr, a senior transfer from Wake Forest, was 5 of 10 from the field, made 14 of 17 free throws and had a team-high seven rebounds. Dontaie Allen added 14 points for the Wildcats. Devin Askew and Mintz had 11 points apiece.
Pippen had 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for Vanderbilt (4-4, 0-2). Dylan Disu added 18 points and 10 rebounds for his eighth career double-double. Jordan Wright had 18 points off the bench and Myles Stute chipped in 16.
Stute, Disu, and Wright combined for ten 3-pointers.
The Commodores closed the first half on an 11-4 run for a 40-33 halftime advantage. It was the fifth straight season Vanderbilt led at halftime in Lexington. Neither team held more than a five-point lead in the second half.
Vanderbilt has lost 12 in a row in Rupp Arena dating to a 72-67 victory on Jan. 20, 2007.
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