Vanderbilt falls to Kentucky for third loss in four games – The Tennessean

Oh, Vandy.
This was not the time for a game like this.
No. 21 Vanderbilt fell to Kentucky at Rupp Arena 91-77 on Feb. 28, in Lexington, Kentucky. It ended a chance of the Commodores’ first season sweep in 20 years. Kentucky led from the get-go. The Wildcats were 11 of 22 from the 3-point line.
Vanderbilt (22-7, 9-7 SEC) has now lost three of its past four. That includes a loss to in-state rival Tennessee. Kentucky (19-10, 10-6) has won back-to-back games after having lost three straight.
Tyler Tanner scored 19 points to pace Vanderbilt. Jalen Washington added 16 and Tyler Nickel had 13, but was 3-for-12 from the 3-point line
Collin Chandler scored 23 points, with six 3-pointers, to lead Kentucky. Otega Oweh had 23 and Denzel Aberdeen scored 15.
Vanderbilt wraps up its regular season with games at Ole Miss (March 3) and at Tennessee (March 7)
Tom Kreager
Kentucky has all but wrapped this one up. The Wildcats lead 86-67 and are 4:48 left from their second straight win.
Tyler Tanner has scored 17 points, but much of that has been with the game out of reach. Vanderbilt has hit 5-of-23 from the 3-point line. Kentucky has hit 11-of-20 from the 3-point line.
Tom Kreager
Vanderbilt’s Devin McGlockton was called for a dead ball, technical foul with 13:19 left and Kentucky leading 59-44. The technical came as McGlockton was attempting to block a shot. However, he came down across the face of the shooter.
The foul gave McGlockton four personal fouls for the game.
Tom Kreager
Want to know why Vanderbilt basketball is getting handled by Kentucky? It’s the 3-point shooting.
Vanderbilt trails 55-41 with 15:30 left. The Commodores’ hopes of a season sweep of the Wildcats are slipping away.
Vanderbilt is 4-of-17 from the 3-point line. Tyler Nickel is 0-of-5 from the 3-point line.
Kentucky is 10-of-18 from the 3-point line. Cooper Chandler is 5-of-7 from the 3-point line.
Tom Kreager
Welp. Vanderbilt has work to do. The Commodores trail Kentucky 46-31 after giving up 55 points to the Wildcats all of the first meeting.
Kentucky shot 54.8% from the field in the first half and hit 9-of-16 (56.3%) from the 3-point line. Collin Chandler leads all scorers with 15 points on five 3-pointers.
AK Okereke has nine points. Teammate Tyler Tanner has six for Vanderbilt, which has lost two of its last three games.
Tom Kreager
Here is the stat that tells the story for Vanderbilt. The Commodores are 2-of-11 from the 3-point line. That one make? Duke Miles hit a 3-pointer to start the Vanderbilt scoring. He has missed six straight shots since them, including three straight 3-pointers.
Tom Kreager
It’s a Kentucky highlight reel in the first half with the Wildcats dominating on all aspects of the game. The Wildcats have forced five turnovers and have just two of their own.
Collin Chandler has hit four 3-pointers for the Wildcats. AK Okereke has five points for Vanderbilt.
Tyler Tanner has four points on 2-of-4 shooting. Duke Miles has hit one 3-pointer and is 1-of-6 from the field.
Tom Kreager
Vanderbilt. There is a problem.
Kentucky leads Vanderbilt 31-15 after a turnover. The Commodores have five turnovers in the first 11 minutes.
Tom Kreager
Vanderbilt has struggled to stop Kentucky on the perimeter and has three turnovers to trail 26-16 with 11:24 left in the first half. The Wildcats have hit five 3-pointers in the first 8:26 of the game.
Collin Chandler leads Kentucky with a game-high 12 points (all on 3-pointers).
Tom Kreager
Kentucky has hit four 3-pointers in the first 5:40 of the Wildcats game with Vanderbilt to lead 21-14. Collin Chandler is 3-of-4 from the 3-point line for Kentucky.
AK Okereke has five points on 2-of-3 shooting for Vanderbilt.
Tom Kreager
Here are the starting lineups for the Vanderbilt basketball vs Kentucky game
Vanderbilt
G Duke Miles 16.3 ppg
G Tyler Tanner 18.5 ppg
F Tyler Nickel 14.1 ppg
F AK Okereke 9.4 ppg
F Devin McGlockton 10.5 ppg
Kentucky
G Otega Oweh 17.5 ppg
G Denzel Aberdeen 12.9 ppg
G Collin Chandler 10.0 ppg
F Andrija Jelavic 5.8 ppg
F Malachi Moreno 8.4 ppg
Tom Kreager
Reserve Mike James will miss the Vanderbilt-Kentucky game with an illness per the Vanderbilt pre-game broadcast. James has played in 21 games this season. He is averaging 1.5 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.
Tom Kreager
Vanderbilt vs. Kentucky will broadcast nationally on ESPN. Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Dane Bradshaw (color analyst) will call the game at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. Streaming options for the game include FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
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