LEXINGTON, Ky. -- No one looks forward to a visit to the dentist, but they generally feel a lot better when it's over.

That was Kentucky's mindset after surviving a scare from in-state challenger Bellarmine on Tuesday night at Rupp Arena.

The No. 19 Wildcats found themselves in a four-point slough of a game against the ASUN upstart program from Louisville with just over 10 minutes to play before closing on a 21-6 run en route to a deceptively decisive 60-41 victory.

"That's a hard game to play," Kentucky head coach John Calipari said of the Knights, who are known for using almost the entire shot clock on every offensive possession with a patient approach that stresses quick passing. "We got guys cramping up in there. We had, I think, 31 out of 48 stops and shot-clock violations where you had to play the whole clock.

"It's what we needed... This is like going to the dentist. That's what it's like."

Calipari noted that UK lost two high-profile games against Michigan State and Gonzaga earlier this month, in part, because the Cats broke down defensively in key stretches of the second half. That did not happen on Tuesday.

Kentucky (5-2) held Bellarmine to just 30.4% from the field and outrebounded the smaller Knights 42-21.

"They did stay disciplined," said Bellarmine coach Scotty Davenport, who coached on the Louisville staff under Denny Crum and Rick Pitino. "And they used their length. The strongest of teams utilize their advantages, and they did that."

The teams were locked in a 21-21 tie at halftime and Bellarmine kept it a 32-32 game with just over 13 minutes remaining. But UK's CJ Fredrick and Antonio Reeves scored 14 points in a 23-3 run that saw the Cats take control of the game.

“When the shots start going down, man, it just built all of our team confidence," Reeves said. "When one person hits, it just like goes off another. We just look for each other and make sure we execute.”

Reeves led UK with 18 points, followed by Jacob Toppin (12) and Fredrick (11) in double-figures. Oscar Tshiebwe added eight points and a game-high 12 rebounds for the Cats.

Curt Hopf led Bellarmine (2-6) with 15 points, while Bash Wieland chipped in with 10 points and eight rebounds. The Knights were closing out a nine-day stretch which saw them play at Duke, UCLA, and Kentucky. Earlier this season, they also played Louisville and Clemson.

"To have us here, this was incredible," Davenport said. "These young men will never forget that experience for the rest of their lives -- nine days, Pauley (Pavilion), Cameron (Indoor Stadium), Rupp Arena. That's Bellarmine University. People say, 'Why?' Because in my belief, that's what a program is all about."

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In this "Rapid Recap" feature, we touch on some quick-hitters from the UK victory...

KEY MOMENT:

Locked in a 32-32 tie with 13:31 remaining, Kentucky's offense started to find a rhythm. Antonio Reeves and CJ Fredrick book-ended an 11-0 spurt with 3-pointers to get the Cats rolling. After a 3 by Bellarmine interupted the run, Reeves and Fredrick did it once again, hitting 3s to start and finish a 12-0 spurt. UK suddenly had a 16-point lead with 6:07 to play, and the methodical Bellarmine offense had little to no chance of mounting a comeback.

GAME BALL:

Antonio Reeves, Kentucky -- The senior transfer wing was 7-of-15 from the field and 3-of-6 from the arc on his way to a team-high 18 points. It's the second time he's led the team in scoring since entering the starting lineup.

BY THE NUMBERS:

1st - Meeting between the Kentucky and Bellarmine programs.

12:52 - Time that the Knights held the lead over the Wildcats.

13-2 - Kentucky advantage in second-chance points.

16 - Assists on 22 made buckets by the Cats. Sahvir Wheeler led the way with six for UK.

41 - Points allowed by UK were the least the Cats have surrendered since a 78-39 rout of West Virginia in the 2015 NCAA Tournament.

56.5% - Kentucky's FG shooting (13 of 23) in the second half.

QUOTABLE:

"They're a team that, anytime you break down -- which happened in our other couple games -- the good teams, when you break down, they make you pay. So it takes unbelievable discipline throughout the possession for 40 minutes... That's what was good about this." -- UK head coach John Calipari

UP NEXT:

Kentucky travels "across the pond" on Sunday when it plays Michigan in the Hall of Fame Game at O2 Arena in London, England. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m. ET on ABC. The Wolverines (5-1) are playing No. 3 Virginia tonight in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.