Kentucky coach John Calipari warned everyone who was willing to listen that Friday night's SEC Tournament opener against Vanderbilt could be the hardest game the Wildcats play this weekend in Tampa.
For most of the quarterfinal matchup at Amalie Arena, that assessment was spot-on.
Leading by only one point with just under seven minutes remaining, third-seeded Kentucky went on a 10-2 spurt to open up some rare breathing room against the upset-minded Commodores and held on for a 77-71 win.
"The first game is always tough," Calipari said. "A lot of guys who aren't sure about tournament play and all that stuff, you know. It was hard-fought and tough and everything that you want.
"Hats off to Vandy. Third game in three nights, and they never stopped. They played to the horn, and that's amazing. We thought we could get into their legs at some point in the second half, and it never happened."
Freshman guard TyTy Washington scored eight straight points during the decisive run and 12 of the Wildcats' final 18 points to help deliver the victory. He finished with a team-high 25 points on 8-of-17 shooting from the field and a 4-of-5 night from beyond the arc.
"He played well, really well," Calipari said. "Hit some big shots."
"When I have my teammates pushing me and giving me confidence, that's going to be the results," Washington said.
Kentucky (26-6) advances to play Tennessee in the seminals on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Volunteers (24-7) defeated Mississippi State earlier on Friday. Texas A&M and Arkansas will play in the other semifinal for the right to play in Sunday's championship game.
In addition to Washington's big effort, Kentucky got another double-double from national player of the year candidate Oscar Tshiebwe, who scored 12 points, pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds, and blocked five shots in a well-rounded performance.
The Cats also got 10 points apiece from Davion Mintz and Jacob Toppin off the bench. Toppin also blocked three shots, playing through a broken nose he suffered in the first half.
"Those two were ridiculous," Calipari said, "just the energy they bring us."
Sahvir Wheeler added eight points, six rebounds, and 11 assists for UK.
Vanderbilt (17-16) was led by Jordan Wright with a game-high 27 points on a remarkable 10-of-12 shooting night. He was 5-of-6 from 3-point range.
But the Commodores' Scotty Pippen Jr., who scored 32 and 33 points in the previous two matchups with Kentucky this season, was held to just 10 on a 2-for-17 night from the field.
Vanderbilt's Wright said the overwhelmingly pro-UK crowd at Amalie Arena played a big role in the outcome.
"It felt like a home game for them," he said. "Felt like we were playing at Rupp. They had a great crowd, great energy. When they needed to be picked up, when needed some energy, the fans were there with their chants. Hats off to them for traveling the way they do and having a fan base like that."
*****
In this "Rapid Recap" feature, we touch on some quick-hitters from the UK victory...
KEY MOMENT:
With Kentucky clinging to a 59-58 lead after a 6-0 spurt by Vanderbilt, Sahvir Wheeler scored on a short jumper off an Oscar Tshiebwe offensive rebound, and TyTy Washington pumped in eight straight points on a pair of 3-pointers from the right corner and a mid-range jumper in the lane to match the Cats' biggest lead of the night at 69-60. It was just enough cushion to hold off the Dores.
GAME BALL:
TyTy Washington, Kentucky -- For the first time since he suffered a nagging ankle injury late in the regular season, the freshman guard looked like the superstar who might be able to help the Cats win a championship. Washington scored 12 of UK's final 18 points to seal the victory.
BY THE NUMBERS:
10 - Lead changes in the game. Neither team led by double figures.
13th - Win in a row by Kentucky over Vanderbilt. The Cats lead the all-time series 154-47.
20-7 - Bench scoring advantage for UK.
26th - Double-double of the season for UK's Oscar Tshiebwe, who recorded his 14th in a row.
37-27 - Rebounding advantage for the Cats, who had an 11-4 edge in second-chance points. UK is 23-3 this season when leading the rebound column.
135-27 - Kentucky's all-time record in the SEC Tournament.
QUOTABLE:
"They were saying there was a school that sold more tickets and would have more fans down there. I said, 'What are you smoking, crack?'" -- UK coach John Calipari on the overwhelming presence of blue-clad fans in Tampa.
UP NEXT:
Kentucky advances to face Tennessee in the semifinals on Saturday at approx 3:30 p.m. ET. It will be the rubber match for the Cats and Vols, who split their home-and-home series this season. UK beat UT 107-79 at Rupp Arena, while the Vols beat the Cats 76-63 in Knoxville. Tennessee (24-7) advanced on Friday with a 72-59 win over Mississippi State.
