LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Impressive runs to bookend Tuesday's Top 25 clash with Mississippi State carried Kentucky to a 76-55 win at Rupp Arena.

The No. 8 Wildcats opened the game with an 18-6 spurt and closed on a 35-16 run to pick up their second straight win over a ranked opponent as part of a five-game win streak.

The No. 22 Bulldogs had closed within two points midway through the second half before UK methodically pulled away for a deceptively lopsided final margin.

Coming off an emotional 82-80 win at No. 14 Auburn on Saturday, there was no letdown for Kentucky (15-3, 5-1 SEC). Not even with No. 9 Kansas (16-3, 5-2 Big 12) coming to Lexington on Saturday for a highly anticipated matchup.

"We need to be more steady in how we do this," said UK coach John Calipari, who noted that every game his team plays is a big deal for someone. "I said the Kansas game is really, really big because it's the next game. I mean, we weren't worried about Kansas. I've not watched one thing on Kansas... maybe four minutes of them on live TV, so I can't tell you one thing about how they play.

"This was about beating a Top 20 team (Mississippi State), a team that's played well all year, a team that makes nine 3s per game... and then they rebound like crazy."

Sophomore forward PJ Washington led Kentucky with a game-high 21 points, going 9-for-15 from the field with three 3-pointers. He also grabbed six rebounds and blocked four shots in a strong 27-minute performance.

"He's shooting the ball with a lot of confidence," MSU coach Ben Howland said. "He's a really good player. I thought he made a great decision to come back."

The Cats also got 18 points from freshman wing Tyler Herro, who knocked down all three of his 3-point attempts. Grad transfer forward Reid Travis chipped in with 12 rebounds, while freshman point guard Ashton Hagans dished out nine assists.

Kentucky shot 44.1 percent from the field (26 of 59) and hit eight of its 16 shots from the arc.

Defensively, the Cats held the Bulldogs to their lowest point total of the season.

Mississippi State (14-4, 2-3 SEC) got 19 points from senior guard Quinndary Weatherspoon and 11 from junior guard Tyson Carter. The Bulldogs shot just 31.1 percent from the field (19 of 61) and made only three of their 20 attempts from the arc.

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

THE GOOD:

Kentucky was able to get the game's tempo more to its liking and avoid the type of grinder game that State preferred. "They got us playing fast and playing to where we were in a hurry rather than being under control," MSU coach Ben Howland said. "... In general, we were rushed offensively tonight. They did a good job of getting us in a hurry. Credit their defense."

THE BAD:

The Cats let State get back into the game at 41-39 with 13 minutes remaining when there were many opportunities prior to put the Bulldogs away. UK is definitely improving, but John Calipari is still seeking consistency.

THE UGLY:

UK finished with 16 turnovers and only 14 assists, the first time in a while the Cats have been upside down on their ratio. Many of the careless mistakes helped MSU hang around for longer than it should have.

GAME BALL:

PJ Washington, Kentucky -- It was the closest the sophomore forward has come to what UK's coaches and fans alike envisioned when he decided to come back for a second year with the Cats. Washington looked like the "positionless" future pro that Calipari believes he can be.

BY THE NUMBERS:

3-1 - Record for Kentucky this season against AP Top 25 teams.

5th - Career 20-point game for PJ Washington.

12 - Wins in a row for the Cats over the Bulldogs.

21 - Largest margin of victory for UK over a ranked opponent since a 69-48 win over Michigan State on Nov. 15, 2016.

68-0 - Kentucky's record under Calipari when holding the opponent to 55 points or less.

96-20 - UK's lead in the all-time series with MSU.

2015 - The last time UK had back to back wins over a ranked opponent, coming in the NCAA Midwest Regional.

QUOTABLE:

"I keep telling them, he's going to break through, and everybody's going to say 'Oh my gosh, who is this guy?' I mean, did you see him block that shot? It changed the game. " -- UK coach John Calipari on freshman forward EJ Montgomery's solid showing against MSU, which included a second-half blocked shot that sparked a runout basket for the Cats to start their game-closing run.

UP NEXT:

Kentucky returns to action on Saturday against No. 9 Kansas in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge at Rupp Arena. The Jayhawks are coming off an 80-76 win over No. 24 Iowa State. Tip-off is slated for 6 p.m. ET on ESPN. The popular ESPN College GameDay Show will be held from 11 a.m. to noon at Rupp Arena. Gates open at 9 a.m.