Vanderbilt forward Jeff Roberson lands on Kentucky guard De'Aaron Fox during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)NASHVILLE - Malik Monk scored six points in the final 32 seconds, and No. 6 Kentucky remained unbeaten in the Southeastern Conference by holding off Vanderbilt 87-81 Tuesday night.
Kentucky (14-2, 4-0) came in having beaten its first three SEC opponents by at least 23 points, something the Wildcats hadn't done since the 1953-54 season. They looked ready to roll over Vanderbilt, scoring the first nine points of the game, before finding themselves in their tightest game in league play this season.
Vanderbilt (8-8, 2-2) closed to within 83-81 on Jeff Roberson's putback with 17.9 seconds left. But the rally fizzled from there.
Monk, who hit Kentucky's last field goal with 32 seconds left, made two free throws with 17 seconds left. Vanderbilt's last shot, a 3-point try from Matthew Fisher-Davis, was off target with nine seconds remaining, and Monk finished off the win with two more foul shots.
Isaiah Briscoe led Kentucky with 23 points, De'Aaron Fox had 22, Monk finished with 18 and Edrice "Bam" Adebayo had 14.
Roberson, Fisher-Davis and Riley LaChance each scored 19 points for Vanderbilt. Luke Kornet added 16.
The Wildcats got into early foul trouble that kept Monk and Fox on the bench for much of the first half.
Monk, the SEC's leading scorer, picked up his second foul with 16:54 left in the first half, followed quickly by Fox getting his second 11 seconds later. They both went to the bench, and the Commodores finally started knocking down some shots.
The Wildcats led 45-41 at halftime but couldn't push their lead past eight in the second half.
Vanderbilt last led 53-51 on a three-point play by LaChance and stayed close despite the SEC's best shooters outside the arc hitting just 8 of 29 (27.6 percent).