LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – Never had Kentucky faced such a deep hole under coach John Calipari, a situation that took nearly everything the ninth-ranked Wildcats had to overcome Vanderbilt. On Senior Night, Derek Willis had to overcome his nerves to propose to his girlfriend before the game.
Kentucky’s defensive urgency created offensive chances for Malik Monk to deliver once again.
Monk scored 20 points in the second half, including 10 in the final 3:40, as Kentucky rallied from a 13-point deficit and held off Vanderbilt 73-67 on Tuesday night to clinch a share of the Southeastern Conference regular-season title.
After trailing by as many as 19 points in the first half, the Wildcats, who overcame the largest deficit under Calipari, were still down 47-34 with 13:51 remaining. They clamped down defensively and gave their shooters chances to contribute and earn a hard-fought victory. Monk made a go-ahead 3 with 3:40 left before adding another long-range shot with 49 seconds left for 69-62 lead.
The freshman guard then made four free throws in the final 21 seconds to finish with 27 points for Kentucky (25-5, 15-2), which shot 58 percent in the second half. Bam Adebayo added 16 points and De’Aaron Fox had 13 after a one-game absence with a knee injury. Each scored 10 points after the break.