LEXINGTON, Ky. - Tennessee captured some momentum back after topping No. 1 Alabama on Wednesday.
Three days later, the No. 10 Vols were left with more questions.
Hindered by a sluggish offensive first half performance and without two key starters, Tennessee could not shoot its way into a comeback against Kentucky, falling 66-54 at Rupp Arena on Saturday.
For the second-straight game, Josiah-Jordan James (ankle) and forward Julian Phillips (hip flexor) were unavailable, leaving Tennessee shorthanded.
In their place, Jonas Aidoo and Jahmai Mashack made consecutive starts. After recording the highest plus-minus in an impressive defensive performance against Alabama, Mashack, who was held scoreless in that contest, accounted for much of the Vols' offensive production in the first half.
He finished with a career high 16 points while guard Santiago Vescovi led with 17.
Tennessee shot just over 29% in the first half as a team, though and foul trouble plagued the Vols as they fell behind by 20 at halftime. Tennessee improved that percentage in the second half, but the deficit and foul trouble that led to role players Zakai Zeigler, Tobe Awaka and Aidoo forced the trio to miss out on critical minutes.
Just like their previous meeting, which Kentucky won 85-71 in Knoxville on Jan. 14, the Wildcats held the edge in rebounding, 40-32
Guard Cason Wallace and forward Oscar Tshiebwe paced Kentucky with 16 points each. Chris Livingston scored 12 and grabbed 10 boards.
Both teams struggled to score early, but Kentucky (18-9, 9-5) took a 10-2 lead nearly eight minutes in.
Tennessee pulled within five following an Aidoo basket, but Tshibwe scored five points in a 7-0 Kentucky run to swell its lead to double digits.
The Wildcats outscored the Vols 8-0 in the last two minutes of the first half to lead 39-19 at the intermission.
Led by its defensive pressure, Tennessee opened the second half with seven-straight points, including two Vescovi 3-pointers.
Vescovi kept the Vols within striking distance, scoring on three consecutive possessions just over the midway point of the half. Kentucky maintained its lead with answers from Jacob Toppin and Wallace, but Mashack gave Tennessee a glimmer of hope with a 3-pointer that cut that advantage down to nine with less than nine minutes left.
Mashack inched the Vols closer at 58-50, but it was followed by a lengthy scoring drought that went more than three minutes and allowed Kentucky to go up 12 around the four minute mark.
Tennessee wasn't able to put the shooting together late to make a serious push.
The Vols continue their two-game road trip at Texas A&M on Tuesday. Tip-off at Reed Arena in College Station, Texas is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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