Denzel Aberdeen scored 19 points, including six game-sealing free throws, and Otega Oweh and Collin Chandler each scored 18 as host Kentucky outlasted Texas 85-80 in Lexington on Wednesday night.
The key moment came when Simeon Wilcher was assessed a foul against Oweh with just over 10 minutes to play in regulation.
With the Wildcats (13-6, 4-2 SEC) clinging to a 57-56 lead, Oweh converted both free throws to ignite a 19-9 run in less than five minutes that extended the lead to 76-65 with 5:48 left.
The Longhorns (11-8, 2-4) trimmed their deficit to three on three occasions in the final 1:33, but each time, Aberdeen delivered at the free-throw line as the Wildcats won their fourth in a row.
Dailyn Swain poured in 29 points before fouling out with five seconds remaining as the Longhorns lost for the fourth time in six games. Matas Vokietaitis posted a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double and Chendall Weaver scored 14 points.
In a tightly-contested first half, neither team led by more than five. The teams traded runs to a 40-all score at halftime. The rebound battle was also tied at 20-all.
Oweh, the SEC Preseason Player of the Year, ignited Kentucky’s offense, scoring 10 points on 5-of-13 shooting in the first half. Aberdeen matched Oweh’s point total, going 2 of 4 from beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes. Swain led all scorers at the break with 14 points.
The Wildcats started strong in the second half by hitting high-percentage shots, leading by as many as six on three occasions. Texas kept the game close and took its first lead of the second half at 56-55 at the 11-minute mark on a Swain 3-pointer.
Kentucky answered with a 15-4 run for a 70-60 lead with 7:33 to play.
Free throws were a huge difference in the second half. Kentucky shot 23 of 27, while Texas went 11 of 13.
–Field Level Media
