Turnovers cost Kentucky, upset by Vanderbilt on the road 74-69

Kentucky got back to it on Saturday after not having a mid-week game, facing the Vanderbilt Commodores, and it was a fast one that featured plenty of threes and turnovers, going down to the wire in Memorial Gymnasium. Going into the game, arguably Kentucky's biggest key to success was to take care of the ball, and that did not go to plan, leading to Vanderbilt pulling off the 74-69 upset. Despite a 21 point and 12 rebound career-game for Otega Oweh, along with Ansley Almonor with 12 points and Jaxson Robinson, 11, it just wasn't enough in the end.

Turnovers and runs were the story of this game. Keentucky dug out of a 14-point halftime deficit after Vanderbilt ended the first half on a 13-2 run. During that time, Kentucky committed 7 turnovers in the last 6 minutes of the half, which helped Vanderbilt cruise to a comfortable halftime lead. Kentucky had 8 turnovers in the last 10 minutes of the half, ending with 10 total miscues in the first half. A brutal stretch for Kentucky put them in a big role. The Commodores had 6 steals in the first half, including 9 points off turnovers and 8 fast-break points.

Kentucky then combated the 14-point Vanderbilt lead starting the second half as well as a team can, really taking care of the ball, going on a 17-2 run heading into the final eight minutes. Then, in the last eight minutes, the Commodores began to create turnovers, and the Wildcats let it slip away from them. Both of those segments towards the end of each half turned out to bite Kentucky in the end with bad effort that Vanderbilt really took advantage of. The Commodores forced 16 turnovers, while committing just 5 miscues on the night, really playing to their biggest strength.

A brutal upset loss for Kentucky, they now head to Tennessee on Tuesday, facing the very physical #6 team in college basketball.