{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Kentucky 94, Louisiana State 77
When: 2:00 PM ET, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Where: Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky
Officials: # Anthony Greene, # Joe Lindsay, # Terry Moore
Attendance: 24414

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- No. 22 Kentucky earned a share of the Southeastern Conference regular-season championship on Saturday with a 94-77 win over LSU at Rupp Arena.

After the final game of the regular season, Kentucky (23-8, 13-5) finishes in a tie with Texas A&M atop the league, but the Aggies get the No. 1 seed for next week's SEC tournament because they won the only head-to-head meeting in College Station. It is the 47th SEC title for Kentucky, more than all the other SEC schools combined.

LSU (18-13, 11-7) won't learn its SEC seed until later in the day, but the Tigers have a lot of work to do next week in Nashville, Tenn., if they are to secure an NCAA Tournament bid.

In the game, Kentucky had built a nine-point lead by halftime, but the momentum swung entirely in the Wildcats' favor with 18:57 to play. LSU junior guard Tim Quarterman scored on a breakaway dunk, cutting Kentucky's lead to 41-34, but he was whistled for a technical foul for hanging on the rim.

Freshman guard Jamal Murray hit the technical free throw, which was the beginning of a 12-3 run by Kentucky to build its biggest lead of the day at 16 points, 53-37. Murray had six points and senior Alex Poythress had four.

Kentucky would go on to blow out an 89-63 lead with 3:45 to play, having outscored LSU 48-29 since the technical.

The story of the day was forward Skal Labissiere. Making only his second start since December, the fast-improving freshman had 18 points, nine rebounds and a career-high six blocked shots.

Murray topped Kentucky with 22 points to go with seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Tyler Ulis had 14 points and 14 assists. Junior forward Marcus Lee had 12 points and 10 rebounds and Poythress had 12 points.

Kentucky shot 52.8 percent and outrebounded LSU 45-29.

LSU was led by Quarterman with 23 points. Freshman forward Ben Simmons had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Freshman guard Antonio Blakeney and 19 points. For the game, LSU shot 45.2 percent, but was on 5-of-20 from 3-point range.

Despite the emotion of a Senior Day ceremony for Poythress, it was LSU that opened the game strong. After going down 4-0, the visiting Tigers went on a 9-0 assisted by three Kentucky turnovers. Simmons scored four points, Patterson had three. Back-to-back baskets by freshman guard Isaiah Briscoe stymied the run and made it a one-point game.

Moments later, Kentucky went on its own 9-0 run to grab a 17-14 lead with 11:29 in the first half. The run was highlighted by a rare five-point possession. Marcus Lee scored and was fouled. He missed the free throw, but Briscoe dove to the floor to tap the loose ball to Murray, who scored and was fouled. He made the free throw.

Kentucky finally pushed ahead with a 10-0 run to lead 30-21 with 5:24 left in the half. Ulis scored or assisted on all 10 points. At that time, he had eight assists in 15 minutes. Labissiere and Lee each had four points.

Kentucky maintained the advantage to the half with a 41-32 lead. Labissiere led Kentucky with 10 points and six rebounds in 14 minutes. Lee had eight points and five rebounds. Ulis had seven points and nine assists. Briscoe scored six points as Kentucky shots 56.7 percent as a team on 17-of-30. The Wildcats won the rebounding battle 24-14, but had six turnovers.

Simmons topped LSU with 10 points in the first half, Quarterman had nine and Blakeney seven but the Tigers shot only 33.3 percent (10 of 30). The Tigers were 9 of 10 from the foul line to remain close.

NOTES: Saturday's win gave Kentucky only its 13th undefeated season at Rupp Arena, which opened in 1976. Five of those have come during coach John Calipari's seven seasons. ... Kentucky ran its Rupp Arena win streak to 37. F Alex Poythress, who was recognized on Senior Day, exits as the 15th player in school history with 800 points, 500 rebounds and 70 blocks in a career ... Wildcats freshman G Jamal Murray hit at least one 3-pointer in all 31 games this year.
Top Game Performances
 
Louisiana State   Kentucky
Tim Quarterman 23 Scoring Jamal Murray 22
Ben Simmons 4 Assists Tyler Ulis 14
Ben Simmons 11 Rebounds Marcus Lee 10
Ben Simmons 7 Free Throws Made Jamal Murray 6
Ben Simmons 7 Steals Isaiah Briscoe 2
Antonio Blakeney 1 Blocks Skal Labissiere 6
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Louisiana State 77 45.2 5-20 16-21 9 27 3 8 12
Kentucky 94 52.8 7-18 11-17 26 43 6 3 11