Kentucky Wildcats vs Auburn Tigers Box Score on Feb 17, 2024

Antonio Reeves scored 22 points to help No. 22 Kentucky post a 70-59 wire-to-wire road victory over No. 13 Auburn in Southeastern Conference play on Saturday.

Adou Thiero added 14 points and eight rebounds and Rob Dillingham scored 11 points for the Wildcats (18-7, 8-4 SEC). Ugonna Onyenso had 11 rebounds and Reed Sheppard had five steals for Kentucky.

Johni Broome recorded 14 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots and Chad Baker-Mazara also scored 14 points for Auburn (20-6, 9-4). Denver Jones added 12 for the Tigers, who fell to 13-1 at home this season.

Kentucky shot 44.4 percent from the floor and made 4 of 13 from 3-point range. Tre Mitchell (shoulder) sat out for the third time in four games. His first two absences were due to a back injury.

The Tigers made just 30.9 percent of their attempts, including 4 of 22 from behind the arc.

Auburn's Jaylin Williams left with a knee injury sustained during a fall with 10:40 left in the game and was quickly ruled out. He had just three points in 24 minutes.

Kentucky scored the first four points of the second half to take a 43-29 lead and still led by 11 after Thiero's dunk with 15:03 left in the contest.

But Auburn used consecutive baskets by Baker-Mazara, K.D. Johnson and Broome to move within 47-42 with 13:10 remaining.

Reeves got hot and scored 13 of Kentucky's next 17 points. His 3-pointer with 8:42 left pushed the lead to 58-46. He later made a jumper and layup in a 48-second span as the Wildcats increased their lead to 64-48 with 6:05 left.

Auburn answered with eight straight points and Broome's two free throws cut the Kentucky lead to 64-56 with 2:59 left to play, but the Wildcats staved off the charge.

Dillingham had all 11 of his points in the first half and Kentucky had a 15-0 edge in points off turnovers while holding a 39-29 advantage at the break. Baker-Mazara had seven in the half for the Tigers, who shot just 28.1 percent over the 20 minutes.

The Wildcats ripped out to an 11-2 lead at the outset and later received consecutive three-point plays by Thiero to take a 27-15 lead with 5:09 left in the half.

Baker-Mazara made two free throws to cap a 10-3 run as Auburn moved within 30-25 with 2:49 left. Dillingham scored Kentucky's last six points of the half to push the lead back to 10.

--Field Level Media