DE'AARON FOX SCORED 18 POINTS, AND NO. 8 KENTUCKY WON ITS THIRD STRAIGHT SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP BY BEATING ARKANSAS 82-65 ON SUNDAY.
THE WILDCATS (29-5) ADDED THEIR 30TH TOURNAMENT TITLE ALL-TIME TO THEIR 48 REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONSHIPS IN CONVINCING FASHION. THE RAZORBACKS COULDN'T STRING TOGETHER POINTS THE WAY THEY USUALLY DO, NOT WITH KENTUCKY ANSWERING EVERY BIG BUCKET WITH ITS OWN RUN.
THE BIG SPURT CAME AS KENTUCKY SCORED 13 STRAIGHT POINTS TO END THE FIRST HALF AND INTO THE OPENING MINUTE OF THE SECOND THAT TURNED A THREE-POINT LEAD TO A 46-30 EDGE.ARKANSAS (25-9) FELL TO 1-6 IN THIS CHAMPIONSHIP, HAVING LOST TO KENTUCKY FOR THE SECOND TIME IN THREE YEARS.
THE GAME GOT VERY CHIPPY INSIDE THE FINAL COUPLE MINUTES AFTER ARKANSAS HIT SIX STRAIGHT SHOTS, THE LAST A 3-POINTER BY JAYLEN BARFORD, TO PULL WITHIN NINE FOR THE ONLY TIME IN THE SECOND HALF. DUSTY HANNAHS WAS GIVEN A FLAGRANT FOUL FOR KNOCKING KENTUCKY GUARD DOMINIQUE HAWKINS TO THE COURT WITH HIS FOREARMS, THEN MOSES KINGSLEY WENT TO THE LOCKER ROOM WITH 1:02 LEFT FOR HIS PHYSICAL FOUL OF FOX IN THE PAINT.KENTUCKY FINISHED BY OUTSCORING ARKANSAS 9-1,
THE FINAL POINTS A 3 BY FOX.MALIK MONK AND BAM ADEBAYO EACH FINISHED WITH 17 POINTS, AND HAWKINS ADDED 14 FOR KENTUCKY.