Vanderbilt’s Rod Odom (right) blocks a shot by Arkansas’ B. J. Young during the first half. (AP)
Vanderbilt (9-13, 3-7 Southeastern Conference) managed only 11 points by halftime and matched a season-low in points while losing 56-33 to Arkansas on Jan. 12 in Fayetteville. This time, the Commodores held Arkansas to a season low in scoring. They also built their biggest halftime lead in SEC play at 35-24 and finally protected a lead by finishing off the win.
Sheldon Jeter added 13 points and Josh Henderson had 11.
Arkansas (14-9, 5-5) failed to follow up its 80-69 upset of No. 2 Florida on Tuesday night, and the Razorbacks still remain winless this season in true road games. They’ve lost all six, including their first four league games.
Mardracus Wade led Arkansas with 13 points.
Kentucky 72, Auburn 62
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kyle Wiltjer’s 14 points led five Kentucky players in double figures as the Wildcats outlasted Auburn 72-62 Saturday for their fifth straight win.
Though tighter than the Wildcats’ 75-53 beating of the Tigers three weeks ago at Auburn, the victory provided their longest winning streak this season and some momentum before Tuesday’s Southeastern Conference showdown at first-place Florida. The Wildcats (17-6, 8-2) began the day a game behind the Gators.
Kentucky survived physical and sometimes chippy play by Auburn, which saw center Rob Chubb and backup Asauhn Dixon-Tatum foul out. The Wildcats made 26 of 38 free throws to beat Auburn for the 15th straight time.
Ryan Harrow and Willie Cauley-Stein each added 12 points, while Julius Mays and Nerlens Noel had 10 apiece. Noel added 11 rebounds for his third straight double-double but blocked his only shot in the final minutes.
Chris Denson’s 15 points led Auburn (9-14, 3-7).
No. 21 Missouri 98,
Mississippi 79
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Alex Oriakhi had a career-high 22 points to go with 18 rebounds, three blocks and a central role in a second-half fracas of No. 21 Missouri’s easy 98-79 victory over Mississippi on Saturday.
Phil Pressey had four assists to break Anthony Peeler’s career school record and had 22 points for Missouri (17-6, 6-4 Southeastern Conference), which bounced back nicely from its latest discouraging road loss, a 1-point setback at Texas A&M on Thursday. The Tigers are 14-0 at home and 0-5 on the road.
Marshall Henderson had 16 points on 4-for-15 shooting for Mississippi (18-5, 7-3), which was on the verge of cracking the Top 25 last week but has lost three of four. Jarvis Summers also had 16 points while Murphy Holloway, coming off a career-best 24 points, was held to seven in 30 minutes.
Ole Miss whipped then-No. 10 Missouri 64-49 at home on Jan. 12, but gave up 50 points in the first half of the rematch and was outrebounded 50-32.
No. 2 Florida 83,
Mississippi St. 58
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Mike Rosario scored 18 points, Erik Murphy added 17 and No. 2 Florida bounced back from a humbling loss earlier in the week to thump short-handed Mississippi State 83-58 on Saturday.
The game looked every bit like a matchup of the Southeastern Conference’s best and worst teams.
Then again, it wasn’t nearly as lopsided as the 35-point beatdown the Gators handed the Bulldogs on their home court two weeks ago.
Casey Prather, playing in place of injured forward Will Yeguete, chipped in 12 points and five rebounds. Yeguete had arthroscopic surgery Friday to remove loose bodies in his right knee and will miss at least the rest of the regular season.
The Gators (19-3, 9-1 SEC) went 4-5 without him last season, but looked much better against the Bulldogs.
Mississippi State (7-15, 2-8) played without guard Jalen Steele, who didn’t make the trip after being suspended indefinitely for violating team rules.
Alabama 60, LSU 57
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Nick Jacobs scored 15 points and hit two free throws with 46 seconds left to help Alabama secure a 60-57 victory over LSU on Saturday night.
The rest of the Crimson Tide (15-8, 7-3 Southeastern Conference) missed five straight free throws down the stretch to keep giving the Tigers (13-8, 4-6) chances to at least tie.
LSU missed all three 3-pointers in the final minute after pulling out three straight wins by a collective five points.
Jacobs made 7 of 8 foul shots and blocked three shots for Alabama, which was coming off an anemic 49-37 loss at Auburn when the Crimson Tide scored 14 points in the second half.
Trevor Releford scored 12 points and Levi Randolph and Rodney Cooper each had 10 for Alabama.
Johnny O'Bryant led LSU with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Shavon Coleman scored nine of his 11 in the second half before fouling out.
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