No. 11 Gonzaga routs Kentucky 94-59 in Nashville

Graham Ike scored a season-high 28 points and had 10 rebounds as No. 11 Gonzaga routed No. 18 Kentucky 94-59 Friday night on a neutral court that felt like Rupp Arena South with Wildcats faithful filling Bridgestone Arena.

Gonzaga never trailed, scoring the first seven points. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 19-2 lead and extended it to 25 points. Kentucky’s blue-clad fans booed the Wildcats off the court at halftime, when they trailed 43-20.

The Wildcats missed their first 10 shots, seven outside the arc. They kept shooting away, and fans roared when Denzel Aberdeen finally sank Kentucky’s first 3-pointer with 11:04 left to make it 19-5. As shots kept missing, fans started booing.

Kentucky (5-4) got guard Jaland Lowe back from an injured right shoulder that kept him out of the past five games. He came off the bench as the Wildcats lost their second straight and third of five. 

Gonzaga (8-1) notched its third Top 25 win this season and third over a Southeastern Conference team, all by double digits. The Bulldogs had been off since being routed by then-No. 7 Michigan on Nov. 26 in Las Vegas.

Otega Oweh led Kentucky with 16 points and Collin Chandler scored 11.

Braden Huff added 20 points for Gonzaga, and Adam Miller and Braeden Smith each had 11.

Kentucky hosts North Carolina Central on Tuesday night.


(AP Photo George Walker IV)