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Top-ranked Kentucky takes down No. 4 Louisville

Dec 28, 2014 - 3:18 AM Louisville, KY (SportsNetwork.com) - Tyler Ulis poured in 14 points -- including 12 in the second half -- as top-ranked Kentucky dispatched No. 4 Louisville for the third straight time, a 58-50 result on Saturday.

Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in 10 with nine rebounds for the Wildcats (13-0), who used a late second-half surge to remain unbeaten.

"Tyler was great. He played amazing. He just led the team. He led the team," Towns admitted. "That's one of the things: against a team like this, you need to make sure everything's under control. He kept the game under control. He was hitting shots like he always does."

Terry Rozier compiled 15 points and eight boards for the Cardinals (11-1), who were limited to less than 26 percent shooting. Chris Jones and Wayne Blackshear picked up 13 and 10 points, respectively, in defeat.

Blackshear's two free throws closed Kentucky's lead to 35-32 with 8:48 to play before the visitors struck to provide some distance.

Towns hit two from the line to kick off a 10-2 burst, Ulis drilled a triple in the midst of the surge then capped it with 6:19 on the clock with a jumper for a 45-34 contest.

The lead grew to 50-38 after Andrew Harrison was good from long distance, then Louisville closed within 50-43 on a Blackshear free throw with 1:32 left, but Aaron Harrison stepped in and sank a trey on the 'Cats next possession for a 10-point spread.

Kentucky finished 5-for-6 from the line to seal it.

"I'll tell you the truth. We missed about eight to ten easy shots. That's a credit to them, but also we're a little offensively challenged," noted Louisville head coach Rick Pitino. "Their size really wore us down. We don't have much of a bench right now."

The largest lead for either side in a tight first half was four: 10-6 on a Dakari Johnson jumper for Kentucky, then 22-18 for the Wildcats after a triple from Devin Booker which stood as the halftime margin.

Blackshear's bucket less than four minutes into the second half pulled the hosts within 26-24, but a triple from Ulis minutes later gave the Wildcats a 35-28 edge.

Game Notes

Kentucky now holds a 33-15 all-time series lead. Since John Calipari has been in Lexington, the Wildcats have won seven of the eight meetings ... Saturday marked the fewest points in a loss for Louisville since Dec. 14, 2010, a 52-46 defeat to Drexel ... Actress and Louisville native Jennifer Lawrence was in attendance, one of 22,812 to see the contest ... Cardinals forward Montrezl Harrell returned from a one-game suspension, totaling nine points and eight rebounds with two steals in 40 minutes.