KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - What started out as a potential blowout loss developed into one of the most monumental comebacks in Tennessee history.
Kevin Punter Jr. scored 27 points and Armani Moore added 18 points and 13 rebounds Tuesday night as Tennessee erased a 21-point deficit in an 84-77 upset of No. 20 Kentucky.
Tennessee's rally represented a stunning turn of events for a team that had lost its last two games despite leading by at least 14 points in the second half of each. The Volunteers (11-11, 4-5 Southeastern Conference) trailed 34-13 with less than 6 minutes left in the first half.
"We kind of joked around about it, we actually said we liked it better being down instead of being up at the half," Moore said. "It kind of makes us a whole lot hungrier."
Tennessee's media guide doesn't include a list of its biggest comebacks ever, but athletic department spokesman Tom Satkowiak said he believes the 21-point deficit was the largest margin the Vols have erased in a victory since at least December 2006. This matched the seventh-biggest comeback by any Division I team this season, according to STATS LLC.
This marked the second straight defeat for Kentucky (16-6, 6-3), which got 21 points from Jamal Murray and 20 from Tyler Ulis. The Wildcats fell 90-84 in overtime Saturday at No. 7 Kansas, which was ranked fourth at the time.
"We had them down by 21 - and they came back and beat our brains in," Kentucky coach John Calipari said. "They ended up beating us by 30 in about 25 minutes - and it could have been 50. We've got a ways to go."
The score was tied 70-all until Robert Hubbs III made a free throw with 5:04 left to start a 7-0 run that put Tennessee ahead for good. Kentucky couldn't cut the margin below three points the rest of the way.
Kentucky seemed on the verge of putting this game out of reach early. But after trailing by 21, Tennessee used a 10-0 run to get within striking distance and cut Kentucky's lead to 42-36 by halftime.
"I kept glancing over at the scoreboard and I kept looking up there and we were cutting into it, cutting into it," Punter said. "We hit a few shots and got going, and we were down like six."
The Wildcats lead the series 151-68.