LEXINGTON — Oscar Tshiebwe scored 19 points and had 12 rebounds for Kentucky, but the Wildcats couldn't overcome a slow start and fell to the South Carolina Gamecocks 71-68 on Tuesday.
The win was a historic one for coach Lamont Paris, who got his first SEC victory and for South Carolina, it was their first win at Rupp Arena in 14 years.
The loss snapped the Wildcats SEC-leading 28-game home win streak.
Kentucky found itself battling uphill right from the start, as they started the game one-of-six from the field and the Gamecocks jumped out to a 13-2 lead in the first five minutes of the game.
The Wildcats (10-6, 1-3 SEC) would cut the deficit to four, but trail 42-32 at the half.
South Carolina (8-8, 1-2) would hold an 11-point lead with 3:58 left in the game before the Wildcats would make a late comeback.
Antonio Reeves would hit a three-pointer, Daimion Collins would add a layup, Sahvir Wheeler would hit a jumper and CJ Fredrick would hit a trifecta to pull Kentucky to within 69-68, with 51 seconds left.
Trailing 71-68, the Wildcats would get one final possession with a chance to send the game into overtime. But all three attempts from behind the arc would miss and South Carolina would leave Rupp Arena with a win.
Fredrick had 14 points on the night, Reeves added 13 and Wheeler scored 10 for Kentucky.
Meechie Johnson scored a game-high 26 for the Gamecocks, including six three-pointers.
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