Buzzer-Beater in the Bluegrass

JORDAN. WRIGHT. pic.twitter.com/Bhw1bjI7tI

— Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball (@VandyMBB) March 2, 2023

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Jordan Wright hit a go-ahead fall-away jumper in the lane with 2.6 seconds remaining to finish with 23 points, and Vanderbilt topped No. 23 Kentucky 68-66 on Wednesday night for its first win at Rupp Arena since January 2007.

The surging Commodores (17-13, 10-7 Southeastern Conference) earned their seventh win in eight games and are 7-3 since losing to Kentucky 69-53 last month in Nashville. They trailed 26-21 late in the first half before leading 34-30 at halftime and 46-35 early in the second before withstanding Kentucky’s rally for a 66-64 advantage with 1:10 left on Oscar Tshiebwe’s layup.

Wright answered with a drive from the right wing to tie the game with 42 seconds left, and Tyrin Lawrence grabbed Antonio Reeves’ missed jumper with 20 seconds left. Wright got free just inside the free throw line, stopped and fell back with the game winner.

Antonio Reeves’ 3-point attempt missed the rim altogether as time expired. Kentucky had won its previous four and re-entered the rankings on Monday for the first time in seven weeks.