LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Freshman guard Rajon Rondo scored a career-high 18 points and fueled a late run as No. 9 Kentucky pulled away for a 69-54 victory over Vanderbilt on Wednesday night.

The Wildcats (11-2, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) remained perfect in 28 games against Vanderbilt at Rupp Arena, dating to the 1976-77 season. Kentucky’s 57.8 percent shooting was by far its best outing of the season.

Vanderbilt (11-5, 2-1) had a seven-game winning streak snapped. The Commodores, who had made 30 of 57 3-pointers in their last two games – wins over Alabama and Tennessee – went 9-of-30 from behind the arc against Kentucky.

During the final 6 minutes, Vanderbilt only attempted one 2-point field goal. Corey Smith led the Commodores with 16 points.

In Kentucky’s first game since losing to No. 2 Kansas on Sunday, the Wildcats began sluggishly. Kentucky managed only one basket during an 8-minute stretch of the first half, allowing Vanderbilt to lead by as many as seven points.

An 11-1 run, capped by a coast-to-coast layup by Rondo, gave the Wildcats a 24-21 lead, and they led 33-30 at halftime.

Kentucky led 49-43 with 8 minutes left when Rondo started a 17-3 run by driving the baseline for a layup. He added two more baskets and had two assists during the run.

Rondo, a member of Kentucky’s highly touted freshman class, went 8-of-11 from the field and had four rebounds, four assists and three steals. The 6-foot-1 Rondo even blocked two shots, after having blocked only one in the first 12 games.

His performance came two days after another Kentucky freshman guard, Joe Crawford, quit the team.

Kelenna Azubuike scored 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting for Kentucky, and fellow forward Chuck Hayes added 14 points and seven rebounds.

About the only negative for Kentucky was its free throw shooting. The Wildcats finished 11-of-21 from the line (52.4 percent).