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By BRUCE SCHREINER
Associated Press Writer

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Erik Daniels scored a career-high 24 points and reserve Antwain Barbour hit four 3-pointers to lift No. 5 Kentucky past Mississippi 71-61 on Wednesday night.

Daniels hit an assortment of short shots while Barbour paced Kentucky (14-2, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) from the outside as the Wildcats held off a several comebacks in the second half.

Barbour hit a career-best 4-of-5 from beyond the arc and finished with 12, one short of his career high. His final 3-pointer put Kentucky ahead 64-56 with 2:10 left and stymied Mississippi’s final rally. The senior had made just one 3-pointer in Kentucky’s first 15 games.

Aaron Harper led Mississippi (10-7, 2-4) with 19 points, Kendrick Fox added 16 off the bench and Justin Reed had 15.

Gerald Fitch added 14 for Kentucky.

Reed hit six straight points to pull the Rebels to 53-50. That was as close as the Rebels got. The Wildcats pulled ahead 61-53 on Chuck Hayes’ layin and free throw with 2:56 left. Barbour followed with his last 3-pointer and Daniels slammed a dunk to make it 66-58 with 1:21 left.

The teams traded leads for much of an error-plagued first half.

The Wildcats took an early 10-4 lead after a Daniels made a layup and free throw. Mississippi countered with an 11-3 spurt, capped when Fox made a pair of 3-pointers to give the Rebels their first lead at 15-13.

Mississippi twice opened five-point leads — its biggest of the game — on baskets by Reed, the last putting the Rebels ahead 27-22.

Daniels scored the last nine points of the half to tie the game at 29.

Fitch hit a 3-pointer after the break to make it 32-29, and the Wildcats never trailed after that.

Kentucky was 23-of-45 (51.1 percent) from the floor and 8-of-19 from beyond the arc. Mississippi finished 22-of-50 (44 percent) and was 9-of-17 from 3-point range.