LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Rajon Rondo scored a career-high 19 points and No. 8 Kentucky held off Lipscomb 67-49 on Monday night in the second round of the Guardians Classic.
A 23-9 run during the final 10 minutes finally allowed Kentucky (2-0) to put away Lipscomb (1-1) and advance to the tournament semifinals next Monday in Kansas City, Mo. The Wildcats will play either No. 20 Iowa or Colgate, who meet in a second-round game Tuesday.
As he did in Kentucky’s season opener on Sunday against South Dakota State, Rondo carried the Wildcats in all phases. The 6-foot-1 sophomore point guard led the team with seven rebounds, five assists and was named the most valuable player of the tournament’s four-team Lexington regional.
Lipscomb, a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference, finished 16-12 last season. The former NAIA basketball power, located in Nashville, Tenn., moved into NCAA Division I to start the 1999-00 season. Since that time, Kentucky is by far the highest-profile team to play the Bisons.
The Bisons took a 9-3 lead but scored only one basket during the next 11-plus minutes. Kentucky took advantage and led 22-11 at the 6-minute mark.
Lipscomb, though, closed to 30-22 by halftime and was as close as two points twice during the first eight minutes of the second half, at 36-34 and 38-36. The Bisons had two chances to tie or take the lead, but missed a 3-point attempt and turned the ball over.
Still, the Bisons wouldn’t go away, pulling to 44-40 with 10 minutes left on a basket by reserve swingman Eddie Ard, who scored a career-high 22 points.
Kentucky began extending its lead in the final minutes. Rondo gave the Wildcats their first double-digit advantage since the first half, making two free throws with 5:34 left to put Kentucky up 54-43. Two minutes later, Ravi Moss hit a 3 to stretch the lead to 14 and allow Kentucky fans to start breathing easier.
Rondo finished 7-of-10 from the field as Kentucky shot 50 percent (24-of-48). That helped offset the fact that a shorter Lipscomb team outrebounded the Wildcats 34-30. The Bisons shot 37.7 percent from the field.
