Feb. 25, 2010

Final Stats | Photo Gallery

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -Patrick Patterson had 23 points and No. 2 Kentucky avenged its only loss this season with an 82-61 victory over South Carolina on Thursday night.

The Wildcats (27-1, 12-1) need just one more victory or a Vanderbilt loss to clinch at least a share of their 44th Southeastern Conference championship. Vanderbilt beat Georgia 96-94 in overtime Thursday, delaying the Kentucky celebration for at least another game.

Like its last meeting with Kentucky a month ago, South Carolina (14-13, 5-8) proved a pesky opponent until near the end. However, Kentucky had too much offensive firepower, and its defense gave up 26 points to the SEC’s leading scorer, Devan Downey, but little else.

South Carolina never led, and every time it started to chip away, the Wildcats had an answer and usually it was from Patterson.