Ole Miss (17-6, 6-4 SEC) needed a bounce-back game after dropping a contest to No. 1 Auburn on Saturday despite a valiant effort. The Rebels took that knowledge and returned to their winning ways in SEC play, gaining a key Quad 1 win in the process.

The Kentucky Wildcats hit the road to face the Ole Miss Rebels in an SEC matchup on Monday night at the SJB Pavilion in Oxford, Mississippi.

Mark Pope’s Wildcats have now lost four of their last five games, and their halftime deficit Tuesday night was the program’s biggest in 12 years.

As a team, Kentucky shot 50% from the floor, 47.6% from three-point range, and 72.7% from the free-throw line. Otega Oweh led the Wildcats in scoring with 24 points, followed by Jaxson Robinson with 18 points, Amari Williams with 12 and Koby Brea with 10.

The nationally ranked Ole Miss Rebels and Kentucky Wildcats Men’s Basketball teams prepare for an SEC showdown on Tuesday night. The No. 14 ranked Wildcats boast a 15-6 record. Four of the team’s losses are in conference, causing their standings to drop to ninth in the SEC.

Mark Pope's No. 14 Kentucky Wildcats fell behind big in the first half and never recovered against Ole Miss in an SEC showdown Tuesday night.

Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope answers questions after UK’s dismal defensive showing in a road loss at Ole Miss.

That is not the result they got, as the Cats lost 98-84 to Ole Miss, marking their fourth loss in five games. The Cats came out flat and fell behind by 23 points at the half and even 29 at one point in the game.