SportsDecember 18, 2005

Rajon Rondo scored 25 points, setting a career high for the fourth time this season, and No. 23 Kentucky rebounded from its worst loss in 16 years to beat No. 4 Louisville 73-61 on Saturday in Lexington, Ky. Kentucky beat its archrival in consecutive years for the first time since winning three straight over the Cardinals from 2000 to 2002...

Rajon Rondo scored 25 points, setting a career high for the fourth time this season, and No. 23 Kentucky rebounded from its worst loss in 16 years to beat No. 4 Louisville 73-61 on Saturday in Lexington, Ky.

Kentucky beat its archrival in consecutive years for the first time since winning three straight over the Cardinals from 2000 to 2002.

Louisville coach Rick Pitino -- who restored Kentucky basketball to glory in the 1990s -- has a 34-3 record in December during his five seasons with the Cardinals (6-1) with all three losses to Kentucky.

It was the 350th career victory for Kentucky's Tubby Smith. He is one of seven coaches to reach 350 wins in 15 seasons or less. His record is 350-123 in 15 seasons at Tulsa, Georgia and Kentucky.

Kentucky (7-3) had lost two of its previous three games, including a 26-point defeat against Indiana on Dec. 10.

Louisville, playing away from home for the first time this season, made one of its first 14 shots while Kentucky took a 13-3 lead.

Taquan Dean had 14 points and six assists for Louisville.

No. 5 Memphis 72, Mississippi 49

Rodney Carney, Memphis' sixth man, scored 19 points to lead the Tigers.

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Memphis (8-1) never trailed, led by as many as 24 points and shot nearly 44 percent in winning its fifth straight game.

Memphis coach John Calipari started three freshmen and two sophomores.

Tennessee 95, No. 6 Texas 78

Chris Lofton scored 21 points and visiting Tennessee kept up its perfect early season run under first-year coach Bruce Pearl by handing the Longhorns their second straight blowout loss.

C.J. Watson added 17 points for Tennessee (6-0), which hit 12 3-pointers, hounded Texas into 22 turnovers and routinely sliced through the Longhorns' normally tough defense for easy baskets.

A week earlier, Texas (8-2) was ranked No. 2 and off to its best start in 24 years. Then came a 31-point loss to No. 1 Duke and then this, a surprisingly easy Tennessee victory that snapped the Longhorns' 33-game home nonconference winning streak.

No. 14 UCLA 68, Michigan 61

Jordan Farmar had 21 points and Arron Afflalo added 20 for UCLA, which held off a late rally to hand the Wolverines their first loss of the season.

The Bruins (8-1) are off to their best start since 1997-98.

-- The Associated Press

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