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COL BKB: Kentucky 62, Cornell 45

SYRACUSE, N.Y., March 26 (UPI) -- DeMarcus Cousins scored 16 points Thursday and Kentucky used its inside strength to wear down Cornell for a 62-45 victory in the NCAA regional semifinals.

The top-seeded Wildcats quickly overcame a 10-2 deficit by making seven layups and four dunks en route to a 16-point halftime lead.

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Cornell closed within six with less than 5 minutes to play but Kentucky pulled away down the stretch to set up an East Region title matchup Saturday against No. 2 seed West Virginia.

The East Region will be the only one in the NCAA Tournament this year in which the top two seeds play for a berth in the Final Four.

Kentucky's size and defensive ability combined to limit Cornell to 16 field goals for the game. The Big Red, which recorded the first two NCAA Tournament victories in school history to get to the regional semifinals, made 5-of-21 attempts from 3-point range.

The Wildcats shot only 43 percent and were 2-of-16 from long range.

Cousins hit 7-of-8 from the field. The only other Kentucky player in double figures was Eric Bledsoe with 12.

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Kentucky, which won its first 19 games of the season, improved to 35-2. Cornell (29-5), the first Ivy League team in a dozen years to win a game in the tournament, was led by Louis Dale with 17 points.

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