LOUISVILLE, Ky., March 15 (UPI) -- Terrence Jones helped Kentucky pour it on after a slow start Thursday and the No. 1 seeded Wildcats roared past Western Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament 81-66.
Kentucky will face Iowa State in the third round of the South Region Saturday after the Cyclones knocked out defending champion Connecticut.
The Wildcats, ranked No. 1 for most of the season, had a 24-game winning streak snapped Sunday in the finals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament. Kentucky found itself with only a one-point lead midway through the first half Thursday against the only team in this year's NCAA field with a losing record.
Kentucky, however, broke loose to take a 19-point advantage at the intermission and the lead grew to as many as 32 points during the second half.
Jones scored 22 points with 10 rebounds. Doron Lamb and Anthony Davis both had 16 for the Wildcats (32-2) and Marquis Teague added 12.
Western Kentucky (16-19) got into the tournament by capturing the Sun Belt Conference tourney as the No. 7 seed and then rallied to defeat Mississippi Valley in a first-round game Tuesday.
T.J. Price scored 21 points for the Hilltoppers, who shot only 39.7 percent.
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