Padgett was ejected after drawing technical fouls 52 seconds apart late in the second half. Wayne Turner added 17 points and a career-high 11 assists for Kentucky, which was 18-of-34 from the field in the second half.
The game was tied, 17-17, eight minutes in when the Wildcats broke open the game with their pivotal run. They maintained an 18-point halftime lead and were never challenged in the second half.
C.J. Black scored 15 points and Brandon Wharton added 14 points for Tennessee (11-5, 1-5), which has dropped five of its last six games since opening the season with 10 consecutive wins.
The Volunteers shot just 30 percent (18-of-60) from the field and were outrebounded, 48-30. The starting backcourt of Wharton and freshman Tony Harris were a combined 7-of-24 with three assists and eight turnovers. Harris was playing for the first time in three games after suffering a stress fracture in his upper left leg.
The Wildcats were 7-of-14 from 3-point range but committed 21 turnovers.
(7) Kentucky 85, TENNESSEE 67 KENTUCKY (85) fg ft rb min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp Edwards 27 2-4 2-2 1-5 3 2 6 Padgett 32 8-11 2-2 3-7 3 4 20 Mohammed 19 3-4 0-0 0-5 1 4 6 Turner 31 6-14 5-6 1-5 11 3 17 Sheppard 32 6-9 0-0 0-7 1 1 17 Magloire 20 4-9 2-4 3-6 0 4 10 Evans 17 2-6 0-0 2-2 0 2 4 Smith 8 0-2 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 Bradley 4 0-0 1-2 0-4 0 2 1 Mills 8 1-2 0-0 0-3 0 2 2 Anthony 1 1-1 0-0 1-1 0 0 2 Hogan 1 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 _______________________________________________ TOTALS 200 33-63 12-17 11-45 19 24 85 _______________________________________________ Percentages: FG-.524, FT-.706. 3-Point Goals: 7-14, .500 (Edwards 0-1, Padgett 2-3, Sheppard 5-7, Evans 0-1, Smith 0-1, Mills 0-1). Team rebounds: 3. Blocked shots: 6 (Magloire 3, Mohammed 2, Turner). Turnovers: 21 (Magloire 5, Padgett 3, Sheppard 3, Edwards 2, Mohammed 2, Smith 2, Turner 2, Evans, Hogan). Steals: 8 (Turner 3, Sheppard 2, Evans, Mohammed, Padgett). TENNESSEE (67) fg ft rb min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp Black 21 3-9 9-12 5-8 1 4 15 Lee 32 2-13 5-5 2-6 2 2 10 Victor 20 2-7 2-4 0-1 2 4 6 Wharton 33 4-12 4-6 0-1 1 0 14 Tony Harris 33 3-12 5-8 0-2 2 5 13 Davis 20 2-4 0-0 2-4 0 1 5 Torrey Harris 22 1-2 0-0 0-1 0 5 2 Baker 10 1-1 0-0 0-3 0 0 2 Moore 8 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 0 Sewell 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 _______________________________________________ TOTALS 200 18-60 25-35 9-26 9 21 67 _______________________________________________ Percentages: FG-.300, FT-.714. 3-Point Goals: 6-17, .353 (Black 0-1, Lee 1-3, Wharton 2-6, Tony Harris 2-6, Davis 1-1). Team rebounds: 4. Blocked shots: 4 (Black 2, Torrey Harris, Moore). Turnovers: 15 (Wharton 5, Black 4, Tony Harris 3, Davis 2, Victor). Steals: 8 (Wharton 5, Davis 2, Victor). __________________________________ Kentucky 48 37 - 85 Tennessee 30 37 - 67 __________________________________ Technical fouls: Kentucky 2 (Padgett 2 (ejected)). A: 23,146. Officials: Phil Robinson, Doug Shows, Tony Greene.