No. 1 Kentucky 58, South Carolina 43: Devin Booker scored 18 points and the visiting Wildcats used another strong defensive performance to remain undefeated.

Top-ranked Kentucky (19-0, 6-0 SEC) held the Gamecocks (10-8, 1-5) without a field goal for more than nine minutes to open up a 14-point advantage, and maintained a comfortable margin despite a nine-minute drought of its own from the field in the second half. Aaron Harrison added 13 points and Marcus Lee recorded four of the Wildcats’ nine blocked shots.

Sindarius Thornwell scored 14 points for South Carolina, which finished with a season low in points while shooting a season-worst 22.6 percent from the field. The Gamecocks held a one-point lead late in the first half before a 16-1 run opened up breathing room for Kentucky, which remains with Virginia as the nation’s only unbeaten squads.

Thornwell capped a 7-0 burst with a 3-pointer from the right wing with 4:23 remaining in the first half, pushing the Gamecocks ahead 24-23. But Kentucky silenced a sellout crowd by reeling off 11 consecutive points to close the period, getting four points each from Booker and Tyler Ulis, to build a 34-24 advantage at intermission.

The Gamecocks missed their first six shots of the second half while Booker hit a 3-pointer and Harrison nailed a jumper to put Kentucky ahead 39-25 with just over 15 minutes to play. South Carolina drew within 44-34 on two Thornwell free throws with under 11 minutes remaining, but finished the second half 4-of-23 from the field.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Kentucky F Willie-Cauley Stein played only seven minutes in the first half due to two quick fouls, finishing with two points and four rebounds. … South Carolina G Duane Notice, the Gamecocks’ leading scorer, scored only two points on 0-of-5 shooting from the field. … Kentucky was outrebounded for the third time this season, South Carolina owning the backboards 40-28.