Kentucky vs. Gonzaga score: Zags upset Wildcats, who lose third straight at Rupp Arena for first time ever

Gonzaga held off a furious rally from No. 17 Kentucky on Saturday for a critical 89-85 victory that brought UK its first-ever three-game losing streak inside Rupp Arena. It marked the first Quad 1 win of the season for the Zags, who are on the bubble while attempting to reach their 25th consecutive NCAA Tournament.

The last time the Wildcats (16-7) lost three straight home games was 1966, which was 10 years before Rupp Arena opened. Gonzaga has now won 166 straight games when leading by 10 or more at halftime. The visitors had to work to keep that streak alive after blowing a 12-point lead in the second half.

Reed Sheppard keyed Kentucky’s rally by scoring all 21 of his points in the second half. His free throws with 12:30 remaining capped a 25-7 run and put the Wildcats ahead 57-51. The Zags (18-6) regained their footing from there with a heavy dose of Graham Ike. Gonzaga’s big man led all scorers with 23 points as UK again struggled to make defensive stops in critical moments.

Anton Watson added a couple of clutch buckets in the final 1:31 to help the Zags maintain the lead. The Wildcats had a chance to tie the game coming out of a timeout with 13 seconds left, but Gonzaga’s Ben Gregg intercepted Sheppard’s lob pass toward the rim.

Kentucky dropped four of its last six, while Gonzaga has won two straight since losing at home to Saint Mary’s last Saturday. 

CBS Sports will update this story with takeaways.