LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — CJ Fredrick scored 17 points to lead No. 4 Kentucky to a 106-63 win over South Carolina State on Thursday night.
The Wildcats (3-1) easily bounced back from an 86-77 double-overtime loss to unranked Michigan State two nights earlier in the Champions Classic.
Chris Livingston scored 13 points, while Lance Ware and Cason Wallace had 12 points each. Antonio Reeves added 11 points for Kentucky, which got 51 points from its bench.
Kentucky senior forward Oscar Tshiebwe, last season’s consensus national player of the year, came off the bench for the second straight game and finished with six points and seven rebounds, ending his streak of 17 straight double-doubles dating to last season. Tshiebwe missed the first games of the season while recovering from minor knee surgery.
Senior guard Sahvir Wheeler made his first start of the season for Kentucky and finished with six points and 10 assists. He missed the season opener because of a knee injury but has played in the past two games.
Fredrick scored Kentucky’s first six points and made three of the team’s 10 3-pointers.
Rakeim Gary led South Carolina State with 13 points.
BIG PICTURE
South Carolina State: The Bulldogs will play the remainder of their seven games in November on the road, including a visit to Western Kentucky on Nov. 26. South Carolina State also dropped its opener to a Southeastern Conference opponent, 80-77 at South Carolina in the season opener for both teams.
Kentucky: The Wildcats needed a tuneup before traveling to Spokane, Washington, to face No. 2 Gonzaga this weekend. Kentucky then plays two straight home games before flying to London to face Michigan on Dec. 4. Tshiebwe is close to returning to the starting lineup.
UP NEXT
South Carolina State: At North Florida on Saturday.
Kentucky: At No. 2 Gonzaga on Sunday.
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