Tennessee battled to the final moments in a hostile Rupp Arena Tuesday night but came up short, 75-65, to the Kentucky Wildcats.

Junior Jordan McRae led all scorers with 23 points – his fourth-straight 20-point game – but it wasn’t enough to catapult the Volunteers to victory.

“We definitely went into the game knowing that we could win,” McRae said. “Down the stretch our team has to make key stops and better decisions.”

The Vols (8-7, 0-3 SEC) took a 54-53 lead with 7:19 left to play on the strength of a Derek Reese 3-pointer, but the Wildcats regained the lead for good less a minute later after a three-point play.

“I thought it was a well-played game by both teams,” head coach Cuonzo Martin said. “Both teams competed and played hard. I thought both teams executed.”

The two SEC foes were neck and neck going into the locker room – 10 lead changes in the first half – with Kentucky (11-5, 2-1) leading 34-31.

With the help of a rowdy home crowd the Wildcats went on multiple runs in the second half where it looked like they would run away with the game, but Tennessee refused to go away.

Kentucky extended their lead to eight twice in the second half, but both times the Vols responded with a basket of their own.

“I thought we did a good job,” Martin said. “Guys took care of the ball, moved the ball and we had spacing. The key was trying to get those big guys off the blocks and force those guys to play on the perimeter.”

At the 12:42 mark in the second half the Volunteers began cutting into the Kentucky lead, and over the next two minutes were able to knot the game at 47-all.

Kentucky responded with a run of their own to push the lead back to as many as four, but a jumper by McRae and Reese’s trey put Tennessee ahead.

But the Vols were unable to maintain their lead.

“(UK) did a good job of making plays,” Martin said. “I thought our guys put ourselves in position but just didn’t capitalize.”

The Vols’ final chance to sneak away with a road win came in the final minute when Josh Richardson went to the line following a flagrant foul against Julius Mays. Richardson air-balled the first free throw and the second bounced harmlessly off the iron.

Tennessee still had a chance to cut down the 6-point Kentucky lead on the ensuing in-bounds play, but McRae’s missed shot from the wing and a Wildcat rebound dashed the Vols’ hopes.

“Well, Josh (Richardson) missed two free throws and we had a play and got to the rim, and I think Jordan (McRae) might have had it blocked,” Martin said. “He executed the play. That is part of it.”

The Vols currently sit at 0-3 in league play for the first time in 15 years.

“It’s something that we can hopefully get ourselves out of this (losing streak),” McRae said. “These next couple games are must win so we are going to have to do whatever we have to do to try and get it straightened out.”

Tennessee will hit the hardwood again this Saturday at home against Mississippi State.