Playing its third game in seven days, No. 9 Kentucky improved to 5-1 on Sunday with an 81-56 victory over Lamar in Lexington, Ky.

Freshman guard Tyrese Maxey led the victory with 21 points. He made 8 of 11 field-goal attempts, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range.

Maxey was one of four players in double figures, followed by Ashton Hagans with 15 points and nine assists, Immanuel Quickley with 11 points and Nick Richards with 10 points and 13 rebounds.

As a team, Kentucky shot 50.9 percent, including 45.5 from 3-point range.

Sophomore guard Davion Buster led Lamar (4-2) with 19 points. Junior forward Avery Sullivan added 11, and junior guard T.J. Atwood scored 10.

As a team, the Cardinals shot 32.8 percent and lost the rebound battle 41-34.

Kentucky blew open the game in the first half with a 20-0 run, turning a 19-19 tie with 8:52 on the clock into a 39-19 advantage with 2:34 before the break. Maxey scored 12 of Kentucky's 20 points, all coming via at the 3-point shot. As a team, UK made 7 of 16 3-pointers in the first half, the most it has had in any game this season.

After dipping to 364th out of 350 teams nationally in 3-point shooting at 21.3 percent, Kentucky continued to climb out of that hole on Sunday by making 10 of 22 against Lamar.

The Wildcats also went 13 of 19 from the free-throw line, improving to 126 of 160 (78.8 percent) for the season.

--Field Level Media