Brandon Knight scored 17 points, including two crucial free throws with 8.2 seconds left, as No. 23 Kentucky blew a 13-point second-half lead but settled down for a 68-66 victory over visiting Vanderbilt on Tuesday.

The Wildcats (21-8, 9-6 SEC) moved into a second-place tie with the Commodores in the SEC East.

Festus Ezeli had 22 points and 13 rebounds for Vanderbilt (21-8, 9-6 SEC), which could have locked up second in the East and earned a first-round bye in next week’s SEC Tournament.

The Commodores play host to No. 14 Florida on Saturday, while Kentucky, which is 1-6 in SEC road games, travels to Tennessee Sunday.

Vanderbilt trailed by 15 points late in the first half and was down 55-42 with 12:46 to go. But the Commodores chipped away, and took their first lead 60-59 on Lance Goulbourne’s drive with 4:24 left.

Terrence Jones put the Wildcats ahead 64-63 on a free throw with 52.5 seconds left, and added two free throws to make it 66-63 with 18.8 seconds to go. Goulbourne’s drive with 8.8 seconds left brought Vanderbilt within 66-65.

Two Brandon Knight free throws put Kentucky ahead 68-65 with 8.2 seconds to go. Brad Tinsley hit one of two free throws for Vanderbilt with 6.8 seconds left, and after Vanderbilt forced a turnover with 1.1 seconds to go, an inbounds lob to Ezeli was knocked away as time expired.