COLLEGE BASKETBALL / NCAA MEN’S TOURNAMENT : SOUTHEAST REGIONAL : Kentucky Starts Fast in Victory Over Utah

Another round, another rout for Kentucky.

The top-seeded Wildcats ran out to a 27-8 lead against Utah on Sunday and coasted to an 83-62 victory in the second round of the NCAA Southeast Regional. Two nights earlier, they had beaten Rider, 96-52.

“I was concerned with this team probably as much as any team we’ve played this year,” Kentucky Coach Rick Pitino said. “They’re well coached, they have great balance, they’re experienced, they shoot a high percentage.

“We cannot play any better at both ends than we are right now.”

The Wildcats (28-3) move on to the regional semifinals at Charlotte, N.C., where they will play Thursday against fifth-seeded Wake Forest, an 84-78 winner over Iowa. Utah, seeded eighth, finished its season 24-7.

Kentucky made 54% of its shots and held Utah to 41%. Phil Dixon, who scored 22 points in a first-round victory over Pitt, went scoreless for the Utes.

“The first five minutes set the tone for our team as far as shooting the ball,” said Utah forward Josh Grant, who scored 24 points. “They went on a run there, got up 20 or whatever it was, and never looked back.”

It actually took the Wildcats more than three minutes to score. But Utah was only able to take a 2-0 lead during that time.

Then Jamal Mashburn, who scored 19 points, got Kentucky going with a three-point basket. Travis Ford did the same a few moments later, then it was Mashburn’s turn again as the Wildcats built an 11-2 lead.

After Utah scored to end a nearly six-minute scoreless streak, Kentucky went on a 16-4 run to take a 27-8 lead.

“Their pressure didn’t hurt us, really,” Grant said. “We just missed our shots. We got into our halfcourt motion offense. I think our ball movement and player movement wasn’t as good as we would have liked.”

Four of Kentucky’s first seven baskets were three-pointers, but the Wildcats also had great success inside, whether they were dumping it to Rodney Dent or Andre Riddick in the half-court game or beating Utah downcourt for layups.

“I thought our defense really won the game for us,” Ford said. “We knew going in we were going to have to stop their three-pointers and I think we did that.”

The Utes, who came in averaging six three-pointers per game and shooting 41% from that distance, made only two of nine.

“They defend the three better than anybody we’ve faced,” Utah Coach Rick Majerus said of the Wildcats. “They’re stronger, deeper, very physical. They’re good.”

Kentucky led at halftime, 39-20, and Utah never got closer than 17 during the second half.