Meeks Shatters 39-Year Old Scoring Mark; Wildcats Down Vols

January 14, 2009 12:58 p.m. EST

Knoxville, TN (AHN) - Jodie Meeks unloaded a school-record 54 points to lead the Kentucky Wildcats to a 90-72 thumping of the Tennessee Vols Tuesday night.

Meeks, who also made all 14 of his free throws and added eight boards, surpassed Kentucky legend Dan Issel's previous school mark of 53 points.

Issel's record was achieved without a three-point line against Mississippi on February 7, 1970.

Entering the contest with an average of 24.2 points a game, Meeks scored at will, defying the wall of defense thrown at him by the Vols.

Meeks, who made 10 connections from the 3-point range, four more than the Vols made as a team, drilled a pair from downtown sandwiched around a Perry Stevenson slam capping a 10-0 burst.

The play extended the Wildcats' lead to 53-41.

With just about eight minutes to play, the Vols behind Tyler Smith's free throws and a three-point play from Wayne Chism pulled within striking distance 71-64.

But Meeks, the Southern Conference leading scorer, was in a zone, drilling back-to-back triples, giving more breather to the Wildcats.

A pair of free throws with 1:31 to play enabled Meeks to surpass Issel's 39-year old mark.

Kentucky (13-4, 2-0), which had no other player scoring in double figures, captured its first true road game in three chances this season.

The Vols, who suffered third defeat in January, were led by Smith's 19 points.

Chism added 18 points and had nine boards, and Bobby Maze finished with 11 points for the Vols (10-5, 1-1 SEC), who had their 16-game home-court win-streak against conference opponents came to an end.

Meeks' previous high was 46 points set against Appalachian State on Dec. 20.