‘Be who you’re supposed to be.’ Washington responds to Cal’s challenge.

Kentucky trailed at halftime for a third straight game. For a fourth straight game, Reid Travis could only sit on the bench and watch. For a second time in four days, PJ Washington was limited by early foul trouble.

In this moment of adversity Tuesday night, UK Coach John Calipari challenged Washington.

“I told him at halftime, ‘We’re throwing the ball to you every time,’” Calipari said in his post-game news conference. “‘So you be who you’re supposed to be.’ And he was.”

Washington scored all 13 of his points in the final 15:14 and led Kentucky to an 80-76 victory over an Mississippi team seeking to validate itself as worthy of an NCAA Tournament bid.

His 13 points came in a nine-minute span in which Kentucky turned a 51-48 deficit into a 70-65 lead. He posted up for scores on either block. Once he scored on a baby hook with his left hand, just the kind of shot Tennessee invited him to try on Saturday.

Washington also spent more time than usual at the high post, where he set up teammates with passes.

“Right and left post and high post,” Calipari said. “He got it everywhere, and he made all the right plays.”

Ole Miss Coach Kermit Davis Jr. was impressed. He compared Washington favorably with Tennessee forward Grant Williams, who was the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year last year.

“PJ’s a little harder (to guard) because he’s a little taller,” Davis said. “Because he really sees the floor.

“He’s a very mature player. You know what he does. He doesn’t try to do things he can’t do. He stays within himself.”

Davis also suggested he used Washington as a role model.

“I told our young four-men, that’s who you need to really watch because that guy really plays within himself with great maturity,” the Ole Miss coach said.

Coming off a demoralizing 19-point loss at Tennessee on Saturday, Kentucky looked like its old self in defeating Ole Miss.

Roommates Keldon Johnson and Tyler Herro had a rebirth. At Tennessee, the two combined to make only four of 20 shots (one of 10 from three-point range). Here they combined to make 17 of 30 shots (three of six from three) and score 42 points.

Johnson also contributed on the defensive end. He led the way in containing Ole Miss guard Terence Davis, who scored 20 points inside the first 23 minutes, but only five thereafter.

Herro joined Immanuel Quickley in making two clutch free throws inside the final 20 seconds.

Kentucky improved to 25-5 overall and 14-3 in the Southeastern Conference. The latter kept UK a game behind first-place Tennessee, which routed Mississippi State on Tuesday night. LSU can rejoin Tennessee in first place by winning at Florida on Wednesday night.

Ole Miss, which lost a third straight, fell to 19-11 overall and 9-8 in the SEC. The Rebels failed in a quest to beat a team ranked as high as No. 6 Kentucky for the first time since the 2001-02 season (an 84-56 victory over No. 6 Alabama.)

For a third straight game, Kentucky trailed at halftime. But instead of the double-digit deficits that had to be overcome against Arkansas (39-28) and Tennessee (37-24), the Cats only trailed Ole Miss 39-38.

That seemed like something of a triumph given Washington’s first half. Two quick fouls limited UK’s leading scorer and rebounder to seven minutes. He did not score nor grab a rebound in that time.

Johnson and Herro filled the void. They combined for 27 points in the first half.

As at Tennessee on Saturday, foul trouble limited more than one of UK’s “bigs” in this time of Travis sidelined with an injury. Nick Richards also had two fouls, which curtailed a productive half highlighted by a one-handed putback dunk.

Kentucky’s situation grew more cloudy early in the second half when Ashton Hagans picked up his third foul with 16:11 left.

On the plus side, Washington finally scored 57 seconds later when he made a leaner in the lane.

That started a concentrated period of scoring. Washington had 10 of UK’s 19 points.

But Ole Miss would not go away. A three-pointer by Tyree with the shot clock down to a few seconds reduced UK’s lead to 67-65 going into the final seven-plus minutes.

That Kentucky held on greatly pleased Calipari.

“To go on the road in this league and win,” he said. “To go on the road and have your best player (Washington) out the first half, just like (at Tennessee). And then to have Reid out. And be able to win. Believe me, I’m happy.”

Next game

Florida at No. 6 Kentucky

2 p.m. Saturday (CBS-27)

This story was originally published March 6, 2019 at 12:56 AM.