FAYETTEVILLE -- No. 15 Arkansas now knows what it was like to go into Rupp Arena last season as underdog and win following its 85-77 loss to unranked Kentucky on Saturday in front of 19,200 fans in Bud Walton Arena.

The game was marred by technical fouls in the second half with both teams losing their composure at times. But Kentucky outplayed Arkansas for most of the game with the Hogs never leading by more than four and only held an advantage for 3 minutes, 53 seconds. John Calipari was disappointed but quick to credit Kentucky following the game.

"Give Kentucky credit," Calipari said. "From the beginning of the game they were tougher, they were sharper and played with more energy.

"Then when we finally caught them how would you do stuff to get technicals in a game like that? I don't get it. Instead fight to go get rebounds. Don't do that stuff. There's no place for it in our game."

Both teams were hit with multiple technicals resulting in six overall, all in second half. With the game tied at 63 with 8:07 remaining, Malique Ewin was called for a technical foul after a personal foul which resulted in Kentucky taking a 68-63 lead. The Hogs never held the lead again. They did pull to within 72-69 on a Darius Acuff Jr. layup, but then Kentucky pulled away again.

"We didn't play particularly well probably because of them," Calipari said.

For the second game in a row, Arkansas shot miserably from behind the 3-point line finishing 3 of 14 for 21%. Kentucky made 6 of 13 from deep. Both teams weren't good at the free throw line. Kentucky was 19 of 30 while the Razorbacks were 16 of 26. For the game, Arkansas shot 49% (29-59) from the field while Kentucky was at 54% (30-56).

"We were trying to get the ball moving and when we did we were getting what we wanted," Calipari said. "But we were holding the ball again."

Calipari also pointed to another area where Kentucky was better than his Razorbacks. Kentucky won the rebounds 35-26.

"They outrebounded by [nine] rebounds," Calipari said. "That was where we said the game would be won or lost."

It appeared early on that Kentucky might run Arkansas out of the arena. They led by 13, 26-13, with 12:03 remaining in the opening half. Acuff, who finished with 23 points, was only 2 of 10 in the first half. But Arkansas fought to within 42-35 at intermission.

Trevon Brazile had 16 points and eight rebounds before fouling out late. Billy Richmond, who had a thunderous dunk giving Arkansas its first lead of the second half, 52-51, with 14:07 remaining, finished with 14 points and five boards. Ewin added 11 points and five rebounds. Meleek Thomas had 10 points, but missed his only 3-point shot. Karter Knox and Nick Pringle failed to score while D.J. Wagner had four points.

Kentucky (15-7, 6-3) was led by Otega Oweh with 24 points and eight rebounds. Collin Chandler had 13 points, Malachi Moore 11 and Denzel Aberdeen 10.

Arkansas (16-6, 6-3) won't play again until Saturday when they travel to face Mississippi State at 11 a.m. on ESPN2.