The last time Bruce Pearl won a game inside Rupp Arena, Jeff Lebo was the head men’s basketball coach at Auburn, “Check on It” by Beyonce, featuring Slim Thug was No. 1 on the charts and George W. Bush was in his second term as United States president.

The day was Feb. 7, and Pearl’s Tennessee Volunteers marched into Lexington, knocking off the Wildcats 75-67. That effort was led by Chris Lofton, one of the most prolific 3-point shooters in Southeastern Conference basketball history, who had 31 that night with seven buckets from beyond the arc.

Just over 19 years later, Pearl led a different team into Rupp, but once again, a prolific 3-point shooter helped lead his group to a win, as Auburn beat Kentucky 94-78 Saturday afternoon.

This time, it was senior guard and Georgia Tech Transfer Miles Kelly who exploded for 30 points and made nine 3-pointers on 14 attempts.

“I just came out feeling it,” Kelly said when speaking to reporters postgame. “The first possession down, they went to me, and I knocked the shot down. After that, I was feeling it from there. Rupp rims, I love them. It felt good. Every time I shot the ball, I thought it was going in.”

Auburn drew up a play for Kelly on the first possession of the game, something it often does to get the offense going early.

Kelly got a wide-open look in the corner 12 seconds after Auburn won the opening tip and knocked down the shot with ease, a sign of impending doom for the Wildcats’ defense.

“Scouting is so good. I guarantee you Kentucky knew one of the first looks was gonna be screen the screener for Miles Kelly,” Pearl said after the game. “And when you call that number, when you call his play early, obviously, I’m sending him a message that we have confidence in him.”

The play call and the shot going in seemed to give Kelly all the confidence he needed, as he went on to make five of his first six 3-pointers, finishing the first half with 17 points.

His hot start and prolific scoring was extra important, as Auburn’s backcourt became shorthanded in the first half. Starting point guard and Auburn’s most efficient 3-point shooter, Denver Jones, left the game in the first half due to what Pearl revealed to be a bone bruise on his right ankle.

Auburn also didn’t get its usual production from National Player of the Year candidate Johni Broome, who finished the game with just nine points on 3-for-9 shooting from the field.

Kelly, along with Tahaad Pettiford and Chad Baker-Mazara stepped up to keep the offense afloat, combining for 73 points.

“I think it says a lot about the culture. It says a lot about the chemistry,” Pearl said. “It says a lot about the guys calling up the Lord, giving God the glory, and trying to the best of their ability to live that life.”

Kelly’s 30-point performance set a new season high and was tied for the second-highest scoring game of his career, scoring 36 for Georgia Tech against Louisville last season.

The nine 3-pointers Kelly made against Kentucky sets a new career-high, surpassing the seven he made in Auburn’s season-opener against Vermont in November.

Kelly wasn’t the only reason Auburn went into Lexington Saturday and won at Rupp Arena for the first time in 37 years. Auburn’s backcourt displayed the depth of its talent on a night where its star wasn’t at his best.

But Pearl knows it takes a special shooting performance to win in Lexington. And just like Lofton did for a Pearl team repping a different shade of orange, Kelly led the way for the Tigers on Saturday.

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m