As they have for much of this season, Kentucky was faced with plenty of adversity in their 85-77 win at Arkansas on Saturday night. The Wildcats actually started this one off hot, going up as much as 13 in the first haf before taking a seven-point lead into halftime. Then, the second half came, where things got very chippy.

In the span of 38 seconds, from 14:49 to the 14:11 mark of the second half, Kentucky was given three technical fouls that helped Arkansas take the lead, but what happened after that had every Wildcat fan proud of their team. Kentucky responded with a 5-0 run to regain the lead where they never gave it up from then on. The Wildcats stretched their lead to as much as 10 points from that point and on, really taking advantage and playing into the hands of how the game was called with so many fouls.

Kentucky responded and showed fight on the road after getting three technicals called on them. They could have folded in an environment that got extremely loud after those fouls, but they used it as fuel. Mark Pope talked after the game about his team’s incredible resiliency and what emotions were flowing during and after those fouls, which turned out to be the turning point in the game.

“What I loved about that stretch is the guys’ fight and determination,” Pope said of Kentucky’s response after the three technical fouls. “Even with the three techs happening back to back to back, I felt like it was coming from exactly the right place in our team that we are searching for that core of fight and undaunted competitive spirit and it just overflowed a tiny bit, but we felt right. The techs were after, like, really extraordinarily competitive plays and so we definitely have to be a little more disciplined, but I actually the gym felt good at that point. It felt like, man, these guys are here to fight. So yes, we can clean up a little bit, but I wouldn’t trade the heart of it for anything.”

That’s what Kentucky showed when things looked to be going sideways is heart. They had a lot of it down the stretch on Saturday and it’s what helped them pull away in the final minutes.

An Arkansas man accused of raping multiple children over several years had a sick justification: The Bible said it was OK, according to police.

Local handyman Thomas Stokes, 49, was busted Jan. 14 by Rector police and Clay and Greene County deputies on multiple felonies, including rape and drugging victims — and authorities soon learned of his twisted excuse.

A total of four victims came forward, each telling a similar vile tale, Rector Police Chief Kelly Baker told The Post.

Police said they began investigating Stokes on Jan. 3 when the first victim — who said they were “deathly afraid” of Stokes — reported being assaulted multiple times and pressured into using methamphetamine.

The victim told investigators Stokes claimed a certain chapter in the Bible “made it OK for him to have sex with them,” Baker said.

Assistant Chief Shain Casebier said he spoke with a second victim on Jan. 5 who stated Stokes had sexually abused them “many times” when they were 12 or 13 years old, the police chief confirmed.

On Jan. 6, a third victim said that Stokes had unprotected sex with them when they were 13 years old.

The same day, Casebier interviewed a fourth victim who said when they were 13, Stokes gave them Xanax then raped them while they were asleep.

Several witnesses corroborated the victims’ stories, Baker said.

Shortly after Stokes’ arrest, Greene County District Court Judge Curtis Hitt found probable cause and set bond at $1.5 million.

Rector’s top cop said that for him, Stokes’ arrest brought a long story to an end. Twenty years ago, he had approached one of the victims and asked that they make a police report — but the person, a child at the time, was terrified and refused.

Now, two decades later, they stepped forward and are one of the four persons who reported Stokes to police.

“Not a day went by when I didn’t think of that child,” Baker said. “Everyone in this town is like family to me. My men work hard to protect them.”

Stokes is presently in the Clay County Jail and barred from contacting any victims or witnesses. Should he be released from lockup, he will be required to wear a GPS ankle monitor.