Collin Chandler Delivers a Gritty, Game-Changing Performance for Kentucky-Flu and All
Earlier in the day, the buzz around Lexington wasn’t about game strategy or matchups-it was about whether sophomore guard Collin Chandler would even suit up. Word got out that Chandler was under the weather and had missed shootaround. For a Kentucky team already navigating a rollercoaster season, the thought of losing another key player had fans holding their breath.
But when the lights came on, so did Chandler-and what he delivered wasn’t just a solid performance. It was the kind of gritty, gutsy effort that programs remember.
Chandler’s Own “Flu Game” Moment
Let’s be clear: Chandler didn’t drop 38 points like Michael Jordan famously did while battling the flu in the 1997 NBA Finals. But for Kentucky, what Chandler did meant just as much.
Despite feeling ill, Chandler played with poise and purpose, putting up a career-high 18 points on an efficient 5-of-9 from the field. He added 7 rebounds and 2 steals, but the box score only tells part of the story.
His presence was stabilizing. His energy was contagious.
When Kentucky needed a lift, he gave them a jolt.
A One-Man Run That Changed Everything
This wasn’t a game Kentucky controlled from start to finish. It was a grind.
Every time the Wildcats built a lead, Texas clawed back. Momentum swung like a pendulum, and with the game hanging in the balance late in the second half, Chandler took matters into his own hands.
Up by just two, Chandler ignited a personal 9-0 run that flipped the script. First, he buried a corner three.
Then he jumped a passing lane for a steal. Moments later, he was soaring down the court, finishing with a breakaway dunk that brought the Rupp Arena crowd to its feet and pushed the lead to double digits.
That stretch didn’t just energize the team-it may have saved the game.
Holding Off the Longhorns
Texas wasn’t done. The Longhorns mounted one last push, slicing the lead down to two points with under a minute to play.
But this time, Kentucky didn’t fold. There would be no repeat of the late-game collapse against Missouri.
The Wildcats stayed composed and closed it out, 85-80.
And while multiple players contributed, Chandler’s fingerprints were all over the win. His toughness, his timing, his ability to rise to the moment-especially while battling illness-set the tone.
A Win That Meant More Than Just the Score
This wasn’t just another SEC victory. It was a statement.
Kentucky needed a spark, and Chandler delivered it in a way that goes beyond numbers. Playing sick, he gave everything he had-and then some.
That kind of performance resonates in a locker room. It builds trust.
It builds belief.
For a team trying to find its rhythm in a competitive SEC landscape, this could be a turning point. And if it is, they’ll look back and remember the night Collin Chandler gutted it out and gave them everything he had.
Now, all eyes turn to Kam Williams and his status moving forward. But for tonight, the story belongs to Chandler-and the gutsy effort that reminded everyone what Kentucky basketball is all about.