No. 24 Kentucky had to survive a scare it never should have been having.
The Wildcats escaped Northern Arizona 78-77 on Friday night at Rupp Arena, and it took a transfer guard’s 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds left to do it. Kentucky came in as a 33.5-point favorite, but Alex Wilkins buried the shot that kept the Wildcats from a stunning upset loss.
Officials checked the play to see whether Wilkins had stepped on the line, but the basket stood as a 3. Northern Arizona got one final chance, but its halfcourt heave hit the backboard and missed.
Wilkins finished with 14 points, which tied him with two teammates for Kentucky’s scoring lead. Chris Koman paced Northern Arizona with 25 points.
The finish was especially jarring given how the game unfolded late. Northern Arizona, which entered at 0-4, led by four with 22 seconds remaining.
Kentucky answered with a made jumper, then watched NAU miss two free throws on the front end of 1-and-1 situations. That second miss opened the door for Wilkins’ winner.
Those were the only free throws the Lumberjacks missed all night. They finished 10 for 12 at the line.
The numbers around the matchup made the result look even more alarming. Kentucky was No. 36 in KenPom, while Northern Arizona sat at No. 299 out of 365 Division I teams. The Lumberjacks went 10-22 last season, finished last in the Big Sky at 4-14, and were picked to finish last again in the league this preseason.
Kentucky’s recent history only sharpened the concern. The Wildcats’ last regular-season loss to a mid-major came against UNC Wilmington, ranked No. 119 in KenPom, in December 2023.
That same season, Kentucky also lost to Oakland, ranked No. 131, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament as a No. 3 seed. A loss Friday would have been Kentucky’s worst by KenPom rankings since falling to Evansville, No. 294, in November 2019.
Instead, Kentucky moved to 3-1 after shaking off a 20-point loss to Kansas in Tuesday’s Champions Classic at the United Center in Chicago. The Wildcats are coming off a 22-14 season in 2024-25 that ended in the second round of the NCAA Tournament as a 7-seed.
Afterward, head coach Mark Pope didn’t hide his frustration.
“I (thought) our defensive energy was good,” Pope said after the win. “I thought our defensive execution was incredibly poor.”
Pope is in his third season and remains a popular figure in Lexington, thanks in part to his role on Rick Pitino’s 1995-96 “Untouchables” national championship team. But after a week like this, the noise around Kentucky isn’t getting any quieter.
In Other News...
Floridas Latest Availability Shift Could Matter For Kentucky Saturday
The SECs new weekly availability reports are already adding another layer to Saturdays Kentucky-Florida matchup, and Kentuckys side of the ledger stayed steady when the latest update came out. The Wildcats did not list any changes from the previous report, with several players still sidelined because of long-term injuries, so their preparation for the game in Gainesville remains centered more on who is available than on any late-breaking surprises.
Florida, though, made a notable adjustment by adding defensive back Dijon Johnson as doubtful, a development that could matter in a game where every healthy body in the secondary counts. The Gators already had multiple players sitting in the out, doubtful or questionable categories, so the latest shift only deepens the uncertainty around their roster heading into a matchup that could hinge on how much depth each side has left by kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Gets An Early Test After Kansas Exposed A Real Concern
The Champions Classic served up an early reality check for Kentucky, and Mark Pope did not try to dress it up after No. 24 Kentuckys 89-69 loss to No. 15 Kansas. Zoom Diallo was the bright spot with 24 points, but the Wildcats spent much of the night chasing a Jayhawks team that exposed some issues Kentucky will have to clean up quickly if it wants to settle in early this season.
Northern Arizona brings the next chance to respond, and it arrives with its own bruises after a 90-59 loss to No. 12 Arizona. The Lumberjacks coach has stressed the need to keep confidence intact through a rough stretch, which makes this a useful early measuring stick for Kentucky as much as a tune-up. Pope called the Kansas game a learning experience, and now the Wildcats get a shot to show how fast that lesson can turn into progress. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys Defense Faces An Uncomfortable Brad White Comparison
Kentuckys defense has become the kind of unit that invites comparison to the one Brad White built, and not always in flattering ways. Under Jay Bateman, the Wildcats have shown some of the same baseline sturdiness that defined Whites tenure, but the broader picture has been less steady when it comes to points allowed, total defense and the ability to create turnovers. The numbers are close enough to make the conversation unavoidable, especially for a program that has long leaned on defense as its identity.
The uncomfortable part is where the current group has been more vulnerable, particularly on third downs and against the pass, two areas that can expose even a respectable front seven. Kentuckys offense has also had to keep adjusting, including changes at quarterback, which only adds pressure on a defense that is being measured against a recent standard. For now, the comparison says as much about expectations as it does about performance, and it leaves the Wildcats trying to prove they can match the old formula without looking like a step behind it. [Read more 🡒]