Kentucky Stuns LSU with Buzzer-Beater Comeback, Freshman Malach Moreno Delivers Signature Moment
It wasn’t quite the 2024 Mardi Gras Miracle, but for this Kentucky squad, Wednesday night in Baton Rouge might’ve felt just as improbable.
Down by 18 early in the second half and seemingly on the verge of another frustrating loss, Kentucky clawed all the way back before freshman big man Malach Moreno capped the comeback with a shot that will live in Wildcat lore. With just seconds left, Moreno caught a full-court heave from Collin Chandler near the foul line, took one dribble, turned, and calmly knocked down a 15-footer as the buzzer sounded-lifting Kentucky to a 75-74 win over LSU.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t a play drawn up for Moreno. In fact, it wasn’t even supposed to go to him. But in a game full of twists, it was only fitting that the final moment came off an improvised connection between two freshmen.
A Wild Finish, and an Unexpected Hero
Kentucky’s hopes looked all but gone when Otega Oweh missed a free throw with 4.5 seconds left and the Wildcats trailing 74-73. But LSU failed to capitalize, missing two free throws of their own with just 1.4 seconds remaining. That gave head coach Mark Pope just enough time to draw something up.
The original plan? Get the ball into Oweh’s hands for a shot near midcourt or let Denzel Aberdeen take a one-step runner.
But when both were covered, Chandler made a quick read and launched a deep pass down the floor. Moreno, who had played the final eight minutes with four fouls, came down with it like a seasoned vet, turned, and buried the shot.
“Collin overthrew it and I made the shot,” Moreno said afterward, underselling what was, in reality, a perfectly placed pass and a cold-blooded finish.
Pope revealed that the play was initially drawn up for Kam Williams to inbound, but Chandler stepped up and said he could handle it. That confidence paid off.
“He didn’t run away from the shot. He owned the shot,” Pope said of Moreno.
“We work on special situations a lot, but that was probably the first time we completed it. He had to win the catch.
There are so many things that have to go right.”
Moreno’s Grit and Growth on Display
The freshman center didn’t just hit the game-winner-he was a force down the stretch on both ends. In just 20 minutes, Moreno posted 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting, grabbed eight rebounds, and added two steals and a block. And he did all of that while navigating foul trouble, showing poise beyond his years.
Kentucky fans have been waiting to see who might emerge as a go-to guy in crunch time. On this night, it was the 2025 Mr. Basketball from the Bluegrass State who stepped up.
Moreno credited his teammates for the second-half surge that gave him the chance to be the hero. “We never mean to get off to starts like that,” he said.
“A couple of times shots were not falling and we do the same things over and over. Sometimes on the road you might not make every shot.
We kept fighting through it and shots eventually started falling.”
It wasn’t just the shots that changed-it was the energy. Kentucky looked lifeless in the first half, trailing 38-22 at the break after shooting just 8-of-30 from the field and 2-of-12 from three. The offense looked disjointed, and the defense wasn’t much better.
But in the second half, something clicked.
“We kind of figured it out and started getting stops and that led to transition buckets,” Moreno said. “Then we could run our sets in the half-court, and we ran the same play five times and got open 3s every time.”
That’s the kind of in-game adjustment Kentucky fans have been waiting to see from this group-and it finally came through when they needed it most.
Veteran Praise for a Freshman Moment
UK Radio Network analyst Jack Givens, who knows a thing or two about big-time performances, didn’t hold back in praising Moreno.
“For a freshman to play with the basketball IQ, just understanding situations, understanding what works and doesn’t work in key periods of the game-you just have to take your hat off to him,” Givens said. “To catch that pass in traffic, dribble once, face the basket and let it fly under control-he was just amazing.”
And it wasn’t just the shot. Givens highlighted Moreno’s defensive presence as well, noting how he played the final eight minutes with four fouls and still managed to block a shot, jam the lane, and bring physicality without fouling out. “He took everything away down the stretch,” Givens added.
A Defining Win?
This wasn’t a perfect game by any stretch. Kentucky’s first-half struggles continue to be a concern, and falling into early holes is a dangerous trend. But the fight they showed in the second half-and the composure in the final seconds-could be a turning point.
Games like this don’t just build confidence; they build belief. And for a team still trying to find its identity, this comeback win might be the spark they needed.
It wasn’t the Mardi Gras Miracle. But for this Kentucky team, it was a moment that felt just as magical.