Kentucky walked away with a 90-76 overtime win over UCF, but the path there was rougher than the final score suggests. The Wildcats had a double-digit cushion and still let it wobble badly, with missed free throws and a cold second half turning a game that should have been comfortably in hand into a late scare.
The free-throw line became the biggest trouble spot. Kentucky hit just 9 of 17 there in regulation, and two late misses by Braydon Hawthrone opened the door for UCF to keep hanging around.
That was only part of the problem, too. The Wildcats also managed only 12 of 33 shooting from the floor in the second half, which made it far too easy for the lead to evaporate.
UCF did its job at the stripe and then some. The Knights went 20 for 23 on free throws during regulation, including a pair of clutch makes that put them ahead with 26.5 seconds left. Kentucky was fortunate that UCF then missed one late, creating the opening Alex Wilkins needed to bury a floater with less than a second remaining.
Wilkins’ shot forced overtime, and the Wildcats finished the job there. But the game was a reminder that the small stuff can swing everything when a team is already struggling to score. Free throws are supposed to be the easiest points on the board, and Kentucky spent too much of the night giving them away.
That’s especially true in college basketball, where the recent champions have all done the simple things well at the line. The last ten national champions have all shot at least 70 percent as a team, a list that includes Michigan in 2026, Florida in 2025, the back-to-back UConn runs, and North Carolina at 70.1 percent in 2017.
Kentucky escaped with the win, and that matters. But the larger lesson was plain: nights like this can disappear fast when the easy ones don’t fall.
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Braydon Hawthorne Just Gave Kentucky Fans A Real Early Question
Braydon Hawthorne gave Kentucky a useful glimpse of what he might bring in the exhibition against UCF, and it went beyond the scoring. By halftime, he had seven points and three blocked shots, while also showing the kind of confidence that stood out on a night when the Wildcats were operating without some other players. The performance suggested a freshman willing to take on responsibility early, both on the offensive end and in the flow of the game.
Hawthornes biggest moment may have come late, when Kentucky trusted him with the final out-of-bounds play. He didnt convert either look, but the fact that the Wildcats put the ball in his hands there said plenty about how quickly he is earning trust. For a team still sorting out pieces, his all-around showing gave Kentucky fans something tangible to watch as the season starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky's New-Look Team Already Has One Frustrating Problem
Kentuckys new roster got its first real tune-up Saturday night, and the result was encouraging even if it came with a reminder that exhibition games can still feel unfinished. The Wildcats outlasted UCF 90-76 in overtime, getting a strong showing from Mason Williams, who led the way with 18 points, while Malachi Moreno flashed the kind of all-around impact that can make this group interesting as the season gets rolling.
Moreno came close to a triple-double with 16 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists, a sign that Kentucky may have more than one player capable of shaping a game in different ways. Still, the tighter stretches and extra five minutes were a hint that theres work to do before the games count for real, and the Wildcats wont have long to sort it out with Manhattan coming to Rupp Arena on Tuesday to open the regular season. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys Point Guard Picture Still Feels Unsettled After Dramatic Finish
Kentuckys exhibition win over UCF offered a useful early look at how the Wildcats might sort through their backcourt, and it was not just because of the final score. Alex Wilkins helped force overtime with a floater in the closing seconds of regulation, then chipped in five more points in the extra period, while Mason Williams led the scoring with 18 points. Zoom Diallo was part of the conversation too, finishing with six assists even as his shot never really found its way.
For a team still sorting out who settles where, the night underlined both the upside and the uncertainty. Mark Pope got a chance to see different players handle pressure, make plays and show some maturity in a game that turned choppy at times before Kentucky took control in overtime. The point guard picture still feels like one of the more interesting pieces of the preseason puzzle, and this was exactly the kind of late-game test that can start to clarify it without fully answering the question. [Read more 🡒]