Alex Wilkins gave Kentucky the kind of finish that can change the whole feel of an exhibition.
No. 23 Kentucky beat Central Florida 90-76 in overtime, but it needed every bit of Wilkins’ late heroics just to get there. The Wildcats were up 57-47 with 11:54 left in regulation, then got outscored 24-14 the rest of the way and were staring at a loss before Wilkins rescued them.
With UK trailing 71-69 and the ball inbounded in the backcourt with 4.9 seconds left, the transfer guard from Furman pushed the length of the floor, penetrated into the Central Florida lane and dropped in a running 8-footer with 0:04 of a second left to force overtime. Kentucky then took control in the extra period and closed exhibition play on a much better note.
The biggest constant for Kentucky through all three exhibitions has been freshman guard Mason Williams. After turning heads in wins over Little Rock, 69-49, and No.
19 Texas Tech, 76-65, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Williams came back with another efficient night against UCF. He scored 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting and made 3 of 4 attempts from 3-point range.
Milan Momcilovic also got a much larger workload. In Kentucky’s first two exhibitions, the sharp-shooting forward had taken just 14 shots total, but against UCF the 6-9, 220-pound senior got up 17.
The shots didn’t fall especially well until overtime, when he delivered the plays Kentucky needed most. Momcilovic hit a 3 from the right corner with 4:44 left in OT to put the Wildcats ahead, then followed with an 8-foot fallaway jumper after backing down his defender to stretch the lead to 76-71.
He finished with 19 points on 7-of-17 shooting, including 3 of 9 from deep.
Malachi Moreno nearly stole the show himself. The 7-foot Kentucky center finished with 16 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists, coming within two assists of a triple-double.
The result also added another line to Kentucky’s exhibition record book. The Wildcats improved to 158-13 all-time in exhibition games.
Since the 63-62 loss to the Dominican Republic National Team in Nassau, Bahamas, on Aug. 17, 2014, Kentucky has gone 37-1 in exhibitions.
In games against other NCAA Division I teams, UK is now 5-1.
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Braydon Hawthorne Just Gave Kentucky Fans A Real Early Question
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What stood out most was the trust he earned in a pressure spot, with Kentucky turning to him on the final out-of-bounds play. He did not convert the two chances, but the fact that he was the one taking them says plenty about where he fits right now and why his early showing already has Kentucky fans wondering how much more he can be asked to do. [Read more 🡒]
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All eyes will turn again toward the Wildcats on Nov. 7, when Tennessee comes to town, but this week gives Kentucky a chance to watch the leagues pecking order shift from the sideline. There are notable games across the SEC schedule and beyond, including ones involving former Kentucky players and coaches, and those results could end up carrying real weight for a team trying to stay in the hunt as the stretch run begins. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys Best Lineup Is Taking Shape Around One Big Debate
After three exhibition games, Kentuckys early 2026-27 lineup picture is starting to come into focus, and the biggest decisions have mostly been made on the floor. Mason Williams has pushed ahead of Zoom Diallo at point guard, Alex Wilkins has looked like the better fit at shooting guard even with some turnover issues, and Milan Momcilovic has continued to stand out as the best player on the roster. At the forward spots, Ousmane NDiaye appears to have the edge over Justin McBride at power forward, while Malachi Moreno has settled in as the starting center.
The shape of that group leaves Kentucky with a clearer sense of its rotation, but it also underscores the one debate that still hangs over the front end of the season. The Wildcats have enough performances to see where the preferred five may be headed, yet the exhibition work has also shown how much depends on balancing talent with execution. For now, the staff can point to a lineup that has separated itself, even if the questions around how it all fits together are not fully gone. [Read more 🡒]