No. 23 Kentucky’s second exhibition game of the 2026-27 season had the kind of swingy feel that can make October basketball look a lot like January - messy early, then suddenly sharp, then loud.
Against No. 19 Texas Tech on Friday at Rupp Arena, the Wildcats shook off a rough opening stretch and worked their way to a 76-65 win over Grant McCasland’s bunch.
Texas Tech came in without JT Toppin, who tore his ACL in February during Big 12 play last year and is targeting a return in December of this year. Even without him, the Red Raiders brought plenty of experience to Lexington, part of a roster loaded with 2022 athletes trying to earn an extra year and fit into the new 5-for-5 landscape. And as expected, they made Kentucky earn everything.
The Wildcats were loose with the ball right out of the gate. Kentucky had seven turnovers in the first 11 minutes and dug itself into an early hole before settling down.
Once the giveaways stopped, the game tilted fast. The Cats went the rest of the first half without another turnover, flipped the momentum, and carried a 4-point lead into halftime.
That turnaround came with a burst that got Rupp Arena fully engaged. Kentucky ripped off a 17-3 run over 3 minutes and 43 seconds, using turnovers, Milan Momcilovic 3s, and buckets from Moreno around the rim to seize control. Seven different Wildcats scored in the first half, with Momcilovic pacing the team with 10 points.
The shooting line was ugly in one spot - Kentucky finished 1/11 from three in the half - but the overall picture was more encouraging. The defense looked disruptive, and the length on the roster kept showing up in ways that changed possessions and created easy offense.
That defensive pressure stayed visible into the second half. One of the best sequences came when Ousmane N’Diaye blocked a shot, Momcilovic pushed the break, and Mason Williams finished it off with a 3 that brought the building to life. Texas Tech kept hanging around, though, and its work on the offensive glass helped it stay in the game longer than Kentucky would have liked.
The second half also gave fans a handful of plays that will stick. Alex Wilkins hit step-back threes, Mason Williams kept making winning-type plays, and Momcilovic eventually delivered a dagger.
There was plenty to like beyond the final score, but the biggest takeaway was simple: Kentucky needs to clean up the turnovers. Once it did that, the Wildcats looked much more like the team they want to be. Mason Williams stood out in a night full of moving parts, giving Kentucky shot-making, energy, and steady play when the game was still very much up for grabs.
Exhibitions don’t decide anything, but they sure do feel better when they end this way.
In Other News...
Mark Popes New Kentucky Lead Guard Comes With Real Risk And Upside
Alex Wilkins is arriving at Kentucky with the kind of rsum that makes him easy to notice and hard to project. The Furman transfer averaged 17.8 points and 4.7 assists last season, and in recent team events he has shown improved three-point shooting while stepping into the role of a lead guard for Mark Popes team. Pope has already pointed to Wilkins creativity and shooting, and Milan Momcilovic has echoed that optimism, which is part of why the staff sees him as such an intriguing fit.
The upside is obvious, but so is the challenge that comes with handing the controls to someone adjusting to a bigger stage and a new system. Pope has made it clear Wilkins is still developing, even as his potential stands out, and Kentuckys early buzz around him reflects the balance the Wildcats are trying to strike this season. If the guard keeps building on what he has shown so far, he could give Pope exactly the kind of dynamic backcourt presence this team needs. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Has A Huge SEC Chance And One Lingering Concern
Kentucky sits in a familiar but meaningful spot as week nine arrives, tied for first in the SEC and staring at a very winnable game against Vanderbilt. The Wildcats have built their push around balance, leaning on a strong running game while trying to keep the offense steady enough to stay in control of conference play. With the league race tightening around them, this is the kind of stretch where a good team can turn a solid season into something far bigger.
The concern is on the other side of the ball, where Kentucky wants to keep heating up quarterbacks even as it navigates life without a key edge rusher. The defense has still been built to create pressure and help the Wildcats stay in the playoff conversation, but the margin gets thinner when one of the main pass-rush pieces is missing. If Kentucky is going to keep its place at the top of the SEC, it will need more than just a favorable matchup. It will need a cleaner, more complete performance than the one it has shown at times so far. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Fans Keep Asking About One Frustrating Wildcats Trend
A string of recent injury issues has naturally become one of the biggest talking points around Kentucky mens basketball, especially for fans trying to separate coincidence from something more troubling. The case being made here is that a lot of those setbacks look more like bad luck than a conditioning problem, which matters because the Wildcats are trying to build momentum with a roster that needs continuity as much as anything else.
There is also the broader frustration of where Kentucky landed in the preseason SEC basketball conversation. A seventh-place projection feels too low for a program that expects to be in the league chase, and it only adds to the sense that the Wildcats are entering the season with questions around health and respect alike. The injury chatter may not tell the whole story, but it has become part of why so many fans are paying attention to every update. [Read more 🡒]