When the game’s hanging in the balance, Kentucky has found its closer-and his name is Collin Chandler.
The sophomore guard once again delivered when it mattered most, this time helping the Wildcats take down No. 15 Arkansas on the road, 85-77.
With just over a minute left and Arkansas making a late push, cutting the deficit to six, Mark Pope looked down his bench and called Chandler’s number. It had been nearly 10 minutes since he’d last seen the floor, but Chandler didn’t need a warm-up.
He just needed the ball.
With the shot clock winding down, Chandler took the inbounds pass in the backcourt, turned the corner on Arkansas freshman Meleek Thomas, and glided into the lane. Then came the signature move-he stopped on a dime just outside the paint, got Arkansas forward Trevon Brazile airborne, and rose up for a smooth turnaround jumper over Thomas’ outstretched arm.
Splash. Kentucky up eight.
Game, essentially, over.
“He loves the moment,” Pope said postgame. “He came in and saved us in the last two minutes.
Huge shot late in the clock. I thought he was brilliant down the stretch.”
It’s becoming a familiar script for Chandler, who’s made a habit of showing up in crunch time. This wasn’t just a one-off highlight-it marked the fourth time in six games that he’s delivered a game-sealing play in the final minutes. And each one has come with a different flavor of clutch.
Back on January 14 in Baton Rouge, he played quarterback, launching a full-court pass to Malachi Moreno, who hit the game-winner at the buzzer to stun LSU after Kentucky erased an 18-point second-half deficit. One game later in Knoxville, Chandler picked Tennessee’s pocket and dished to Otega Oweh for a momentum-shifting and-one that capped another comeback. Then, at Rupp against Ole Miss, it was a deep three in the final minute that gave Kentucky the cushion it needed to close things out.
And that’s not even counting the 14 second-half points he dropped on Texas the game before Ole Miss-another win, another impact performance.
What makes Chandler’s recent stretch even more impressive is the context. He started the first 14 games of the season, but after a rough outing on the road at Alabama, he lost his starting spot.
The following game, a loss to Missouri, he played just five minutes off the bench. Lesser players might’ve sulked.
Chandler responded.
With Kam Williams sidelined due to a broken foot, Chandler has stepped back into the starting lineup over the last three games-and he’s made the most of it. Against Arkansas, he finished with 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including 2-of-4 from deep, in just 23 minutes. He’s now scored 12 or more in four of his last five games.
Bottom line: when the Wildcats need a bucket late, Chandler’s becoming the guy they trust. Whether it’s a dagger jumper, a key assist, or a big-time steal, he’s finding ways to impact winning. And for a Kentucky team looking to build momentum heading into the heart of SEC play, that’s a luxury few teams have-someone who doesn’t just want the ball in crunch time, but knows exactly what to do with it.