Travis Perry’s Return to Rupp: A Tough Homecoming for the Former Wildcat
Saturday afternoon marked a full-circle moment for Travis Perry - back at Rupp Arena, but this time wearing the opposing team’s jersey. The 6-foot-1 sophomore guard, who transferred from Kentucky to Ole Miss in the offseason, made his first SEC start for the Rebels in what turned out to be a tough 72-63 loss to his former squad.
The reception? Let’s just say it was... mixed.
When Perry’s name was called in the Ole Miss starting lineup, the Rupp crowd responded with a blend of cheers and boos, though the UK student section made its feelings pretty clear every time he touched the ball. That’s the kind of reaction reserved for someone who once wore the blue and white - and chose to walk away.
But for all the noise, Perry didn’t get many chances to make an impact. He logged just 10 minutes on the floor, only three of those coming in the second half.
He went 0-for-3 from the field - all from beyond the arc - and finished the game scoreless. His stat line included two rebounds and a steal, but offensively, it was a quiet night.
Kentucky’s defense deserves credit for that. The Wildcats keyed in on Perry’s perimeter shooting - the skill that’s long defined his game - and made sure he never got comfortable.
“We just know where he’s going to get to,” said UK senior guard Otega Oweh. “He’s a shooter, you can’t let him catch wide-open shots and shoot them.
Just got to force him inside the 3, and I feel like we did a really good job.”
That scouting report was spot on. Perry came into the matchup shooting 36.1% from three this season - a noticeable jump from his freshman year at UK, when he hit just 32.1% on fewer attempts.
In SEC play, he’d been even more dangerous, knocking down 50% of his threes (12-for-24) in the first six conference games. So the Wildcats made sure to close out hard and run him off the line - and it worked.
This was more than just another conference game for Perry. It was his first time facing Kentucky since his decision to transfer - a move that closed the book on his brief chapter with the Wildcats.
He had been the final holdover from John Calipari’s last high school recruiting class, the lone signee to stick with UK through the coaching change to Mark Pope. That bridge between eras is now firmly in the rearview.
Still, Perry’s name carries weight in the state of Kentucky. He’s a legend in the commonwealth thanks to his record-setting high school career at Lyon County, where he led his team to the 2024 Sweet 16 state title and became the all-time leading scorer in Kentucky high school basketball history. That kind of legacy doesn’t fade quickly - and it’s part of what made Saturday’s return so emotionally charged.
Despite the rough outing, Perry has found a role in Chris Beard’s Ole Miss rotation this season. He’s played in all 20 games, averaging 5.7 points in 15.5 minutes per game. And while he didn’t find the bottom of the net at Rupp, he’s had his moments - including a career-best five made threes in a recent game against Auburn.
The relationships Perry built during his time in Lexington haven’t disappeared either. There’s still mutual respect between him and his former teammates.
“Travis is my guy,” said UK freshman center Malachi Moreno. “Went to Italy together for Adidas EuroCamp, both from Kentucky.
Unfortunately, he ended my season my junior year (of high school). So there’s some hatred there.
But he’s my guy, and he’s at a place that he thought was the best fit for him. I’m happy that he’s thriving and he’s having fun.”
That’s the kind of bond that goes beyond box scores.
UK sophomore guard Collin Chandler echoed that sentiment, while also tipping his cap to the defensive job his team did on Perry. “He’s obviously a great shooter.
Everybody knows that. Everybody in the country knows that,” Chandler said.
“I think he found a few shots. And so it was just trying our best to contest those shots as hard as we can.
I thought we did well at that today.”
In the end, Perry’s return to Rupp was more about the moment than the numbers. It was a reminder of how quickly things change in college basketball - how a player can go from fan favorite to visiting opponent in a matter of months. And while the stat sheet won’t tell a story worth remembering, the scene itself - the reaction, the tension, the history - will linger.
For Perry, it was a tough day on the court. But for Kentucky fans, it was a chance to see a familiar face, even if only briefly, and a reminder of just how small the basketball world can feel when the lights come on at Rupp.