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(Cover photo by Jeff McKinley)

Pregame Atmosphere

Kentucky fans filled the stands for the Wildcats’ season opener against the Nicholls Colonels of the Southland Conference. The Colonels, led by former Nicholls player and now head coach Tevon Saddler, were making their first-ever appearance against Kentucky.

This game also marked the beginning of Mark Pope’s second season at the helm of the Wildcats, following a strong Sweet Sixteen run the previous year. Adding to the excitement, it was the 50th anniversary of Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center — the home of Kentucky basketball since 1976, when the Wildcats opened the arena with a 72–64 win over Wisconsin.

First Half

The first half was a defensive battle — and a messy one offensively for both sides. Kentucky struggled to find rhythm, scoring just 28 points on 32% shooting from the field and 13% from beyond the arc. Fortunately, their defense more than made up for it, holding Nicholls to just 15 points on 12% shooting and 7% from three.

Otega Oweh and Denzel Aberdeen, returning from injury, led the Wildcats with a combined nine first-half points. The biggest concern came late in the half when sophomore guard Trent Noah went down with an apparent left leg injury. Though the training staff later cleared him to play, Head Coach Mark Pope opted to keep him sidelined for the remainder of the game.

Second Half

Kentucky came alive after halftime, outscoring Nicholls 49–36 to cruise to a 77–51 victory. The second half belonged to Collin Chandler, who added 11 points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting performance — including one of the most electrifying dunks Rupp Arena has seen in recent memory.

Freshman guard Jasper Johnson also provided a spark, adding six second-half points. Otega Oweh and Chandler finished as Kentucky’s top scorers with 13 and 15 points respectively, helping the Wildcats start the season with a decisive win in front of a jubilant home crowd.

When do the Cats play again?

Kentucky will play next Friday November 7th at 7 PM versus the Valparaiso Beacons out of the Missouri Valley Conference the game can be streamed on SEC Network+.

Box Score