All articles tagged with #kentucky wildcats
The Southeastern Conference publicly reprimanded Kentucky men's basketball coach Mark Pope and fined him $25,000 for postgame conduct and criticism of officiating after the Feb. 21 game at Auburn, citing violations of sportsmanship and the league's public-criticism rules.
Kentucky coach Mark Pope was furious after the Wildcats' 75-74 loss to Auburn, criticizing the late call on Collin Chandler and suggesting the moment felt personal. At the podium he avoided direct ref critiques, but outside the media room he unleashed a hallway rant about not giving power to officials or fans. Pope also praised Otega Oweh (career-high 29) and Auburn players for their impact, stressed that Kentucky will bounce back, and noted a Tuesday night matchup at South Carolina as the next challenge.
Kentucky erased a 14-point halftime deficit to beat Tennessee 74-71 at Rupp Arena, marking the largest comeback from a halftime deficit in the venue’s history. Led by Collin Chandler's timely 3s and a lockdown second half, UK moved to 17 wins on the season (8-3 in the SEC) and sits in sole second in the conference, as the program celebrated the 30th anniversary of the 1996 national title.
Kentucky jumped out to an early lead behind Crawford and rode the advantage to an 85-77 victory on the road at Arkansas in a Southeastern Conference matchup.
Vanderbilt overwhelmed Kentucky 80-55 in Nashville, using a stronger frontcourt and hot shooting to pull away while Kentucky never found rhythm or energy; the lopsided loss sparked online criticism of Vanderbilt coach Mark Pope and UK athletic director Mitch Barnhart.
Kentucky survived a slugfest with Ole Miss 72-63 to push their SEC win streak to five and reach 14-6 overall. Otega Oweh carried the scoring surge in the second half, finishing with 23 points after a quiet first half, while Collin Chandler drilled the late dagger to seal the win. Travis Perry had a rough homecoming, going scoreless in 10 minutes. The game featured a foul-filled, grind-it-out pace, with 42 team fouls and 59 free throws, but the Cats closed it out and now head to back-to-back road tests at Vanderbilt and Arkansas as a winter storm looms.
Kentucky beat Texas 85-80 to extend its four-game SEC winning streak, overcoming Kam Williams’s season-ending broken foot. Collin Chandler erupted for a career-high 18 points after an illness, while veterans Otega Oweh and Denzel Aberdeen provided the scoring spark early and late. Malachi Moreno continued to grow into a versatile starter, and the Wildcats outscored Texas at the free-throw line and matched the Longhorns on the boards, showing resilience and depth as they build momentum without Williams.
Kentucky guard Collin Chandler, who had been sick and even skipped shootaround, exploded for 18 points and seven rebounds in 32 minutes to key Kentucky’s 85-80 win over Texas; after a dunk he flashed a tongue-out MJ-like gesture, celebrating a performance described by coach Mark Pope as an incredibly efficient 18 points with seven rebounds and strong defense despite his illness.
Kentucky welcomes Texas to Rupp Arena for a midweek SEC clash following back-to-back road comebacks (at LSU and Tennessee). UK opens as a 6.5-point favorite with a 151.5-point total, and KenPom gives the Cats a ~71% win chance (82-76 projection), while ESPN’s matchup predictor also favors Kentucky (~76%). Texas brings a potent offense led by Dailyn Swain, Matas Vokietaitis, Tramon Mark and Jordan Pope, and Kentucky counters with Denzel Aberdeen and Malachi Moreno after Jaland Lowe’s season-ending injury (Quaintance knee swelling). Kentucky leads the series 2-1. Tipoff is 7:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network, with KSBoard live updates and postgame coverage; note that Kam Williams later suffered a broken foot vs. Texas.
Mo Dioubate came off the bench to score 10 points and grab six rebounds, sparking Kentucky's rally from 17 down to beat Tennessee 80-78 in Knoxville, with eight of his points in the second half and a game-changing impact that earned praise from coach Mark Pope and helped secure a Quad 1A win for the Cats.
Kentucky erased a 17-point deficit to beat No. 24 Tennessee 80-78 in Knoxville, extending UK’s streak of road wins against the Vols to four years. After the buzzer, a benches-clearing scuffle broke out involving Otega Oweh and Jaylen Carey, with teammates defending one another; Mark Pope sprinted in to break up the skirmish. Back in the locker room, Pope was drenched with water in a celebratory Gatorade shower captured on social media.
Kentucky guard Otega Oweh, sick enough to miss shootaround, still poured in 21 points (6-13 FG, 3-6 3PT) with four rebounds and two steals in 37 minutes to fuel a 75-74 win at LSU, extending his streak of 20-point SEC game performances and showcasing leadership alongside his teammates, capped by Malachi Moreno’s game-winning buzzer-beater.
Kentucky travels to Baton Rouge for a pivotal SEC road game against LSU with a refreshed starting five (Kam Williams and Andrija Jelavić) after Jaland Lowe’s season-ending shoulder surgery, and Jayden Quaintance sidelined with a knee issue. LSU is 0-3 in conference play and Dedan Thomas is listed as doubtful, while Kentucky hopes to build on its recent 24-point home win. Vegas has UK favored by 4.5, and KenPom/BartTorvik project a close Quad 1 opportunity for the Wildcats as they navigate lineup changes and the challenge of a tough road vibe.
Kentucky football rode a chaotic transfer portal Sunday, netting four public commitments in under an hour — CJ Baxter (Texas), Mark Robinson (UTEP), Ja’Kayden Ferguson (Arkansas) and Mark Manfred III (Missouri) — with additional targets like JacQai Long (Marshall) and Tegra Tshabola (Ohio State) still in play, plus DeAndre Moore as a potential addition. The surge underscores Will Stein’s aggressive roster reshaping and could dramatically affect UK’s depth on offense, the line, and the quarterback room.
The article provides a detailed play-by-play account of the college basketball game between Kentucky Wildcats and Alabama Crimson Tide on January 3, 2026, highlighting key moments, player actions, and score updates throughout the match.