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Men's Basketball

Kentucky Loses on the Road to Texas A&M, Late Surge Not Enough

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4 months ago

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Camryn Williams | UK Athletics

On Tuesday, March 3, Kentucky (19-11, 10-7 SEC) fumbled an early double-digit lead, allowing Texas A&M (20-10, 10-7 SEC) to go on an unfathomable run at home, losing 96-85.

Coming into this game, the Wildcats were fresh off of a huge win at home against No. 25 Vanderbilt, a game where Collin Chandler and Otega Oweh both dropped 23 points each and led Mark Pope’s squad to a 14-point dub.

Texas A&M, holding the same exact record as the Wildcats beforehand, were on a two-game losing streak, falling to No. 20 Arkansas on the road and Texas at home. The Aggies, in need of a win for their tournament resume, had everything to lose on Tuesday night in College Station.

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To start things out, both teams traded shots, tied 11-11 at the first break. Otega Oweh led both teams with six points, but Denzel Aberdeen had unfortunately picked up two fouls.

At a solid point of the half, with eight minutes left on the clock, Brandon Garrison and a now checked-in Aberdeen had maintained the early Kentucky lead, putting the Wildcats up 30-18.

If you didn’t watch the game, please prepare yourself, as Rubén Dominguez would lead the Aggies to a 27-3 run to close out the first half, scoring 14 points and knocking down four threes during that stretch.

There’s not much to even say – the Wildcats turned the ball over seven times in the first 20 minutes and missed every single shot they attempted during the Texas A&M legacy run. Like, literally, they only made one shot.

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At the break, Pope and his unpredictable team trailed 45-33.

Don’t think things would get any better, as by time of the first media timeout in the second half, the Aggies outscored the Wildcats 14-7 out of the half and would nearly take a 20-point lead. With 13 minutes and some change left in the game, Texas A&M had officially gone on a 46-14 run – which is absolutely and positively embarrassing.

Trust me, I wish I could say something positive. The Wildcats showed a little life between the ten-minute and eight-minute mark, going on a quick 9-3 run, but obviously it was too little too late.

We all know the story of this Kentucky team, however, as a graphic flashed on the screen that highlighted the Wildcats’ five double-digit comebacks this season. Trailing by 15 points with 7:30 remaining in the game, the Big Blue Nation hadn’t gave up on their guys just yet.

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After some hero plays from Garrison on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, Pop Issacs would hit this 13th three for the Aggies. In very Garrison fashion, he would miss a layup and commit a foul on the next offensive possession, allowing Bucky McMillan’s team go back up by 18 points.

Late surge after late surge took place for Pope’s hopeful road dogs – you can’t always expect a miracle comeback though, or can you?

Led by Trent Noah, who hadn’t made a field goal since the end of January, Kentucky would go on a 10-2 run in just over a minute of game time, bringing the deficit down to seven.

Chandler, looking for another clutch moment, would air ball a corner shot, ironically marking the end of a hopeful ending.

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Up next, Kentucky will host the No. 5 Florida Gators (24-6, 15-2 SEC) during the Wildcats’ senior celebration on Saturday, March 7. That game will tip off at 4:00 p.m. ET and will air live on ESPN from Rupp Arena.

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Men's Basketball

College Basketball Rankings: Where Kentucky Stands in Updated “way-too-early” Polls

Published

2 weeks ago

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July 3, 2026

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Where Kentucky basketball stands in ESPN and CBS Sports updated way-too-early rankings after more coaching changes, player additions, and injuries.
UK Athletics

Last offseason, Kentucky was considered a top-10 team and a true title contender, but ended the season as one of the most disappointing teams in the country, winning just one game in the NCAA Tournament.

This offseason, Kentucky is barely cracking the top 15 in most preseason rankings and will look to climb the rankings throughout the season rather than fall.

Still 120+ days out from the start of the regular season, ESPN and CBS Sports have updated their “way-too-early” rankings following Dusty May’s jump from Michigan to the NBA, more player additions for teams, and some early-season-ending injuries.

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The rankings remain fairly static, however, with the Wildcats holding steady in ESPN’s rankings while moving ahead of St. John’s in CBS Sports’ rankings following Donnie Freeman’s Achilles injury.

ESPN

17. Kentucky Wildcats

Previous ranking: 17 (no change)

Impact newcomer: Milan Momcilovic

Momcilovic was the best transfer in the portal, after a season in which he established himself as the best shooter in college basketball. The 6-8 forward withdrew from the NBA draft on the night of the deadline, committing to coach Mark Pope’s team a few days later after also being pursued by Louisville and Arizona. He’s immediately an All-America contender and the most dangerous player on the Wildcats’ roster, after averaging 16.9 points and shooting 48.7% from 3 last season.

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Projected starting lineup

Zoom Diallo (15.7 PPG at Washington)
Alex Wilkins (17.8 PPG at Furman)
Milan Momcilovic (16.9 PPG at Iowa State)
Ousmane N’Diaye (9.8 PPG for Cremona in Serie A)
Malachi Moreno (7.8 PPG)

CBS Sports

16. Kentucky Wildcats

Previous ranking: 17 (⬆️1)

This ranking is based on the Wildcats returning one of the top six scorers — specifically Malachi Moreno — from a team that finished 22-14 and advanced to the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic, Washington transfers Zoom Diallo and Franck Kepnang, Washington State transfer Jerone Morton, James Madison transfer Justin McBride, Providence transfer Alex Wilkins, four-star prospect Mason Williams and international prospect Ousmane N’Diaye.

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Men's Basketball

Mark Pope Discusses Final Assistant Coach Position, “I’m not in desperate need of adding more pieces”

Published

2 weeks ago

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July 3, 2026

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Mark Pope isn't rushing to fill Kentucky's final assistant coach opening, saying pending NCAA rules on international players could shift his plans.
UK Athletics

Kentucky basketball has operated this offseason without a full staff. Assistant coaches Alvin Brooks III and Jason Hart left the program back in March, and Mark Pope has only filled one of the two spots since, hiring former NBA All-Star Mo Williams from Jackson State.

Despite that, Kentucky managed to bring in the 3rd ranked transfer class in the country, highlighted by Milan Momcilovic, and have secured a commitment from 2027 five-star Ryan Hampton.

“I like my organization a lot right now. I think this group is functioning at a high level,” Pope said about his staff in an interview with BBN Tonight. “I like the way our staff feels. I like the way we feel in the staff meeting every day. I like the way we’re executing on the road. I like the way we feel on the court right now.”

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With an assistant coach position sitting vacant, Pope is satisfied with how his staff is performing and says there is no urgency in filling the role. Instead, he’s waiting to see how NCAA guidelines and rules unfold in the coming weeks.

“I’m not in desperate need of adding more pieces, although I’m open to the idea,” he said.

“There are going to be a whole host of legal cases from our league testing the CSC and the NCAA on their current guidelines and rules on international players. And depending on what the outcome of those are, it could very much shift the direction we go with hiring.”

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Men's Basketball

Mark Pope Says Kentucky’s Final Roster Spot Is About Fit, “There’s got to be a very uniquely positioned piece”

Published

2 weeks ago

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July 3, 2026

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Mark Pope opens up on Kentucky Basketball's final roster spot, emphasizing fit over hype as the Nikola Kusturica recruitment nears a decision.
UK Athletics

Kentucky basketball is wrapping up its third week of practice in an eight-week summer training block. While the players are getting acclimated to Mark Pope’s system and to each other, there is still one roster spot to be filled.

“I am enjoying coaching these guys, but we’re also still really active in recruiting,” Pope said in an interview with BBN Tonight.

One name that Wildcat fans have been keeping a close eye on in recent weeks is Nikola Kusturica, a 17-year-old prospect from Serbia, who is currently playing for FC Barcelona and is a projected lottery pick in the 2028 NBA Draft. His recruitment is down to Kentucky and UCLA, with the latter having the momentum and a decision expected soon.

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Whoever the final roster piece will be, Pope emphasizes that they must fit with the other 14 players on the roster.

“Where we are with our roster, there’s got to be a very uniquely positioned piece that fits,” he said.

“There are several different archetypes of piece that would fit this roster really well, but there’s also a lot of guys who are popping up as available or have been available for a little while who don’t turn out to be the fit that’s going to work for this team.”

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