Takeaways from Kentucky’s exhibition win against Little Rock

Kentucky basketball got their exhibition slate underway on Friday when they welcomed former Wildcat Travis Ford and the Little Rock Trojans to Rupp Arena. After Big Blue Madness and Pro Day, fans were eager to get a full glimpse at this year’s Kentucky squad against another opponent.

The Wildcats took down Little Rock in their first of three exhibition games, 69-49. After a slow start for both teams, Kentucky was able to take a 30-19 halftime lead after a 13-0 run during the half helped them get there. The Wildcats struggled offensively in the opening half with seven turnovers and just 3-11 from three, but they cleaned that up in the second, finishing 12-28 from three. That and their impressive length on defense helped them pull away. Milan Momcilovic led the way with 16 points on 4-7 shooting from three. Here are two takeaways from Kentucky’s first exhibition on Friday.

Oct 16, 2026; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Ousmane N’Diaye (19) celebrates a basket during the first half against the Little Rock Trojans at Rupp Arena Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Length showed itself on defense

This was very evident in the first half and remained throughout the game. Kentucky entered halftime forcing seven turnovers and grabbing five blocks and four steals. Their length was a huge part of their defensive success in those areas as well as holding the Trojans to just 1-11 on threes in the first half. The Wildcats finished the game with eight blocks, nine steals, and held Little Rock to just 2-20 from deep. Mark Pope may have been right when he said his team’s length will help them find success on defense.

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Publish date : 2026-10-17 01:05:00

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