Kentucky Basketball vs. Texas Tech preview, viewing info, and more for internet-only game

No. 23 Kentucky Basketball returns to Rupp Arena on Friday night for its second exhibition game of the season, welcoming the No. 19 Texas Tech Red Raiders to Lexington.

The Wildcats opened exhibition play last Friday with a 69-49 victory over Little Rock, coached by former Kentucky player Travis Ford. While Kentucky came away with a 20-point win, the performance was far from perfect, as Mark Pope’s team struggled with turnovers and offensive consistency.

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Kentucky committed 19 turnovers, compared with 15 by Little Rock, and scored 18 points off the Trojans’ mistakes. Although the Wildcats only managed 69 points, holding an opponent below 50 points was an encouraging defensive performance.

Milan Momcilovic led Kentucky with 16 points and seven rebounds, shooting 5-for-9 from the field and 4-for-7 from beyond the arc. Alex Wilkins added 11 points, while Mason Williams contributed 10 points, three assists, and three steals on 4-for-5 shooting. Zoom Diallo finished with seven points, five rebounds and five assists.

Despite the victory, Kentucky’s backcourt will need to improve its decision-making and offensive production against a more experienced Texas Tech team.

The matchup also marks the first meeting between Kentucky and Texas Tech since 2020, when the Wildcats escaped with a 76-74 overtime victory in Lubbock.

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The Red Raiders enter this matchup with several experienced players, including forward Darrion Williams, who returned to Texas Tech after spending last season at NC State. The Wildcats will also have to account for a talented group of guards capable of scoring from the perimeter and creating opportunities off the dribble.

Texas Tech will be without star forward JT Toppin, who remains sidelined while recovering from a torn ACL. His absence takes away a major frontcourt presence, but the Red Raiders still have plenty of talent to challenge Kentucky.

Here’s what you need to watch for as the Wildcats prepare for their second exhibition game.

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/kentucky-basketball-vs-texas-tech-105500584.html

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Publish date : 2026-10-20 10:55:00

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