Kentucky Basketball wins OT thriller vs. UCF: 4 things to know and postgame cheers

No. 23 Kentucky Basketball had to battle through adversity in its third and final exhibition game Wednesday night, eventually pulling away from UCF for a 90-76 overtime win inside Rupp Arena. With the regular-season opener against Manhattan set for Tuesday, Nov. 3, the Wildcats have one final opportunity to address their weaknesses before the games begin to count.

Although Kentucky came away with the win, the performance was far from perfect. The Wildcats struggled to establish a consistent offensive rhythm, experienced several scoring droughts, and allowed UCF to hang around long enough to force overtime.

Advertisement

Kentucky relied heavily on perimeter shooting throughout regulation, often settling for jump shots instead of attacking the basket and establishing a presence in the paint. That approach contributed to stretches when the offense struggled to generate points.

Defensively, the Wildcats also gave UCF too many open looks. The Knights took advantage of those opportunities and put together several runs, including a 12-3 stretch that helped them grab the lead.

However, Kentucky responded when it mattered most. The Wildcats found another gear in overtime, outscoring UCF to secure a 14-point victory and finish their exhibition schedule with a win.

Advertisement

While exhibition results do not affect the regular-season record, these games provide valuable opportunities to identify weaknesses and make adjustments before the competition intensifies.

Kentucky showed what it could do in its exhibition win over Texas Tech, but its performances against Little Rock and UCF showed there is still work to do. Head coach Mark Pope and his staff will need to build on the positives while addressing the team’s offensive and defensive inconsistencies.

With the regular season just around the corner, here are four things to know from Kentucky’s overtime victory over UCF.

1. Mason Williams Is Not Playing Like a Freshman

Mason Williams has emerged as one of the biggest surprises for this year’s…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/kentucky-basketball-wins-ot-thriller-003425199.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-10-29 00:34:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.