Biggest Talking Points From Kentucky Basketball’s Gritty Win Over James Madison

Kentucky basketball improved to 2-0 on the season with a win over a solid James Madison team Friday night at Rupp Arena. It wasn’t the prettiest performance from the Wildcats, but they showed plenty of grit to pull away late and pick up an 89-80 win.

James Madison largely set the tone in the first half, forcing Kentucky to play its game. The teams played out a seesaw first 20 minutes and entered the break tied at 39 points apiece.

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The beginning of the second half saw much of the same flow, with several lead changes in the opening stages. The tide shifted midway through when Kentucky started to find its rhythm, as Justin McBride, Alex Wilkins, and Mason Williams all settled into a groove. Combined with the Dukes enduring a three-and-a-half-minute scoreless spell in the heart of the half, Kentucky was able to pull away and never look back.

Here are the biggest talking points from the gutsy Wildcat win.

Kentucky Basketball: Winning Without Milan Momcilovic

After dropping 24 points and going six-of-nine from three-point range in the season opener against Manhattan, Kentucky’s resident superstar, Milan Momcilovic, was largely absent against James Madison. He had just seven points, going two-of-nine from the floor and a measly one-of-eight from beyond the arc.

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Clearly, much of Kentucky’s success this year will be tied to his performance. That’s why it is encouraging to see the team rally and other players step up when its star couldn’t quite find his shot.

Kentucky Basketball: Justin McBride Could Be An X-Factor This Year

The turning point of the game came when Justin McBride found his footing in the second half. After drilling a triple to give the Cats the lead, he made a couple of huge defensive plays and fired up both the home crowd and the Kentucky bench. He finished with a game-high eight rebounds, adding 13 points while going four-of-six from the floor and three-of-four from deep.

After a quiet cameo in the Manhattan game a couple of days ago, McBride…

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Publish date : 2026-11-07 19:39:00

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