The Kentucky Wildcats, ranked No. 23 nationally, secured a hard‑fought overtime victory over the University of Central Florida Knights, 90-76, on Tuesday night. The win came after a tightly contested first half and a dramatic extra period that showcased the Wildcats’ depth and resilience.
First half: Early leads and back‑and‑forth action
Both teams struggled with shooting early, but Kentucky opened the game with a 7-2 advantage after UCF missed its first nine attempts while the Wildcats made two of their first ten. Milan Momcilovic sparked the first scoring run, slipping to the basket for a lay‑up and then draining a three‑pointer to give Kentucky a 12-5 lead.
Freshman Mason Williams followed with a seven‑point streak that included a fast‑break lay‑up, a mid‑range jumper and a three‑pointer, extending the lead to 19-10. Braydon Hawthorne added seven of Kentucky’s eleven points in a short burst, pushing the margin to as many as 13 points before UCF answered with a 13-4 run to close the half at 39-35.
Eight of Kentucky’s ten starters scored in the first half, and the team recorded 12 assists on 14 made baskets, highlighting the balanced offensive effort.
Second half: Moreno’s near triple‑double keeps the Wildcats ahead
UCF began the second half with a 6-0 run, narrowing the gap to 43-41 after an Isaiah Malone slam. Kentucky responded quickly, with senior Malachi Moreno scoring on a lay‑up and a dunk, then adding another slam to put the Wildcats up 52-45.
Moreno continued to flirt with a triple‑double, finishing the regulation period with 12 points, seven rebounds and eight assists as Kentucky clung to a 63-61 lead. UCF tied the game at 63 with 4:04 remaining, then briefly took the lead 68-65 after Dior Johnson was fouled and hit the free throw.
Kentucky answered with a Moreno dunk to cut the deficit to one, and Momcilovic hit both free throws with 1:24 left to restore a 69-68 edge. UCF’s Arturo Dean hit two free throws with 26 seconds left to retake the lead 70-69, prompting Kentucky to call a timeout with 11 seconds remaining.
Overtime: Wildcats pull away
In the extra period, Momcilovic opened with a corner three to give Kentucky a 74-71 lead, then added an easy bucket inside the lane. UCF answered, but Williams scored inside the paint to push the lead back to five.
UCF briefly narrowed the gap again, but Alex Wilkins hit his first three‑pointer of the night for an 81-75 advantage and added free throws to extend the lead to 83-75. Kentucky held firm, ultimately finishing the overtime period 90-76.
Statistical highlights
- Malachi Moreno: 16 points, 14 rebounds, 8 assists
- Milan Momcilovic: 19 points
- Mason Williams: 18 points
- Team shooting: Kentucky made 14 of 24 shots in the first half and recorded 12 assists
The Wildcats will open their season officially on Tuesday at Rupp Arena against Manhattan, a game that will be streamed on SEC Network+.
Original reporting: LEX18 Lexington (local) — read the source article.
