In front of a lively home crowd at Rupp Arena, the No. 23 Kentucky Wildcats secured a solid 89-80 victory over the James Madison Dukes on Friday night, moving the team to a 2-0 start for the season.
Key moments and scoring leaders
The game was tightly contested early, with the teams tied at 39-39 at halftime. The second half opened with a back‑and‑forth exchange, and the Dukes even grabbed a brief 51-50 lead. Kentucky regained control just before the 12‑minute mark when forward Ousmane N’Diaye nailed a three‑pointer, pushing the Wildcats ahead 65-56.
From that point, Kentucky maintained a steady lead, ultimately finishing with a nine‑point margin. Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins led the scoring effort, each contributing 16 points. Wilkins was especially efficient, shooting 2‑of‑3 from beyond the arc and a perfect 6‑for‑6 from the free‑throw line.
Supporting contributions
Three Wildcats came off the bench to score in double figures: Justin McBride added 13 points, Mason Williams chipped in 12, and Braydon Hawthorne contributed 10. The team shot 51% from the field and 36% from three‑point range, while scoring 40 points in the paint.
Rebounding was close, with Kentucky pulling down 40 boards to James Madison’s 36. Both squads committed seven turnovers each, reflecting a hard‑fought, competitive contest.
Looking ahead
Following the win, Kentucky will travel to Chicago on Tuesday for the State Farm Champions Classic, where they will face No. 17 Kansas at 9:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN, offering another early‑season test for the Wildcats.
Fans can expect the Wildcats to build on their strong start as they continue to vie for conference supremacy and a deep run in the NCAA tournament.
Original reporting: WLKY Louisville — read the source article.
