Le Journal

Kentucky Basketball had another thriller Wednesday night inside Rupp Arena, this one coming in an 85-80 win over the Texas Longhorns. As has been a trend under Mark Pope, Kentucky got off to a slow start again against Texas, but fortunately, the Longhorns struggled early as well. The first half featured runs from both teams, with momentum swinging back and forth. By halftime, the game was tied at 40-40. Denzel Aberdeen and Otega Oweh led the Wildcats with 10 points apiece, combining for half of Kentucky’s total. The second half was pretty similar to the first half, and Kentucky also had to adjust when Kam Williams missed the majority of the second half due to a foot injury, but other players stepped up to fill the void. Kentucky was also without big man Jayden Quaintance, who has missed the past several games due to knee swelling, while Jaland Lowe still is out for the season after shoulder surgery. The Wildcats went on to defeat Texas, 85-80, moving to 13-6 overall and 4-2 in SEC play. With the win, Kentucky remains tied for No. 2 in the conference. Coming into the day, Texas was among Joe Lunardi’s last teams in the field of 68, and the Horns already had a pair of top-25 wins vs. Vanderbilt and at Alabama. Make no mistake about it. This was a good win, and an important one at that. Here are five things to know from another thrilling night at Rupp Arena. Kam Williams suffers foot injury Kam Williams was forced to miss most of the second half Wednesday night against Texas after suffering a foot injury. Williams played just 16 minutes in the game, including only four minutes in the second half, but he still scored nine points on 2-of-3 shooting from the field and 1-of-2 from beyond the arc. He also added a rebound and a steal. Williams’ absence came at a critical moment, as Kentucky was looking to maintain momentum after a tied 40-40 halftime score. With Jaland Lowe already out for the season due to a shoulder injury and Jayden Quaintance still sidelined with knee swelling, the Wildcats had to rely heavily on their remaining starters and bench to carry the team through the second half. Now the staff will be watching Williams closely in the coming days, as the team hopes the foot injury is minor and does not require an extended absence. Hopefully, Williams can return soon as Kentucky continues SEC play and aims to stay competitive in the conference without key players Lowe and Quaintance. Collin Chandler has career-night Kentucky guard Collin Chandler turned in a performance to remember by scoring a career-high 18 points off the bench while under the weather, showing that his confidence is back on track. 14 of them came in the second half after the game was tied 40-all at halftime. At the start of the season, Chandler looked confident going into his sophomore year, coming off a strong finish to his freshman campaign. However, as the season progressed, his confidence appeared to dip, and for a stretch, he looked like a shadow of the player fans once knew. Since SEC play began, Chandler has regained his rhythm, and the game versus Texas was a prime example. Despite being sick leading up to the game, many wondered if he would even take the floor. His decision to play paid off, as he helped lead Kentucky to a crucial SEC win over Texas. In the previous game against Tennessee, Otega Oweh battled illness but still helped wheel Kentucky to a comeback victory on the road. Against Texas, it was Chandler’s turn to step up, providing energy, scoring, and leadership when the team needed it most. If Chandler continues playing with this confidence and production, he could be a central figure in Kentucky’s push toward the top of the SEC. Fans who witnessed his performance were thrilled to see him playing confidently and back to being a difference-maker for the Wildcats. Otega Oweh does it all As previously mentioned, Oweh once again delivered a complete performance for Kentucky by setting the tone in the win versus Texas. Oweh stayed active…

The Kentucky Wildcats will take on the Texas Longhorns on Wednesday night at Rupp Arena. Game time is set for 7:00 PM ET on the SEC Network. Kentucky is a 6.5-point favorite. The Cats are now 12-6 on the season after a second straight come-from-behind victory over the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville on Saturday. Three days after coming back from 18 down against the LSU Tigers, Mark Pope’s squad came back from 17 down to defeat the Vols. Obviously, the slow starts are an issue, but a win is a win. Kentucky has now won three games in a row, but no game is easy in the SEC. Jayden Quaintance will sit out his fourth straight game due to continued “knee swelling.” Hopefully, the Cats can start to put together two consecutive halves as we’ve seen in the second half of both the LSU and UT games. As for the Longhorns, they’re 11-7 on the season, including 2-3 in conference. It’s been an up-and-down campaign thus far as they boast wins over Alabama and Vanderbilt but losses to the likes of Texas A&M, Mississippi State, and Arizona State. Sean Miller’s team possesses a high-powered offense to go with a horrific defense. This will be an interesting matchup. Kentucky has been so inconsistent this season, and that includes on both the offensive and defensive ends. There’s no telling which Kentucky team will show up, which half they play on, and whether this will be a shootout or a defensive masterpiece. At this point, it’s time to start stringing together wins and continue this newfound win streak. Pregame reading Kentucky Basketball vs Texas Longhorns time, TV channel, online stream, predictions, more | A Sea Of Blue Kentucky vs Texas injury report; no Jayden Quaintance once again | A Sea Of Blue Mark Pope says Jayden Quaintance is out vs. Texas but optimistic he’ll play again this season | A Sea Of Blue 6 risers from Kentucky’s monumental comeback wins vs. LSU and Tennessee | A Sea Of Blue Otega Oweh delivered vs. LSU and Tennessee, but free-throw shooting remains a question | A Sea Of Blue Collin Chandler’s defensive IQ on display in game-winning play vs. Tennessee | A Sea Of Blue Jaland Lowe’s father opens up about surgery and future plans | A Sea Of Blue ___________________________________________________________ Let’s Go CATS!