KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
RUPP ARENA AT CENTRAL BANK CENTER | LEXINGTON, KY
JANUARY 24, 2026
ATTENDANCE: 19,831
Final Score: (RV) Kentucky 72, Ole Miss 63
Team Records and Series Notes
Kentucky is 14-6 overall, 5-2 in the Southeastern Conference.
Kentucky won its fifth in a row, UK’s longest streak since the Mark Pope era opened with seven straight victories in November 2024.
It is Kentucky’s longest SEC win streak since winning the last five games of the 2024 regular season.
Ole Miss is 11-9, 3-4 in the SEC.
Kentucky leads the series, 112-15.
Kentucky leads 58-2 in games played in Lexington and has won the last 15 in a row.
Next for Kentucky: the Wildcats begin a two-game road swing Tuesday at Vanderbilt. Game time is 9 p.m. Eastern (8 p.m. Central in Nashville) and it will be televised on ESPN.
Team Notes
Kentucky has won its last four games by single-digit margins, the first time UK has won four straight games by single digits since Feb. 2020.
Kentucky is now 8-0 this season, 16-0 under Coach Mark Pope, when holding the opponent to 66 or fewer points.
Kentucky limited Ole Miss to 32.3 percent from the field (21 of 65).
Kentucky is now 8-0 this season when keeping the opponent under 40 percent from the field.
It is the best field goal percentage defense against an SEC opponent in the Mark Pope era
Kentucky won the rebounding, 45-43.
Second-chance defense played a key role in the Wildcat win. Although Ole Miss had more offensive rebounds, 17-14, UK won second-chance points 19-14.
Player Notes
Otega Oweh had a game-high 23 points, his seventh 20-point game of the season, all coming in the last 11 games. It was a season-high
He has tallied at least 20 in four of seven SEC games.
Oweh has the third most career 20-point games against an SEC opponent by a Kentucky player over the last 20 seasons (14) – Antonio Reeves (20), Jamal Murray (16)
He is the fifth Kentucky player over the last 20 seasons to have at least 20 career 20-point games at the school (Antonio Reeves, Patrick Patterson, Jodie Meeks, Oscar Tshiebwe)
He has scored in double figures in all 20 games this season. He has a total streak of 23 games dating back to last season.
He tied for the team lead in plus/minus with +11.
He did not have a steal, ending his streak of 14 games with at least one theft.
Collin Chandler had 12 points, his third straight double-figure game.
For the second straight game, he tied his career highs for rebounds (seven) and free throws made and attempted (6 of 6).
Jasper Johnson had 11 points, his fifth double-figure game of the season, including his second in the last three games.
Denzel Aberdeen scored six points, had a game-high five assists, and tied for the team lead in plus/minus with a +11.
During UK’s five-game win streak, he is averaging 16 points per game.
Malachi Moreno totaled five points, a team-high nine rebounds and blocked two shots – his third straight game with multiple swats.
Trent Noah played 11 minutes, his most SEC action of the season, scored three points and had a career-best three steals.
Kentucky is currently missing Jayden Quaintance, Kam Williams and Jaland Lowe because of injury. Lowe is out for the season.
In the First Half
Kentucky started the combination of Denzel Aberdeen, Collin Chandler, Otega Oweh, Andrija Jelavic and Malachi Moreno for the first time. It is the ninth different starting combination.
UK’s first substitutions were Mo Dioubate and Trent Noah at 15:46.
Trailing 15-11 with nine minutes left in the half, Jasper Johnson warmed to the task with eight straight points – two of them 3-pointers – coaxing an Ole Miss timeout.
Kentucky never trailed again.
UK extended the run to 18-4, giving the Cats the largest lead of the game at 29-19.
Ole Miss scored the last four points of the half and UK went to halftime ahead 29-23.
Johnson led the Wildcats with eight points and Garrison followed with six.
UK is now 9-0 this season when leading at halftime.
In the Second Half
Kentucky opened with the starters.
Ole Miss chipped away, tying the game at 39.
The Rebels never regained the lead but stayed the game remained in doubt until the final minute.
Ahead 62-60, UK closed the game on a 10-3 run.
Key shot in the run was Chandler’s 3-pointer with 47 seconds left, giving Kentucky a 66-60 cushion, and the Wildcats kept the visitors at bay from there.