The energy in Lexington feels a little different this week. It’s that cautious optimism that only Big Blue Nation truly understands. If you’re looking for the kentucky wildcats basketball score today, you won't find a box score from a Tuesday night tip-off. The Cats are actually in a rare mid-week "breather" before they head down to Baton Rouge to face LSU on Wednesday, January 14.
But honestly? We need to talk about what happened on Saturday. That 92-68 thumping of Mississippi State wasn't just another win. It felt like a survival tactic.
Going into that game, the vibe was, well, let's call it "tense." Kentucky was sitting at a rocky 10-6 overall and a measly 1-2 in the SEC. People were starting to whisper about whether Coach Mark Pope’s second-year magic had run out. Then, the Cats fell behind 18-6 early. You could almost hear the collective groan from the Rupp Arena faithful. But something clicked.
The "Chef Pope" Recipe Finally Worked
Pope has been tinkering with this roster like a guy trying to fix a watch with a sledgehammer. He’s had injuries, rotation issues, and a pace in the half-court that he himself described as "stinking."
Against the Bulldogs, he threw the old playbook out. He stopped trying to force the "two bigs" lineup. Instead, he went small and fast. He put Malachi Moreno—the 7-foot freshman from Georgetown, Kentucky—in the post as a lone anchor and surrounded him with four perimeter threats.
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The result? Pure chaos for Mississippi State.
- Otega Oweh went off for 22 points.
- Denzel Aberdeen looked like the senior leader the Cats desperately needed.
- Malachi Moreno didn't just rebound; he dished out 6 assists. A 7-footer passing like a point guard? That's what Pope’s system is supposed to look like.
Kentucky ended up with 21 assists on 33 made field goals. That’s the "modern basketball" we were promised. When this team passes the ball, they are dangerous. When they stand around and watch Oweh try to bail them out, they lose.
The Jaland Lowe Concern
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, though. The big question mark hanging over the kentucky wildcats basketball score today and the upcoming LSU game is the health of Jaland Lowe.
Lowe "tweaked" his shoulder, and the staff has been pretty tight-lipped about it. He’s the engine. Without him, the backcourt rotation gets thin real fast. We saw Jasper Johnson and Collin Chandler step up, but playing in the PMAC in Baton Rouge is a different beast than playing at home.
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LSU is 12-4. They are hungry. They’ve got Dedan Thomas Jr. averaging over 16 points a game, and Max Mackinnon is coming off a 27-point performance. If Lowe can't go, or if he’s limited, Pope is going to have to lean even harder on the "new" spacing system he found on Saturday.
Why 10-6 Feels Better Than It Looks
Look, 10-6 isn't the standard at Kentucky. We know that. But the SEC is a meat grinder this year. Alabama is ranked 18th and just dropped 97 on Mississippi State. Tennessee is, well, Tennessee.
The most encouraging thing isn't the record; it's the shooting. In their six losses, the Cats were shooting a dismal 25.7% from three. Against State? They hit 41%.
Pope wants this team shooting 30+ threes a game. It’s a high-risk, high-reward style. When the shots fall, like they did for Kam Williams and Andrija Jelavic recently, Kentucky looks like a Final Four sleeper. When they don't, it's a long night for everyone involved.
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What to Watch for Wednesday
The game against LSU (Wednesday, Jan 14 at 7:00 PM EST on SEC Network) is the true litmus test. Was the Mississippi State game a fluke because they were at home, or did Mark Pope actually find the "ingredients" for a deep January run?
Keep an eye on the turnover margin. In their losses, Kentucky has been hovering around 12 assists and 11 turnovers. They basically break even. To beat the Tigers on the road, they need that 2-to-1 ratio they showed over the weekend.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're following the Cats this week, don't just look at the final score. Check these three things to see if they're actually "back":
- Assists over 18: If they hit this number, the ball movement is working.
- Malachi Moreno's Minutes: If he stays out of foul trouble and plays 25+, the defense stays solid.
- The First 5 Minutes: Kentucky has been a notorious slow starter. If they aren't trailing by 10 at the first media timeout, they're in good shape.
The schedule doesn't get easier. After LSU, it's a trip to Knoxville to face the Vols. This week is basically the season. If they can steal one on the road, the 10-6 record starts to look like a distant memory.
Get your remote ready for Wednesday night. The SEC Network broadcast starts at 7:00 PM. Whether Jaland Lowe is in the starting lineup or in street clothes will tell us everything we need to know before the ball even tips.