CATS Shake Off Slow Start, Roll Past Nicholls in Opener

CATS open Pope’s Second Season with a Win

LEXINGTON – November , 2025 – MICHAEL WILLIS

With two exhibition games behind them, the Wildcats tipped off their regular season against Nicholls, and fans were eager to see which Kentucky team would show up — the one that beat Purdue in its opener, or the one that fell to Georgetown. As it turned out, both versions made an appearance in tonight’s matchup. 

The absence of a true point guard was evident early, as the Cats struggled to find rhythm on offense. Despite the sloppy play, Kentucky’s defense was locked in, allowing just one field goal in the first 13 minutes. Even so, the Wildcats couldn’t pull away from Nicholls due to poor shooting and turnovers. Midway through the first half, Kentucky had only nine points on 20% shooting. 

A late surge gave the Cats some breathing room, taking a 28–15 lead into halftime. Defensively, Kentucky was stellar, holding Nicholls to just 12% from the field. Offensively, however, the struggles continued — the Wildcats shot 32% overall and just 2-of-16 (12.5%) from three-point range. Free throws weren’t much better, as they went 6-for-13 (46%) from the line. 

Kentucky came out firing in the second half, opening with a 13–4 run that set the tone for the rest of the game. The improved play continued, and Collin Chandler brought the Rupp Arena crowd to its feet with a thunderous dunk. 

After a shaky start, Kentucky found its rhythm and pulled away for a comfortable 77–51 win. Chandler led the Wildcats in scoring with 15 points, followed by Ottega Oweh with 13. 

Denzel Aberdeen earned Kentucky’s MVP honors, finishing with 10 points, six assists, and five rebounds — and perhaps most impressively, zero turnovers in 23 minutes of action. 

The Wildcats will return to the court Friday night when they host Valparaiso at 7:00 PM.