LEXINGTON – January 7, 2026 – Michael Willis
Kentucky lost the final game of the regular season in a Senior Day matchup against the Florida Gators, 84–77. Prior to tipoff, the Big Blue Nation celebrated four players who were playing their final game in Rupp Arena. Otega Oweh, Denzel Aberdeen, Walker Horn, and Zach Tow stood on the court with their families while “My Old Kentucky Home” was sung.
Despite the emotional start to the day, the Wildcats could not find any momentum early and fell too far behind to catch the Gators.
It was another slow start for Kentucky, as they gave up 11 unanswered points to open the game. The Wildcats didn’t score their first points until the 15:36 mark of the first half. The game briefly turned when the Cats responded with a 9–0 run of their own, cutting the lead to two. However, the Gators were far from finished. Kentucky cut the lead to one with 8:57 remaining in the half, but Florida outworked the Cats down the stretch and went into halftime with a commanding 49–32 lead.
Otega Oweh was the only offensive weapon for the Wildcats in the first half, scoring 17 of Kentucky’s 32 points. Kentucky also allowed Florida to shoot 64 percent from the field, including 6-of-10 from beyond the arc.
The second half started slowly for both teams, with each side scoring just four points before the first media timeout. Florida later extended its lead to 20 with 9:43 remaining, and the game appeared all but out of reach for the Cats.
Kentucky slowly clawed its way back and cut the deficit to five with 29 seconds remaining, but the Wildcats ultimately could not overcome the large deficit as Florida secured the 84–77 victory.
It wasn’t a pretty performance for Kentucky, and it could have been much worse if not for Oweh’s effort throughout the game. He finished the night with 28 points and five rebounds in 38 minutes.
Today’s loss forces Kentucky to play on Wednesday in the SEC Tournament for the first time in program history. To call this regular season a disappointment would be an understatement. Losing on Senior Day to a top-five opponent in a game that Kentucky was never truly close to winning was the final straw for many fans. It may take a surprising run in the NCAA Tournament to bring them back into the fold.
