LEXINGTON – November 13, 2026 – Michael Willis
Coming off the disappointing loss against Kansas in the Champions Classic, the Wildcats were back in Rupp Arena tonight to face the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks with hopes of regaining some momentum. Unfortunately, that was not what happened tonight.
Kentucky was slow out of the gate and allowed Northern Arizona to take a 7-2 lead before the first media timeout. Ousman N’Diaye gave the Cats their first lead of the game, knocking down a three-pointer with 15:04 left in the half. However, offensive rebounds kept the Lumberjacks in the game, and halfway through the first half, the game was tied at 18.
Kentucky finally took control with an 11-3 run to close out the half. The Cats took a 45-37 lead into the locker room. Kentucky was 7-for-15 from behind the arc in the first half, but allowed the Lumberjacks to shoot 6-for-15. Free throws also kept NAU in the game, as they made all seven of their attempts while Kentucky only made two of its three attempts.
Northern Arizona came storming back to start the second half, cutting the lead to one with 15 minutes remaining. Kentucky fans were not happy with the team’s effort, letting their frustration be heard with plenty of boos as Mark Pope called a timeout. To make matters worse, Kentucky came out of the timeout, missed a shot, and watched the Lumberjacks knock down a three-pointer on the next possession to take the lead right back.
The Lumberjacks still led 60-57 at the under-eight-minute timeout, and the fans were becoming increasingly anxious. The Cats were able to put together a 6-0 run to regain the lead with 5:17 left in the game. However, the Lumberjacks were not finished and took a four-point lead with just 1:32 remaining in regulation.
The Cats managed to cut the deficit to two with only 13.9 seconds left. Kentucky fouled, and NAU missed the first free throw. However, Moreno lost the rebound out of bounds, forcing Kentucky to foul once more. Once again, the Lumberjacks missed the first free throw, giving Kentucky another opportunity. The Cats quickly pushed the ball up the court, where Alex Wilkins knocked down a three-pointer to give Kentucky a last-second 78-77 victory.
Alex Wilkins, Milan Momcilovic, and Malachi Moreno led the Cats in scoring with 14 points each. Moreno also led the team in both rebounds and assists, finishing with six of each.
Kentucky essentially stole the win from Northern Arizona. The Lumberjacks outrebounded the Cats 32-20 and were nearly perfect from the free-throw line. NAU only missed two free throws all night, and unfortunately for them, both came in the final seconds, giving Kentucky the opportunity it needed to escape with the victory.
After entering the game as a 30-point favorite and needing a last-second shot to pull out a win, it still feels as though Kentucky lost this game. The lack of effort from the team over the last two games does not bode well for the rest of the season. A win is a win, but the way the Cats are playing right now leaves plenty of reasons for concern.