LEXINGTON – November 6, 2026 – Michael Willis
Kentucky picked up its second win of the season earlier tonight when they faced off against the James Madison Dukes, winning 89-80. It was a close game for the first 30 minutes before Kentucky was finally able to pull away. A lack of focus and defensive effort made the game much closer than it should have been.
The game started at a fast pace, with the Wildcats holding a 10-8 advantage at the first commercial break. Zoom Diallo, who struggled during the exhibition games, made his presence known early, scoring 8 points with 13 minutes remaining in the first half.
It was a back-and-forth game throughout the first half, with little for the fans to get excited about. That is, until Kam Williams made his first appearance of the season, drawing an ovation from the Rupp Arena crowd.
The Wildcats were unable to build any sizable lead against the Dukes. Three-point shooting kept James Madison in the game, as they knocked down 9 of their 26 attempts in the first half. The teams went into the locker room tied at 39-39.
It was a disappointing start to the second half, with James Madison leading 56-54 with 14 minutes remaining. Kentucky’s lack of defensive effort continued to give the Dukes open looks from behind the arc. JMU knocked down 3 of its first 5 three-point attempts, prompting a quick timeout from Mark Pope.
Shortly after the timeout, the Wildcats responded with an 11-0 run to take a 65-56 lead. Better energy on the defensive end and an increased focus on driving to the basket allowed the Cats to build a lead of as many as 14 points before securing the 89-80 victory.
Alex Wilkins and Zoom Diallo led the Wildcats in scoring with 16 points apiece. It was the first time Kentucky fans got to see just how much of a contributor Diallo can be, despite not playing during the final 13:52 of the game.
Perhaps the most impactful player of the game was Justin McBride, who finished with 13 points and 8 rebounds, leading all players in rebounding.
Kentucky will need 40 minutes of defensive effort if they hope to defeat Kansas in their next game in Chicago. The game is scheduled for Tuesday night at 9:30 p.m.